Amber
Greetings to all.  As I sit in a hut on the side of an African mountain typing on a laptop, I think of all the ‘firsts’ that have been involved in this trip for me: my first time to eat goat meat, to sleep in a hut, to be spit on and have tobacco smeared on my face by old Tepez folk (it’s a blessing).  I’ve had a slew of new experiences that have given me a lot of food for thought, and that I feel certain will continue to shape me as I reflect on them going forward.  My day-to-day experiences have been similar to Sam’s, as I have been working with him studying the Tepez language.  I am so grateful that I have had this opportunity to learn about missions and to be challenged spiritually.  All my love to the McKinney household- I am excited to see everyone at home.

Jordan
Hello. The trip has flown by so far. It’s hard to believe we leave the mountain in less than two weeks. Adjusting to everyday life here was a bit difficult, but lately things have been real good because of a little change of perspective. A typical day consists of waking up earlyish and going out to the villages to tell people stories from the Word of God. After that, we come back and spend the afternoon doing language lessons and spending time in the Word. Then, we wrap up the evening with some fellowship and teaching. Pretty rough, right? Keeping that in mind has made the small things a lot easier to tolerate. Last week, a small group of men asked Colin and I to tell them stories from the Word of God because they have never heard any of it. The men are extremely interested in the message and prayer for that would be great. It will be bittersweet coming back to the States, but I’m looking forward to seeing and talking to all of you. Family, I love you.

Bethany
This trip has opened my eyes to many things such as healing from heaven. One of the first villages we were able to visit gave me an opportunity to experience healing ministry hands on. The journey to this village was no easy task. We journeyed through a river up many steep trails and concluded our journey on the trail of death which we named for it’s insane incline and loose soil. Upon arrival to the village we learned of the many ailed people who reside there. We were able to pray for them and though they didn’t receive immediate healing, a woman proclaimed that her sight had improved the next time we visited the village. Jesus is doing a might work among the people we are able to visit daily. Miss and love you all!

Sam
Golog, golog nade-nekeize.  I have spent much of this trip studying the Tepez language, which is the traditional language of the people with whom we are working.  The Tepez language is very near to extinction, and at this point is only spoken by the oldest residents of two or three large mountains in northeastern Uganda.  Our primary contacts are a man from Moroto named Lokiru Cosma who speaks both English and Tepez and a local man named Longok.  Longok is the son of Korobe, who is claimed to be the oldest man on Mount Moroto, and therefore is one of the most respected men on Mount Moroto.  Our work with the Tepez language has enabled us to interact with the oldest Tepez in a way that they have not often experienced from outsiders-the Tepez speakers that we have encountered care deeply about their language and are excited to have it studied.  Additionally, different organizations-both governmental and non-governmental-have expressed strong support of our work, and we hope that this work will serve to develop long-lasting relationships with these organizations that will prove profitable for future work in this region.  I feel that my time here has been productive and worthwhile, I feel that this team has accomplished much to lay a foundation for future work in Kakingol Valley, and I feel that upon my return to the states I will be satisfied with what we have experienced and what we have accomplished.  Blessings and love to the extraordinary Beer parents as well as the incomparable Beer siblings, I fear how old Rachel will seem when I see her in 19 days, and I hope that my parents have the ice cream and coffee well stocked at the Beer household on July 24.  The time here has been good, and that I am looking forward to the blessing of time with an exceptional family in just a few more days as much as I am takes nothing away from that.

Annie
Wow, Africa!!! God continues to pour His blessings upon us, He is so good. This has been a very good, but difficult trip for me. These Tapez people are in the beginning stages of hearing and processing the truths of God. Last Thursday my team went to a village high up in the mountains, we seem to like the villages that are the hardest to get too. I made sure to point that out to them, haha. But we finally get there and walk into the village and they ask us if we can pray over their blind, we hadn’t even said anything just greeted them. And we were like definitely!!! So they bring out this (aukimat) old woman and pray and she says her sight is a little better, that we need to come back in a couple days and pray again. That day she said my skirt was green, we go back Saturday and pray and she says my skirt is blue, which is true, her sight got better!!! Sweet. We were so encouraged, this tribe was so open to us and our stories of the gospel and I am anticipating of what God will do with the rest of our time here. I’ve learned so much this summer about God, and my future marriage, some call me Mrs. Gaff around here! I love it. I miss you so much family and love you all, I’m really great mom, I promise. Thanks for the prayers Pleasant Hope and other churches supporting me! Be home soon.

Colin
Hello friends! Karamoja is great. I feel like we have adjusted really well and living in the bush has been much easier as we learn to be content in the simple blessings that God is giving us. It’s been interesting getting to know the people here and learning about their culture and worldview. As we build relationships and story with them everyday we more and more understand the strongholds that Satan has in this place but we also see how the Father is moving and how their eyes are opening. Me, Missy, Jordan, and Sarah have been going to the same village everyday and that has been very beneficial. The people have asked us to share stories from God’s Word with them on a daily basis and they are eager to hear what God is saying to them. Since Satan uses different means in different places, adjusting to the spiritual atmosphere has been tough, but God has taught us how to pray against the spiritual warfare that exists here and fight for this valley in the spiritual realm. I think this is a very important part of us being here and prayer is crucial. Just as we prayed, God sent His rain to the valley and we pray He continues to do so. It will be hard to leave such a beautiful place. Dad and Mom, I love you guys. I lost my cell phone in Kamapala so you should buy me one from Walmart to bring me. I can’t wait to eat Hideaway with everyone I love soon.

Laura
Ajokha
Living in the bush of Africa has been an incredible experience as we have come to live with the people and be a part of their lives - learning how they do things and trying to do things with them (from helping to build our camp to weeding in their gardens and even trying to make posho or their bead necklaces).  I have learned a lot about walking.  Not just the daily hikes up and down mountains, but about walking with people and walking with God.  Living with the Tepez people and getting a feel for how they live, God has been showing me that just as Jesus walked with His disciples and shared stories with them about the Kingdom of God, so we too need to be attentive to the people and their situations so we know what stories to share with them. I have also learned a lot about the need for prayer walking.   Some of my best times with God and some of my best lessons from Him have been on our walks to and from the villages.  It has been really incredible to watch God answer prayers.  I love you Mom, Dad, Kiri, and the rest of the family. 

Missy
Howdy Folks!
Greetings and blessings from deep in the bush of Africa! ?  What an amazing and adventurous trip this has been so far! There have been some delightful times and some discouraging times but I have felt the hand of the Lord on us constantly. He has taught me so much! One thing He really impressed upon me is the power of singing to Him. One night a few weeks ago the team felt the need to pray and pierce the darkness deep into the night. My hut mates and I were called upon to sing worship songs while the guys prayed. We sang until we were hoarse and I have never felt the power of worship songs like I felt it that night. Starting from that night the words of many songs have become so much more sincere and genuine for me. The truth and power of worshipping Him has never been so real to me. Singing to Him has become the weapon with which I fight the powers of darkness here. I love singing late into the night with my teammates and I look forward to seeing how God uses this newfound weapon and renewed passion in the States.
To my awesome family: I love yall and miss ya! Could you bring a set of clean clothes(jeans would be great) to me at debrief? Homemade chocolate cookies would be amazing also. ? Tell Sonny, Favorite, Dixie, Ezekiel II,  and Jake hi for me. ? Looking forward to pizza and Blue Bell!!!!!!!!!!

Tyler
Well, so far this trip has been really good.  It has been challenging in a lot of ways, but I believe that they have all been good.  I have learned to be content with where the Lord has put me, and it’s fine.  I live in Africa, in a hut, with the ants and fleas, and that’s fine.  I eat beans and posho every night, and beans and rice every afternoon, and that’s fine.  Ive learned that in order to enjoy where the Lord has put you, you have to look at the blessings He has bestowed on us out here in the middle of the bush.  I have a hammock that the Lord gave me enough sense to bring, and a pillow, AND we have a porch that we built next to our hut.  We literally have every single thing that we need and plenty of things that are just simply blessings.  I have been learning how to grow into compassion with these people, mainly because I feel that I completely lack compassion, but it is something that God has put on my heart to ask for.  I am understanding that I don’t love these people for the physical things that they lack, they’re fine in that sense, they’ve been living this way for thousands of years and the only thing new to them is guns and cloth clothes.  I love these people for what they lack spiritually.  They have a horribly distorted view of God, and they really are just ignorant to who God really is and what He wants for them.  I need to wrap this up now, so, mom, dad, I’m fine, I love you, and I’ll see you in a few weeks.  And if you could bring some shampoo and soap to debriefing that would be great. ?

Sarah
Uganda Africa has changed my life forever! If you would have asked me months ago what this summer would consist of, I for sure would not have told you hiking the mountains of Uganda Africa. Each day has been a physical challenge that has transformed my spiritual life. Before now I trusted God to provide money and health, but I have never trusted him to help me climb mountains or do anything physically. I have told many on our team that this experience has grown more humility in me more than any other in my life. Of course if doesn’t take long when your falling down the mountain on your face every day! : )
My Favorite day in Africa thus far was this past week. As a team we hiked across the valley. We started out in the morning anticipating rain with every step. After many hours and visited villages we arrived at our final destination. We were tired, hungry, and slightly disoriented but we just had to explore. We stumbled across the ridge to discover the great land of Kenya. We could see for miles. Then all of a sudden the rain started. We ran back to our host village, crammed our hiking backpacks under a hut and followed suit, along with many Africans. We were cold and hungry but God was moving among us. We began to sing to the lord, and my heart filled with joy. It was a moment of confirmation to why I was in Africa.  God is so good and his glory is filling the valley he has brought us to. Love you Mom and Shara!

Here are LOTS of pics!
Each team member chose some of their faves with themselves to share with family and friends.
I am going to send a couple of separate emails with pics, a couple of stories, and small messages from each team member.
This email has messages from each team member with a story that has impacted them as well as a message for family :)  They are in the home stretch of finishing ministry and things are going so well.  Relationally, the doors opened to the Gospel after the rain and after a lot of prayer and spiritual warfare.  The team is being sensitive and wise, and have found villages where God is moving in the hearts of the people and have spent lots of time in prayer and preparation to present the Gospel in the best way.  Please do not stop praying- we survive on the prayers of those partnering with us.

Ty & Christy

Ty and Christy called reporting that they are on their way to the airport.  When they arrive in Amsterdam they plan to post an update and pictures.  They reported that all is going really well and the two villages are receiving the teachings from the team.  Pray that they will be able to finish the storytelling in the next 7 days.  Thanks for all your prayers.

“Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.” – James 5:18

After weeks and weeks of praying for rain, Ty and Christy called this morning telling us of what great things God is doing in Uganda. As you know the tribes have seen this team as being sent by evil spirits.

Since they have arrived, there has been a drought. The people blamed the team for it and refused to make a relationship with them. The last two days it has rained! Many of the villagers have changed their mind about the team and are now beginning to open their lives to hear about the Good News. Ministry has begun! We always talk about sowing seeds, planting seeds and gathering the harvest. But very few talk about clearing the land. Sometimes you have to remove rocks, chop down trees and remove weeds before you can even think about sowing. This team has spent the last five weeks just clearing the land and now it is time to begin to sowing the seed.

One of the blind ladies they have been praying over has now received partial sight. The believers in the other tribes have come to them asking the team, “Why are you working in THAT village? Those people are bad and deserve to go to hell.” This has provided an opportunity to teach the believers about God’s amazing love and that we all deserve eternal separation but God came up with another plan called . . . grace.

The team is doing well, sickness has been minimal, the unity of the team has been incredible and the focus to reach the Karamajong is still front and center of each student’s mind.

Continue to pray for the rain, the planting and the harvesting, that they might see God’s anointing among them. Continue to pray for health, unity and focus. Pray that the soil that has been prepared will now produce a harvest. They all send love to each and every one of you.

The Awe Star Office has received  a text message from  Tye and Christy. The report is that ministry is going well. They continue to ask everyone to pray for rain. It is one of the keys to seeing God move among the villagers. As they are entering the homestretch of  the work in Uganda they are asking that your prayers be focused not only upon the ministry to the Karamajongs but you would also pray that the team will finish the race unified, focused and healthy. Many times we are asked what is the hardest part of working on foreign soil and the answer is . . . the last thirty minutes. As you get near the finish line it is easy to begin to transfer your thoughts to back home, getting a hot shower, eating a home cooked meal, seeing family and friends. Pray for the team that their best ministry will happen in the last thirty minutes.

Team Uganda has sent us word that ministry is going well. They are currently focusing on two villages. One village is full of the blind, deaf and lame. This team understands the ministry to the “least of them.” Pray that their love for these outcasts would open door for the love of God.  In the other village God is letting the team lay down the basic frame work for the gospel. The are excited that they are now living in huts and become like the Apotstle Paul said, “becoming all things to all people so that a few will know.” To continue to pray for their health, safety and ministry. Pray for the RAINS to fall! That the Karamajong will know that our God has sent this team.

Walker Moore