God is With Us in The Preparation

Hey family and friends,

Many of you may have known that this past weekend the Gulu Team headed to SpringHill to spend time with each other having fun, getting to know each other and to grow closer in preparation for our trip that is closely approaching.
(hope you enjoy the pictures)

We want to praise God for allowing a close connection to form between us as team members and the brothers and sisters in Christ. We can for sure feel the presence and unity of the Holy Spirit amongst us.
We ask that you would continue to pray alongside us as more trip details get figured out. Pray that God would remind us that anything and everything we prepare for this trip, God has already got under control. May God lead our team to places that would challenge us and make our faith and lives depend on Him.

We also want to thank you for those of you who have responded to the letters that we have sent out regarding prayer and finical support. Please continue to pray with us that funds would continue to come in that God's hand would be covering, blessing and providing the funds that are needed for our team.

Thanks for sharing our experience with us!

Team building activity 

The beautiful team

The teens

We had lots of fun tubing!!!

May God bless you,
The Gulu Team

Bringing it Before Our God

With new experiences comes excitement, with excitement can come apprehensions, with apprehensions  should come prayer.

As the Gulu Team of 2015 prepares for (in the best way possible) the trip that God has already prepared; we are aware of the many things that could happen, but are trusting that God will be in us as we actually encounter what He wants us to. 

At our last meeting we each shared as a team the very things on our heart that we were most excited about, most worried or apprehensive about and the prayer that has been on our hearts as we are preparing for what God has in store!

We would like to share these things with you, our supporters, so that as a body of Christ we would come together in worship and prayer to Our God who is able to hear our excitement, fears and prayers. 

Leslie Bortel's heart: 

"I’m most excited to meet the staff of World Vision, who are the hands and feet of Jesus on the ground in Gulu and to worship with them and encourage them.  I’m also super excited to meet Peter and Collins, our sponsored children!!  No apprehensions!  God’s got this!

Prayer requests: Health and energy for the team leading up to and during the trip, so that we can accomplish all God wants us to do!"

Ethan Knake's heart: 

"I am most excited for the oppurtunity to be able to meet Christians who see the world in a totally different way, and experience life in a way I have never experienced. Being able to talk with them and having fellowship is something I greatly look forward to as well.
But on the other hand I am also slightly nervous about how well I will be able to communicate with the people there, since I don't speak their language and I am not the best public speaker. But I know the Lord will help me through any difficulty, which is also something else I am looking forward to, how He will challenge me. I just have been praying a lot about the people there, preparing their hearts and definitely preparing our teams hearts and minds as we meet and get ready to go."

Jeff Andridge's heart:

"Most excited:  to see God's work of community gospel transformation. And to meet our World Vision child, Agnes and her family.

Challenge: getting a stomach bug.  

Prayer: finances, raising up leaders in our ministry while I am out of country, relentless love for our team and the people we meet."

Mary Andridge's heart:

"I am most excited for the opportunity to partner with World Vision in a tangible way. I can not even wait to meet everyone, to see their beautiful faces and hearts!

The only thing I am nervous about is leaving Gulu and coming back home. I know that I won't want to do this. So my prayer request is that as our team comes back home, that God would lead us take action here and remind us that He is still working in Gulu (without us there); that He is a big and mighty God!"

Ben Doornbos' heart:

"I am most excited for meeting my sponsored child Salba.  I am also just excited in general for what God is going to have in store for our team and the experience we are going to have.

I am most nervous about the response to the support letters I sent out.  I have to trust in God that His will be done.  

Prayer Requests: That God's spirit will fill the hearts of those I sent support letters to and they strongly consider to support our trip.   That the team will come together, support one another, work off each others strengths and weaknesses to form a solid group cohesiveness.  Overall, that we will prepare ourselves spiritually for what we are going to encounter in Gulu."

Renee Ingold's heart:

"I'm most excited to see how God ignites passion and love for the people of Gulu, Uganda in each of your (the teams) hearts!  I love our multi-generational team and can't wait to see what God orchestrates for us!

I'm most apprehensive about doing a good job as a leader.  

Please pray that I will serve each of you (the team) well in preparation, throughout the week in Gulu and upon our return.  We will experience ups and downs, laughter and tears, stress and joy.  Pray that God will give me wisdom and discernment throughout."

Michaela Carpenter's heart:

"Super excited to meet so many new brothers and sisters in Christ and see how God is working in Uganda...also really excited to meet my family's sponsor girls and their families!

I guess I'm nervous/thinking a lot about leaving and the transition back home, that we would all handle that well and would see clearly and be obedient to what God would have us each do after this experience.

Prayer requests would be protection against spiritual attacks as we all prepare for and go on this trip, and that we would be filled with joy and humility and would be obedient to whatever the Holy Spirit prompts us to do."

Pat Faellaci's heart:

"Most excited for: To possibly see the 9 yr old girl we have been sending support for.  For what God might want to show us.

What you are most apprehensive about/nervous about: To be able to physically keep up with the pace.

Specific prayer requests that God has placed on your heart in these last few weeks: That there would be spirit-led unity among the team members.  That the team member's health would be sufficient for all the activities planned."

John Faellaci's heart:
"What you are most excited for: Seeing the World Vision partners in action serving the needy in the Gulu district.  Finding out what God has in store for us.
What you are most apprehensive about/nervous about: The long flight and eating something that doesn't agree with me.
Specific prayer requests that God has placed on your heart in these last few weeks: That our team would be a big encouragement to the World Vision in-country staff. That it would be clear what kind of 2016 support from MEFC will best propel World Vision to their goals for the Gulu district."

So, now that you have a glimpse of each of our hearts, we ask that you would join us in bringing these things to God. Be in prayer for our team and the things we will encounter as God unfolds his plan to us!

Thank you, 

God bless