This Day in Katusa

The drive to Katusa is 25 miles outside of the city of Kampala. However, today, 25 miles was one hour long! We greeted the day with very much traffic, their rush hour, so to speak. One cannot get used to riding on the "wrong side of the road". You are continuously thinking that you are about to wreck, but no wrecks for us! Everywhere there are motorcycle taxis, called "border-border"s. We have seen them carry three passengers plus the driver. We have seen them carry 8-10 mattresses. Once we saw one carrying a 300 pound hog tied onto it! It is amazing what they can get on a motorcycle here!
The church at Katusa was planted by Nelson Kysooka, who founded Grace Fellowship Ministries. We work with them here in Kampala. We were the first mission team to come to Katusa. Katusa was very green with lush vegetation. They have the avocado tree, the mango tree, the papaya tree, the jack-fruit tree, the banana tree, the coffee bean bush. There are little mounds of potatoes growing everywhere. But, there is not much clean water, and many children were very sick because of this. They are not educated about the importance of clean water or eating nutritious diets. Our team gave them demonstrations on how to purify water using the sun's rays. Many came for this technology. This should improve the quality of life for these precious people.
The doctors and our pharmacist saw over 160 patients today. They saw malaria, ulcers,worms. One man came with a very bad looking wound on his leg. It was the size of a baseball. He said that he had been bitten by a dog...2 YEARS AGO! The doctor said the only hope for this man is if he follows doctor's orders about the care of the wound and also takes his medicine. We pray for this man. He is probably at least 65 years old.
We played with the children, and there were many! We played soccer, baseball, blew bubbles, hit the beachball around, painted faces, and gave hugs. We looked into the eyes of these children and saw pain, suffering, and thankfulness. But they gave us many smiles!
When we left, the children lined the road as we boarded the bus. We gave them our few left-over peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches. They were wrapped in aluminum foil, so they had no idea what they were getting, but they wanted them! We waved and waved and took many pictures. I hope to come back here again. They need us, but they have blessed me.

Sherry Sprayberry
Team member

Day One in Kampala

Well we got started this morning and drove down to the Slum area of Kampala. It was very eye opening to us to see all those people living in what look like sheds. You can not imagine the conditions they live in. Pictures don't do it justice, you need to smell it for yourself! We then Got to Pastor Nelsons church and he shared his testimony with us and how God gave him a vision for this area. The Children were just wanting someone to love on them. Every time we turned around there were Kids hanging on our legs and wanting us to pick them up. Mary Paige and Abbey had the kids really attaching to them and wanting them to hold them and hold their hands. Jeff and I needed some old tires, cans, and some empty plastic bottles for our Urban gardens and Water purification classes. The kids were our biggest help! They ran off and came back with everything we needed. We had some large crowds for both the Urban Garden and Water Purification Class. They had many questions and seemed to really like it. We then went up to the Medical clinic where Josh, Eric, and Amy had people lined up to get medicine. We left there and went to the Boys Home and I shared with them about the power bracelets and what each of the beads meant. We gave them all a bracelet if they could tell us what the beads meant and they all could! We also had a coloring station, making puppets station, and face painting station. Abbey and Mary Paige did a great job painting faces. The boys really enjoyed coloring and were very good at it. As we left to come back to the hotel, the boys lined the fence and waved good-bye. It was such a blessing for me to watch my children love on these little kids no matter what they looked like, what they were wearing, or how they smelled. I am so thankful that God allowed us to come have this experience as a family. Matt Armbruster

We Made It!!!

After 18 hours of flight time, multiple lines consisting of people from all over the world, and a few McDonald's Double Cheeseburger's we have made it to Kampala, Uganda. For many members of this team, it is our first trip to Africa and for that matter our first trip to the third world. As we drove in the dark for 45 minutes from the Entebbe Airport to our hotel in Uganda it was glaringly evident that this county is in need of some of the basics we as Americans take for granted each day. Please be in prayer for our team as we begin our different areas of ministry to a people that more than anything need the hope that comes from our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Africa Bound!

There are many exciting things going on at FCM these days. One of which is a mission trip to Uganda. Tripp leaves today and the team will be headed out on Thursday. This team will be doing some medical work and some life-skills training. Please be praying that all travels go well, that everyone arrives safely and stays healthy, and that ultimately, God would receive glory from all that is done. Jesus calls us to preach the gospel to the nations, but He also calls us to minister to their physical needs as well. Jesus demonstrated His love for us, and He calls us to do the same. Our prayer is that through the work that is done in Uganda this week, many will come to know the simple truth of the gospel- Christ died for us to save us from our sins.

Here are the team members' names. Be praying for them!
Jeff and Amy Jacobs
Josh Meigs
Eric Blackman
Josh Jacobs
Matt and Tara Armbruster and their 2 girls
Jimmy and Sherry Sprayberry
Tripp Skipper

Be on the lookout for updates from Tripp and the team!

From the Plains to the Wiregrass and to the ends of the Earth

FCM had a fun weekend sharing about what's going on with the ministry. Tripp visited Farmville Baptist Church in Auburn on Sunday morning. Ashraf Jjuko, a Ugandan street boy, is now being sponsored by a member of Farmville Baptist Church. His sponsorship provides him with clean water, food, and an education. And most importantly, Ashraf will hear the truth of God's great love for him!

Sunday night was a special night for me. Yancy and I, along with Tommy and Rebecca Cummings, were able to share about our Sudan mission trip at my home church (First Free Will Baptist) in Dothan. It was a privilege to share our hearts and passion about Sudan and FCM with this extended family of ours. They were so supportive and interested in knowing more about FCM. The jewelry made by the Ugandan street boys was a big hit... we should have taken more!

Thanks to all who came out in Auburn and Dothan to hear more about FCM! We appreciate your support!
For His glory,
Joy

New Ministry Opportunity in Uganda

There are more than 3 million orphans in Uganda alone! I really can't wrap my mind around just how many children that is. But our God, who is a VERY BIG God, knows each and every one of them, and He loves them so much. God desires to use His people to be His hands and feet to show His great love for these children. That's why it's such a blessing to be a part of a ministry that is living out the Lord's command to "care for the widows and orphans". (James 1:27) At the end of last year, Four Corners launched a new ministry to meet the needs of street boys in the city of Kampala, Uganda. Many of these boys have been abused, abandoned and forgotten. Some have no parents. Some have parents who abused them. These boys have begun to live on the city streets, savaging for food and water. They have experienced things in their life that we literally cannot imagine. It has been very hard lives for the boys, but FCM with their partner ministry in Kampala has began to share the love of Christ with them by providing for the daily needs... food, water, and shelter. What's even more exciting is that these boys who have endured so much are hearing about God's great love for them and experiencing it in very real ways. Each week, they meet with Abby, a former street boy, who shares Christ with them and challenges them to know and walk with the Lord. Abby and others are also teaching these boys to work hard. They are teaching them wood carving, bead and jewelry making, and other trades to help provide for them. God is at work all around the world and He longs for us to join him in His work. I can think of no better way than to meet the needs of these who have so little, and help shape the next generation for Christ. Want you consider sponsoring one of these boys today? Your $30 a month contribution will continue to provide the great needs of these boys and make an eternal difference in their lives. Visit http://www.4cornersministires.org/ and click on sponsor a child to find out more. You can also email me at joy@4cornersministries.org with any questions. I'll be happy to help any way that I can.

For His glory,
Joy

FCM's Ministry Partner in Sudan Talks About the Upcoming Referendum

FCM began working in Southern Sudan in 2004 and
since that time we have tried to educate the American
church about the persecution that the church in
Sudan has endured. Often times when the subject
of Sudan’s troubles comes up on television, viewers
turn the channel, hoping to escape responsibility if
they can claim ignorance. But voluntary ignorance is
the worst kind and the church can no longer bury it’s
head in the sand and pretend that the world is ok just
because we are. The state of our own personal lives
is not the state of most lives in Southern Sudan.

In fact, the Western church is very unlike the church in
Africa. In Matthew 24, Christ prophesied that a great
escalation in persecution would take place toward the
time of His return and the “end of the age” (vs. 3).
The ninth verse reads, “Then you will be handed over
to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be
hated by all nations because of me.” The persecuted
church in Sudan is one of the greatest realities of our
time. Very harsh things have happened to some of
our own brothers and sisters in Christ. Many are
dying. Many are purposely starved. Some lose their
homes and even their children if they do not renounce
their faith. Can you imagine? But we must! We
have a responsibility to know what is going on in our
family and to address the physical and spiritual needs
that exist. It is time for us to wise up and reach out
and support the persecuted church in Southern Sudan
with both our prayers and our resources.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10

How can you get involved? On January 9, 2011
there will be a referendum in Southern Sudan on
whether or not the South will vote to become a free
and separate country.

Take time to listen to Jeffreys Kayanga, FCM’s ministry
partner, talk about the upcoming referendum and
what you can do to help. You can listen to the video
by visiting the multimedia page of FCM’s website.