Home is where the........Surprise!

We have safely arrived in Uganda and spent our Monday getting our clocks adjusted, seeing some old friends and ……..looking for a place to stay.  That’s right.  When we left the guest house that we stayed in for the 2013 trip, the manager indicated that he would love to have our group back in 2014.  We made our schedule in December, gave him numbers, plugged the rates into our budget and then he informed Faith (the big boss in Uganda), 2 days before we arrive, that they will not be able to host us.  We did not know this little nugget of information until we pulled up at the “wrong” guest house at 1:30am on Monday morning after flying for 24 hours.  The Aspen Place is about a mile from our previous guest house and Wentz Medical Center.  There were several things that we liked about the other guest house: Location close to the church and medical center, beautiful view of Lake Victoria and a large living room and dining table for meals together.  The Aspen has none of those, but it is clean and seems safe.  We aren’t able to stroll out into the market for pineapple and avocados, but we can take a short drive to these areas. 

We looked at a place across the dirt road from Wentz Medical Center (our home base), and it is still an option.  We also talked to a new friend from Watoto, Randy.  He is looking to see if there is any space at one of their guest houses.  Only problem there could be that they are farther from our home base.  One thing is for sure, we will have to pack and store all of our stuff before we go out on road trips and won’t be able to leave stuff like we did before. 

This morning, I have been running the scenarios and checking the costs to see what it will cost to stay in the different locations, but I have been convicted that home is not the location, it is the family/people.  We reconnected with some of our good friends yesterday, including David, Faith, Dr. Martin, Dr. Louis, Andrew, Kevin (the little boy we met last summer with the burns) & Julie.  Today we have seen Jonathan Kabanda, Jonathan (with burn on his arm), Tendo, Nakiganda, Teddy, Bashira and Shakib.  So, despite not being in the location we anticipated, we are home. 

 

Here are some updates for you.

Last night we went to CORSU hospital to see Kevin. 

 

He is doing so much better!  His neck and shoulders work normally.  His eyes and mouth are much better.  His mom tells me that he is eating and drinking well.  His last operation was to release some scars on his left elbow.  He played catch with us and wanted to kick the tennis ball.  When we first met Kevin, I wondered if he would live.  Now, I think he will be attending school, at some point.  Thank you to everyone who has prayed for Kevin and those who have given for his care.  You have changed the life of a young boy.

 

Today we saw Jonathan, the boy who had the bad burn on his arm and abdomen.  He was miraculously healed when we were here in 2012.  Today when we stopped to see him, I had to look quite closely to determine which arm was burned…..truly a miracle of God.  Jill was walking back to Wentz, apart from me, and she too stopped to see Jonathan and had to examine him closely to see which arm was burned.

 

While we were sorting medications and supplies for tomorrow’s trip, a young lady brought a girl named Mary by to see us.  We had seen Mary last year and Due Unto Others supporters were able to help Mary to get an EEG to evaluate for seizures.  She has now been started on seizure medications.  She appears to be doing well.

 

We went to visit Nakiganda this afternoon.  She growing quite well.  She has earrings, and is absolutely beautiful!  She is growing and walking much better.  She is still not in school.  This is a girl that is 9 years old or so.  We had a good time playing ring around the rosies with the neighborhood kids. 

 

 

We stopped to see Tendo.  She is smiling and looks as ornery as ever.  She says that she is doing well in school.  Her mom was not home yet, therefore, we could not get the whole story.  She seems to be recovered from her major surgery which repaired her diaphragm.

 

Tonight, Teddy brought Shakib by for a visit.  He is a miracle walking.  His left hand, once mangled and scarred looks really good and he is using it to eat and play with toys.  His scar at his hip that kept him from standing straight is now gone.  His sister, Bushira Nalweyiso is attending school.  Today, we were walking past the school and she yelled “I love you” from the inside.  We had not even seen her yet, but she recognized us from before.

 

It has been awesome seeing some of our “old” friends.  We look forward to seeing Jamil on Thursday and others as we go.  We have made many friends in Uganda.  This fact is what makes it feel like we are back home.  Not the house.

 

We continue to prepare for “Due Season”.  Leaving for Jinja Wednesday am and working clinics in Palissa on Thursday and Friday.

Jay

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Quiet Places

Have you ever noticed how noisy the world that we live in is? 

 

It seems that there is always some noise around us.  With TV, ipods, radios, computers, cd players, it seems that we have noise everywhere and at all times.  In fact, many of us feel uncomfortable if there is no noise.  Can you drive in your car without some noise from your radio?  Can you be in your house without the TV on?  Can you sleep without some noise from the TV or some sort of “white” noise?  It’s true, quiet places can be un-nerving.  I’m convinced that we keep our lives cluttered with noise to avoid deeper thought and introspection. 

 

If you find yourself in a quiet place, what do you find yourself thinking about?  Are you thinking about your job and the deadlines you have coming?  Are thinking about your kids and their daunting schedule for the upcoming week?  Are you thinking about your favorite sports team and how they might fare in their next game?  I think that where our minds go in the rare “quiet places”, is evidence of what is most important to us.

 

Christ gave us several examples of our need for “quiet”. 

 

Matthew 6:6  “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “

 

Matthew 14:22-23 “22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone.”

 

Mark 1:35  “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

 

Mark 6:31  “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

 

Psalm 119:114  “You're my place of quiet retreat; I wait for your Word to renew me.”

 

Luke 5:16  “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

 

Luke 6:12  “At about that same time he climbed a mountain to pray. He was there all night in prayer before God.”

 

This week as you go about your routine of life, leave the radio off, leave the tv muted and keep the ear buds in your pocket.  Dedicate the “quiet times” to prayer and conversation with God.  I am thinking that He will bless your dedication of this time with answered prayer, new revelations and a peace that you have not experience in some time.  Carve out time to be “quiet times” and dedicate those times to digging deeper into God’s word and to communicating with an awesome God that allows us to come boldly to him as a friend. 

 

Weed out the mind numbing noise and see what God has to say to you today!

 

We leave for Uganda in less than 4 weeks.  I have been asked to relist the items that would be helpful for people to donate and for us to take with us on May 24^th.  Here is the list:

1.)           Good used iPhones – These can be used by pastors to communicate with their congregation and organize events when they do not have computers.  These devices are quite expensive in Uganda.  Please let me know if you can donate a “retired” iPhone that is still in good shape.

2.)           Lap tops – If you have a used lap top that is still in good shape or if you feel that you could buy a new lap top to send with us, it would be a great blessing.  Computers and electronics are quite a bit more expensive in Uganda than they are here.  If we can take them and leave them, it would be a great gift to local pastors and health care units.

3.)           Donations to fill plastic trunks with medications.  On average, a trunk of medicine costs $250.  We have 20-25 days of clinic scheduled for this summer.  We go through a lot of medicine.  We never charge for medication and we see 200+ patients per day.  Medications are available in Uganda and it is cheaper to take the money and buy them there, rather than trying to ship the medications over.  Please let me know if you, your family, your small group or Sunday school class might like to sponsor a trunk.

4.)           Donations for reading glasses.  We have seen remarkable responses from older Ugandans when they are fitted for reading glasses.  Some of them have not been able to read for years, and suddenly are able to study their bible.  These are cheaper to buy in the US and take with us.  Please let me know if you might be able to help us with this part of our ministry.

5.)           Money for Bibles – We have found that the best way to get bibles is to buy them in Uganda.  There are many different tribal languages, and we have found that if we give away bibles in the local language, the village people are able to read and study them more immediately.  We have started to work with a Ugandan bible group to see if they can develop a bible that will have the text in the local language and in English side by side.  This allows the recipient to study their bible and to help them learn English.  English is the Ugandan national language, but it is used in a limited amount in rural areas.  We really do take our bibles for granted.  This is one of the greatest gifts we can give that lasts, even after we have come back to the US.

Also, if anyone would want to stay at my house and take care of my farm animals (feeding pigs and chickens) while we are gone, please contact me.  dueunto@gmail.com

 

Preparing for “Due Season”,

 

Jay

Actions have Consequences

This past week I was “struck” with the thought that ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!  This revelation seemingly fell onto my head from the sky.  As I was completing my daily chore of putting out hay, I pulled my tractor up to the gate.  I lifted my hayfork up so that I might get closer to the gate and not let cows get from one side to the other as I opened the gate and pulled through.  I opened the gate and hurriedly pulled my tractor through.  I then hopped off to shut the gate and was thinking about how much longer my dwindling hay supply would last.  I stepped back onto my tractor and started toward the barn to park it.  Comparing the number of days left until the grass starts growing against how much hay I have left was occupying the conscience part of my mind.  My mental mathematics was interrupted by the sound of wood cracking.  I quickly realized that I had left my hayfork elevated and was passing under a large oak tree.  My next big mistake was stopping when I realized my first big mistake.  I had barely come to a stop when I felt a heavy strike to the left side of my head that almost knocked me off of my tractor and definitely knocked the breath out of me.  I grunted and groaned and thought bad words.  I eventually got myself together enough to pull my tractor into the barn and then stagger into the house.  Jill got me an icepack for my head and a heating pad for my shoulder.  I loaded up on aleve and Tylenol and laid on the couch thinking about my actions and my painful consequence.

 

The bible tells us about actions and consequences.  Romans 6:23 says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord”.   So our action is sin, and our consequence is death.  The only thing that saves us from this death is a gift offered to us through Jesus.

 

Another biblical example is Galations 6:9.  “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in DUE SEASON we shall reap if we don’t lose heart”.  So in this instance our action is doing good and the consequence is that we will reap a harvest. 

 

I feel that God has laid Galations 6:9 on my heart as a theme for our Due Unto Others mission trip for 2014.  Our theme will be “I’m preparing for DUE SEASON”!  The Due Unto Others team will continue to press forward doing the most good that we can for the people of Uganda.  All the while, we know that God will produce a harvest of changed lives, at some point.

 

My physical wounds are starting to heal.  I still have a little pain in my neck, but I am actually lucky that I did not break my neck.  My boys like to give me a hard time.  They say that I should not be so wimpy because what hit me in the head was a “twig”.  To prove my manliness, I went out with a luggage scale and weighed this monster that hit me on the head.  It weighed 55.4 lbs with one part of the branch still touching the ground. 

 

I think we as parents must pay attention to our actions.  We are leading our families.  We can do this purposefully or unwittingly.  I encourage you to make your consequences a “harvest” because you have done good and not “death” because of sinful actions.

Please pray for our Due Unto Others team as we prepare to head for Uganda May 24^th.  We still have a couple of spots left for a few people to go the first 2 weeks that we are there.  This would be May 24^th-June 6^th.  Please email me at dueunto@gmail.com and I can give you more information about logistics and expenses.  We also have some specific needs for this trip that you can see in my previous blog.

Preparing for DUE SEASON!

 

Jay

Get rid of your cloak!

I’d like to blog today about something that I would like to lose in 2014.  If you’ve seen me lately, you probably think that this is going to be a blog about weight loss!  Instead, I’d like to lose my cloak, and I wonder if you’d like to join me.  Let me explain by letting you read Mark 10:46-52.  Do you remember the story of Bartimaeus?

 

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.  The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

 

As a backdrop to this story, Jesus had been doing many miracles in the area and rumors were starting to circulate about these miracles.  Bartimaeus had heard what Jesus had been doing and was excited to hear that Jesus might be passing his way that day.  I can imagine that it would be hard for Bartimaeus to have hope.  He was blind and unable to work and make a living.  His only way to obtain money or food was to sit at the gate of the city and beg.  His reality was bleak, but he had heard what Jesus was doing and knew that Jesus could change his reality. 

 

When he heard the large crowd forming and starting to murmur about Jesus, He began to SHOUT to Jesus.  As he was shouting, those around him were offended and rebuked him.  Telling him to be quiet and not bother Jesus.  This scolding, by the community, only caused him to SHOUT even louder.  He knew Jesus could change him and he wanted what Jesus offered.  No amount of peer pressure was going to hold him back. 

 

Amongst all of the noise and commotion, Jesus heard Bartimaeus call for help.  He heard his words specifically through the crowd.  Jesus stopped.  He was really busy and on his way somewhere, trying to push through the crowd but he heard the desperate cry of someone in need and he stopped!  Jesus asked for those around Him to call for Bartimaeus.  Those around the blind man that were initially rebuking him, now were saying “Hey dude, this is your lucky day, Jesus is calling for you specifically”.

 

In verse 50, Bartimaeus did something remarkable.  When he realized that Jesus was calling for him, he stood up, THREW HIS CLOAK ASIDE, and went to Jesus.  As a blind beggar outside of Jericho, his cloak is likely all that he owned.  I often think of the middle east as a dry, hot desert.  Jericho has an average low temperature near 40F in January.  So if your cloak is all that you own, your cloak is what keeps you warm and protected.  It is a significant deal to toss your cloak and run to Jesus.  His cloak went from something that offered safety to something that was holding him back.  He did not want anything to slow him down from getting to Jesus. 

 

So Bartimaeus has taught me a few things as I move forward.

 

1.)     We have to know that Jesus can change our reality.

2.)    We need to ask Jesus to change our reality.

3.)    God hears the cry of the needy, even above the crowd.  Prayer has the power to stop God and focus His attention on you!

4.)    We too often are unwilling to let go of our cloak.  That thing that we think gives us security, but is really holding us back, keeps us from going to Jesus and we let Him pass us by.  When we let Him pass by, we find ourselves staying in our current reality.

 

It is 3 months until our group leaves for Uganda this summer.  Perhaps dropping your cloak would allow you to go with us. 

Perhaps dropping your cloak would allow you to raise funds for the medications needed for our clinics while we are there.  I have made a short list of things that we could use your help in putting together, prior to leaving for our 2014 trip.

 

1.)     Good used iPhones – These can be used by pastors to communicate with their congregation and organize events when they do not have computers.  These devices are quite expensive in Uganda.  Please let me know if you can donate a “retired” iPhone that is still in good shape.

2.)    Lap tops – If you have a used lap top that is still in good shape or if you feel that you could buy a new lap top to send with us, it would be a great blessing.  Computers and electronics are quite a bit more expensive in Uganda than they are here.  If we can take them and leave them, it would be a great gift to local pastors and health care units.

3.)    Donations to fill plastic trunks with medications.  On average, a trunk of medicine costs $250.  We have 20-25 days of clinic scheduled for this summer.  We go through a lot of medicine.  We never charge for medication and we see 200+ patients per day.  Medications are available in Uganda and it is cheaper to take the money and buy them there, rather than trying to ship the medications over.  Please let me know if you, your family, your small group or Sunday school class might like to sponsor a trunk.

4.)    Donations for reading glasses.  We have seen remarkable responses from older Ugandans when they are fitted for reading glasses.  Some of them have not been able to read for years, and suddenly are able to study their bible.  These are cheaper to buy in the US and take with us.  Please let me know if you might be able to help us with this part of our ministry.

5.)    Money for Bibles – We have found that the best way to get bibles is to buy them in Uganda.  There are many different tribal languages, and we have found that if we give away bibles in the local language, the village people are able to read and study them more immediately.  We have started to work with a Ugandan bible group to see if they can develop a bible that will have the text in the local language and in English side by side.  This allows the recipient to study their bible and to help them learn English.  English is the Ugandan national language, but it is used in a limited amount in rural areas.  We really do take our bibles for granted.  This is one of the greatest gifts we can give that lasts, even after we have come back to the US.

 

Focus on what your cloak is.  Is it fear of the unknown?  Could it be your work or even your church work?  Is it financial concerns?  Our cloak can take many forms.  Pray about this cloak, and ask God to help you toss it to the side and change your reality.

Uganda Mission Trip 2014!

This is a quick update to give you the "nuts and bolts" of our planned Due Unto Others trip to Uganda in 2014.

Our family will be leaving for Uganda on May 24th (Saturday) and be returning on July 10th. 

During that time we will have several projects, but most of them will involve loading up in our van (and others if needed) and traveling out to rural Uganda to set up medical care for many underserved villages.

 During our time there, I hope to host 2 or 3 two week teams that come over from the US.  I know that many of you cannot possibly be gone for 6 weeks, but if you know in advance, you could possibly swing 2 weeks.

These are rough estimates but here are some numbers and dates:

1.)  First team would go over with us on May 24th and return on June 7th.

2.) Second team would leave DFW on June 6th and return on June 21st.

3.)  The best flights, right now, are with British Airways leaving from Dallas, stopping in London and then on to Uganda.  Price for the first team is between $1,500 & $1,600 per ticket (round trip) right now.  Price for the second team will likely be about $2,400 for flights as the tickets get more expensive in the Summer because of more demand.  I can hold tickets and prices right now if you are committed to going.

4.) Ground expenses are truly a guess until we know the # of people and where we are going with each team.  If I remember correctly, the expenses were about $100 per person per day, for our trip last year.  This includes transportation, lodging, & most meals.  There would be occasional eating out, shopping, or safaris that would be extra.

5.)  We will likely operate 8-9 days of clinic in the 14 days and also give you a taste of some of the Ugandan sites in the area.  This will not be a vacation or a tour.  We will be getting our hands dirty providing medical care and showing God's love to the people of Uganda.  You don't have to be medical to go, as we can find jobs for anyone willing to work.  Students can go pending discussion with me.  Many mission teams are herded on buses from one spot to another in a somewhat sheltered environment.  I think that we get a more hands-on, true feel for taking care of people and living in Uganda.

 

 

6.)  We will have team meetings on most nights where we will talk about the day and the "That One Person" that came across our path during the day.  We will also likely work our way through a devotional book together that deepens our Walk and grows us closer together as a team.

I am convinced that you will be "ruint" once you get a taste of medical missions.  I think it is a tremendously positive thing for high school or college students to experience how most of the world lives and to get a new perspective on things.  We love having students interested in medicine as a career.  They are able to get up close and personal with treatment of patients and see if it is what God made them for.

We will only be able to take 20 people on each team, and that includes my family.  Housing and travel is limited in most of the places that we go.

Hope this helps you to start thinking and praying about going to Uganda or elsewhere to serve in the mission field.   We will plan team meetings in the spring to answer questions and get everyone ready.  We can review immunizations etc at that time.  Please let me know if I can answer further questions.  Even if you can't go, please start praying for our team.

1 in 5 Ugandan children dies before their 5th birthday.  What if YOU could reach "That one person"?

Jay

A life that matters!

Did you ever have a coach or authority figure that you wanted to please so badly that you would do just about anything to make sure that they were satisfied?  I had a few of those that inspired me in sports, in the classroom and in life.

 

Over the past few weeks, I have been reminded about how limited and fragile our lives are on this earth.  I attended 3 funerals in the past 8 weeks, the last of which was a couple of weeks ago.  Through these services and graveside gatherings, I was reminded of the death of my grandfather, Elmer Due, in 1987.  I felt like my world stood still and it was confusing to me why other people seemed to carry on with life as usual.  The fragility of our lives here was hammered home by my participation in medical care of a young patient that was murdered, for amusement, on the streets of Duncan, OK. 

 

In America, I feel that it is far too easy to slip into a life of ease.  We have air conditioning, satellite tv, computers/phones in our pockets and machines to do most anything.  We don’t NEED much.  Sometimes I find myself tired from being busy, but I was busy doing close to nothing.

Instead of a life of ease, we should strive for a life that matters.  Have you heard the old song called “Thank you, for giving to the Lord”?  It describes people that a guy meets when he goes to heaven that are thanking him for living a life that matters.  They are in heaven because of various things that he had done during his life on earth, that pointed them to God.  What if your life was full of purpose and every day that you lived made a difference in the life of another?  What if you left changed lives in your wake as you navigated between the buoys of life?

I know families that are changing lives through foster care and adoption in Oklahoma.  I know a young lady that gave up a life of ease to care for orphaned children in Uganda.   I know people that volunteer much of their free time in juvenile prisons.  I know a woman that put a successful career on hold to give extra attention to a child that needed her attention at home.  These are just some examples of people that are living a life that matters.  A Godly man in Chickasha passed away in mid-October.  While discussing his life and the difference he made, a friend asked the question, “What could have Bill done to be a better man”.  No one could give him an answer.  That was a life that mattered.  I mentioned the death of my grandfather, and namesake of this blog, above.  He lived a life that mattered.  How do I know?  I was a part of that life and had first hand experience.  I also know that his life made a difference, to others, because of a couple of pictures forever etched on my mind’s eye.  The first is of a full auditorium for his memorial service at Immanuel Baptist Church in Duncan.  The second is the funeral processional that went from the church to Duncan cemetery.  Twenty six years later, I can still see the line of cars stretching down Bois d’ Arc from the cemetery, across highway 81, and as far up the street as I could see to the East.  He made a difference for that many people, most of which occurring right in the middle of Duncan, OK. 

Through supporters of Due Unto Others, our friend Kevin is getting burn treatment, surgeries, and physical therapy in Uganda.  He returned, to the hospital, last week and is getting surgeries on his neck and eyelids.  People, with a life that matters, are helping a boy to get the care he needs to live a life that matters.

As I stand at the end of my life, I want to be able to look back, without regrets, on a life that matters.  It makes perfect sense that I should give that “go through the wall effort” for the One that gave His life for me, just like I would for a coach.  If I give my best effort to please my maker, I should end up achieving my goal.

I apologize for having 4 months pass without updating the blog.

 

Jay

Sing for Joy! Lovinsa

Psalm 100:1-4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the Earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the Lord is God.  It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

 

Until I was almost 30 years old, my father, Jerry Gregston, was a Baptist music/worship leader.  I grew up singing in children’s choir, youth choir, and anytime the radio was on.  Worship through singing (even if off key) has been a part of my life for as long as I remember.  We have continued to be amazed at the praise and worship that takes place in Uganda.  Our worship services last 2 hours and a full 75 minutes of this is experience is spent standing, singing and praising our God.

 

We were recently introduced to Lovinsa, a 35 year old mother of 3. 

 

Lovinsa leads praise & worship at the Buddo Bible Community Church.  She has had a worsening swelling, infection, and pain in her neck for the past 20 years.  The swelling and pain increases until the area ruptures and drains.  This has started to affect her voice and ability to lead her church in worship.  She has never had the resources to have this problem addressed appropriately.  After seeing Lovinsa and hearing of her medical issues, we felt that the Due Unto Others team should participate in her care.  She has seen an ENT specialist, in Uganda.  It is felt that she has a cyst in her neck that has been present since her embryological development.  She had a CT scan and it was deemed that she needed to have this cyst/infection removed.  She is scheduled to have the operation done this week at Case Medical Clinic in Uganda. 

Psalm 146:1-2 Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, my soul.  I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

I am calling on all worship team or choir members to help us pray for Lovinsa.  Please consider helping financially in her care too.  Her proposed operation will cost approximately $700.  Imagine the display of God’s love as she receives a healing surgery.  Her weekly worship leading will be a demonstration to her church and her entire community.

To borrow my father’s sign off,

Sing for Joy!

 

Jay