Hundreds of Entebbe, Uganda citizens and political figures were in attendance for the dedi-

cation of House of Friends„ second home, David

Anthony House of Refuge (built by Steve Brock Ministries), on Sunday, June 13. Among the

speakers were House of Friends‟ partner,

Richard Kaaya, Grace Global Impact Ministries,and John Gross, Board Chairman and Founder of House of Friends. The Mayor of Entebbe,Steven Kabuye, addressed those gathered. In hismessage, he challenged the politicians to followhis example and not take votes from people whodo not value life. He also encouraged those inattendance to use the Kaayas as an example bytaking care of kids. He also challenged House of Friends to build two more homes. Throughout his speech, the mayor quoted many scriptures that applied to the subject of the day. The dedication was concluded by the mayor cutting the dedication ribbon of the home, offering a prayer to Godand speaking a special blessing over the home.

Special music was provided by the children‟s choir of Tabernacle of Christ Church where Abba House children attend

and several are in the choir.During the day, the mayor shared with John Gross and others that he had been around for awhile and has seen manysent who could not do the project they came to do. He commented that he knew what it cost to build a building and therewas no way this home could be built for $20,000. He noted that there was a storage section on the back of the home wherefood is to be stored but needs to have a concrete floor before it can be used. Previous to this speaking engagement, theMayor stated he had spoken at a Catholic Church gathering and was given a monetary gift. He gave the gift he hadreceived to Richard Kaaya to be used toward purchasing concrete for the storage area.

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On June 13 a large crowd gathered in front of the Christian school situated near David Anthony House of Refuge for the dedication of the home.Mayor Steven Kabuye speakingat the dedication of David Anthony House of Refuge.David Anthony House of Refuge.Those in attendance walking to thehome for the ribbon cutting.

Children’s

Pastor

The spiritualgrowth of thechildren is upper most on the heartof House of Friends. HereJohn Gross, BoardChairman, provides the

children‟s pastor,

Dan Kaaya, of Christ Tabernacle Church and Abba Housechildren, with a Life in the Spirit Bible. Also a Bible was

presented to Julious who is the “kid” preacher residing in

Abba House.Funds were sentahead of the team tofinish the roof on the

children‟s home in

Kamuli, Uganda,which is being builtin memory of EddyReber, a close friendof HOF founder, JohnGross. The next stepis putting in windowsand doors. Pastor Baliruno Valentine and his wife operate this home, caringfor nine orphan children.The team hosted a meal for a few of the local Kamuli pastors and the children.Kimmy Peelman, mis-sion team member, andPastor Richard Kaaya of Grace Global Ministriesspoke at the gathering.Before leaving,

Pastor Valentine‟s wife

came to John Gross, andconveyed her thanks bykneeling before him and presenting him with achicken. She was so thankful for all that House of Friendsand their donors have done for them. This is a way inwhich Ugandans express honor and thanks.

Children’s home in Kamuli

Are You for Us or Against Us?

By Miki Teferra

I had just gotten off the vanand arrived at Abba Housefor the third time, and assoon as they saw me, agroup of boys came out tosimply talk with me. Therewas Joel who wanted to bethe center of my attention,Grace who just likedhanging out with me, littleKato who would alwaysfall asleep on my shoul-der, and Chugongo wholoved to ask question after question and hear my response. We had themost awesome opportunity to talk one on one with the kids andsee their lives from their own perspectives, and give them

love.

Upon my asking what he would like to read to me from theBible, Chugongo Joseph (a kid no more than 10 or 11 years old)opened to this passage in Joshua and read:

“13

Now when Joshuawas near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to himand asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

"Neither," hereplied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have nowcome." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence,and asked him, "What message does my Lord

[ a ]

have for his servant?" (Joshua 5:13-15).

I have no idea if he meant to go there or if it just happened toopen to that passage, but as I was listening to him read, I had theunmistakable feeling that there was something important being

said to me here. At the time I remember thinking, “Is he asking

if I‟m for him or not? I hope he knows I‟m 100% for him!” It

struck me that among all the joyous welcoming and delight, therewas still a part of each of these kids who felt the burden of need-ing to guard themselves from any more pain. They were used to

foreigners popping in and out and maybe in Chugongo‟s mind,

he questioned if we were really there for them. This was a prob-lem for me because as I was staying there in Uganda, it was al-ways in the back of my mind that this experience was going to beover too soon and I would have to leave the kids. I felt guilty thatI had a place to go back to where I had a family and a job and

countless other blessings that I know I‟ve never deserved but

always overlook. But looking back now with this questionJoshua asked, in my mind I feel comforted by the response the

“commander of the Lord‟s army” gave. We‟re assured that God

is in control and that we can give up our heavy burdens and real-ize that God is working for us and He is here with us.

The Uganda/Ethiopia Mission Team came together to meet and pray for

unity in the spirit and for God‟s perfect plan to unfold during the mission

trip of June 6 to 23. Five of the 11 members were going on a mission for the first time. It was also a time of learning about the culture and how togreet and relate with those they were going to serve. Time spent in prepa-ration is crucial to a successful mission. The outcome was living proof.Each one came home with an enlarged heart. Here are a few stories.

It is with that knowledge of God‟s personal presence and pow-erful provision that I‟m reassured that these kids will be ok. It is

people like us that God uses to provide for these children. That iswhy I feel like it is my calling to help in any way possible the kids

that live in conditions like these. However, you don‟t have to feellike it is your life‟s mission in order to help a child. There are still

children who need sponsoring at Abba House and more are beingadded all the time. I would encourage you to consider giving someof your time or finances or prayers or whatever else it is that youfeel will bless them. I thank you for your compassion in advanceand would like to assure you that God is most definitely movingand doing a great work in Uganda and Ethiopia, something that isespecially evident at Abba House.A Favorite Moment

by Kara Savchenko

One of my favorite moments atAbba House was an afternoon Ispent at the school observingthe classrooms and joining theteachers for a lunch of posha(ground corn with the con-sistency of mashed pota-toes) and beans with wholeminnows (a very interest-ing lunch).The students were letout early so the chil-

dren‟s choir could prac-

tice for the homededication on Sunday. Waiting issomething you get used to in Africa. Some techni-cal difficulties with the music took a good half hour to fix. All thekids were lined up ready to go and I did not hear them complainonce! That is something I do not witness in American schools thatoften, if ever.Immediately my heart was taken by these kids when they

began to sing and sway to the music. It‟s like they came alive! Joyfilled the room and I couldn‟t glance away from their beautiful

smiling faces. There were kids who wanted to watch sitting on benches, standing behind me, and a couple of little ones whofound their way to my lap. Even the kids standing by stealing a peek from the windows made me giggle to myself because of the joy that filled my heart. That moment of simply being with thekids and doing life seemed to hold a deep place in my memory. Ithas made me much more aware of taking in the small moments inlife that are easily taken for granted. Those kids blessed me somuch! I thank God for His little ones in my life.

Where does one begin?

By Nicole Myers

Africa, where does one begin...Thebeautiful children, the eye opening sur-

roundings, the need for Christ’s love.

This trip to Uganda/Ethiopia was my firstmissions trip. I thought, what would it belike, how would I help serve those indifficult circumstances? I have heardpeople say and have read stories about

how you, the “missionary” come away

with more than you leave behind. You think you are going tochange the world and make a difference, but you end up being

the one who is changed. It’s not that they plan it that way, it’s just

one of those little gifts from God. He says, you think you are go-ing to bless someone; look, I can use them to bless you evenmore. He loves it when we help each other in His name. Evenwhen situations get tough, He shows us that He can and will doanything to care for His people, whether they live in Africa or theUnited States. This is what happened to me, in ways I cannot fullyexplain. It is my desire to return, God willing, next year. To see thegrowth of the children, spiritually and physically and the growth of the garden; to fellowship and worship with the people

—God’s

wonderful people.

HOME is where theHEART is!

Sean Hughley, HOF board member and team leader of the Ethiopiaside of the mission trip, was deeplytouched in heart by the children andChristian brothers and sisters inKamuli. The touch made him feelvery much at home.

On Tuesday the seeds were planted, and a goodsoaking rain came Friday, an unexpected time. A big surprise was in store when the gardeners arrivedat the garden on Monday morning

—

blades of green plants were already breaking through the soil. BarbDecker, Agriculture Missionary for House of Friendswas amazed at the good-ness of God.

Barb‟s purpose for

joining the Uganda/Ethiopia Mission Teamwas to scout out the landresources and plant agarden to enhance thedaily diets of the chil-dren. Their current diet

consists of red beans and “posho”, a bland corn flour mush. Sweet potatoes

are a common treat and sometimes the beans are flavored with small egg- plants or with small, sun-dried minnows.What does their new garden grow? Barb was joined by Rose, one of thehouse mothers, in preparing the soil and plantingseeds from America

—

yard-long green beans,spinach, cucumbers, watermelon, zucchini, beets, carrots, turnips, cilantro, basil, chard, andmore green beans.Pastor Richard Kaaya, who works extensivelywith the home and school, was skeptical about

planting the garden when it wasn‟t quite time for

the rains. But, at the church service before Barb

left, he said,” I don‟t understand why someone

would come from so far away to dig in the dirtand plant seeds. But I give God the Glory for this person who came and worked in the soil like

an African so that these children can have a better diet.”

After sharing the Word out of Matthew 13 about the sower, at the schoolwhere the Abba House children attend, a few of the boys came to her show-ing great interest in learning more about sowing seeds and reaping the har-vest. They want to learn about agriculture.Barbara is in the process of raising funds to return to Uganda in September when the harvest is ready and to spend about three months working on possi- bly putting in a solar powered water pump to bring water to the garden fromLake Victoria, which borders the property where Abba House is located.Future projects may include wider scale food production requiring a trac-

tor and implements. Barbara says, “I am excited about this project and its

possibilities. I want to teach the children, and those who care for them, how

to grow things that will better their diets and maybe their lives.”

Barb Decker tills thesoil and plants theseed for a harvest.The miracle

—

Rain came and a few days later evidence of theseed producinga crop.

Aside from loving on the children at AbbaHouse, the team was given opportunities toshare their faith with local schools. In the picture above you see team members,Miki, Beth, Joseph, and Naomi praying for several of the students at one of the schoolsin Entebbe.In underdeveloped countries, children/youth/and university students share atwin bed. Such was the case with many of Abba House children. This oftencauses sickness and disease to flourish. Thanks to donations of many, 8 new bunk beds and 15 mattresses were purchased and every child now has their own bed to sleep in.

New girlfriendsdressed in pink, and new shoes inhand

—

Teammember, Kim-berly Peelmanwith AbbaHouse girl.Shoes and clothes weretaken to thechildren. Fundswere left somore could be purchased.

Four mission team members, Joseph Bennett, Beth Gizaw, Nicole Myers, and MikiTeferra, all are pursuing medical careers. Miki is a pre-med student at KU. With theoversight of Dr. James Carl who joined them, these four and Dr. Carl completed physicals and physical profiles on all AbbaHouse children.While in Uganda, Pastor Richard Kaaya took Dr. Carl to several orphanages in the area. Hevisited an HIV/Aids orphanage at Cherish,Uganda that collects all rain water, recycles allwaste

—

including compost toilets, plastic trash, metal and garbage. They grow a lot of their own food organically, have running water in each of their houses and a smokefree stove. They also run the homes on solar electricity. This home is ready to share allof their designs for the house, systems, toilets etc. with us. This will be a great help indoing the best at the least cost for Abba Houses.

Joseph Bennett checking the blood pres-sure of one of the Abba House children.Dr. Carl provided a water filter unit that will make drinking water safer for the children.Blessed by a $2,000 cut in price of installation,electricity arrived at Abba House, but solar energy is also coming. Children can now study in the homeat night. We look for grades to come up higher.