V.I.F.F. Update AND Exciting News

I know it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to blog.  All I can say is that November and December were very challenging months for me and I was sick for almost the entire month of January. 

Here are some Very Important Facts and Figures:

95 Jinja Jugs have been adopted.  There are 45 in my kitchen waiting to be adopted when Nelson is visiting and speaking in June.

So far, $1,124.56 has been raised to support the Agape Dental Clinic.  One of Nelson’s foster children had an oral problem that turned into a very painful life or death situation and required immediate surgery at the English hospital in Kampala.  Nelson requested that we send our “Jug” money to help cover the $3000.00 operation.  The surgery was successful but $800.00 is still needed.  Please pray for Alice’s full recovery.  She is only 12 years old.

A lot of people have been asking me “How are the Jugs doing?”  The Jugs are doing great!  I know that it can take months to fill a Jinja Jug.  But when they’re full, not only are they very heavy, they can hold over $200.00.  That money will be used to support the clinic with supplies.  I want to thank you and encourage you to continue to pray for the clinic.  Just keep plunkin’ your change and call me when your jug gets full.

Since Nelson will be coming back to the states with me, he kept bugging me to get my airline ticket so he could get his.  After much frustration with Orbitz, I went straight to the source and successfully booked my flight online through KLM.  I got the flights that I wanted for the same price that Orbitz was charging.  Keep that in mind the next time you want to book a flight online!

I only have 8 weeks until I leave!!!!  I know the time will fly.  I still have to get my shots and malaria pills and whatever else I’ll need to keep me safe while I’m in Uganda.  Please pray for me as I prepare for my trip and that I can get my taxes filed before I go.  Thank you for being a part of my journey.

Now for the EXCITING NEWS!!!  I received word from Nelson that there is a donor who has pledged to fund the building of a modern medical/dental clinic in Jinja.  I knew that God would provide the means to build the dental clinic, but He had even bigger plans.  Now there will be a medical facility that will offer medical AND dental care.  We serve an AWESOME GOD. 

Did you just get Goosebumps?  I sure did.  THANK YOU, LORD!!!

A New Song

On Sunday, Oct. 24, I spoke again in church to give an update.  After having made the video and watching it a bunch of times on Youtube, I felt that I needed to encourage everyone as well as let them know how the progress is going in Jinja.  Little did I know just how much I was going to be blessed and encouraged!  Right before I was to speak, we sang “He Who Began A Good Work In You”.  It had been a long time since I had heard that song but, oh, what a blessing it was to me.  I felt like everyone was singing to me and that God was – yet again – confirming and affirming my dream.  So of course, I had to add that song to my blog.

I gave a month-by-month report on the well and the Jinja Jugs.  I also shared about how we came to know Nelson.  About 6 years ago, our outreach pastor, Batt Stout, felt a calling to be involved with an orphanage in India or Uganda.  He did some internet research and found many orphanages.  He contacted some and asked how he could help.  Everyone asked for money – except Nelson.  Nelson asked for prayer.  So, I got on Facebook and started looking for people that knew Nelson.
I found someone in Norway that had been to visit Nelson in Uganda so I sent her this message:
 
Hi Merethe, I know that Nelson will be visiting Norway beginning       Oct. 4.  I have just finished this video and wanted to make sure that Nelson would have it while he is visiting and speaking.  If you know who he will be staying with, would you please forward the link to him?  I will be praying that you will be blessed by watching this video.  In Him, Laurie Woodward

THREE hours later I received this reply:
Hi Laurie, Thank you SO much for sharing your video with me.  I will make sure that Nelson will get it and download it for him to use.  He will live with us for a week or two and also rest at out cabin by the sea.  Your project is wonderful, necessary and absolutely possible. You can look forward to your trip to Uganda in April.  Be prepared for a life changing experience.  Is it OK that I publish your video to our STAO Giver Facebook group page?
In Him, Merethe

Out of all the millions of people on Facebook, I found THE ONE PERSON that I needed to find.  What can I say?  I had NO idea who Nelson would be staying with but God did.  It gave me goose bumps.  God is SO in control. I feel so blessed and honored by following the desire that He put into my heart.

We all have something in us that God wants us to do for Him.  Have you discovered what your “Good Work” is?  I pray that this song will inspire you to dream big and move forward towards it.

Enjoy blogsong # 3.  Blessings to you ;)

I’m On Youtube

So, I’m working at Atria one Tuesday night in September and Stan Gray comes in for CCC Choir practice. Stan plays the base guitar on our worship team and he also records the sermons every Sunday.  He stops and says to me, “I want to interview you”.  “OK”, I said, wondering what he was up to.  He told me to come see what he’d been working on after I got off work.  His hobby/gift is making Memory Videos.  When I saw what he had done, I got VERY excited.  He had dove-tailed my speech that I gave in July with Nelson’s speech from January. 
Stan wanted to make a video that I can show when I speak about the Agape Dental Clinic.  He came to my house on Thursday night and recorded me talking about my desire to build the dental clinic. He asked me if I had ever done any other missionary work. He wanted to hear about the miracles that Nelson and I witnessed during our time together and how I got the idea for the Jinja Jugs.  Over the next couple of weeks, we worked together on the video.  At some point during the whole process, I had an epiphany.

It’s NOT about the money!  
It’s about FAITH, HOPE, JOY and PRAYER!!!

I made 140 Jinja Jugs to collect money.  It takes a long time to fill one of those jugs.  I realized that the “purpose” of the jug is to be a "PRAYER PROMPTER".  God will provide all of the funds to build the Agape Dental Clinic in His time.  It’s our job to have FAITH in knowing that it will happen, showing our HOPE for the people that need it,
JOY in knowing that we are doing something for others and most importantly, PRAYING for it. 

Be encouraged that your Jinja Jug is doing just what God wants you to do with it - whether you are putting your change in it, telling your friends why you have it in a prominent place in your home and watching them put their change into it or praying each time you look at it for the provisions needed to build the clinic.  Whenever it gets full, it will help support the Agape Dental Clinic once it becomes operational.

The video that Stan made is now on Youtube for the world to see.         It’s called "Agape Smiles Journey 2011".  Nelson loves it.  I can tell that it has already been seen in Norway, Canada and Uganda. 
Thank you Stan!!
  
I feel like a big wave is about to form and roll in. Don’t you?

Calling All Juggers

I have a favor to ask each of you.  Would you please give me a call and tell me how full your Jinja Jug is?  You don’t have to count it – unless you want to – I’ll just guesstimate.  I would like to give everyone an update and thank each of you again for joining me on this adventure.  
I pray that you are blessed each time you plunk some change into your jug.  I know that it takes a while to get one filled.  The Atria Jug is about 2/3 full.  My Jug is almost 1/2 full.  If your jug is like mine, I won’t hear from anyone until Christmas.

Please call me ASAP at 949-533-8081.  Thanks and God Bless

The Pump is Pumping!

I received a phone call from Nelson on Monday night – at 3:30 in the morning!  I guess he couldn’t wait to tell me the great news.  The well   is complete and the pump is pumping.  They don’t have to haul water anymore.  This is wonderful news.  What an honor for all of us to have been a part of the process from start to finish.  Nelson came to us for help in January and it only took 7 months to complete.  I know that if Nelson could call each one of us, he would thank everyone that contributed dollars and prayers for this project.  But he can’t,so I will.  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you and God Bless all of you.


Nelson also told me that he would be leading everyone in prayer this coming Sunday for my trip to Jinja.  I gotta tell ya, I am in awe of how God is in control of my life.  I am at peace with waiting for the Jinja Jugs to do their job.  I am at peace with all of the plans that have to be made.  I am at peace about the cost of my trip and where the money will come from for it.  Knowing that all of the children and Nelson’s church family will be praying for my trip, fills me with more peace and much love.  Words can hardly express how I’m feeling.  I am at peace!  Period.  

Juggers - Goin’ Green!!!

Here’s another way to add to your Jinja Jugs.  The folks at Atria have been saving their empty water bottles for me to recycle.  I took in a HUGE trash bag full to my Drive-thru Junk Yard and received $5.21. They were amazed that their efforts yielded that much when I added it to the Atria Jinja Jug and told them “Thanks for recycling and keep up the good work!!”  The word got around and it looks like I’ll be going to the recycler again soon. 

I am recycling for my plane ticket.  It feels good to see the trash bags fill up with bottles and cans, knowing that I’m doing a “green thing” and saving for my trip.

V.I.F.F. Update - 6 Jugs have already been emptied and are working on being filled again.  $587.50 has been raised so far.  The goal is to fill each jug 4 times.  I am amazed at the generosity that has already been shown.  May God bless you each time you add to your Jinja Jug.

Thank you for your continued prayers as I speak about the Agape Dental Clinic and distribute more Jinja Jugs.

Vacation Bible School at CCC

Last week, I was so busy that Wednesday came and went without a chance for me to write on my blog. CCC’s VBS was a blast and a great success. This year’s theme was:

The Holyland

The children were divided into 6 of the 12 Tribes of Jacob – the easy names: Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Judah, Levi and Ruben. Everyone wore robes with braided belts and headbands. I hosted the Missions Tent. Each day we learned about a different mission and made a craft for that mission.

On Monday, I told the children about Jinja and the children at the Agape Children’s Home. I explained that all of our VBS offerings were going towards building The Agape Dental Clinic for Pastor Nelson’s daughter, Irene. Each child created a square for the quilt that I will take with me when I go to Jinja.

On Tuesday, Miss Thelma told the children about her mission in the Philippines. She wants to teach English in a NEW school building because they are presently using a WW II quonset hut. She showed the plans for the building that she is raising money to build. I sat on the ground with the children and learned too. The children made bookmarks to send to the children in the Philippines.  It was such a blessing for me to listen to someone that has a passion for their ministry the same way that I have for mine. 

On Wednesday, Max the Tax Collector came to collect taxes from everyone. In the Missions Tent, the children made sachets to give to the residents that live at Atria. The sachets were delivered on Sunday after church and the residents really appreciated the visit.

On Thursday, I spoke about being a missionary right where you live or work or go to school and that not everyone is called to leave the country to do missionary work. The children had great ideas about where they could be missionaries and made bookmarks to give to a friend.

That night, the children performed for their parents all of the songs they had learned during the week. The songs were signed as well. It was very impressive to see such little ones singing with all their might and going through the motions of each song. I spoke again about the Agape Dental Clinic and reported that the children had raised $359.86 for it.

10 more Jinja Jugs were adopted.

Being a part of VBS was such a blessing to me.  I encourage you to be a part of VBS at your own church.  You’ll be incredibly blessed and have a blast.