Amazing Grace Visit - by Mandi Stonehouse

Greetings from Uganda! What an amazingly beautiful place. Its been nearly a week since I arrived and I've been enjoying every single minute of this journey. I met up with the team in Kampala where we stayed three days in Mama Susan's home. We spend some time in meetings and the rest of the time either playing, singing, and dancing with all the children, getting our Sudanese visas, washing our laundry by hand, or learning how to cook with the Mamas.

Working with Mama Susan has been such an privilege, her heart for women and children is so admirable. Everyone that knows her can't help but love and respect her deeply.

The whole trip has been such a blessings, one highlight for me so far has been meeting Esther and her daughter Nancy. Nancy was burned in a fire several months ago and traveled down from Kajo Keji to Kampala in order to receive reconstructive surgery.

We left Kampala the day of Nancy's surgery, so we are anxious to hear how things went and how Nancy is recovering. Please keep Nancy and Esther in your prayers as this will be a long process for them.

We traveled in a bus called the "Nile Coach" about 8 hours from Kampala to Adjumani, it was a crazy bumpy ride to say the least (thank goodness for Dramimine). I never anticipated that Uganda would be as green or greener than Oregon, but I have been proven wrong. The Uganda country side is so green and beautiful.

When we arrived in Adjumani we were all covered from head to toe in red from the sand, it seemed to permeate our every pore, even our luggage had turned to a nice shade of red.

We are now staying at Amazing Grace Orphanage where we were greeted with a welcome song from the children. It is exciting meeting a whole new set of lovely faces. Today we are going to lunch at the Thiessens, a missionary family from Portland who have been working in Adjumani for several years. We will be at Amazing Grace for several days so we will keep you updated on all that transpires, until then Kwaheri (goodbye). Thanks for all your prayers, Gd has truly been with us every step of the way.

Staying with Susan's orphans

The sounds of Arabic and Bari mix in the cool morning air as we enjoy some bread and tea. The older children here at Susan Tabia's orphan home have left for school, and we have some last minute preparations before traveling north tomorrow.

Our team has expanded now with Mandi and Bealy in the mix. We've also been sharing some meetings and conversations with the two Lahash volunteers who've been working with our Sudanese partners. Drew Reich and Jose Nunez have been a huge help to Susan and the staff in areas of medicine, management, and construction projects.

Susan has a dozen kids at this location. Most of the children have special needs which necessitates living in the larger city of Kampala. We've enjoyed hanging out with these kids - singing and dancing and learning some new words. We've also spent some time cooking and in partner meetings.

It's often overwhelming traveling on these trips and hearing story after story of suffering, oppression, and vulnerability. Northern Uganda and Sudan have acute security and resource problems. One mother here at Susan's home lost her husband recently to the LRA (Ugandan Rebels) several months ago. She also has epilepsy, and during an episode last year fell into the fire, dropping her daughter in the process. Both suffered from burns, but the baby has severe facial burns. Jose left this morning to a hospital to help the mother and child with reconstructive surgery. Please be praying for these two dear people.

I've been reading some in the mornings through the book "Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger". As we search God's heart through history, we realize that God is a God of the poor and needy. God is the father to the fatherless, and protector of the widow. He is the liberator, the advocate, and healer. In Jesus we find a leader who stood for love of both body and soul.

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord O my soul... Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever; who executes justice for the oppressed who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widows and the fatherless; but the way of the wicket he brings to ruin.
(Psalm 146: 1,5-9)

"There is nonetheless, a sharp contrast between God's procedure and ours. When we want o effect change, we almost always contact people with influence, prestige, and power. When God wants to save the world, he often selects slaves, prostitutes, and sundry other disadvantaged folk. He sees potential that we do not. And when the task is done, the poor and weak are less likely to boast that they deserve the credit. God's frequent selection of the lowly to be his special messengers of salvation to the world is striking evidence of this special concern for them."
Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by Ron Sider

From Summer 08 Trip

A week in Kibera

I've spent the past week living in Kibera with Edwin and his brother Geoff. They live in a single room apartment in the heart of the slums. It's been good seeing some of the daily life of the Kenyans here in this million-person slum.

Life is extremely difficult for the common person. With no services (water, electricity, security, or schools) - the ordinary man and woman must travel a great distance for work, and arrive back at home in filthy alleyways filled with mud, excrement, and trash. An estimated 250,000 people are infected with HIV, and there are around 100,000 orphans. Life is very difficult.

Edwin says that he has come to enjoy life and work in the slums here. He's been living here for just over a year and a half - and has many friends along the street. One man we met this morning had a bullet in his thigh still from the post-election clashes. "Not even George Bush has a bullet in him!" he boasted.

People here are still raw from the tribal divisions from the clashes in December and January a few months ago. Some bus companies can't enter into neighborhoods because of being the wrong tribe. Many families don't feel safe about returning to their homes. And there is evidence of the chaos and riots in many places.

We spent some good time with Margaret and the kids and teachers of Tenderfeet. They've been doing a great job so far, and we went through about 16 hours of meetings to make sure we are all moving forward together.

One of the things we've done recently is to share a collection of books with our partners that have been helpful to our vision from the United States. I'll share a photo here of some good inspiring books for those interested...

Tonight our team heads out for Kampala Uganda to meet with our Sudanese partners. Thanks for the prayers and love!

Chilly Nairobi for a few days

Edwin and Leisha and I have been in Nairobi now for a couple of days. I don't have access to my camera right now, so those photos will come later.

We've been meeting with Mama Margaret at her Tenderfeet school, and I've been staying in Kibera.

Tomorrow we head out to Kampala to meet up with Mandi and then join the Sudan team at the orphanages.

Thanks for your prayers as we travel. You can pray for us for our health (currently strong), our travels (great so far), our meetings (intense but productive), and our unity as a team.

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Jim Anderson was part of the wonderful welcome home team the other day for the Vibrant group. He posted some photos on his Picasa album.

The Vibrant team heads home

From Vibrant 08 Trip

It's humid here in Dar Es Salaam as I sit in our hotel lobby. Four of the members of the team left this afternoon for the long journey back to the United States. A group of us said goodbye to Erin, Adam, Liz, and Kam. Trina and Lindsay will be here a couple more days - and Leisha, Edwin, and I will wake up early to travel to Kenya by bus.

After Bible camping with the Tanzanian kids, we headed back for a couple of nights in Dodoma. We had a tearful farewell with the staff - and also completed a short hike up a prominent rock that dominates the Dodoma landscape.


Early on Sunday, we piled into the Shabiby Express to drive back to Dar Es Salaam. The landscape is really breathtaking, and the long hours allowed us to think through our experiences and reflect on what we've just plowed through.

Living among our brothers and sisters here is always life-changing. Pastor Amos is a deep thinker and a visionary. His wife Esther is incredibly compassionate, dedicated, and cheerful. They are a wonderful team in a region with many needs.

We learn many things while here. We learn that the African church has great depth and wisdom to share with the world. We also learn of the hospitality, generosity, and kindness of our East African family. We see, touch, and understand the reality that the lack of resources for the poorest of the poor devastates lives. We realize that whether we are aware of it or not - we impact this region with our choices in our own communities. And our understanding of God and the nature of our creator & friend is challenged and enlarged.

Thank you for your prayers and partnership as we've traveled. We are so grateful for your interest and participation.

For Edwin, Leisha, and I - we'll continue to travel for the next month. We'll be visiting our partners in Uganda, Sudan, and Kenya!

If you'd like to see the whole Vibrant '08 trip photo gallery - you can click below:

Vibrant 08 Gallery

Bible camping in Dodoma!

The last three days we have been Bible camping with the Lahash-sponsored kids here in Dodoma. Every child in the program who was over the age of ten joined us for two nights at a college campus outside of town.

The kids had special classes on spiritual life and physical/sexual development while the Lahash crew got to know each of the kids through playing soccer, sharing meals and devotional time together.

As with any camp, we shared silly songs, skits and games with the kids. On Friday night, the Lahash team washed the feet of each of the children as an example of our love for them.


While the kids had their classes, Dan, Leisha, Edwin and I met with the Grace and Healing Ministry team to share our strategic plans for the next five years. It is exciting to see how God is growing love and collaboration in our hearts for the future.

From Vibrant 08 Trip

Our partners in Dodoma are involved in several projects in the church and outside the church. Through our organization, we are able to support these vulnerable children who had no hope in life. They are now able to get their basic needs and education which they were unable to get before. This week we will be joining them for bible camping which we will be able to share the love of God.

Working and worshiping together

Sunday was a big day at the local church. Several bishops and church leaders were in town, and we were dedicating some new gifts from a couple organizations. Pastor Amos asked one of our team members to preach - so Adam stepped up to share from Exodus. We were also decked out in our new outfits that a couple of the women had sewn the night before!


The church community here is inspiring on so many levels! We love worshiping with their three choirs (everyday we've been here has been practice for at least one of the choirs). Their love of God and understanding of the grace that gives new life is infectious. Their lack of fear in tackling the issues of AIDS and vulnerable children gives hope for other communities in the area. And their hospitality is honest and warming. We feel very much at home. We hear "Karibu Sana" (Welcome!) dozens of times each day.

After the church service, a large group of us ended up at Pastor Amos and Esther's home for a feast. Earlier in the day we had noticed a goat tied to a post, and the little guy was named by our team (note for the future: don't name local animals). We enjoyed some roasted goat later that evening - and Adam even ventured out and tried the intestines.

On Monday our group visited a local clinic that had two nurses in training manning the post. It was a rural service that did basic medical care, baby deliveries, and some vaccinations. Trina was able to ask some good questions about the facility. Most worrying was the realization that when sick men, children, and women couldn't find help at the local facility, they had to brave a bumpy bicycle ride several kilometers into the city.

Later that day we visited a new support group for HIV/AIDS clients. This was also a fair distance from the church - so they were meeting in a new church building. The courageous women and children came for counseling, support, community, some food, and worship. Across Africa, living with AIDS usually means suffering in silence and fear of Stigma. We were encouraged that this group was open about their condition, and yet eager to organize and live life to its fullest for years to come. They gave us a warm welcome, and we distributed some corn, sugar, and beans.

One of the nights Adam, Erin, Kam and I woke up to make a phone call to Vibrant Covenant Church in Portland. Pastor CV Hartline was able to answer the call during the church service, and the gathering were able to get an update from the team and receive greetings from the Mennonite church in Dodoma.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and the prayers! We are grateful for your partnership in our journey. Thank you for standing with us in providing a voice for the voiceless!

Sharing meals and lives

The sun is beginning to warm the banana trees around me as I type this update. It's about 7 AM in Dodoma, and I'm swatting back the hungry mosquitoes.

We've had a wonderful past several days here in Dodoma. The staff at the local church have been so kind and welcoming. We've been served huge amounts of food, walked some good distances, and shaken hundreds of hands.


The first full day we were here in Dodoma we spent playing with the Lahash kids. Currently there are 50 children enrolled in the program here - but only 35 have been sponsored. If you'd like to sponsor a child - you can click on this link to see the kids and for details on sponsorship.

That evening we split up to head to our homestays. Various members of the church have invited our team members to stay with them - and we are learning more about Tanzanian life and culture from each of them.

Yesterday we spread out across Dodoma in our teams. We sat down with families affected by AIDS and heard story after story of survival, courage, hope, and faith. One grandmother our team visited worked several jobs - despite the aches and sickness of complications from AIDS - to provide for the kids left in her home.

From Vibrant 08 Trip

Another family had 20+ children in the rundown home. There were 3 adults (all unemployed) trying to care for several families who had lost parents to HIV/AIDS. The grandfather of the clan took my hand and thanked us for coming for a visit. He explained how the recent storm had broken down two of the mud walls. Trina prayed over the family as we left - but it was difficult to find words to say in those situations.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for our group. We appreciate prayers for team unity, humility, love, and emotional strength as we are exposed to these stories of tragedy and suffering.

Arrival in Dodoma

Our team has arrived safely in Dodoma after 3 days of travel. We did loose one trunk on our flight - but the bus and plane rides were great experiences overall.

This morning and afternoon we rode through the beautiful Tanzanian countryside. We are headed over to Pastor Amos and Esther's home and then tomorrow will be meeting our host families for the next week.

Thanks for the wonderful prayers and the comments!




Breakfast in Dar es Salaam

From Vibrant 08 Trip

Unloading luggage with Pastor Amos and Mzee Mwita.

Passing through Dubai

Our team is heading out to Dar Es Salaam as I type. We aren't able to update any photos - but we'll upload some in Tanzania.

And we're off!

From Vibrant 08 Trip

Our group is just about to board for our flight to Tanzania. Thanks for the wonderful group of friends who saw us off at the airport!

From Vibrant 08 Trip

Packing for Tanzania

Our Vibrant team has a prayer send-off today from the church, and tomorrow we'll head out. We'll be flying through Dubai, and then arriving in Dar Es Salaam on the 4th of June. Watch for continued updates for the next 5 weeks of Lahash travel through East Africa!

On Friday, Mandi, Kam, and Lindsay all helped with packing supplies for our trip. We'll be bringing 12 large trunks with supplies donated from friends across the United States.

From Vibrant 08 Trip