What a marvelous privilege to have been able to be on this mission trip. There was a team of four that were on this trip, Brother Tomas, his son Vojta, Sister Iva from the Czech Republic and Sister Nancy Asbill from the USA. To give you a brief over-few from the team, we will share some individual testimonies. Not to disappoint we took a lot of pictures and you can view them in the gallery.:):):) Gallery
Testimony from Brother Tomas:
Just a short report from our mission trip to Ethiopia and Uganda.
First part of the trip Sister Nancy, Brother Godrey and I traveled to Ethiopia to meet up with Brother Fikre, Brother Jemal, and the Reaching Beyond Words staff and others. I am personally very blessed to see how much work has been done since last year, specially with the children and the widows and single mothers. We also met some people from the Ethiopia Social Government Office, they expressed how very grateful they are for the RBW program. They would like to add more and more children to us. Unfortunately we do not have enough means to do so at this time. 🙁
We had few meetings with all of them, also separate meetings just with children (older and younger) and just with the widows and single mothers. God was so good to us and we were able to deliver messages that brought more people to salvation. Specially 4 widows gave their lives to Jesus and came in front to confess it. Others were ready but too shy to come for a prayer. Also meetings for children went very well.
We are so glad that those officers are born again and they support us to teach the Word of God to those children, widows and single mothers.
Second part was Uganda. Sister Iva and my son Vojta joined us on the way there at the airport in Ethiopia. We then flew together to Uganda. The children there are so grown! Some of them are mature enough and ready to take responsibility for their own lives, even still studying, but soon ready to get their own jobs. It is so refreshing to see them mature spiritually. You can see that by their questions that they ask about biblical topics, but also about their relation to other churches they meet around. Brother Godfrey and Sister Concy are doing an incredible work and the fruit of it is sweet. Please, pray for them, as most of the pressure is on their shoulders.
It was also a great pleasure to meet Brother Ronald and Sister Margaret that have lived in Uganda for a year now. It is a great help for the work in Uganda. They organized a Saturday meeting with people from outside that were very touched and some already contributed to RBW Uganda. It looks like new doors are going to be open for a next time.
At the end I just want to say how much I appreciate what Brother Burt did in those countries. It’s not that he did it by himself, but he helped others to keep the right direction, vision and he was able to see the potential danger of the wolfs around. The spiritual blessing on his life was converted to the practicality of lives in Ethiopia and Uganda. The work there is so well working, that after his departure to be with the Lord, we were able just to “slide in” and continue.
And I can’t forget about sister Nancy. I was so glad to have her on that trip. Her insight and wisdom has helped a lot. I believe she is so mature because she traveled so much with Brother Burt and was part of the missions for years. Without that experience it would not be possible to be mature and strong as she is. By those words I also want to encourage especially the young people to gain that experience step by step.
Maybe as a young person just help with small practical things and just observe. That’s what I did when I started to go. I just helped with recordings, taking pictures etc.
Thank you all that were standing with us.
May God bless you all
Brother Tomas
Testimony from Brother Vojta;
The trip to Uganda went very well, and just the fact that I could go was a miracle.
In Uganda, I was very blessed and surprised how close to God are some of the children and how much they know about him.
I spent some long hours talking with some of the boys, and I was really happy to hear about their testimonies.
I was touched by the work of God that was made here in Uganda and I hope I will come next year.
God bless
Vojta
A Testimony from Sister Iva;
I said I would be back if God took me… and He did. By God’s grace I was again able to visit the Mission house in Kampala, Uganda. It was a very good trip.
The most amazing thing for me was to see the children grow and mature and overcome during this last year. Sadly, there are two children who left the program, for various reasons. I pray that they also fare well, wherever they are, and profit from what they have been taught in the Mission house. I was very glad to see the rest of the children again, as I said, matured and grown by a year. They have their own Bibles to use now, and from what I saw, they make good use of them. Starting a day early with worship, sharing and prayer is a daily habit that starts the day off just right. While we were there we had one or two bible teachings in the morning and sometimes afternoon, they were focused on various topics and many questions have been asked, discussed and answered. The fellowship is sweet, growing and also in number as the Johnson’s family joined the local fellowship about almost a year ago.
To diversify the week’s program a little bit, we spent one day at the Entebbe ZOO (about 1 hour from the mission house)- the weather was pleasant and so was the company, we all had fun watching the animals, especially monkeys that were free to go wherever in the zoo (new to me). One afternoon was spent on a small sewing project – each of the children could sew a little purse and keep it. Working all together, trying to figure out the stitches and patterns, making sure all the pins make it safely back into the pin cushion, we had a good time and I loved the proud smiles over their finished projects. For me, as a teacher, that is one of the rewards, if my help and guidance allows children to be successful. Maybe not perfectly stitched together, maybe needing a little more time or taking out a few stitches, but the process of learning, gaining experience, becoming confident and a joy of a finished project – that is my joy.
As I said and as we all know – children grow. These are not an exception. Some of them have already finished their final exams in secondary and are to continue their education in catering and hotel management in vocational schools. From what I’ve seen and tasted, there are definitely gifts in this field. Others, still in primary or secondary, have their own dreams: one wants to be an English teacher, another neurosurgeon, yet another one would like to head into the field of math and science. This is amazing. All thanks to Brother Godfrey and Sister Concy and their family, thanks to a few volunteers, thanks to sponsors – but all that thanks to God. To him be all the glory and I pray all this endeavor serves for God’s glory and continued expansion. On one Saturday we had the opportunity to share the word with a few local people and also about the Reaching Beyond Works projects in both Uganda and Ethiopia. I was greatly encouraged by their interest in those projects because that is my favorite part about them – it’s the local people’s initiative and zeal and daily work that make these projects effective – and possible together with Reaching Beyond Words and the willing sponsors from around the globe.
God Bless, Sister Iva
A Testimony from Sister Nancy;
The trip went well traveling from the USA to Kampala Uganda, no delays basically an uneventful trip. I often wonder how many times God sends his angels to thwart the devil’s plans. I am so grateful for God’s hand of mercy and grace. I had an exciting thing happen at the Austin airport when I was checking in. Here I was standing waiting to check in with four suitcases and the two baby car seats I was given. Different people gave me clothes and I had some books and other needed things for Africa, so all bags were full. The agent greeted me and asked where I was going, he then proceeded to ask me who I was traveling with, I had to smile because it was just me as I was meeting up with the team in Africa. He began to tell me I could only check two bags, (any additional bags would be $200 each). I said that is normal but, on my itinerary, I was given four bags. I showed him the document to confirm it. He shook his head and basically repeated what he said about two bags, but he continued to look at my record. We talked a bit, and I told him about the mission house in Uganda. He said he also wanted to go to Uganda. Then he smiled and said (his words) “it’s a miracle” it is documented here. Of course, I was overjoyed, then he looks at the two car seats and said, they go too? I nodded yes. He smiled again and said well it is the Lord’s work. That was a big WOW for me. He checked everything in and even put priority tags on all the bags and car seats. 😊😊
Such a blessing, to top off that blessing all the suitcases and car seats arrived with me all intact. That had to be God. I can not thank the Lord enough for being able to see the brethren in Ethiopia, Uganda, and all the children, widows and single mothers in the programs!! God Bless You All, Sister Nancy