Hitting the Ground Running!

October 30th we arrived safely in Uganda. After checking into the guest house we drove to the office of Engineering Ministries International to meet with Chad Gamble the East Africa director along with Johnson Bakashaba from Kabale. The purpose of the meeting was to get Chad’s advice about the many construction projects in Johnson’s vision for the ministry to the children in Kabale.

After covering the basic EMI requirements the steps in the process were clearly defined. Phase one has been identified as the hub of the ministry which involves the simple church facility for 500 members and office. (Currently the church is meeting in a tent and has no offices.) Chad made several suggestions for how the foundation of the church can be built for further expansion to include a covered area for worship and later a facility to include over the next few years a child sponsorship office, a kitchen, classrooms, Internet café, medical dispensary/clinic, guest house, a restaurant and resource center for village pastors. During this trip a needs evaluation is taking place with prayer concerning the possible locations for the ministry components. The concept for the ministry focuses on sustainability of the ministry with an exit component as the ministry becomes self-sufficient as commercial income generating aspects to provide jobs for children and members of the congregation are implemented.

Simultaneously, a home will be rented to house up to 15 children with house parents the first quarter of 2007. Future developments include the purchase of additional land in Kabale for the construction of three homes for children. In addition the long-range vision is to serve the abandoned children not only in the city but also around Lake Bunyonyi just outside Kabale. More exciting news to come as we plan step by step as God opens more doors.