JOLENA'S
VISIT 24TH MAY-2009 TO 29TH MAY 2009
Jolena’s team of fourteen people from Texas
U.S.A arrived on the 24th of May 2009 at 8:15 pm. We received
them at Entebbe airport. Mr. Francis Ssuubi, Miss Asio Belinda
and Mirembe Rachel waited in anticipation while holding placards
with Wells of Hope in bold, when it seemed like everyone was off
the plane and we thought may be their flight had delayed, our
continual gaze culminated in joy and hugs when finally Mrs Jolena
saw Rachel and shouted out “Wells of Hope” We all
ran to reach out to them.
It was the first time since its inception that Wells of hope was
receiving Visitors coming directly from abroad to visit and take
part in specifically Wells of Hope work.
We moved with our visitors in the dark aboard two mini taxis,
all of them 14 in number and with their entire luggage, we moved
to the Hotel where they resided during their stay in Uganda.
Jolena Watson successfully put together a team
of over 14 brethren who are seasoned missionaries and spend a
great amount of time devoted to our Lord.
While with us Jolena and Team were used mightily
by the Lord to reach out to Prisoners and their families .
In the early morning hours of 25th May 2009 they could not stay
back because of the jet lag,they woke up early and they were able
to meet wells Of Hope staff at our offices and they got to know
Wells Of Hope in details. We shared deeply with them about our
work, although our offices are small, we were able to divide them
up into groups and made sure we attend to each of them, Jolena,
her mother, daughter Kristin ,Joy Tucker, Sarah and Jared Beukelman
sat in Francis Sitting room, which most of the time is used as
part of the offices (its near the main offices),so it was also
a blessings for them to visit Francis’s home, Gabe and Brooke
,Joy and Dana Scott later joined in the house, we will not forget
how Gabe was so inquisitive to know how we cook food using a charcoal
stove, it was a blessing that Just like the other members he was
also interested to know how we go about our lives-Love in action!!
We showed them Videos of our work, talked with them and also gave
them our brochures. After signing in our visitor’s book
they left for the next part of the out reach which saw them reach
out to three families of prisoners. These families were so much
encouraged by their prayers and testimonies. This went so much
into the afternoon and the part of the evening. The last family
we visited was for a grandmother in Natete, we had to pass through
slums and cross over bridges on trenches and stinking swamps,
we thank God for Jolena’s Mother who though weak was able
to go with us all through, we were blessed to see her blessing
a fellow grand mother in Africa faced with many problems, this
grandmother cares for two Children whose father is in Prison and
living with HIV/AIDS, one of the kids Edmund is sickly and living
with HIV/AIDS, Dana Scott who was the official photographer of
the mission has decided to support this family.
On the 26th May 2009 we were able to reach out
to inmates in Kirinya Main prison Jinja and the Women prison.
The team blessed inmates in these prisons with spiritual support
such as bibles and tracts. And materially they blest them with
sugar, soap, high protein Soya, Sanitary pads for women, toothpastes
and Vaseline.
After our visit in the Prison we went down to Bujagali water falls
in Jinja to have a meal .we want to thank God for the all the
meals we had with Jolena and team, they were ordinarily meals
that are eaten on special occasions and to us we think the Lord
sent you to take us on a treat even as we were serving the Him.
Jolena paid for all the meals,thank you for sharing with us.
At Bujagali we were treated to the natural beauty of the waterfalls
and also acrobatics of Men swimming against the heavy falls. We
were sincere to mention to Jolena that this was the first time
most of us were visiting this part of Uganda with wonderful sceneries,
Jolena and Gabe always full of Humour said that “Welcome
to Uganda, we are glad to show you around the beautiful places
of Uganda”
Gabe, if we visit Texas we shall also show you around the beautiful
places of your country. Every part of this visit was good, with
Jan Newton making us laugh all the time, thank you for being your
selves and bringing life into us.
We also visited one of the Grandmothers on 27th
May 2009 deep in the village. This old woman called Elvania Nambooze
takes care of her grand children whose father is in prison and
on death row.
The work this team performed was owesome! They fetched fire wood
for this old lady which can take her for two weeks, Brooke and
Dana did some pedicure and manicure to this Jjaja which made her
feel so good in that she even said "am surrounded by angel
whom I have been seeing in dream". This Jjaja was also blessed
with lotions; perfumes tooth paste, tooth brushes, nail cutter
and shoes. She was also blessed spiritually even the neighbors
came up and made everything interesting.
We left her very grateful and what I know she will never forget
that day. On that same day they ministered to the neighboring
families, visited the children in their classrooms and painted
their faces. How we wish we go into details concerning the drama
they did for the villagers! The angels in heaven must have danced
in appreciation. It was spectacular, thank you for putting up
such a nice piece.
Later in the evening, Jolena and team met with
Wells of hope Board of Directors and had dinner with them, we
all sat on a long table, all of us 21 in number dinned together,
almost a repeat of The lords supper with Jesus and his disciples
sitting together, it was a joyous moment where we shared jokes
and joys-so wonderful to meet!!
On the 28th May 2009 we reached out to prisons
in Luzira upper; Boma and condemned section and then Luzira Women.
The team blessed inmates in these prisons with spiritual support
such as bibles and tracts. And materially they blest them with
sugar, soap, high protein Soya Sanitary pads for women and Soya
for the children of inmates in the day care in prison.
In the afternoon of the same day, we reached out the Juveniles
in Naguru remand Home with this team. These young stars in this
Home were so grateful for the time we spent with them, for the
material support rendered to them such as soap, sugar, pants and
sanitary pads for the girls, we also served them with biscuits
as we were ending the meeting.
On the last day, this team was able met most of
the Wells of Hope volunteers and some of the beneficiaries, they
ministered to us, prayed to us and they were also able to interact
more with us.
This was the highlight of the visit, we were able to get the encouragement
we needed, Jolena and team, came at a time when as wells of hope
team we had lost morale given the backdrop of funds resulting
form the global financial recession commonly known as credit crunch,
we had almost lost the zeal to move on and now God sends this
team from Texas who simply came as result of putting a few key
words in a search engine which miraculous popped up Wells of hope
ministries, they could have worked with another Ministry. The
Faithful Lord in highest directed them to come to Wells of Hope
Uganda. Jolena watson, Sarah, Jared, Dana, Jan, Luke Whaley, Hope,
Jane, Kristin, Joy Tucker, Brooke and Gabriel Skypala, Chuck Hood,
and Joseph thank you so much for taking Hope to the Wells of Hope,
we know many will come to draw from that well for many years to
come. You shared deep from your hearts with cries and laughs,
most of you testified that our work has ministered to you and
has brought you closer to the Lord.
Jolena’s team donated to the ministry many Christian books
most of them best selling books which cost a lot of money and
expensive gift bibles,
The words of
prophesy, and encouragement and the prayers and poems have been
put together on one web page. Click here
We thank God for this team, we appreciate their humility to come
and serve with us and we know we will continue to serve with them.
During the travels, the team also ministered to
the people on the way, Sarah and Joy proved to be experts at preaching
in traffic Jams, they would pass over gospel tracts to passengers
in other Vehicles while shouting “YESU AKWAGALA” meaning
Jesus Loves you in our local dialect, thank you for being creative
in preaching the word.
In the afternoon we went to the market, Jolena and team were able
to purchase Ugandan crafts, in the evening we introduced Jackfruit
to them which we ate together and during dinner we met to say
good bye, we shared gifts and pleasantries. Again we had a good
meal together, thank you for all the meal and time we had together.
Jolena and team did a lot while with us, we have
tried to say most of it but this is not exhaustive.
Thank you for practically walking with us into the families of
prisoners and going with us behind the bars to rescue men and
women with the word of God.
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