I am Still An American
Over the last few days I have really though home much we are product of our culture. Living in Uganda has taught opened my eyes to the world around me.
In just a weeks time I will have worshiped with people from Australia, England, and Lebanon. I will have shopped at a store and gone to a money exchanger owed by someone from India. Plus I work with people from Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan.
This world is small!
I have been able to witness many different cultural preferences. About a month ago Joy was making a smoothie for herself for breakfast. Our house help, Rebeca, came in and saw what she was doing and was said it was odd looking. Joy then offered her a taste. Rebeca made a face and said no way. You could tell she was thinking, “How can you drink that? Nasty.”
Then it comes around.
Rebeca was making some porridge for herself and Joy did not like it and was probably thinking, “How can you drink that? Nasty.”
We are a product of our culture.
Today is SuperBowl Sunday. Around 97 million people will be watching in the US. In Mbale, Uganda…I will be on of the few waking up at 3am Monday morning to join in the festivities. Why? Because I am embracing what I can of my culture.
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Welcome 2010
Wow, it has been a long time since I or Joy have written anything in our blog. It is not because nothing has happened or our lack of desire to communicate. It is has more the illusion of how long it takes to actually post an entry or figuring out what to write about.
I know it is easy to think, “but you live in Uganda! There has to be a lot to write about.” Now that is true, and I have nothing to defend that comment with. I guess, I have been lazy. So for that I apologize. And while it is still January and the trend is New Year’s resolutions I will refrain from making any specific public announcement of my intentions for the blog and keep them to myself. Just know that there will be more posts from me in the future.
On to the post.
Last week Joy and I spend much of the week working on Deaf Ministry and GNPI (Good News Productions International, http://gnpi.org). Personally I am getting very excited about the next few weeks and months for GNPI here in Mbale. Below are a few thoughts I have about the new studio/center.
Mbale Center Update
We have some exciting news, we are going to have a baby! My wife, Joy and I are getting ready to welcome a little one into our home in the next year, preparing a room, painting, getting a not-to-girly diaper bag and so on. We are very excited. This will be our first time as being parents I I can say we are filled with emotions or excitement, fear, and an overwhelming sense of this is the right time and right for us. This has really got me thinking a lot about my plans and making plans for a new life in our life.
In the same way we have been making plans and arrangement for our Mbale Center. In 2005 this center was just an idea, a possibility, a twinkle in newlywed couple. In 2007, the center became a reality and there was the birth of a building and the birth of a ministry. Since 2007, the center has been ramping up. We have nurtured the ideas, we have gathered the resources, asked for funding and now we are getting ready to send the Mbale center to first grade. We have been planning and making the arrangements since 2007 and looking back I can see how this ministry has grown and has a lot of growing to do.
We have been making the plans and I am filled with emotions or excitement, fear, and an overwhelming sense of this is the right time and right for us and for GNPI to begin productions. We thank you for your continued support through funding us and praying for us, we would not be here with that support.
History of the GNPI-Mbale Center
2006
- The Mbale Mission Team offered a piece of land for GNPI to build a small center to do projects together with Messiah Theological Institute (MTI).
- Making Bible courses available on DVD as well as other projects is discussed as a core concept for the new studio.
- GNPI prayerfully discussed the idea and raised funds while the Mbale Mission Team developed architectural plans and cleared permits with the municipality.
2007
- Construction began in January with the arrival of Tom and Julie.
- Within three months, Tom was able to pour the foundation, build the walls, roof it, plaster the walls, and begin ceiling installation.
- The building was completed in June.
- Vince and Joy came to Mbale as interns to visit the Mbale Mission Team and to survey the possibilities of returning in 2009.
- In October, Vince put up a wall around GNPI compound and furnished the building with desks and chairs
- Vince and Joy returned to America in December of 2007 to complete their university degrees by May of 2008.
2008
- College Height Christian Church adopts GNPI-Mbale in the Adopt-A-Center program
- A gift of $10,000 was given in order to fund 12 SMC for GNPI-Mbale
2009
- In February, Vince and Joy organized a container in the States with their personal belongs and GNPI equipment for the office.
- The Vigils returned to Mbale in March and began to make a home and do language and culture learning.
- In June the shipping container arrived in Mbale with all office equipment, including 10 Solar Media Cases (SMC).
- iWay Africa satellite internet was installed giving GNPI 80-100 kB/s, one of the fasts speeds for East Africa.
- A media survey began to circulate asking local people in Mbale and surrounding areas how media effects their lives.
- Vince set up the office equipment in August.
- Phillip, Director of Development for LivingStone International University (LIU) installed the SMART classroom in GNPI’s conference room for long distance training.
- In October, Vince began to prepare the studio for recording and also completed the media survey. Among the findings it was discovered that 86% of the people surveyed use radio for more then 30 minutes a day.
- GNPI-Mbale adopts the GNPI-A logo, from Nairobi, as their own to help create a East African identity
- The SMC Program began in November training 8 Church Planting and Discipleship (CPD) Coordinators on how to use the SMC. Over 1,600 people saw Promise of Love in the first two weeks.
- Isaac and Mercy from GNPI-Nairobi came in December to help develop office protocol and offer advice on what was still needed for the studio.
2010
- Tough Choices was put in as an option for the SMC Program
- The first Advisors Board Meeting will be held in the second week of January.
- 2,500 people have seen a GNPI video on a SMC
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When we joined the Mbale Mission Team, we knew there was a vision of starting a university here in Mbale. It sounded so far off that the vision didn’t seem like a reality at all, just a dream someone had. Perhaps I even doubted that something that huge would ever take place.
Thankfully, God is not allowing my inability to grasp this vision to hinder His work. I have only been in Mbale for a little over five months, and I have already had the opportunity to sit in on a university planning committee, hear the reports of teammates broadcasting the vision to Uganda through a University Debut, enjoy the fruits of teammates casting the vision at the North American Christian Convention, and today walk the future land for LivingStone International University.
Today a crowd gathered to walk the perimeter of the 64 acre plot of land that may very well be the future site of LivingStone. As we walked the land, I began to understand more fully just how big this university project is and how real it is. This is not a passing whim. God is going to establish a Christian University in Mbale. He is preparing to radically reach out to the people of this country. Our God is indeed a mighty God.
I am honored to get to be a part of the work that God is doing here, even if it is just a small part. I picture myself standing in the middle of 64 acres and feeling tiny and insignificant. Then I picture God in the middle of that land, and the land changes drastically. It becomes a place of hope and a place that has the possibility of impacting a nation.
I stand amazed at the ability of our God to dream and accomplish big things. He knows just what to do to reach His people. Today He reminded me that it is ok to dream big dreams. LivingStone International University is great proof of that.
Filed under: MWM, Reflections, Uganda | 3 Comments
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