Uganda – Sudan Trip: July 27-Aug 19

Prolog: Missionary Trip to Africa: This trip is being sponsored by Victory Foursquare Church in Marysville Washington and Safeharbour Foursquare Church in Anacortes Washington. Friends of the West, who Louise Short works for is our sponsor for the locations we visit in Uganda and the Sudan.

Africa Team

People: (Number of trips to Africa)

Pastor Gary Short (4) Pastor Steve Thompson(4) Pastor Louise Short(4)

Vivian Zoller(4) Eric Thompson(2) Pam Coberly (2)

Jordan Short(2) Bob Boomer(1) Karen Grubs(1)

Mark Warkentin(1) Bill Zoller(1)

Daily Log of the Trip (Written by Bill Zoller, a look through his eyes!)

July 29 - Monday - Leave Victory Foursquare Church with a van driving to Vancouver B.C. for our flight to London and then on to Uganda. We stopped in Burlington to meet people from Gary’s church, then on to Vancouver. Our flight was to leave at 8:05pm, but due to mechanical problems with the plane, we left two hours late.

July 30 - Tuesday – Yesterday’s delay made our arrival late in London, and we arrived at 3:30pm, and decided to not go to a hotel since the time was so short. Our next flight for Kenya was at 8:00 pm. We arrived in Nairobi Kenya at 6:35am, after our second all nighter in a row! Needless to say, everyone was very tired the next day when we arrived in Entebbe Uganda.

July 31 - Wednesday - We next had an hour until our flight to Entebbe Uganda where we were to be met by Louise Short, Gary’s wife, who works for Friends of the West, and some of the workers who had a truck to help with the luggage We were then driven to Kampala Uganda where we were to stay in a house set up for visitors going to the area with Friends in the West. After a lunch we were driven around town to spend some time before we went back to the house for dinner and rest before sleeping. We were very tired, as we had been up for approximately 26 hours with only a few hours of powernaps on the planes we were flying on.( Pictures: House in Kampala, Airport at Entebbe)

August 1 – Thursday – After a good nights sleep, every one was feeling much better, and after breakfast, we plan on going out to some schools and begin our missionary work. The school we went to visit was the school for the Friends of the West, the school for kids from past African Children’s Quires. They have a new building where the students live and go to school, it was very nice, we stayed until 6:30, and prayed for the teachers and administrators of the school.(Pictures: Children’s Quire, School building)

August 2 – Friday – We got started later today, so our time is changing, and after breakfast, we began labeling books as gifts from our churches, and packed the things up for the Sudan. We are scheduled to go there tomorrow, so we packed everything we could up into suitcases in preparation for our charter flight tomorrow. We went to Lake Victoria for lunch at a fancy hotel on the lakeshore, and after words returned to our residence to get ready for tomorrow. There was some discussion of going to Pastor Morris’s church for the 5:00pm service, but we did not get things done in time. I am getting frustrated as for some reason, I am not able to down loading the digital camera pictures into my Lab top computer. Another difficulty is the effort to keep the batteries for the computer and digital camera charged, we have only one connection to the 220 volt receptors here.(Pictures: Kampala Guest house)

August 3 – Saturday – We got up, and after breakfast prepared our selves for the trip to Moyo, and on to the Sudan. We have arranged a charter of the Eagle Airlines plane so we could take all of our extra baggage. At 10am we left the house for the airport for the flight, and got on a Checkslovokian airplane that could hold about 15 people, but was filled with the 11 of us and our baggage! We left at about 12pm, and arrived in Moyo about 2:30 after an interesting flight at fairy low altitude all the way, so we were able to see a lot of the country side and see lots of small villages and individual houses on tree covered land that appears to be savahana land, high rolling land with scattered tree coverage. Manassa, the local leader of the Sudan program flew down with us with his wife Mary as they were going to accompany us into the Sudan. When we arrived, we were met by a great young man of God, John Kennedy xxxxxx, who was going with us, and proved to be a great help and wonderful worship leader, who shows love to everyone he meets. After being driven to the Guest house in Moyo, we were fed, and they assigned us rooms, we were in the local hotel just down the street, and had a good room. In Moyo, there is electrical power only for about 4hours a day, and that was for lights only! We were in bed by 8:00pm!(Pictures:Moyo Guest House)

Plane we Flew in to Moyo in northern Uganda

August 4 – Sunday – We got up and after breakfast, we split up into two groups to attend the two local churches. I went to an Analagen church with Gary, Manassa, and some others. We were asked to introduce our selves and say a few words. I was also asked by the pastor to give the closing prayer, I am hoping God took care of it, as I felt way out of my comfort zone! We waited all day for another vehicle to go to the Sudan and it never came, so we sent some pastors who were going to attend our meeting on ahead in the one Toyota Land Cruser, and the team was to stay another night in Moyo before continuing on to the Sudan.

August 5 – Monday – We were up at 6:00am ready to leave and after breakfast we were to leave as soon as the vehicle that came back from delivering the pastors to the meeting was unloaded. We (Vivian and I) left at 9:30, in a four wheel drive crew cab pickup loaded with all of our baggage. The others came in the vehicle that made the trip the last night, and the other vehicle that was to arrive a few hours later from Kampala, and they all arrived at the compound by night fall and our first meeting that evening an introductory meeting that was first speeches by “officials” then Gary speaking, it went on from 7:30 until 10:00 at night! (Pictures: Vehicles)

Our 4-wheel Vehicle and Southern Sudenese Guard on the road to the compound

Guards at Gate to our compound in the Sudan

Bill Zoller in Front of their Tukal at the compound in the Sudan

August 6 – Tuesday – We started the day with a team meeting to talk about what we were going to do! It appears that we will have two sessions every morning from 8:30 until 10:00pm, and again from 10:30 until 2:00pm, with a short break. The group doing the children’s ministry will be busy every day at different schools around the area. The morning meeting was given by Steve Thompson (The Fathers Love), than a second session by Gary (John 3.16) until about 2:00pm, when we broke for lunch and the rest of the afternoon. Vivian and I went with Menassa at 11:00 am, to his local school to meet some students, and the teachers that are being trained there. I was asked to come back on Wed to teach about Genesis and creation along with any implications I can bring from science. (Pictures: Meeting location, meeting people)

Pastors at Conference in the Sudan

Teachers(Trainee’s) at School in the Sudan

August 7 – Wednesday – The first meeting was led by Gary Short (Prodigal Son), and the second by Steve Thompson (Affirmation of the Father, Jesus is the son). I was at the First year teachers at 10:00am, which went on for two hours. At noon, I did the second year teachers for 1.5 hours and I was run down and had to stop. In both classes I began going over Genesis, but had to spend a lot of time explaining science and words I was using, as they knew so little! In my meeting with the second year teachers, I was surprised to find out that they knew much more than the first year students, saying that Menassa’s school is doing a good job! I heard that the meeting with Gary and Steve went very well, and the Pastors were touched strongly. (Pictures: People in Church)

Daniel a Dinka Pastor Pam at the Clinic measuring blood pressure

August 8 – Thursday – Louise did the morning meeting, and after words we were to leave for the drive back to Moyo. I had an abreviated meeting with the second year teachers, and Vivian was there to help it went very nicely with her to help, as all they wanted to talk about was the Bible! Afterwards, we got into two vehicles and drove for Moyo, which took us about 4hrs. Including a stop at one of the schools that is being built by the church and Friends of the West. The children put on a real good show for us, they sure were cute, they liked to hold Vivian’s ands, I was really touched by their affection, and realizing what little they have! This was one stop that I will remember, it was very touching what this school will mean for the young people here in the Sudan. The drive back seemed so much faster than the drive out! (Pictures: People in church, Pastors giving Sermons)

August 9 – Friday – After breakfast at the house in Moyo, we went to the airport to fly back to Entebbe and drive to Kampala. The flight from Moyo was about an hour late, but from what I here that was probably about average. A group and two vehicles met us at the airport. They took us for lunch at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala, and we “pigged out” there was a lot of good fruit, and we had not had any for a week! We were taken back to the house afterwards, and had dinner followd by some sitting around resting and listening to praise music. (Pictures Meeting with People)

August 10 – Saturday – The Pastors went to a meeting with Pastor Fred at Makere Full Gospel Church; the meeting was a time for the church leaders, prior to the meeting next week with all of the Pastors. The rest of us came later to pray for the leaders of Pastor Fred’s church. They then served us lunch, and we went to the source of the Nile River, and at a Hotel near there, we stopped for a snack before returning well after dark to our place in Kampala. After a short prayer time we went to bed. (Pictures Source of Nile River)

August 11 – Sunday – We split into two groups, one went with Steve to Makere Full Gospel Church (Pam, Karen Eric and Mark), and the other with Gary and Louise to Pastor Morris’s church (Eden Revival Center). After church, we went to Makere for lunch, and most went to a seminar for people that are thinking of getting married. At about 5:30 we went to have dinner with Pastor Morris at his home with his family. He has a nice house, and a very good family that really follows God! (Pictures, Morris’s house, and Family)

August 12 – Monday – After a morning prayer time, some went to town and the internet café, to send and receive E-mail, Some of us stayed at the house and enjoyed a time of rest and work, and well as reading God’s word. They still don’t know whom God will want to give the message tonight at the first meeting of this Uganda Pastor’s conference. They want to hear from God what he wants to do, and this is what we are learning, listen to what God wants to do, and don’t get in his way! There were about 500 who came up for prayer, we were overwhelmed, and they all want to receive from God! I have never seen so many people so hungry for God! The prayer time took about 1.5 hrs we got done about 10pm, and could not prayer for everyone.

August 13 – Tuesday – The Morning Prayer time and breakfast were followed by the Pastor’s conference at Mekerere Full Gospel Church. Steve gave the first sermon on the truth of the Father; followed by Gary on the Prodigal son. We then had lunch at the Grand Imperial Hotel restaurant with a Professor (the brother of a Pastor) from the Mekerere University Chemistry department we will set up a program to study air pollution in Kampala, hopefully funded by the World Health Organization. There was no revival meeting this evening. (Pictures, University, or Professors)

August 14 – Wednesday – We began again with a prayer time and breakfast at the guesthouse, followed by the conference at church. Steve began with the Fathers Love, God speaking to people, followed by Louise with more testimony, and what God is saying to people. Gary gave the third sermon on the Prodigal son #2- the second son. I then went to a high school with Eric and talked to the teachers and students for a while, trying to encourage them in their studies. The evening meeting was by Steve on the Fathers Love, and as usual hundreds of people came up for prayer, it took 1.5 hrs we were not done until 10pm!

August 15 – Thursday – We began as usual with breakfast and prayer, followed by the Pastor’s conference. Again we had so many wanting prayer, there was a huge number to pray for at any prayer time, they are so hungry for a move by God in their life, we can’t do anything for them, but they can get some thing from God, and if we are the conduit, I am very pleased to be a part of such a thing, and when I go home, I will be a definitely be a different person. We went to lunch again at the Grand Imperial Hotel and met another of the critical men to begin a study of the air pollution in Kampala. Dr. Samuel Luboga, the associate dean of the medical school, who is also a Christian. He has been praying for some help from God, and looked upon me as the answer to that prayer, so now to put the program together. Upon return to the meeting, the man who was praying with me the last two sessions, wanted me to meet his head Pastor, which I did, and encouraged him to get involved in education of the youth to change their country. Steve delivered the sermon for the evening meeting, on Jehosaphat and letting the Lord fight the battle. Many people were touched, and as normal, many came for prayer. There were hundreds again, and we could not get home until 10 pm, after dinner at Robinah and David’s house.

August 16 – Friday – Steve and Eric left this morning, and after breakfast and prayer, we went to the meeting, on the last day. Gary Short delivered the first lecture on learning of the Fathers Love, and following this lecture, a break period was allowed, during which participants and guests were meeting and talking. One Pastor came up to me, and began to cry very loudly and hard on my shoulder. I did not know what to do so I asked my wife Vivian what I should do, and she said to pray for him! So I did for over 2 hours, as he sobbed on my shoulder, which was very wet by now! When Pastor Louise was going to speak, he was still crying, so I had him sit down with us in front, and I held him while he let loose. At the end of her talk, we had to begin praying for people, and he was still with me, so I left him in the chair, and went to pray for others. After several hours (I don’t know how long it was, but it took a while!), I had a break, and looked for him, but he was gone! Later in the evening meeting, he was totally changed, and he was up praying for others! I don’t know what went on with him, but something obviously happened, and changed the Man! God can do that, and this is why I think God can solve all of our problems if we will bring them to him! After Pastor Gary’s evening talk, and the Prayer, the meeting was called to an end, and we were able to go back to our residence for rest, but the events of this day will be with me for a long time!

August 17 – Saturday – On this day we did a lot of shopping and seeing the town. We were taken to several places where we could purchase some things to bring back home to the Seattle area. Some of the places they took us were where local artists sold their work, and we spent a lot, and got some really nice things that will remind us of the wonderful time we had there. In general the prices were very good, but we had the feeling that they were higher for us, and we could talk them down some, but some of us had trouble doing that, as they were in such need! We all bought a lot of things, and they will be in our homes and offices for the future. (Pictures of shopping place)

August 18 – Sunday – We left Entebbe early on a flight to Nairobi Kenya, where we took another flight to London, where we were to stay the night. After checking into our hotel, we took a walk around the area to stretch our legs, and get some air!

August 19 – Monday – We left London on Canadian Airlines, and after an 11-hour flight and gaining 9 hours we did arrive back in Vancouver, where we were met by people from our respective churches, and were taken back home. I will never forget the great feeling of Loss on our return, as I felt that I had lost some thing very important, and now I see what my wife meant by the statement that she left some thing back there in Africa! I cannot wait until I can go back again, that truly was/is a life changing experience, and I want to do it again!!!!

Prolog: There are several things that need to be done, one is the commitment to finish the schools in the Sudan where we dedicated the first one, in Uganda and many other African countries, the schools are built in a square with four buildings around a square where the students can be assembled. The school we have built in the Sudan is only one building and we need to put up the other three! I feel that I am to be asking fellow Christians to help, and if this is on your heart, I am asking that you send a check with your donation to Victory Foursquare Church, at 11911 State Ave., Marysville, Wa 98271. Since this is God’s work and I firmly believe that is what it is, your donation will be tax deductable. My goal is to have the fund to build the three new buildings by the end of this year, and I am convinced that we can help these people meet their goal of a new life in a new and God blessed country.