News From the House Sept. 2013

7/29/2019 News From the House Sept. 2013

1/6

Volume 13 Issue 2 101 N. Zeysing P O Box 228 Alma, MO 64001 660.674.2222 www.houseoffriends.org

When you go shopping, include God. He loves to lead you to the source and give favor. On June 25 Alex Bennett, ElaineWittmeyer, Mikiah Hulme and John Gross went shopping in Kansas City to gather gifts and needs for the Kansas City ChristianFellowship July 10 mission trip to Uganda. Eyes open and the list before them, there appeared the first blessing of the day96pairs of reading glasses for adults for $1.00 each at Everythings a Dollar. They came in a display case (good for packing fo r the trip)and went all the way to 3.5 strength.

The list had grown that morning when they called Abba House for some infor-mation. There was a need for backpacks for every child as they kept losing theirschool supplies going back and forth to school. Seven were picked up for $1.00

each at Everythings a Dollar and then on to RedRacks. Favor and 33 backpacks were found atRed Racks along with three suitcases for packingthe gifts. A 25% special discount was given andit all came in under $61. Boys boxer shorts werepurchased at Wal-Mart.

One of the main gifts this team wanted to takewere dance shoes for the children at AbbaHouse. Some of the girls going had teachingdance on their agendaGod directed. WindyFarr had contacted the owner of the DanceShoppe in North Kansas City to share their mis-

sion and ask if she had any shoes to sell at a reduced price or to donate. UponAlex, John, and Mikiahs arrival, the owner, Susan, told them she had a fewpairs of shoes for them. Then she showed them a big box full of all types ofdance shoes (20 to 25 pair). She was told this would be a great start. Then,right as they were about to ask her about how much they would cost, she ranto the front of the store and grabbed more. The thoughts began rolling in,How much is this going to cost us? But, then she put them all in two bigboxes and gave all 40 pairs of them to the team for free! God had providedand the excitement among the team members was ecstatic!

The team members headed for another Wal-Mart and got great prices ondresses for the girls. They shared the miracles of the day with the cashierand he loved what they were doing and shared some miracles he had heardof. That evening Alex and Vicki Bennett found watches for all the boys atWal-Mart. How amazing the day was! All knew that the Lord would provide and He did.

Mikiah Hulme and Windy Farr, dancers,displaying the gift of dance shoes at Abba House.

Girls show off their new dresses.

Everyone going on the field with House of Friends this sum-mer is soaring on the wings of Gods love and goodness andthe children at Abba House have been so blessed. It is next toimpossible to tell it all, so were going to let some of the teamdo the talking. Join the KCCF team as they impart from theirheart the things they encounter and the goodness of God.

I LOVED THEIR SMILES & GIGGLES!Jane Hulme, team member (and House of Friends boardmember) writes, So many specialmemories of this trip. Getting to meetDorcus and David (sponsored children)was an amazing experience. I lovedtheir smiles and giggles. It was a joy tosee their playfulness and orneriness. Itadded a dimension of reality to givingto their support that makes it even moreof a blessing to give.

I also met the newest Abba House

child, Joyce. I held her and hugged herand have cried for her. It was a significant experience to meether in the context of the rest of the children because I wasable to witness first-hand the effect that love and care has onthese children. Joyce was still deeply sad when we met her.

My heart ached for her! Yet, as I watched the other children invarious stages of life, I was probably most surprised by the joy

and contentment the majority of themseem to possess. Though their situationsare far less than ideal, they are loved andthey know they are lovedfirst and fore-most by their Heavenly Father, and alsoby those He has entrusted with their care.

This touched me deeply and made meeven more convinced of Gods desire tocare for orphans and widows.

AT ABBA HOUSE WITH ALICEWe first heard of Alices plight last summer, says Vicki

Bennett, team leader, (co-pastor of KCCF. R.N., and House ofFriends board member). Her parents had died, and she wasin the custody of her aunts, as the tradition goes. The auntswere going to marry her off as a teenage bride and receive adowry payment. She was only 15 years old but looked older

than this at the time. She ran away from the aunts and went toAbba House, the only safe place she could think of. Her desirewas to continue her education, not to get married. After somedeliberation over the dilemma, John Gross told Alice she couldstay under one conditionshe had to believe (cont. on page 3)

Backpacks forschool.


2/6

and have a job. He prayed through a prayer book. The coun-selor asked Chad to add something about Jesus to his four-pointstatement of faith. He added, Jesus was probably at least thegreatest man that ever lived. Chad acknowledged that God wasworking in him to believe Jesus again.

In September of 2010 Chad had become comfortable withtraditional Christian doctrine and believed the right things andwhat he was suppose to do. He was praying the right prayersand he said to Sarah, lets go. Sarah knew he was not where heneeded to be. On one particular day they dropped the childrenoff at Bible club and went to International House of Prayer inKansas City. Chad poured out his heart to God about theirmoney problems, various other problems and the tension. He feltworse off and cried out, What am I going to do? God spokeclearly. You deal with Me and we will deal with the rest. It wasa promise, a rebuke, and a comfort. He had to open up a part ofhis heart that he had been withholding. He knew that if he didnt

open up to Him, nothing would work. He must trust Him and hewould move forward. They were there for two hours and Sarahrecalls that Chad looked bored stiff, while one hour of that timeGod was revealing to Chad things in his past, as on a TV screen,and healing the memories from his childhood and revealing hisfuture. He was showing Chad that His love had always beenwith him. At the end, Chad stood up, lifted his hands, worshippedand criedwhich he had not done for years. Sarah couldntbelieve it. She recalls his arms were raised wide and he wasweeping. It had been 12 long years and it was hard for her heartto grasp. The glorious light of Christ began to shine in his heart.

It took one year to rebuild their marriage. They had always

been friends but it was a rebuilding of trust. They began to trusteach other and pray together. The first time was really hard,says Sarah. Thanks to Gods faithfulness, the children have nomemory of family tension and strife during those 12 years.

During the rebuilding, Sarah had to see some things beforestepping out into their destiny. Chad said he started praying, Iwill go anywhere but Africa. He became interested in Africawhen a friend was in Swaziland. Chads pastor told him he couldnot go to Swaziland. He left the pastors office confused andfrustrated. Not long after, a friend gave him $1,000 saying thiswas for his trip to Africa. It confirmed Gods direction to go to

Africa so they refocused on Uganda. (Chad went to Uganda with

a friend, David Grimes, on a mission trip in October 2011, devel-oped relationship with John Gross, founder of House of Friends,and visited Abba House.)

Connections were soon made and plans set for the wholefamily to go to Uganda for six months..Their initial stay inUganda would be with Connect Africa. Trevor Tychon and familywould be returning to the U.S. for a short time and Chad andfamily would stay in their house while they were gonea goodplace to adjust to the country. They would also oversee a staff of15 and learn how to do the technologies i.e. building efficiencystoves, serve and help.

Chad and Sarahs heart is to help existing orphanages to do

better and establish an organization that can help people caringfor orphans emotionally, physically and spiritually.

The Spencers four goals are to 1) educate themselves onorphanages by going to 15 to 20 of them, and learn what isworking and what is not ; 2) build relationships with Connect Af-rica and others with resources from which to gain wisdom; 3)determine if God is saying to move there longer term and thatthey could handle it as a family; and 4) to work on projects whiletherei.e. waterfilters, etc.

Chad, Sarah andfamily have been to

Abba House fourtimes providinggreat help.

They are on theroad of their destinyin God.

House of Friends wel-comes our new mission-ary family, Chad andSarah Spencer and theirchildren Josiah (12),

Emma Joy (10) andHope (7) of Kansas City.The Spencer familycame under our um-brella, not only for thepurpose of being abenefit to our mission,but also like missionswho have orphaned anddestitute children in their

care. One part of their direction is to develop relationships be-tween orphanages like our own and initiate collaborative efforts

that will be helpful to all.Chad and Sarah have a testimony they have shared which

reveals it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to workfor His good pleasure, (Philippians 2:13 ) and that He whobegan a good work in you will perfect it until the day of ChristJesus. (Philippians 1:6) To come to know this family more inti-mately, they have allowed us to share their struggles and tri-umphs to bring God glory and to let you know, He will bring youthrough whatever struggles you are experiencing.

Chad and Sarah, a couple whose marriage was based onChristian principles and God was the center, can attest to Godnever leaving or forsaking them as they found themselves in a

place of despair 14 months into their marriage. Even with aspi-rations to go in fulltime ministry and attending Grace TrainingCenter, struggles in establishing a true heart-relationship withthe Lord became very evident in Chads life which placed agreat strain in their marriage to the point of divorce being astrong possibility. Chad had come to doubt his faith in God andgave up trying to believe. Sarah shared that she didnt know thedepth of his struggle and even had doubts about them beingable to make it. It was a dark time that lasted nearly 12 years.

During that time, they met with a counselor who took themunder his wing and gave them tools. They came to a point theydidnt want a divorce as they still loved each other. The Lord

gave Sarah powerful dreams that helped her hold on. It was atime of removing pride, etc. and developing Godly character.

Chad wrote out four points to hold on to during this time. Hecreated his own statement of faithwhat do I believe. 1) Thereis a God. 2) God is good. 3) Life is worth living. 4) Everythingwas going to be okay. Chad tells he had to wake up and chooseto fight for it. .

Four years ago Chad recalls being in bed worrying aboutmoney and about a job. He could have done anything and mademoney. He could have quit school and go make money. Hewas tired of it all. It was at that moment God spoke very clearlyto him, saying, I want you to give your life for the poor and the

orphan. He also was given a vision of his whole life before him,along with the words, You were built for this. As a young manChad thought his ministry was to preach. Sarah tells that Godstraining was different than anticipated and a little longer.

When Chad told Sarah what God had said, she wasnt realexcited. She thought, I dont want to go overseas with PeaceCorp. But also working with the poor and orphans was a dor-mant dream of hers and she was concerned Chad was messingwith her heart and he was crazy. It created a tension becausethere was a destiny in their hearts with no way to act it out. Withall the tension and frustration, Chad consulted with 10 men hehighly respected and told them the story and asked for help. As

a result, he began pondering Jesus and opened up to believingJesus is God.Chad and Sarah were not ready to have a conversation with

the children as to what was going on. The counselor encour-aged Chad to pray at the dinner table and he started liking how itfelt. He also started to pray, Thank You God that I am healthy

Page 2

Chad , Sarah & family developingrelationships when at Abba House.


3/6

Page 3

Alice (cont. from page 1) for her own support, and she did.Our church was moved by Alices story. The Vacation Bible

School of 2012 sent their missionary offerings to House ofFriends for Alices support. She was then the recipient ofmemorial offerings from a compassionate church member wholost her husband.

I met Alice last month on themission trip to Uganda. She hada bad burn on her leg from acooking accident. A lady on amotorcycle rode in to treat itand put a dressing on it. I wasrelieved, since I had no medicalsupplies with me. Two dayslater, my daughter, Alexandra,said, Mom, you have to look at

Alices leg. She is in pain. Itsswollen and shes sick, We tookthe dressing off and underneathwas a hot, swollen, and badlyinfected leg.

We gave Alice some ibuprofen and lollypop to get her readyfor the wound cleaning. She said the burn was two months andthree weeks old. She had gotten it from a cooking kettle that

tipped over from the openwood fire. We did a seriesof actions to debride thewound with no medicalsupplies. The most effec-

tive was when John poured waterover the burn like a fountain. Timothy

(from Kansas on a two-month missionat Abba House), a young man of in-credible resource, hopped on a bodaboda motorcycle and rode into En-tebbe to buy the last roll of gauzedressing on the store shelf before

closing time. Over the next few days, we applied antibiotic oint-ment and dressings and prayed. The interesting thing is that theburn began healing in the shape of a heart.

One thing John pointed out was that as we bound the physicalwounds, God was using our love, care, and physical touch toheal the internal woundedness of the heart. He asked Alice if she

felt loved. She said that she felt very loved. Alexandra often heldAlices hand, and Alice leaned her head against her while wetreated her leg. It was a simple act of caring, one you would dofor anyone, once you made the decision to get involved. But itmeant something more to Alice.

She gave me, along with other team members, a letter. Hereis a portion of it:

Dear Mummy Vicki,I am Alice and greet you in the name of my Heavenly Father.

Thank you, mummy, for showing me a mothers love. Thank youfor taking me as your child. Thank you for praying for me. Thankyou for caring for me in all ways. Thank you for taking care of

your family. Thank you for loving God and knowing God. I reallylove you Mummy. Continue doing or working for God. Continue

praying for me and I am praying constantly for you all. Pray forme for better results inclasses and that I may alsocontinue with Gods love.Come back next yearMummy. We shall miss youso much. Love, Alice.

Its interesting that shenever mentioned her leg con-dition but is very concerned

about her education. Thankyou to everyone who sup-ports the Abba House chil-dren and is willing to get in-volved. As Alice has stated,

may God reward the work of your hands.

The burn began healingin the shape of a heart...

A MIRACLE IN MY HEARTJoy Goodrich, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, joined the KCCF team

on their 2013 mission trip. It was on this mission trip Joy recalls ashift that took place in her heart. Join me in hearing Joys story inher own words.

I returned three days ago from Uganda. I committed to going

on this trip last January, before I knew any of the other teammembers (who are all from Kansas City) and when I really didnteven know what I would be doing when I got there. I left the U.S.about two weeks ago after only visiting the team two other times.I am still amazed at how the Lord worked out every little detail.Out of every team that I have ever been on, this mission teamwas the most unified and cohesive of all, despite the fact thatsome odd little girl from Iowa that no one really knew snuck into it.

While I had very few expectations about how the trip would go,I had so much confirmation about this trip that I knew God hadgreat plans for our time there. And indeed, this was true. We sawwounds heal before our eyes, we wept as nearly 1,000 children

prayed to accept Jesus into their hearts, and celebrated as webaptized many people in the water trough outside the church. Itwas the week of Ramadan, but that didnt seem to deter the Lordfrom ransacking the enemys camp, as five Muslim children cameto know the Lord, one young Muslim at the school gave his life toChrist and was baptized, and several Muslims from the villagewere saved as well.

One of the most amazing miracles that I witnessed was theshift that took place in my heart as I stayed near Abba House, ahome for children who have been abandoned by the world, butardently loved by the Father. I wept many times as I stepped intovisions and dreams thatI had been given yearsbefore, realizing in avery tangible way thecalling He has placed onmy life.

When I got on theplane to return to Amer-ica, I had a sudden reali-zation that I was notgoing back home, I wasleaving my home. I amnot sure when I will be given the opportunity to go back home toUganda, but my heart aches and longs for that homecoming.

AboveStaying in an attitude of prayer throughout the mission trip,play time with the kids, Luisa Kidd helping with chapatti dough atAbba House.

Joseph, Vicki, and Alexandrawith sponsored child Vanessa.


4/6

Page 4

A PLACE CALLED HOMESitting beneath the trees at the family picnic table, I watch as

forty kids live their lives together. It looks like dozens of heartsand feet intersecting underthe same Ugandan sky.With only two siblings my-self, I imagine what its liketo be surrounded by broth-ers and sisters day andnight, some older, someyounger. To never bealone, even when you want

to. To wake up to the chattering birds outside plus many othervoices in the adjoining bedrooms. This is Abba House Entebbe,and it is a place called home for forty Ugandan children, agesfive to eighteen. On a recent Sunday in July, I watch, completelyengrossed in the setting as the Abba family comes in and out ofthe home and enters the surrounding mission field.

Im watching this scene unfold after church; the kids have

walked back from Tabernacle of Christ to change from their Sun-day best. The girls were previously wearing smartly patternedpink dresses and singing in the choir. Here in Uganda, smarthas a second meaning: attractive. Most of the boys are wearingdress slacks and button-up shirts. Theyre trading those forshorts and t-shirts that they can cook in. Some of the cookingstarted last night in the dark imagine peeling over 100 green

bananas for the popularUgandan dish of matooke.Meal preparation is time-consuming here. It is doneby hand and almost en-

tirely on open fires. To-days Sunday meal is anall hands on deck ap-proach. Many of theyoung men are workingon the chapatti bread,which is similar to a Mexi-can tortilla. Henry, theoldest boy, has taught hisyounger brothers how tomix perfectly mingled

dough, as well as how to

flatten it with a soda bottlerolling pin. He makes the

process look easy and fun, and theres a group of siblings readyto jump in and take a turn.

The young ladies are finishing up the tomato slices. There areseveral large plates of the juicy red halves fruit from the AbbaHouse garden that provides a savory compliment to the beans,rice, and posho. Other siblings stack the plates, put lids on theready dishes, and call everyone together. When you make it tothe kitchen, youve made it home. This kitchen will feed about 55people today, and no ones likely to go hungry. We sit onbenches and enjoy each others company. The kids tell us about

what they learned at church, what Jesus was speaking to themduring the prayer time. There is a content feeling to the after-noon and a great hope for what is to come in the childrens lives.

As the breeze comes in from Lake Victoria, the younger kidsfinish their meals and resume their playtime. They chase eachother across patches of dirt and grass, joining with their class-mates from the boarding school. After filling up on oozing pine-apple chunks, we head in that direction, too. Theres a game ofnetball just over the Abba House fence. William Mayengo, afifteen-year old brother at Abba, plays with a group of youngerchildren. He makes sure that everyone gets a chance to score.Childrens evangelism is my passion, he says. I have always

admired people who teach Gods word to kids. This is my dreamfor the future. He passes the ball to a younger girl, and shetosses it up toward the net.

Just past Williams game of netball is the soccer field of dirtand dreams. A dozen boys have already gathered here. Theyreready to start the late afternoon football game. I follow Abba

House brothers, Enock and Andrew, to the field. They are both ingrade P7 at New Life Primary School. Most of the boys playingare barefoot, but this doesnt stop them from chasing the ballwith fearless ambition. I make my way over to a nearby tree andsit beneath it to watch the game. It isnt long until one of theboys classmates joins me. His name is Joseph, and hes beenin the same class as Andrew for the past two years.

While we watch the plays, I ask Joseph about his aspirations,his friends, and histime at church. Hebegins to open up,telling me about

Andrew. Andrew ismy best friend. Hehas always beenthere for me, helpingto take care of me.Looking out at hisfriend, I ask him

what he likes aboutAndrew. His eyeslook toward the field. A lot of times I havent had the requireditems for school. My mother could barely afford the school feesfor my three siblings and me. But Andrew has always sharedthings with me, like when I need soap for clothes washing or apencil for class.

I ask Joseph about his family. He tells me that he was aMuslim while attending the Christian school with Andrew for twoyears. He came to New Life because he wanted to play soccer.He went to church every Sunday but was still clinging to hisfathers religion of Islam. He didnt want to disappoint his father

by converting, even though his father left his mother and refusedto help with his school fees or return his phone calls. For twoyears Andrew has been a true friend to me and has shown mewho God is. He has been more like a brother. I know he wantedme to get saved.

Crossing over toward the West, the African sun makes itsslow descent above the field. I think about Josephs words andhis friendship with Andrew. He was converted just two days ago.The mission team was at the church that night, he says, andthe school security guard was getting baptized. Andrew broughtme to the missionaries. I was ready to accept the Lord. Hesmiles, and there is a deep pleasure in his countenance. After

being baptized I was given a new name. Everyone used to callme by my Muslim name, Ashiraf, but now I am Joseph.

We watch the players chase after the ball, bounding ahead togain position. A few players shoot for the goal, and one playersshot goes into the net. The boys congratulate him, and then theyare right back at it for the next play.

With the onset of darkness, Joseph and I stand up. Its time towalk back to Abba House. He takes me up the dirt path, and thesoccer players follow suit, leaving the field for their eveningchores and meal. Andrew comes alongside us and says some-thing to Joseph in Luganda. They smile at each other, andJoseph looks toward Abba. I hope that Im successful someday,

and as soon as I have some money, you know what Im going tospend it on first? Curious, I ask him what he plans to spend hismoney on. The very first thing will be a childrens home, like

Abba. Every child deserves a place to live and a family to lovethem, and I want to do this.

Joseph, Andrew, and I nod in agreement. We part ways withJoseph, heading up to the house to begin prepping for dinner.There is cabbage to chop, beans to stir, and even homeworkassignments to finish before Monday. I think about Josephs des-tiny and how his brother loved him to Christ. Andrew doesnt saymuch about the experience. He will meet up with his friend inclass tomorrow. His quiet demeanor seems to convey thankful-

ness, though. The story is a part of his Abba House journey aplace where lives converge, hopes and challenges arise, andfamily members endeavor to serve each other with love. This is aplace called home, and its here that young people like Andrewmeet with the Lord and go into His fields of harvest.

Story byAlexandra Bennett

Alexandra Bennett with Andrew and Joseph

Everyone pitches in for meal prepara-

tion. Here the children are pluckingchickens.


5/6

BUNDLESOF JOYElaine

Wittmeyermade memorieswith her sponsoredchildren, Joan,Solome, andJackson. Shewrites, It was anawesome experi-ence being able to actually spend time with the children. I lookforward to going back. Talking to Elaine recently, she expressedshe didnt realize how badly she was going to miss them.

Luisa Kidd spend-ing time with her spon-sored child and enjoy-ing time with the otherchildren as well.

Luisa says she wouldhave loved to bring herfamily with her.

NEARLY 1000 CHILDREN RESPOND TOTHE GOSPELDid the camera pick up heavenly lights shining down on Mikiah

Hulme as she shared herdancing talent and love forJesus with the students at aUganda government run

school in Entebbe? She knewbefore leaving the States thatshe would be teaching danceto children in Uganda and Godwould use it for His glory todraw the hearts of 1000 chil-dren to Himself. That He did.

As she shared her talent andlove for Jesus, and invited the children to receive the Lord Jesusin their hearts, nearly 1,000 children raised their hands with bigsmiles on their faces. Mom, Jane, who was present, was over-whelmed by what God did through her daughter and was filled

with joy seeing her daughter walking in her gifting and calling.First Womens ConferenceThe team ladies planned a WomensConference to be held at Tabernacleof Christ while on the mission trip toUganda. It was significant in that itwas the first womens conference tobe held at that church. The themewas The Sermon on the Mount fromthe book of Matthew. Jane Hulme,Luisa Kidd,

Joy Goodrich,Alex and VickiBennett allshared at theconference.Close to 100ladies at-tended. Someof the high-lights includedgetting to prayfor the ladies

during the services. Many friendships were built despite the lan-guage and cultural barriers.

Probably one of the greatest blessings for the Uganda teamwas the preparation they put into this trip and conference. Eachteam member took a Beatitude or one of the teachings from the

Page 5

Sermon on the Mount, studied the verses and then taught it at Kan-sas City Christian Fellowship, also known as The Barn. The missionmembers also practiced giving their personal testimonies. The focusgave unity and purpose to the team along with preparation.

Something interesting was going on outside the church during thewomens conference. Frequently there were several men standing bythe open brick windows and walls. They would listen to the music and

the teachings. There was a bathtub on the property that the men onthe team filled and did water baptisms during the services. The menwould gather up the new Christian believers and baptize them. At thesame time of all this, the dance team of Windy Farr, Angie Ginenthaland Mikiah Hulme was giving dance lessons. They were teaching thechildren and young people how to worship and praise through dance.There was so much happening on several fronts. Vicki Bennett

Carriers of His BlessingThe Kansas City team sent before them blessings and added

blessing upon blessing for the children and people of Ugandathroughout their mission trip.

Team member, Elaine Wittmeyer, had on her heart to help thevision of older Ugandans, so she took 100 pair of reading glasses forthose who were over 40 years of age who needed magnification toread. The availability of the glasses was advertised on the radio andthere was an overwhelming response. One pair of reading glassescan change a persons life when it comes to seeing the Bible!

Little things in the kitchen count tooeven potato peelers. Peel-ing potatoes for 42 children and 3 staff is alot of potatoes. Here you see Florence, thecook, trying out the new potato peelerbrought by the team.

The girls home did not have doors on

their rooms and the frames were deteriorat-ing. The Kansas City team held a huge ga-rage sale and the proceeds went towardpainting the house, repairing the door framesand putting on new doors, and putting a ve-randa on the home.

Thank you for

the homeimprovementsKCCF Team!

A team traveled to Adilang the first of August. For lack of space,report of the mission trip will be coming to you in October. However,we did want to share that Ugandan missionaries, Jimmy and Kathe-rine Bodo, will return to the village of Adilang for a follow-up missionOctober 19-29. Jimmy will teach classes on How to Study the Bible,and Katherine will train church members in Children's Evangelism.Please keep this mission in prayer as it is a unique opportunity forcontinued spiritual growth and outreach in the north. If you'd like tocontribute financially, you can give online through the House ofFriends website. Please write "Adilang training" in the comment box.

Vicki Bennett shares.

Luisa Kidd shares


6/6

__Please send me information about sponsoring a child.

__ Enclosed is $_______ Dominican Republic Outreach

__ Enclosed is $_______ Lakota Sioux projects

__ Enclosed is $_______ Abba House Entebbe, Uganda

__ Enclosed is $_______ Abba House Katogwe, Uganda

Please complete and return this response device if you would like to join with us in any of the above mentioned ways. All donationsare tax deductible. Please write checks payable to:House of Friends and send toP O Box 228, Alma, MO 64001.

Thank you for caring!

Extending a hand of friendship with a special gift.

__ Enclosed is $_______ Kitchen/Dining Hall Project Uganda

__ Enclosed is $_______ Missionary Quarters Project Uganda

__ Enclosed is $_______ Farm Project Uganda

__ Enclosed is $_______ for Greatest Need

Timothy Ninemire from Kansas spent nearly two months at Abba House helping wherever he wasneeded. Timothy was asked to share his most meaningful moments on his mission. Below you willhear it in his own words.

When I was at Abba House I think the most impressive thing I witnessed from the people was thesincerity with which they worshiped and prayed. They had almost nothing, nothing but Christ, and boy

did they show it.In a church that is only half-finished with rough-brick walls, I saw

God move in peoples lives and I heard testimonies about soap forcleaning chairs! Something that is an everyday convenience here wasan amazing luxury for them. I mean soap! The man was like a littlechild so excited that he could do his part to make the church chairsclean. It made me really reevaluate what I think is important. All thethings we have here that are just Duh are an amazing blessing there.

I saw boys become men and men become like boys through thelove of Christ, One was Henry. Praying over Alice's leg and watching itheal was a moment of great amazement and faith for me! I mean howoften do I get to see the power of God so clearly displayed! But Henry,

he was freaking out! I talked to him the next day, He was almost in a daze when I brought it up, I think at that moment he really realized

who God was and what He can do. I mean he knew it could happen and had heard of itbut seeing it in front of your eyes! He was abso-lutely stunned that day as we talked in my room. Christs love became real to him. I baptized him that night. After this the older boys of

Abba House began bringing me their friends to talk to about Jesus. Pleasant?...sometimes. Unexpected? Definitely.After I had the privilege of showing a young Muslim man the truth of Christ, I began teaching the boys to be lights for Christ on their

own without my influence. The most emotional moment of the entire trip for me was watching Henry and William lead another young manto Christ all on their own, without my help. They were fulfilling their calling to be lights to the world for Christ. It was like I had shown themthe way and they took it and ran with it.

My role as a teacher was ended; but my role in God's will is just getting started, I can't wait to see where God has me working next.Thank you everyone who was praying for me through my sickness.

Blessing in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Timothy Ninemire

When a foundation is bad, the whole building suffers. As we shared in the past, thekitchen/dining hall became very costly and it was discovered the builders cut cornersthe foundation was bad as well as the structure not sound. The walls could be swayedby pushing on them. The building has been torn down and a lot of the materials sal-vaged. The kitchen portion has been reconstructed and the roof is now being put on.Plans are to make the dining hall portion more like an open shelter house. Chad andSarah Spencer brought two new cooking stove units for the kitchen on one of their vis-its to the home. The stoves are different than have been used by the cook previously,so she will be making adjustments to new equipment. She did learn that the units used

less wood which will cut down on costs. The kitchen will soon be ready to use. We arevery thankful to all who have contributed toward this project and that a way is being

made to rebuild and make the structure more sound and a great blessing to the home.

Page 6

With work clothes onand tools handy,Timothy went forsupplies. At right hegreets you from thetomato patch. Thefines are staked upfor best fruit bearing

The missionary quarters is progressing. One of the bedrooms is finished and Bar-bara Decker is living in it at this writing. You will see the window to her bedroom in thepicture on the right. The bathroom that will have a stool and a small lavatory is in theprocess of being finished as well as a septic system installed. There will be a smallkitchen, another bedroom and small sitting room yet to be finished. Construction is be-ing finished as funds come in. Thank you to all who have been helping on this project.Bunk beds will be put in the extra bedroom to help accommodate mission teams whenthey come.

Coming in October Newsletter: Reports on Adilang and Ethiopia Teams; Rwanda, Kenya, and South Sudan Missions;Water Filter and Farm Projects; and Zacharias Team

News From the House Sept. 2013

Documents

Transcript of News From the House Sept. 2013