A great first week

We have been in Lira now for one week and it feels like it has been much longer!  Each day is filled with so many people and experiences that leave us feeling very full at the end of each day. We have prayerfully decided to stay in Lira for the remaining months rather than go to Gulu.  We are excited for how we have seen God direct our steps, feeling confident that building upon the time that Logan was here will be helpful. As we try to make a weekly tentative schedule, we have spent most days so far meeting with different leaders in the community.  It has taken several days to do this because of the amount of time that it takes to finish tasks here.  We are definitely making progress and are looking forward to John and Janie Chitester coming to Lira to visit. They are also going to lead a discipleship training program which will be very beneficial to us and also to the people at Victory Outreach Church that we are partnering with.  We plan to start our weekly routine after the Chitesters leave next Wednesday.  We will definitely write out a typical week once we get it squared away so that you guys can know how to pray!

 The first week has already brought many interesting and funny experiences.  We have riden many bodas (motorcycle taxi),  witnessed street kids break dance, eaten mystery meat, and learned the challenging art of communicating with Ugandan english.  Perhaps the most memorable day was when Pastor Johnson asked us to come with him to the village to the burial/funeral of the first Christian convert at the church that they started in November.  It was very uncomfortable for a lot of different reasons.  There were over 400 ugandans that gathered to pay respects to the late but while we were there we were forced to sit in the seats of honor along side Pastor Johnson.  It was just weird to have so many eyes constantly glued to us as many of them have never or rarely see mzungu skin.  We were there for around 5 hours and understood nothing of what was being said around us as they spoke in the native tongue.  Then we were served a meal of gray meat and cornmill mush with more flies than you could believe.  It was a moment of definitely being in Africa and we laughed and enjoyed the new experience of learning more about the way that other people live. Another highlight of the week was getting to participate in the youths new Bible study where they are studying the book of 1 peter.  We are excited to deepen our relationships with people here and have found so much enjoyment in the small things of each day. Some of our favorite small things have been buying stamps at the post office, an avocado for 25 cents, finding coke zero, or a boda boda ride at sunset.  Its just neat to be in a place where we genuinely notice the gifts of small blessings in each day and are able to find enjoyment in all of the things God gives us.  

Lastly, gracie is so excited about an opportunity that arose a few days ago. It was a moment of really seeing God's faithfulness in showing her what work She is to do here. We visited a street kids rehabilitation center that was started by a Canadian girl and a ugandan a year or two ago, Atin Afrika. We were conversing about what it would look like for gracie to do art therapy every week with the kids, when she randomly said something that was awesome. She mentioned that she had a dozen used digital cameras stored up in her office that she had just gathered from back home....and  gracie was welcome to use them. This had been gracies prayer before coming to Uganda that She could teach photography, but did not have the materials... But God provided and We are so excited!!! 

We appreciate all of the ways that you all are supporting us from home and would love if you would join us in prayer this week.  Please pray  that:

-God would continue to direct us each day and give us wisdom with where to invest our time

-We would be completely available to love and help whoever God puts in our path

-Boldness to make the most of each opportunity no matter how small or odd

-And also for the discipleship training that will be next Monday-Wednesday

Also, here is our NEW address if you would like to write letters:

Gracie Jones or Logan Hartman

c/o Johnson Ogema

P.O. Box 113

Lira, Uganda- East Africa

we made it to lira!!

We made it to Lira!

Just wanting to say that we have journeyed safely and made it to Lira. It has been very smooth so far and the people have welcomed us so joyfully! These people have blown me away. So much kindness and warmth from everyone. 

It feels like those summer days when you were a kid. You would wake up to the sun coming through the window and noises of outside. Then you would excitedly get up to greet the day, knowing that it would be full and adventurous. I feel so refreshed! Here are some photos from Pastor Thomas and his family; they served us a wonderful lunch today and we visited with them for the afternoon. 

love, Gracie

I have loved being able to see all of my friends again.  It feels like no time has passed since i was just here.  It has been so fun getting to show Gracie around and introducing her to all of these people.  We are trying to figure out whether staying in Lira for the remaining months or going to Gulu to live with Pastor patrick and serve there.  Please pray for us in these next days as we have decisions to make.  We both want to make the most of the time here and are excited about all of the opportunities to help here.  The people here are taking such good care of us and making sure all of our needs are met.  Please continue to pray for Gracie and i to be wise and discerning and also to have health and unity.  We love you all and thank you for your prayers.  

Love, Logan

Today is the day!!

We have made it to the terminal! Next stop is London. We love everyone and both already feeling that knot in our stomach..nerves, sadness, joy, butterflies, anticipation..ahhh ALL are good things. 

During our flight yesterday to Texas, the sun was setting in the sky, creating this ball of orange and red light. It was stunning and felt like a foreshadowing of the African sun. We are so excited to meet it face to face in 2 days!

love y'all,

Please pray for us

 Gracie and Logan

love you mom and dad

Uganda, I will see you in 4 days

So the countdown begins....

I leave for Uganda in 4 days. 4 fleeting days until I experience one of the most abrupt changes that I have probably ever known. Everyone and everything will be different. One plane ride, and I will step into a country I have never been to, with customs completely unlike my own, a history that I cannot even begin to fathom, and people with stories and experiences more weighted than all my own put together. Also, a country so saturated with the Spiritual world that it frightens me. Yet Im fascinated, drawn, and desperate to encounter this.

I would be lying if I said I was not fearful. It really wasn't till this wk that I began to have apprehension. The last few days I've spent staying at the Sprungers home, dear friends from Savannah. They have been such a gift and carried me through moments of weakness. Before Savannah, my home in Texas was quite the respite too. A time filled with joy, love, and support from family and friends whom I love dearly. Thank you to everyone who has supported and cared for me so well.

When I think of the intention of this blog, I figure I want to be like a hymn. One that will obviously not be the least bit eloquent or poetically written. However, its intention is to bring praise to God. This is my hope. Also, that it would encourage others to bring praises to Him. I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful Christ is. I can testify this through the way he has led me to this journey. One that I have dreamt of for years. His canopy of Love and Grace has covered me the entire way.

I bid farewell to my fears and rest in Providence,

love you all,  gracie

Art show update!!

Thanks everyone for coming out to the art show two weekends ago. It was a beautiful evening and so blessed by God and we thank you each for being a part of it and for all that you gave.  We ended up raising $1,670 and we praise God for it!!!

OUTDOOR ART & BAKED GOODS SHOW

Hey folks--come out and support us as we raise money and awareness on our upcoming mission to Uganda. It will be a night of fun, fellowship, beautiful art, and treats. We hope to see you there and thank you so much for the love and care you have shown us in this endeavor. (Also we are still in need of art if you are interested in helping us out in that way!!)

Saturday, October 6, 2012.  728 East 36th Street Savannah, GA 31401. 5-7 pm.

Wanna hear the story??

"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" Micah 6:8

Why are we going?
Upon returning from Uganda in May, the Lord has been growing in Logan a desire to go back, however, also growing in her a desire to serve the local body. She had just led a team through Adventures in Missions for a four-month period.  She was dreaming and praying about what that would look like, when Gracie and her met up one random evening and learned of the Lord similarly moving her in the direction of the exact same small town in Uganda to work in a baby home. We started talking about our mutual desire to stay connected to CBC, our local church and how we could use our passions and gifts to pour back into the home that poured into us. The Lord had been equipping Gracie with communication, media and journalism skills through her time as a student at SCAD, while Logan had acquired a network of people in Uganda and an understanding of the lifestyle and needs through her previous travels.  We are stepping forward, confident that God is calling us to leave for Uganda in winter of next year and staying through the summer. Our chief hope is to use our gifts to further the kingdom of God and do it under the authority of CBC.  

What’s the goal?

We want to partner with local ministries in Gulu and serve a local body. The pastor Logan worked with in Lira is connected to a church branch in Gulu, Victory Outreach Church that is a part of the network and authority of Victory Outreach Ministries-- who we hope to partner with. While in Uganda several months ago, Logan learned of a need with a local organization called Scripture Union. Through communication with the area director she has committed to filling a need with the Bible club that is meeting at a local university.  She will partner with students in the club and work together with them doing intentional discipleship and Bible study. Logan also plans to work with an organization that works with children who are suffering from a disease called nodding syndrome.  A friend in Uganda has asked her to help by doing Bible lessons with the children who are desperate to know the hope of Christ. An organization has recently opened a center for the kids to come each day and from their welcome, Logan hopes to make Jesus a part of their daily schedule at the center.  Gracie hopes to serve at a babies home and work with a ministry for teenage girls. In addition to her commitment to these ministries she will be serving CBC and other local ministries in Uganda through her love for media and photojournalism. She hopes to explore art as a gateway for loving and nurturing youth into knowing the love of God. Another aspect to this trip is simply living missionally and relationally, valuing the small opportunities to meet the needs of neighbors and new friends. A personal commitment to being obedient to whomever God puts in our path; serving them, showing them the love of Christ, and building up believers with the Word. 

How you can help? 

The truth is we genuinely want people to be a part of this with us.  We have talked a lot about our desire for the people in our life that want to help, to see it as a partnership with us as we go.  We realize that so many people in our lives have the desire to be connected to what God is doing in different parts of the world.  So we want to invite y'all on this journey with us through our stories and pictures and your prayers. We are going to have several different things going on in the next few months that we want you to be a part of.  If you are interested in learning more please send Gracie or Logan and email so that we can have your information and send you a prayer card and tell you details about our needs. Also we want to work with you and the ideas that you have of how we can contribute to the needs of the people we meet. If you have an interest that is important to you and a way to equip us or contribute materials to us we would love to talk to you. We really appreciate your support and care to us and we are so excited for this journey!!!

logan710h@gmail.com

graciebyrdjones@me.com