House Of Friends Newsletter May 2009

Volume 9 Issue 5

101 N. Zeysing · P O Box 228 · Alma, MO 64001 · 660.674.2222

www.houseoffriends.org

Dressed in red May 14 to 17. Also during the camp, the medical shirts provided by our personnel will be seeing children who require mission partners, medical attention. On Monday, May 18, the entire Central Texas Orphan team of 24 will leave on a 7-hour trip to Busia, Mission Alliance Uganda where they will set up a medical clinic. (CTOMA), eight The team has been told to expect around 150members of the 200 pregnant women each day in addition to many medical mission team, other women, children, and men. This will be the departed from Kansas first time most of the people have been to a medical Kansas City members of the Uganda Medical Mission City for Uganda doctor. The Tuesday morning, May team ready to serve. First row—John Gross, Vicki Bennett, people of this Dr. James Carl. Back row—Linda Waydona, Alex Bennett, 12, 2009. They will be Barb Lee, Brittany Morgan, and Christina Munford village live joined by 3 from and die Texas, 3 from Egypt and 11 from Uganda. The team without any medical consists of 3 doctors, 3 nurses, 2 medical technologists, attention. Many 1 medical student, 2 HIV/AIDS foundation volunteers, 2 conditions they may AIDS social workers, 7 translators, and 4 other volunteers. die from (i.e. Many on the team will play a dual role. Several of them will be working with the Uganda Children’s Camp from

diarrhea and malaria) are easily treatable.

Over $20,000 of medical supplies accompanied the team. This is only part of the boxed supplies.

Taking on a big project is not a problem for Alex Bennett, 20-year-old sophomore at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, who has a burden for orphans, street kids, and students. Alex is also daughter of Vicki Bennett, HOF board member, and husband Todd. Joining her in the endeavor is Stephen’s College (Columbia, MO) sophomore, Brittany Morgan, who is embarking on her first mission trip. Alex is heading up a Children’s Camp for Abba House kids, kids at the school they attend, street kids (who have been befriended by Stacie Shaw and friend AmyRose who are in Uganda right now), and any child in the community who wants to come. We anticipate around 400 children will be attending the camp, which runs from May 14 through 17th. The camp theme is “Life of Jesus.” Alex says, “We will be taking the children through the Gospels and highlighting the Lord’s ministry. We hope this will be a guide for their own ministries. We are believing that the kids are the next Christian leaders of Uganda and throughout the world. They will be forerunners for Him and His purposes. It is our hope that this camp will be an influential time in which the Lord marks them as His own. Our camp verses are Matthew 5:13-16. We believe that these ones are the salt and light of the world. Besides two Bible teachings a day, we will be playing games and sports with one another, doing crafts and singing.” Alex, on left, when in Uganda on a previous trip.

Alex has been to Uganda two times—once at age 15 with her mom, and the second time with HOF founder, John Gross, in 2005. Uganda has changed Alex’s life forever. She says, “I will never forget the selfless acts of the Ugandan people. They demonstrated the genuine love of Christ, and this exhorted me to further service. (continued on back)

Camp (continued) I would like to pour out my life

as an offering to the Lord in service and worship. Furthermore, Uganda was the birth place of my preaching ministry. On my first day in the country, I was asked to speak at a youth conference. I had no idea what I was going to say, and I was extremely nervous. However, when the time came, the Lord filled my mouth with His words. I have since had a fervent desire to teach the Word of God. I know that this is a substantial part of my calling, and I look forward to doing more preaching in the future.” Aside from attending classes at the university, Alex has been recruiting help, raising finances, and creatively planning four days of activities for 400 plus children. Although there are a lot of unknowns regarding numbers and filling up the day, Alex says, “I’m trying to remain flexible with the planning… but I know the camp will be a blast no matter what.” Alex, who enjoys teaching and spending time with kids, knows that many of the children have never experienced anything like a camp before. She is excited that she can be a part of giving them an opportunity of a lifetime. Often Ugandan children do not receive much of a childhood. They drop out of school because the school fees are burdensome on families and they must find work. They are forced into adulthood too early in life. “For this camp,” says Alex, “we are inviting these kids to have fun and relive their lost childhoods. I want to see them smile again.” Brittany designed a t-shirt to help in raising funds and sold almost 50 of them. She, too, helped raise finances for the camp from students, friends, and professors on her college campus.

House of Friends has partnered with Faith Bible College of Kansas City and Pastor Paul Busulwa of Uganda, to begin teaching Faith Bible College courses in his village churches via computer. Pastor Paul, who oversees 70 village churches, will be given the generator used by the Medical Mission Team when they leave Uganda the end of May. Village churches do not have electricity, so the generator will enable him to run his laptop computer, which will contain computerized Bible College courses. This has been an answer to prayer for many Ugandans who have greatly desired to be trained in the Word of God and be His mouthpiece in Uganda—sharing the Gospel with their people and raising up disciples.

SPECIAL PROJECTS IN UGANDA We urgently need to build a latrine for Abba House in Entebbe, Uganda, for sanitary reasons and to meet government requirements. We anticipate the cost of this project to be $1,400. AmyRose Tomlinson is working on securing funding for a well to give the homes in Entebbe a safe water supply. We have a potential donor for the building of a fence around the property which will protect the children from harm.

The second Abba House is underway. It is anticipated the walls will be up and ready to insert windows before the Medical Mission Team leaves Uganda the end of May.

The Eddy Reber Memorial Home in Kamuli, Uganda is under construction and nearing completion. Pastor Baliruno Valentine (far right in the picture to the right) reports there is a need for $4,000 to complete this Abba House home. Pastor Valentine and his wife are caring for nine orphaned children.

Dale Ritter, House of Friends board member and director of the Native American Outreach, is working on making cosmetic changes to the outside of The Filling Station located in Alma, Missouri. The old filling station will be used as a sales outlet to generate administrative and project funding as well as taking in, storing, and preparing donations to go out to the Native Americans at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. More information on the future of The Filling Station will be shared as plans unfold. We will be seeking volunteers in the near future to get the building ready for occupancy. Contact the ministry office at 660.674.2222 if you would like to volunteer.