Project Uganda

August 16–24, 2007

We returned from Uganda after building an orphanage for Watoto, a ministry that focuses on children. Over 1.7 million young people have died from AIDS, war, and other atrocities. It is important that we take part in saving Uganda's future. We celebrate God's provision through a successful 30,000 Steps for $30,000 campaign.

Latest From the Journal

Story of Hope for Uganda’s Children

Joel Schmidgall · June 05, 2007 · 7:47 AM

Here’s another opportunity to get a view into Uganda’s problems.  The event is this Wednesday for the book Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children.

Dear Friends:

I am very excited to announce the release of my book, Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children, along with my co-author Grace Akallo.  Grace and I will be speaking about the book and signing books on Wednesday, June 6, from 4-6PM, at the Cannon House Office Building, Room 121, Washington, DC. 

It was a privilege to write about Uganda, and to write with Grace, a beautiful, courageous, and grace-filled young woman who is a former child soldier/abductee of the LRA rebels of Joseph Kony in Northern Uganda.

Thanks so much,

Faith J. H. McDonnell
Director, Religious Liberty Programs and Church Alliance for a New Sudan
http://www.ird-renew.org

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“Let’s go!” Friday Fast - June 1

Joel Schmidgall · June 01, 2007 · 9:16 AM

Is anyone else ready to go?  I’m so excited for us to get to Uganda and build, build, build!!!  One challenge we face in gearing up for a missions trip is that we can be so excited to get out of here, that we miss what God wants us to get out of here.  “Here” is June 1 - August 16 in Washington DC.  But more, it’s a time of preparation to seek God. 

We see in Acts 2 an incredible move of God.  The miracle of tongues of fire, filling with the Holy Spirit, speaking in other languages, supernatural boldness, and it goes on.  Rewind to chapter 1 though.  Jesus had rose from the dead and was preparing to go back to heaven, leaving the church in their hands.  They had to be fired up!  Ready to go on mission!  Anticipating what God was going to do through them.  But Jesus slows them down and reveals that they aren’t ready for the trip yet.

Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

I believe God desires to work in us before we even set foot on Ugandan soil.  Notice in Acts 2 that the 1st miracle happened before they left.  People were saved before the disciples even left their home town! 

As we fast and pray on Fridays for our trip, let’s realize that God has a miracle to do before we leave this place.  Don’t settle for apathy, but take up the challenge to seek God and His work here and now. 

Prayer Fuel: Read through the Book of Acts today or this week.

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Peace in Uganda Forum

Joel Schmidgall · May 31, 2007 · 9:25 AM

Here’s an interesting event regarding the LRA and the possibility of peace in Northern Uganda.  It might be worth checking out if you have the time.  Thanks for the heads up Michael!

Northern Uganda: Peace on the Horizon?

Featured Speakers:
Ryan Gosling, Academy Award®-nominated actor; currently writing and producing a film on northern Uganda
Betty Bigombe, Senior Fellow, United States Institute of Peace
Jimmie Briggs, Journalist and Author of “Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War”
Michael Poffenberger, Executive Director, Resolve Uganda
Laren Poole, Founder and Filmmaker, Invisible Children

Please join us for a conversation about the ongoing conflict in northern Uganda and prospects for peace in the region. While some progress has been made in Uganda - with a recently renewed cessation of hostilities agreement and an agreed upon roadmap for comprehensive solutions to the conflict - the situation remains fragile. Success will require leadership from the international community, especially the United States.

Come hear Ryan Gosling, John Prendergast, Jimmie Briggs and Betty Bigombe discuss their recent trip to Uganda; watch Laren Poole’s brief film produced by Invisible Children; and learn about tools for taking action to help bring peace to Uganda from Michael Poffenberger.

Monday, June 4th, 2007
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Food will be served at 6:00 p.m.

Location:
Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW, 10th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Nearest Metro: Blue/Orange Line to McPherson Square or Red Line to Metro Center

PLEASE RSVP
For more information, contact Keisha Senter at 202-682-1611 or .

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Friday Fast

Joel Schmidgall · May 25, 2007 · 8:13 AM

Read Luke 4 today: Jesus fasted 40 days and nights

It’s interesting to me that the chapter starts out by saying “Jesus, full of the Spirit, was lead into the desert.” We’re usually praying for God to take us out of the desert—for the Spirit of God to relieve us from hardship and the rough places in life. But following God’s Spirit, Jesus is lead into adversity and suffering. God often provides difficulty for us to prepare ourselves for greater things for the Kingdom. That’s what we see here in Jesus. I like how the scripture begins with Jesus being lead by the Spirit, and the 40 days of fasting ends by Jesus returning ”in the power of the spirit” (v. 14).  That is what we are doing with these fasts, preparing ourselves for a great work of God in our lives and in the lives of others.

In fact, we’re asking for the Holy Spirit’s filling so that we can follow Jesus example in verse 18-19: 

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Here are my questions for today:

  1. What if Jesus would’ve skipped this season of preparation and fasting before launching into ministry?
  2. What happens if we are not seeking the Holy Spirit leading into our trip?

P.S. You may download the study on Biblical Fasting that I handed out at the last meeting.

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Prayer: Load Up the Six Shooter

Joel Schmidgall · May 24, 2007 · 10:50 AM

One question that was posed at our last meeting was what to pray when tempted during a fast. Here’s a little something to put in your spiritual arsenal. Print it out and put it in the front of your Bible for those times.

Pray the Scriptures. These are examples of prayer in the Bible. Read the passages and identify things in your own life that need to be addressed by these topics.

  • The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15) - Jesus taught this lesson in prayer to his disciples.  It is not a formula for the only way we can pray, but it’s an example of how to pattern our prayer.
  • Mercy (Exodus 32:9-14) - Incredible examples of Moses pleading with God to preserve his own name and character and not destroy Israel.
  • Confession of Sin (Psalm 51) - When we sin against God, how can we pray to restore our fellowship? David’s prayer is a classic prayer of repentance.
  • Praise (1 Chronicles 29:9-20) - This is a psalm of praise and David’s prayer for Solomon to build the temple.
  • Deliverance and Healing (2 Kings 19:14-19; 20:1-7) – Here is a godly king about to see his nation conquered and destroyed by the mighty Assyrian army. Then he who has just heard from a prophet that he should prepare to die soon. How does he pray?
  • Surrender (Psalm 139) - David struggles with God’s intense knowledge of him, marvels at God’s intricate formation of him in his mother’s womb, and then prays a prayer of surrender to God’s searching, knowing, probing, and refining.
  • Success (Nehemiah 1:1-2:9) -Nehemiah hears of the suffering of the returned exiles. After grieving in fasting and prayer, Nehemiah prays for success—and commits himself to God’s will for his life.
  • Submission (Luke 22:39-46) - Jesus asks for the cup (crucifixion) to be bypassed, but then prays for the Father’s will to be done most of all.
  • Paul’s Prayers for Believers (Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21) - Here are Paul’s prayers for the Ephesian Christians - and for us - to really understand the heights and depths of Christ’s love for us.
  • Jesus’ Prayer Chapter (John 18).  Jesus prays for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers.

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Prayer: Getting Started

Joel Schmidgall · May 24, 2007 · 10:32 AM

Here is a guide to help you during your prayer time. You can start by praying for a few minutes on each section.

P - Praise

I will extol the Lord at all times, his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 34:1

Spend some time thanking God for who he is and what he’s done in your life.


R - Repent

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 1:9

Take Inventory of your spiritual life:

  • What is hindering me from knowing God in a greater way?
  • What have I put ahead of my relationship with God and how can I let that go?


A - Ask

You do not have, because you do not ask God.

James 4:2

All God asks for is faith. Let’s have the faith to trust and ask him for those things in our life that drag us down.


Y- Yield

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, in his Word I put my hope.

Psalm 130:5

Sometimes, while communicating with God, we forget to listen. Take some time to just listen to God. 

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Photo Exhibit

Joel Schmidgall · May 17, 2007 · 3:40 PM

There is an interesting exhibit on Uganda at National Geographic that might be worth checking out. Post a comment and let us know what it’s like if you go see it.

Through the Lens of Refugees
Women carrying water jugs along a dusty road, a man’s mangled hand held to the camera—from everyday life to war’s scars—these are the images of the NG Museum’s latest exhibit. “Photo Camp 2006: Uganda” opens today in the lobby of the M Street Building with 60 images, the work of young war refugees in western Uganda. Last November, with the help of NG photographers Reza, Ed Kashi, Chris Rainier and South African photographer Neo Ntsoma, the teenagers created a portrait of their community and themselves. The images will be displayed through September 3.

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Photo by Kate Baylor Press Release

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Children of Uganda

Joel Schmidgall · May 17, 2007 · 3:25 PM

MSNBC recently released an article on the atrocities going on with the children in Northern Uganda. Can you believe the same amount of people have been displaced in this area as in Darfur? Sudan receives so much more attention, the article says, the difference is that children are not only being killed, but are being used to kill.

Cult of Combat
As Uganda’s peace talks stutter along, children forced to fight for a messianic militia are trying to rebuild their broken lives.

—Cult of Combat

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Up and Running

Joel Schmidgall · May 17, 2007 · 9:30 AM

Hey Team,

We’re up and running! Looking forward to interacting via blog. 

The purpose of this blog is to share information, build community, and keep accountability. I think our main use will be with the Friday Fast. I’d like for us to check in and mention what we’re fasting as well as our learnings.

See you all next Wednesday, PJ

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