Holy. Let me tell you, it gets me a bit misty-eyed writing out this eleven year answer to prayer. What a testament that God knows our hearts desires and after all this He says “Go. It’s your turn, I want you in Uganda to do my work.”

 Friends, let me take you on a little journey. In 2004 I was working at Hume Lake, a Christian camp in California and it was there I was introduced to the country of Uganda. I was deeply affected by watching Invisible Children and the atrocity of the evilness of the LRA. I proudly bought bracelets to support their cause and wore their t-shirts, anything to help the cause. My heart broke. I wanted to go in and rescue the children. I wanted to give them refuge. Two years later I watched the movie Blood Diamond. I was wrecked again. Uganda then became a heavy weight on my heart. It became an often prayer, many journal entries and a longing for a country that I had never been too. When I served in the United States Air Force, I had two close friends go to Uganda. If I couldn’t go, I had to send them. Fast-forward three years later: I am in my spring semester at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and I met Christi Castleberry and Naomi Ellis. Unbeknownst to me, they both had huge hearts for Africa, specifically Uganda. As we continued to fellowship, it became clear that God was stirring in our hearts to go this summer. I am so thankful that I will be able to partner with Mavuno Ministries, which is located in Tororo, Uganda, for two in half weeks in the month of May. My hope and prayer is that you would pray, support and help me on this amazing opportunity. Funding for this trip helps provide and cover:

-Plane Ticket
-In country expenses
-Visas
-Immunizations
-Personal Expenses

 Mavuno Ministries exists to give hope to the women and children of Uganda. They a currently running women’s ministry and school for children, and within the last few months they have started a church. One of their prayers is to build a more stable facility for the church and a safe haven for children.

 Our desire as a team is to partner with Mavuno as a gateway to serve in their ministry and to minister to the orphans and the widows. Our team also has a burden to film a documentary that would bring awareness to the harsh circumstances of the widows and orphans of Uganda and it would also be a fundraising tool to support ministries like Mavuno. Our goal on this trip is to build relationships, friendships and document the ministry. There are six of us going on this trip, led by Christi who has been supporting Mavuno for the last three years. Please be in prayer for us and if you feel led to give, I would be eternally grateful. We are so excited, so thankful that the Lord has given us this beautiful opportunity to serve His Great Name and join Mavuno by serving Uganda by ministering to the orphans and the widows.

Grace to you,

Stephen Goetz