CSB Soccer Update

Hey everyone,

Please check out our team leaders’ most recent blog post concerning the CSB soccer teams and how you can help them out.

Just follow this link:  http://steadfastjoy.blogspot.com/2012/04/on-winning-team.html

God bless,

Michael

Settling In

Greetings from Bundibugyo! The rains are here! Some of you might remember from a previous blog post that Bundi was pretty dry, dusty, and hot upon our arrival in late January. Well, we are now happy to say that things are wet, clean (relatively speaking), and cool. In fact, last night we enjoyed temperatures in the 50s – truly a treat. Unfortunately, I’m going to begin this letter with a sobering piece of news. Despite the relief that the rain brings, we were reminded of the fragility of life when news came to us of a young girl down the road who was struck by lightning and died during yesterday’s thunderstorm. She had gone out to fetch rain water, probably to use for washing clothes, when she breathed her final breath. While we were sitting in our home rejoicing over the abundance of water falling from the sky, a family was mourning the loss of one of their loved ones. This is the tension we all live in – not being promised tomorrow but tending to live as if we are. We pray that it’s a reminder to you all, as it has been for us, to live eternally-minded and to encourage others to do the same.

Quickly approaching the three month mark in Bundibugyo, we wanted to give everyone an update of our time here. Of course we don’t have enough time to type out all of the details but hope that it’s enough to provide you with an accurate summary. We are still hoping to use the blog in order to “fill in the gaps” between our quarterly updates, yet our internet situation is definitely lacking at the moment. Plus, our first three months have been largely focused on getting settled in, which has eaten up much of our time.

One piece of exciting news that I want to share with all of you is that my work permit has been approved! I’m still waiting on my passport to receive the stamp, but other than that, we’re good to go. This means I can have more freedom to share the rest of our “border crossing story,” which I will save for another post/letter. Thank you all for praying for the approval of my permit, as that is a process that has tended to go more slowly here. However, upon my return from the border, it was announced on the news that Uganda would begin processing all work permits within 21 days, which is exactly what happened for me. The importance of this issue will make more sense to most of you once I finish sharing the story of crossing the border with our things.

Since we returned to Bundi from Kenya, we have been trying to secure our compound so that Simon would not have to be chained up all the time. Also, because of our house’s location, we felt like we were in a bit of a fishbowl. All of our neighbors wanted to constantly peek and see the new missionaries in town. Secondly, the kids in the village would enjoy barking at Simon in order to get a rise out of him. A lot of times it was pretty entertaining to watch them run away when he would charge the fence. However, it caused the days to be quite noisy too. Although we already had a chain link fence, we were feeling the need for some privacy. Therefore, we had some guys tie tall reeds to the inside of our fence, which has since made us more comfortable in the area. We debated about doing this, because we didn’t want to make it look like we were “walling” everyone out of our lives. This just means that we have to be very intentional about letting those around us know that we want them in our lives, yet we don’t want someone staring at us 24/7. Pray that God would give us grace while building relationships with those in our immediate community.

In a previous blog post, I mentioned a few older boys who came around to “check us out.” Two of them are recent graduates of Christ School Bundibugyo and grew up spending many of their afternoons on our compound. We have since hired these two guys (John and Kadima) to work on the compound to maintain it and just do odd jobs. Secondary school graduates in Uganda have several months when they are not in school before going to college. John and Kadima are in the process of readying themselves for college and have decided that they should wait a year before applying. During this gap year, they will be working for us three days a week, and I will be studying the Bible and praying with them on one of those days. During this time, pray that God would grow them tremendously into mature, responsible young men who fear Him. They are great boys who work hard and love Finch and Simon, so it’s a joy to have them around the house.

My job on the team has taken more shape the longer I’ve been here. At the end of March, Travis (our team leader), Edward (Christ School’s Headmaster), and I had the privilege of sitting down with Scott Myhre (Field Director), Josiah Bancroft (Director of Missions), and Bob Osborne (Executive Director) to discuss the current state and future of Christ School. God was faithful to bless us with wise counsel and direction on the “next steps” for CSB. We will be sharing those details in the coming months, but in the meantime I can say that we are very hopeful about the vision before us. Please pray that God would continue to refine the details of this vision and that we would be faithful to be patient and wait on Him.

Lesley has done a wonderful job of raising Finch and making our house a home. She has a gift of bringing warmth (figuratively that is, since we already have enough “warmth” being on the equator and all) to our dusty concrete home. Recently, she has been able to begin assessing the challenges of Christ School Farms of which she will be helping to coordinate the direction it will go. There are many obstacles in the way, but she knows that God will provide the means for His plan for the farms and their relationship to the school and greater community. As these details begin to unfold, we will update you along with the plans for CSB.

Finch loves living “out in the country.” It’s almost like it’s in his bones. He enjoys being outside and inspecting all of the different kinds of bugs which he calls “bees.” However, I think his favorite part is the newest addition to our family – Oreo. Oreo is an adult female cow that now belongs to us (and is pregnant!) and whose name Finch loves to repeat like a broken record. Anytime he sees a fruit on the ground, he must pick it up and start looking for “Oweo” so that he can feed her. Like a typical boy, he loves to romp around in his boots as well. He keeps us busy all the time because he never stops. His curious nature and passion for learning have made him quite the explorer. Finally, he loves to get wet. Any opportunity he sees to get wet, he will do everything in his power to seize it. From playing in the pool (yes, the Bundi team now has a small above-ground pool to cool off on those hot days!) to playing in the rain, clothes or no clothes, you will find him there, even if it means sitting in Simon’s water bowl.

Last year, Lesley and I were blessed to be able to sponsor two students at CSB. One of them was in her final year, while the other was in his second to last year. Their names are Charity and Brian. We have had a wonderful time of getting to know them since moving to Bundi. Charity graduated in December and is now applying for college while Brian has just finished the first term of his last year of secondary school. Each term at CSB there is a Parents’ Day where the parents can come and visit their children at school. Brian’s parents died when he was very young, and so he asked us to come and spend time with him on Parents’ Day. Charity was also in town and joined us. Brian requested spaghetti, so Lesley and Charity spent the afternoon in the kitchen preparing our lunch that we would take down to CSB. We had such a fun time having a picnic with the two of them and hearing their stories. Charity’s father also passed away when she was quite young, and so her family has struggled since then. She is trying to decide between majoring in mass communications or education. With either degree, she would be able to return to CSB as a teacher, which is a desire God has planted in her heart. She has such compassion for the students in the sponsorship program which are mostly orphans and would be a great role model in their lives. Please pray that God would provide a sponsor for her to go to college, as she does not have the means to pay for it now. She is taking a step of faith by applying to college and praying that God will provide. If you are interested in becoming her college sponsor and want to know more of Charity’s story, please send us a message.

God has also blessed us with time to get to know students and teachers at CSB. We have been worshiping on Sunday mornings, Tuesday evenings, and Wednesday afternoons with them. Since they are a boarding school, they hold their church service on campus. This is a nice treat because most of the songs and the sermon are in English. I especially love our time of song as they have so much life in how they sing and are accompanied only by two drummers on about four or five drums. Tuesday evenings someone on our team is kind enough to babysit for us so that we can attend staff fellowship. This is a time where the teachers gather for song and studying the Word. I was asked to lead the study of the first staff fellowship of the term and was notified about this only a few hours before it started. Haha. Welcome to Bundi! God blessed that time and truly encouraged me with the teachers’ responses. That fellowship has proven to be such a beautiful time of watching the CSB teachers cry out to God for help. I love to hear how God is moving in their lives and how He is continually bringing them to a place of need. Chapel is held on Wednesday afternoons, and I’ve had the privilege of speaking at three chapel services this first term on prayer, servanthood, and the cost of discipleship. Following chapel, the students break up into cell groups where they discuss the message and pray together. It has been encouraging to see the boys in my group grow and become more comfortable with opening up to each other. Pray that God would continue to mold them into godly young men. Also pray that God would provide a way for Lesley to consistently be a part of chapel, since now she has to take care of Finch during that time.

One night a week we have been trying to have a teacher and his/her family over for dinner or dessert in order to grow closer with the CSB staff. God has truly blessed those times of conversation and prayer. When other children come over with their families, Finch has the best time making new friends with them and showing off for our guests. He’s not shy at all, which has been such a relief to us. He is just as comfortable trying to use his new Lubwisi words as he is his English words, and our guests always get a kick out of that. Pray that God would continue to bond us closer together with the CSB teachers in a way that brings encouragement and support to the great work they are doing in the community.

I would like to end this note by bragging on the CSB soccer teams. The boys’ team has had a great season by winning the district and placing second at regionals. This Saturday they will be traveling to the eastern end of the country to play in the national tournament! Also, our girls’ team will be traveling just across the mountains on Monday to Fort Portal to play in their national tournament! We are so excited to see both teams going to nationals this year, but we need your help to send them there. The opportunity for them to go is the opportunity of a lifetime for them to be on a national stage. However, going to these tournaments is outside of the school’s budget. Therefore, we need your help to send them to their respective matches. The cost of the boys to go to nationals is $2,300 while the cost for the girls is $2,000. If God lays it upon your heart to help these kids play at nationals, please follow this link (http://www.whm.org/project/details?ID=11024) and write in the “Comments” section that you are designating your donation for the CSB National Soccer Tournaments. Also, please pray that the students would represent Christ well to their opponents on the field and others that they come into contact with on their journeys.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. We hope to be able to post a picture slideshow soon on our blog that will accompany the stories from this update. We love you all.

The Stevens Family

Those Before Us

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.”

Since arriving to Bundi, I can’t help but think of those that have gone before us.  Years and years of challenges faced in a harsh environment by others have allowed us to transition well here, both physically and relationally.  I couldn’t imagine moving here without a house and having to start from scratch.  Building a house.  Bringing a water system.  Establishing a school.  Planting a church.  Starting a health clinic.  When I think about the pioneers of WHM Bundi, I praise God for their work, dedication (through frustration), and vision.  Beyond the physical, we see the fruits of their past ministry left and right.  We have been so encouraged by the believers we have come to know in this short week.  It’s not perfect here in any way, but the fruits of their labor live and breathe in this place, and that’s something to thank Him for.  The people of Bundi have made us feel so welcome.  Our presence here means many different things to them, I think.  It means a new supply of jobs as well as new believers to share community life with.

I attended Christ School Bundibugyo’s (CSB) three-day teacher orientation last week where Travis (our team leader, a doctor at the clinic, and chairman of the board of CSB) welcomed the teachers back to a new school year and challenged them with Scripture and rules from the teacher handbook.  I finally met Isingoma Edward, CSB’s head master.  Talk about a jovial guy.  Edward loves to laugh and came to know the Lord as a result of WHM’s work here over the years.  He’s returned to Bundi for his second year at CSB and seems very excited to have me here to support him and the teachers.  My new job title (which has been quite fluid over the past few months) is “Coordinator of Educational Development.”  Simply put, this is a blanket term that allows me to support the school in many different facets.  All of the teachers seem genuinely happy to welcome me in to their CSB family.  Honestly, I feel very inadequate for this job.  In some ways, I feel expected (by the locals) to be a super hero at CSB.  This is why I cling to the verses above.  Yes, many people have gone before me at the school that have done wonderful things.  They’ve also made a lot of mistakes or made wise decisions that weren’t popular at the time.  What I have to cling to is the truth that it’s not me, but God that gives the growth.  Please pray for me as I figure out my role at CSB and how I can best be used for the benefit of the school and for God’s glory.  I long to plant and water, but I have to be reminded that God doesn’t need Michael Stevens here.  If I begin to believe the lie that I’m needed by God, then I have failed.

Students of CSB have begun reporting to school today for the new school year.  It’s a boarding school, so they are moving back into the dorms.  Tomorrow morning is the first student assembly, and tomorrow night Lesley and I will be attending as staff fellowship with the teachers of CSB.  Pray that God would begin to create intimate connections among us and the teachers.  Lesley is thrilled at the prospect of being able to work at Christ School Farms with the agriculture teacher (Alex) and students at CSB.  She’s hoping to support their efforts to provide income for the school through the farms as well as bring more variety to the meals of CSB students and staff.  Pray that she would connect well with Alex and that God would produce effective ideas that they could collaboratively bring to reality.

Many people have been coming by to welcome us and introduce themselves.  Word gets around pretty quickly that new folks have moved into town.  Some of them simply want to say, “You are most welcome,” while others bring their applications to apply for jobs at our home.  Our most valuable visit so far has been with three young men (Ivan, John, and Kadima) who came by for a few hours on Saturday.  They all have a strong relationship with the Myhres (who built and lived in our current house for 17 years) and wanted to know who these new people are.  It almost felt like they were interviewing us to make sure we met their standard for being worthy to live at this house that they practically grew up in.  It was such a testament to how the Myhres valued these boys (now young men) and how the boys felt so loved by them.  We shared stories over some roasted nuts and water and had a few good laughs.  Ivan is still a student at CSB, while the others graduated last year.  I get the impression that Ivan has big plans for me and Lesley at CSB, which makes us smile.  We ended our time together by having them walk us around the compound to teach us about the trees and other plants.  We had our first cocoa beans with them, which was a tasty treat.

There are so many details that we’d love to share but just don’t have the time to type them all out.  We hope that you receive encouragement from the few that we highlighted and also know how to pray for us.  Feel free to email or FB us with any questions about our first week.  We’ll do our best to reply.

In Him,

Michael

The Countdown Begins

It’s official.  We’re moving back to Africa.  We have been approved for departure by World Harvest, and we’re flying out of Atlanta on Friday, January 20th.  This will ensure that we will have one full week with our team leaders in Bundibugyo before they leave for a medical conference in Kenya on January 31st.  Even though we’re not at 100% in our support raising, we’re really close!  We only have $139/month left to raise.  Just because we’ve been approved to go, doesn’t mean that we don’t need this support.  Please consider helping us to close this gap before we leave on Friday.  We will be extremely busy packing over the next two days before heading to Mobile on Monday.  We will stay there a few nights before going to Montgomery to see family and then heading on to Atlanta for our flight Friday night.  We covet your prayers for our last week in the States, and thank you for all your help to get us to this point.

Michael

The Final Days?

(Our blog URL has changed, because our country of ministry is changing.  You might notice that the new address is stevensinuganda.wordpress.com.  However, if you visit our old address, it will redirect you to this new one.)

The clock is ticking.  Our time with family and friends over the holidays was a whirlwind of fun, but honestly, we’re exhausted.  We spent time with family in Monroeville, Niceville, Mobile, and Montgomery for Christmas and then celebrated New Year’s with friends in Birmingham.  On January 3rd, we traveled to Disney World with my family for a family vacation and for me and my brother-in-law to run the Disney Marathon.  Our week in Orlando was filled with safari animals, Disney characters and rides, fireworks, and miles and miles of pounding pavement to receive our Mickey Medals.  It was a week to remember.

Now, we are back in Birmingham trying to wind things down so that we can get our bags packed for Uganda.  We were notified last week that the next missionaries who will be living in our mission house will need it by February 1st.  Therefore, we need to be moved out by around the 18th so that the church that owns the house can come and clean up for the new family.  This news definitely felt like God was telling us, “Ok, it’s time to go.”

Praise God that we have reached 100% for our one-time support!  We still have $219/month left to raise before we are approved to buy plane tickets by World Harvest.  However, our team would really like us to arrive in Uganda in the next 12 days.  Our team leaders are headed to Kenya on January 31st to participate in a medical conference for their continuing education and won’t be back in Bundibugyo until the 21st of February.  They would really like to spend a week with us in Bundibugyo before heading to Kenya in order to make sure that we get settled in.  Also, teacher orientation at Christ School will be held during the last full week of January, and it would be very beneficial for me to be able to attend that.

Prayer Requests

• Pray that the Lord will lead us to supporters who can cover our remaining $215/month deficit.
• Pray that God would energize us for however many days we have left in the U.S. and that we would look to Him for that.
• Pray that Lesley and I can communicate well and meet each other’s needs throughout the chaos of preparing to move back to Africa.
• Pray that we will have good goodbyes with friends and family when the time comes.
• Pray that we can finish all necessary paperwork for the adoption before leaving the country.
• Pray for anything else that you can think of because I have a million things running through my head right now.

Michael

A Mostly Authentic African Dinner

Next Thursday evening (December 15th) a sweet friend of ours (Rebekah Blocher) is hosting an African Dinner Night at her house.  She’s been so kind to learn how to make some African dishes to give people a small taste of East Africa.  Her goal is to raise awareness about the work of World Harvest Mission in Bundibugyo, Uganda, and all proceeds collected will go towards helping us arrive in Uganda next month and carry out our work there.  Please come anytime between 6pm-9pm.  It will be buffet-style, therefore, very touch and go.  We’d love to see you there.  We’ll also be setting up shop once again with our African crafts to raise money for our adoption.  This would be a great opportunity to do some last minute Christmas shopping.  If you click on the picture below, it will enlarge so that you can read all of the details.  Email me at michaelstevens82@gmail.com to let us know you are coming so we can know how much food to prepare.  Thanks.

Perplexed

As you may remember, we posted an entry on our blog a little over three weeks ago that we “affectionately” refer to as the Blog of Desperation.  That’s exactly what we were feeling in that moment.  Not long before posting that blog, we had received some not-so-good news concerning a pledge towards our one-time support, and it strongly impacted our financial situation as potentially greatly affecting when we would be leaving for Uganda.  In short, we felt betrayed by God.  As a result of those feelings of betrayal came our Blog of Desperation.

Over the past three weeks, God has basically worked miracles.  Rather than being a God of betrayal, He has shown Himself to us as a more faithful God than we could’ve imagined.  The fact of the matter is that He never changed.  Rather than doing a new thing in our support raising, He began doing a new thing in us.  God is who He is.  He doesn’t change.  He doesn’t shift.  He doesn’t mold.  Rather, He causes us to change, shift, and mold.  As Tom Cannon preached last night at Red Mountain Church, God is our Comfort.  That’s just who He is, and nothing we do is going to change that.  He has brought us to a new place of reliance upon Him and faithfulness with what He has already given to us.

In reflecting on the trials of the past few weeks, I was reminded of II Corinthians 4:7-18.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus,  so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

After reading through this Scripture recently, we had to change the nickname of the desperation blog mentioned above.  We are now calling it the Blog of Perplexity, as God promises us in verse 8 above.  In this trial, God has challenged us to look to the unseen.  We encourage you to do the same.

Now for a quick update on our support raising needs:

• We still need 3 more supporters at $100/month.
• We still need $4,500 in one-time support.

If you would like to make a donation, visit this link:  http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51086

Thanks and God bless,

Michael

Handmade Greeting Cards

Here are the cards that we mentioned in the last post.  These cards are made by a group of women in the Kibera slum of Nairobi (where Lesley previously worked) who seek to empower and transform their lives through Christian study, community, business training, and income generation.  Your purchase of these cards not only supports these women but also supports our adoption.  These are all handmade using recycled paper and contain artistically unique African design.

Each card is $5.  However, if you purchase 10 or more, they are only $4 each!  Email us at michaelstevens82@gmail.com or lescstevens@gmail.com with questions or to place an order.  Thanks!

Traditional Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Made of Cow Horn

Fabric Angel

Wire Angel

Nativity Scene

Wise Men

Baby Boy

Baby Girl

Flip Flops

Wedding

Wedding

Hat

Happy Birthday Aluminum Motorcycle

Happy Birthday Aluminum Helicopter

Happy Birthday Aluminum Guitar

Cupcake

Happy Birthday Ice Cream Cone

Assorted African People

Giraffe Made of Cow Horn

Guinea Fowl Made of Cow Horn

Guinea Fowl Made of Cow Horn

Wire Ostrich

Wire Ostrich

Aluminum Guinea Fowl

Aluminum Ostrich

Hut Made of Cow Horn

Hut Made of Cow Horn

African Art

African Art

Last African Artisan Crafts for Sale

Most of you know that we’ve been selling African Artisan Crafts to help raise money for our adoption.  Take a look at the remainder of the items we have for sale.  They make GREAT Christmas gifts!  Please send either me or Lesley a Facebook message or email us if you have questions or would like to place an order :  michaelstevens82@gmail.com and lescstevens@gmail.com.

We also have handmade cards for sale that we’ll post in a new blog entry soon!

Short Paper Bead Necklace – $20

Long Paper Bead Necklace – $25

Large Paper Bead Necklace – $35

Paper Bead Earrings – $12

Paper Bead Earrings – $12

Paper Bead Earrings – $12

Hand-painted Wood Earrings – $9

Recycled Glass Bead Necklaces – $30

Hand-painted Recycled Glass Bead Necklaces – $34

Hand-painted Recycled Glass Bead Necklaces – $34

Hand-painted Recycled Glass Bead Necklaces – $34

Hand-painted Recycled Glass Bead Necklaces – $34

Hand-painted Clay Bead Necklaces – $33-$43

Hand-painted Clay Bead Bracelets – $30

Hand-painted Clay Bead Earrings – $20

Hand-painted Clay Bead Necklace – $45

Assorted Scarves – $20

Clutches – $30

Patchwork Change Purses – $15

Patchwork Clutches – $22

Toiletry Bag – $20

Market Bag – $15

Basket Purses – $40

Short Wrap Skirt – $20

Long Wrap Skirt – $25

Long Wrap Skirt – $25

Long Wrap Skirt – $25

Reversible Full Apron – $25

Reversible Full Apron – $25

Reversible Full Apron – $25

Half Apron – $22

Batik Half Apron – $22

Oven Mitts (2) – $30

Natural Fiber Table Runner – $30

Natural Fiber Table Runner & Placemat (6) Set – $40

Natural Fiber Table Runner & Placemat (8) Set – $45

Batik Placemat (6) & Napkin (6) Set – $50

Batik Table Runners – $60

Printed Dish Towels – $13

Trivets – $15 Coasters – $6

Fabric Baskets – $15

Quilted Tapestry – $80

A Challenge

Lesley and I have had such a fruitful first week of language training at Mission Training International (MTI).  Thanks for all of your prayers.  We have less than a week to go and ask that you continue to pray for us as we are challenged with this task and as we build relationships with missionaries past, present, and future.

I’d like to add something to my previous blog post concerning our great financial need at this time.  When we first arrived at MTI, we were overwhelmed with the thought of learning a new language and trying to cram in a wealth of language studies into two weeks.  However, our instructors have done such a wonderful job of “feeding” us bit by bit so that we don’t choke on the information as we try to swallow it all.  Now, I’d like to speak to the overwhelming amount of money that we have left to raise and how you can help take a bite out of it.

We had over 200 people read our last blog post this weekend!  200!  I know that might not sound like a lot to many of you, but it was a lot to us.  We feel so blessed to be surrounded by people who love us enough to keep up with what’s going on in our lives, even though we are undeserving of this.  How great it is to be loved by a body of believers who long to see the advancement of God’s kingdom.  We want you to know that you can help, even though you might think you have nothing to offer.

For example, if every one who read our most recent post this weekend gave at least $50 towards our mission, we would have at least $10,000 less to raise by the middle of January.

Furthermore, if almost everyone in our Facebook Group (Stevens in Kenya) which totals more than 800 people could give the same minimum of $50, we will meet our goal of one-time expenses!

Please consider giving a $50 donation today to ensure our mid-January departure by following this link:  http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51086

Also, please write us at michaelstevens82@gmail.com to let us know of your interest in wanting to donate.  We’d love to hear from you!  We are so excited each and every time the Lord leads someone to partner with us in His work in Bundibugyo.  We look forward to hearing from each of you.

Michael