Africa 2025

4-3-25 Today was day two of the safari. We woke up at 5:00am and were on the road at 6:00am. In order to attempt to see the cats (lions and leopards) it's best to catch them before sunrise when they are finding their spot for the day. Our tour guide/driver's name was Frank. He was very knowledgeable and had a very keen eye for spotting the animals. We had 3 vans for our team to have enough room to enjoy the drive. The other 2 driver's names were Tony and Sam. We were very blessed with being able to see so many of God's creation in their natural environment! We saw many types of "antelopes", they have many different names and were very interesting to see the differences in all of them. The little deer looking animals were called Oribis. They were so cute. We also saw so many different types of birds. There was a beautiful sunrise that we were able to capture. God surely is a Master Painter and Creator. The baboons were alongside the road playin...

April 3, 2025 The first day of the Safari was amazing, to see God's animals in their natural habitat was breathtaking! I didnt know what to expect or what the day would reveal and as we drove through the Safari the animals began to appear and I was atmazed at how freely they were walking around unbothered by our presence! Our tour guide began to explain the pattern of animals that we were seeing and how the animals stayed together when their enemy was around them in order to remain aware of its presence. I loved how the animals all stayed with their pack and each one took turns alerting the others of any potential danger. The giraffe were so beautiful standing as tall as the trees with different spots that distinguished them from the other giraffes. The lions were walking so carefree and unbothered by anything else that was going on. The female lions are the hunters for the family, they go after their prey and provide food for their family. Once the female lion secures the prey...

March 31, 2025 Team Uganda bog Today was a day of mostly traveling from the remote villages back to Kampala. A bus filled with tired people and a van loaded with luggage, topped with chickens, goats and a sheep that were given as gifts of thanksgiving.....what could I possibly write about such a day of travel? Here is what my heart learned as I sat in the bus for many hours, watching the landscape, reflecting on the Kingdom work that had just happened, and catching a few naps here and there. Traveling with this team has been a complete joy. Listening to the conversations, hearing the giggling of sisters, singing hymns, joking with each other, and sharing our silly inside jokes....we are a true team in every sense of the word. God has bonded us through this journey as we have shared laughter and tears and helped each other step by step. We have had to cooperate and put each other ahead of ourselves and through the example of our leaders, we have learned what kingdom work looks like. I ...

March 30, 2025 I woke up this morning with the chorus, “We serve a great big, wonderful God, a great big, wonderful God, a God who is always victorious, always watching over us, a great big, wonderful God.” God is indeed great and is the same God we serve in New York, Pennsylvania, and Uganda. Today, we were blessed to worship and fellowship with the Bumangoye Church of God in Uganda. This was a special service as Pastor Roy, our team leader, had the honor of opening and dedicating the new church built in partnership with Busti Church of God, NY. We had over 200 persons in the sanctuary, including political leaders who brought greetings and spoke about what the church meant for their district/region. One shared that this was the most beautiful building in his district; not only was there a church, he said, but also a school to help educate the youth. He then made a plea for a medical clinic so people would have access to health care. The worship service was vibrant and heartfelt....

March 29, 2025 Hebrews 13:16 says "And don't forget to do good and to share with others, for such sacrifices God is pleased with". This was the daily verse from my devotional that sent me on this mission. It amazes me how we always have in our mind, preplanned what our destination and purpose is going to look like only to learn you need to throw the rule book out on day one. I've never seen time flow so effortlessy. No hardened schedules, no clocks, fluid time frames and most important not to make assumptions on expectations for the day. As unsettling as this may sound to many of us, everything manages to get done that is needed, destinations are reached, three meals are eaten and sleep is generally achieved strangely making space for a sense of peace and calmness.These shifts in pace and assumptions elevates opportunities for a focus on relationships, apprectiation and serving others while opening yourself to the plethora of gifts others have to share in return. Tod...

27th ~ Our journey to Namayingo was an adventure in itself. So many things we saw along the way, eye opening for sure. Jackfruit, goats, fields of tea and sugar cane, chickens running loose everywhere, mud huts with straw roofs, handmade brick buildings, people on bicycles, boda bodas, taxi buses, workers in fields, deep rich soil, the place wnere Lake Victoria meets the Nile River, beautiful landscapes and trash filled areas, school yards filled with uniformed children, gold mining, cows crossing the road, selling of fresh fruits and vegetables, grilled chicken on sticks, raw meat hanging in an open market, many little churches and shops, handmade furniture, water wells, solar panels, rice paddies, people carrying bananas on their head, pigs, a simple round-a-bout, and so much more unexpected. We headed to a wonderful ceremony to dedicate a brand new JjaJja house for a grandmother raising 13 children. Eddy Nancy Lovisa was so excited and grateful for this gift. She was finally able...