Thursday, December 29, 2016

A Look Back

It’s the end of a year, and as we look back on all that God has done in the past 12 months, we are in awe of His goodness and faithfulness.

In 2016, Daniel completed the construction of two houses at Good Shepherd’s Fold, discipling and managing 29 young men in the process. One of the workers even came to Christ – hallelujah!


After the completion of the houses, Daniel took as position as Assistant Construction Manager with Amazima Secondary School construction project where has been serving since June. Twenty-nine buildings later, and they have almost completed the first phase of the project.



In the baby house, we welcomed 5 new little faces in 2016: Monica, Mary Grace, Isaac Kisule, Emily, and Akhilam. The addition of these five brought us to a total of 12 babies. We saw malnourished babies grow healthy and plump, little ones take their first steps, wordless babes now speaking sentences, and overall progress and love filling the home to create a safe haven for the babies to flourish.  The caretakers all went through the book Love Walked Among Us, and we learned what the perfect example of Jesus’s love looked like on this earth (and how we can love like Him!).


We hosted Mercy, Precious, and Jesse for a holiday homestay twice in 2016. We led Cord Groups for 14 of the young girls and boys at GSF. We taught Sunday School and counseled children going through loss and emotional hardship.


Corinne sent out thousands of correspondences between the GSF children and their sponsors. She signed up 42 people to begin investing in the lives of children at GSF through the GSF Child Sponsorship Program.

We celebrated Daniel turning 30, and with the help of neighbors and friends, were able to pull off a surprise 30th birthday party for him. What a beautiful opportunity it was to see our community come around us to celebrate and appreciate Daniel’s life and friendship.

Daniel had malaria twice in 2016, but he recovered and is healthy today. Praise the Lord!

We took a 3-week trip to the US and were able to visit family and friends while Corinne finalized the TBRI training through Texas Christian University. We traveled to Nigeria for Christmas (where we are now!) and were given the opportunity to speak at Daniel's home to church to over 1,400 people about the ministry we are doing in Uganda.


God has done a lot that we can see, and He’s done even more that we cannot see. We pray that God would continue to work in and through us; that He would complete the work that He has started in our lives and those around us.
"And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6
We are looking forward to what He has in store for 2017. Would you continue on this journey with us and be a part of what He is doing here in Uganda and beyond? We would love to partner with you and bring you along. Stay in touch. Email if you have any questions. And consider giving financially in 2017 to help our ministry in Uganda continue.



Friday, October 7, 2016

New Digs & A Quick Trip


God provided a new truck at just the perfect time for us. Daniel’s role at Amazima meant a longer commute that was fit for a vehicle rather than a motorcycle. We’ve kept our hands on the motorcycle and continue putting it to good use, but we love the flexibility of the truck that allows us to travel around during rainy conditions and after dark. We purchased a 1990 Toyota Hilux. Within 5 days of buying the truck, it had already been used to deliver 1 ton of cement and our neighbor’s baby. But that story is for another post.



New Digs


We moved!......approximately 30 feet away. Daniel and I shifted from a single-room house to a double-room house, exactly doubling our square footage to about 200 sq. ft. We have enjoyed the extra space, especially the amenity of a bathing area inside of the house (opposed to the open-air shared bathing areas that we previously used). We’ve been in our new digs since June and are enjoying the new home within the same neighborhood.




Teaching Opportunities


Amidst Daniel’s busy schedule working with Amazima and GSF, God has given Daniel a plethora of teaching opportunities. These opportunities have ranged from preaching at Light of the World and leading devotions at the work site to speaking to 30 students about our heavenly purpose on earth. Pray that seeds planted would continue to grow for His kingdom.



House Guests


Daniel and I hosted 3 children from Good Shepherd's Fold over Labor Day Weekend. It was so special to share our home and hearts with Mercy, Precious, and Jesse for several days. We thank God for the opportunity to have them in our home!



A Quick Trip


Corinne started an online course called TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Practitioner Training offered by Texas Christian University. The program starts with 10 weeks of online pre-course training, and it wraps up with a week of in-person training held in Texas. That means a trip to America for us! Daniel and I are heading to the States on Sunday. We will be spending Monday through Friday in Pennsylvania before traveling to Chicago for five days (Oct. 14th – 19th) and then ending with about 10 days in Texas (Oct. 19th – 28th). Although the time is brief, we are excited to see some of you and reconnect. If you are in PA, Chicago, or Texas, shoot us an email and we will try to meet!

Prayer Points


1. Please pray for us as we prepare to come to America. We are excited, but there are also last minute logistics and loose-ends to take care of. Pray for safety as we travel, sleep on the plane, and that God would multiply our time in the States. 
2. Pray for Daniel's work on the Amazima Secondary School. Pray that the process of construction would be honoring to God and that the project would be completed before the beginning of the school year in January.
3. Pray for Emily, our newest little baby at the GSF baby house. She is 7 months old and has a long way to go as far as development and physical catch-up. 



Thank you for praying for us! We are blessed by your support.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

The Grand Opening

The Good Shepherd's Fold (GSF) Staff Residences are complete! It was a tough going at times and hectic at the end, but the workers and subcontractors pulled through to accomplish a great finished product - to the glory of God. Throughout the process, I learned more about pushing people to achieve quality work while maintaining a good relationship with them.

Here are a few project facts and figures:
  • 1-Bedroom Staff Residence
    • 400 ft² living area
    • 250 50-kg bags of cement used
    • 12,118 clay bricks used
    • 4.5 kWh solar power
  • 2-Bedroom Staff Residence
    • 600 ft² living area
    • 346 50-kg bags of cement used
    • 16,782 clay bricks used
    • 7.5 kWh solar power
  • 16 workers went through weekly Biblical manhood study
  • 1 worker accepted Christ as his Savior

God stretched and grew me during the course of the project, and I believe He did the same for the workers. One way that I saw God move was by the way the workers handled their salaries. At the start of the project, I let the workers know that - for those who were willing - I could put aside a portion of their pay each week as part of a savings scheme. It would be well tracked, with no interest, and they would have access to all of their saved money. Keeping back some of their pay was not mandatory, but I encouraged them to practice saving some of their income instead of spending it as it came. That way, they could plan and have the money for larger expenses and purchases. And save they did! Over the course of the project, 21 workers saved 15.2% of the total payroll. They used their savings for various things, including harvesting their farms, buying new bicycles, paying their kids' school fees, paying their siblings' school fees, paying their own school fees, and supporting campaigns for local political office. One worker even saved his money in order to pay the hospital bills for his new baby!


Here are a some pictures from the project finish:

UltraTec installing the solar water heater
Paddy grinding some terrazzo kitchen countertops  
Plumbers and others hard at work
Robert the carpenter hanging doors
Bukenya the electrician completing his wiring
Kaiga and Muwonge preparing a back verandah for screens


It was encouraging to see the employees rally together to complete the project on time. Once the project was completed, I held an appreciation party for all the workers. We gathered in one of the new houses and Joseph, the foreman, was our esteemed Master of Ceremonies. After an enthusiastic time of singing praise songs, Cody - one of the new homeowners - gave the workers a heartfelt word of thanks. I also thanked them and encouraged them in their work and faith. After that, there was great food and fellowship all round!

Giving each worker a small gift
Cody speaking to the construction workers
The GSF kitchen staff prepared a nice meal for the workers


Several of my workers took the opportunity to stand up and give testimonies. One of the masons, Musa, had an especially powerful testimony. Musa is a Muslim, but he thanked me for going through the Biblical manhood study with them. He said that going through the study made him understand what it means to be a man, which he can use in his life now. Musa added that he had worked for other kinds of managers before, but this time it was different - in a good way. So much so, in fact, that it made him consider switching and becoming a Christian. Praise God for His witness to this man through the construction project.

The whole crew on the front verandah of their work (Musa is pictured far right)
The workers put some of their savings toward buying
the Foreman and me appreciation gifts - live chickens!


Following the appreciation party, we had a grand opening when GSF staff came to tour the new houses. We ended the project in the same fashion that we started it - by dedicating the houses to the Lord.

Foreman Joseph giving GSF staff members a tour
GSF staff, construction workers, and visitors gather together for a prayer of dedication
The 1-Bedroom Residence
The 2-Bedroom Residence


Now that the Staff Residences are complete, I have been seconded to Amazima Ministries International to help with the construction of their new Secondary School as the Assistant Construction Manager. For the next several months, I will assist in quality inspection through the completion of the project. Amazima is a wonderful ministry, and I am honored to be serving with them for the time being!

The Amazima School site


Thank you for your continued partnership and prayer support! Here are a few specific ways that you can be praying for us:

1) Pray for the Lord to continue to work in Musa's heart and life, as well as the other workers.

2) Pray that Daniel would be able to minister to the Contractor employees at Amazima. Also pray that the School project would be completed in time!

3) Pray for Corinne and she seeks to grow the sponsorship programs, in particular the Class 2 Class program.

4) Pray for the baby house as they recently took in a new little baby boy, Kisule! He is doing well so far, but pray for continued growth and strength.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

A Word of Thanks to CEFC

"So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and 
sent them on their way." - Acts 13:3

Community Evangelical Free Church (CEFC) confirmed the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and sent us as missionaries to share the Gospel and love of Jesus Christ in Uganda.  We praise God for giving Community Evangelical Free Church a passion to help the poor and spiritually lost, and we are privileged to be an extension of our church body here in Uganda. Since sending us, the members of CEFC continually pour encouragement, prayer, support, guidance, and love into our lives.

CEFC supported us in a new way when they sent a wonderful team of 5 people to serve alongside of us at Good Shepherd's Fold. We enjoyed sharing both our lives and ministries with our sending church in a new and unique way. It was awesome to see God use each team member's gifts to encourage and build Good Shepherd's Fold. The impact that they made at GSF was great, and I know that the eternal impact we will someday see in heaven was even greater. 

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" - Matthew 25:40 

From constructing equipment for the special needs children, to training and encouraging the caretakers and social workers, to blessing our household with your gifts, to going for walks with the toddlers, to preaching at Light of the World Church and the weekly Bible study in Nyenga, thank you CEFC. Thank you for the impact that you are having in Uganda. Thank you for being a part of our lives and loving us from a distance in tangible ways. You are a picture to us of a loving, local church, and we pray that God would continue grow His body in Uganda.

The CEFC team

Jon preaching at Light of the World. Not pictured: Emily, Joie, and Kim leading children's church for the 80+ children of Light of the World Church.

Joie, Dave, and Emily organized games and activities for the kids. They loved it!

Kimberly brought some great resources for the baby house aunties and spent time doing training and discipleship with them nearly every day.

Dave and Joie led Sunday School for the 8-10 year olds and even brought a craft to do!

Jon building a piece of equipment for the special needs children's therapy

Emily and Kimberly leading Sunday School for the toddlers

It was so fun to introduce my sister, Kimberly, to so many of the sweet children that we love here at GSF!

Jon leading devotions for Daniel's construction workers

Thank you for your continued prayers and support! Here are some ways you can pray for us over the next few weeks:

1. Daniel is wrapping up the construction of the two houses at Good Shepherd's Fold! Pray that he would finish well and that loose ends would all come together and according to schedule.
2. Pray for salvation and for God to move in the lives of our neighbors.
3. Pray for good health for the babies at the baby house.
4. Pray that we would keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we seek to serve Him.

May God bless you!


Saturday, March 12, 2016

Project Update in Pictures



From the groundbreaking ceremony on Dec 9th until now, a crew of Ugandan helpers, masons, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and welders have worked industriously to build these new GSF Staff Residences.

Here is a glimpse into the project so far:


GSF staff and missionaries gather with the workers to dedicate the project to the Lord

Breaking ground with Cody, a future homeowner, Joseph, the foreman, and Kakoza, a worker

Foreman Joseph and a group of masons pour a slab

My masons take seriously the saying that there's no "I" in "team"

Jon Mountz visited GSF with a team from CEFC and led some devotional and teaching times with the men

Foreman Joseph looks on as Mason Isa lays a brick with Shafic's help

Mason Edward and helpers set the ring beam formwork

Mason Sam uses a mortar pan to cast the ring beam

Kawoma shows that chiseling for electrical conduit is hard (but fun) work!

Mason Sam and foreman Joseph use a water level to set verandah poles

Trusses up in the 1-bedroom residence with the 2-bedroom beyond

Welder Paul likes to live life on the edge

Foreman Joseph lends a hand framing the drop ceiling

Roofing contractor John passes an iron sheet up to his colleague

2-bedroom residence coming along
Praise:
  • The construction crew joins with the rest of the GSF support staff for devotions every Tuesday morning. At one of these devotions recently, James, a GSF kitchen worker, spoke and asked if anyone wanted to give their life to Christ. One of my workers, Lubega, came forward and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior! Praise God for the miracle of salvation!
Lubega
Please join us in prayer for the following:

1) Pray that the Lord would grow Lubega in faith and maturity, and that His transforming power will come to bear on Lubega's life.

2) Pray for the salvation of those workers who do not already know Christ.

3) We've had a few minor injuries on site thus far. Pray that the workers would remain safe through the rest of the project.

4) I am currently doing discipleship with the workers in the form of a men's study. Pray that the Lord would reach the hearts of these men through the study.

5) Pray for the management of the finishing stages of this project, that things would be done well, on time, and according to schedule and budget - for His glory.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!