To my friends, family, & supporters -
I hope you each had a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving. I am thankful for so many things this year,and you are definitely on that list! I am in the beginning stages of packing and would greatly appreciate your prayers as I try to get everything done before leaving for Uganda on Tuesday.
Zion Project, the organization that I will be working with, just opened their online store today. They are selling jewelry, handmade by Congolese women in Gulu, Northern Uganda. Each necklace purchased helps provide for a woman and her children, which allows her to avoid prostitution for survival. The women are provided with daycare for their children as well as being paid a fare wage for their work. Most importantly though, through Zion Project's ministry to them, they learn that God loves them and that they are not worthless, even though they have suffered abuse.
You can read one of the women's stories here: Martha's Story
The online store can be found at http://www.store.zionproject.org/. Each piece of jewelry is beautiful and would make a great Christmas present that would be a blessing to the recipient as well as to the woman who created it. If your shopping is already done, feel free to pass the link on to others who might be frantically searching for that perfect gift. ; )
With love,
Sarah
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
34 Days Til Departure : )
Hello there!
From August - September, I attended a CELTA course at Teaching House New York to become certified in teaching English as a second language. It was very enjoyable! I learned so much and I am excited to put it to use in Uganda. I am currently staying at home with my parents while preparing to leave, and have been making t-shirt quilts for friends (with the help of my grandmother) in order to raise a little bit of money. It has been nice to be home to help out with fall retreats at Bancroft. I just recently bought my plane ticket - I leave the afternoon of Nov. 30th, and arrive in Uganda late on Dec. 1st. I am so excited! I am also thankful that I will be able to spend Thanksgiving here with my family, as I missed it last year.
This next month will be spent preparing to go - spending time with my family, getting vaccinations, going to the eye doctor, finding insurance, and of course packing. =) I would greatly appreciate your prayers for the following:
-Wisdom in finding the right insurance
-That all would go well with my visa application
-Spending my time well -Safe travels & good health
-Wisdom in balancing my time between different responsibilities once I arrive in Gulu -God's provision of the rest of my support
Thank you so much to all of you that have already contributed toward my support. I am once again astounded at God's provision of my needs. So far I have $330/month committed out of the $700/month that I have budgeted for. I have also received $3,950 of the $5,000 special needs/startup costs (for covering travel to & from Uganda, insurance, visa costs, vaccines, etc.) If you would like more information about my budget, I would be happy to share with you. I am trusting that God will provide the rest before my leaving date of Nov. 30th.
If He is leading you to give toward my ministry, there are a couple of ways that you can do so. For tax deductible gifts, you can go online to www.ripeforharvest.com/donations.htm. There you can click on "Donate via Credit Card" (for one-time or automatically recurring gifts) or print and mail a "recurring electronic contribution" form. If you prefer, you can send a check (along with a note stating my name and account #318, and whether the gift is a monthly commitment or for special needs) to: Ripe For Harvest
P.O. Box 487
Monument, CO 80132
Thank you so much for reading, and especially for your prayers and support! God bless you all!
Sarah Dingus
Serving in N. Uganda with the Zion Project (www.zionproject.org)
P.S. If you'd like to receive my updates via email, send me a note at sarahdingus@gmail.com. Thanks!
From August - September, I attended a CELTA course at Teaching House New York to become certified in teaching English as a second language. It was very enjoyable! I learned so much and I am excited to put it to use in Uganda. I am currently staying at home with my parents while preparing to leave, and have been making t-shirt quilts for friends (with the help of my grandmother) in order to raise a little bit of money. It has been nice to be home to help out with fall retreats at Bancroft. I just recently bought my plane ticket - I leave the afternoon of Nov. 30th, and arrive in Uganda late on Dec. 1st. I am so excited! I am also thankful that I will be able to spend Thanksgiving here with my family, as I missed it last year.
This next month will be spent preparing to go - spending time with my family, getting vaccinations, going to the eye doctor, finding insurance, and of course packing. =) I would greatly appreciate your prayers for the following:
-Wisdom in finding the right insurance
-That all would go well with my visa application
-Spending my time well -Safe travels & good health
-Wisdom in balancing my time between different responsibilities once I arrive in Gulu -God's provision of the rest of my support
Thank you so much to all of you that have already contributed toward my support. I am once again astounded at God's provision of my needs. So far I have $330/month committed out of the $700/month that I have budgeted for. I have also received $3,950 of the $5,000 special needs/startup costs (for covering travel to & from Uganda, insurance, visa costs, vaccines, etc.) If you would like more information about my budget, I would be happy to share with you. I am trusting that God will provide the rest before my leaving date of Nov. 30th.
If He is leading you to give toward my ministry, there are a couple of ways that you can do so. For tax deductible gifts, you can go online to www.ripeforharvest.com/donations.htm. There you can click on "Donate via Credit Card" (for one-time or automatically recurring gifts) or print and mail a "recurring electronic contribution" form. If you prefer, you can send a check (along with a note stating my name and account #318, and whether the gift is a monthly commitment or for special needs) to: Ripe For Harvest
P.O. Box 487
Monument, CO 80132
Thank you so much for reading, and especially for your prayers and support! God bless you all!
Sarah Dingus
Serving in N. Uganda with the Zion Project (www.zionproject.org)
P.S. If you'd like to receive my updates via email, send me a note at sarahdingus@gmail.com. Thanks!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Back to Uganda...
Dear Friends,
I have been invited to return to Uganda to work with the Zion Project (www.zionproject.org), an organization that I worked with part time last fall. Zion Project’s main focus is sharing God’s love and spreading His Kingdom among outcasts including formerly abducted girls, Congolese refugees, and young girls rescued from child prostitution. Zion Project’s ministry to them includes a Women’s Counseling Center with a holistic program of counseling, devotions, and job training, as well as a Safe Home for 14 young girls ages 4 to 14.
I will have a few different roles, including:
1. Administrative help to Sarita, the founder & director of Zion Project.
2. Discipling & tutoring the 14 young girls in the Safe Home.
3. Teaching English to Congolese women, enabling them to seek more opportunities for education & employment. (I attended a course in New York Aug 21—Sept 21 to become certified to teach English as a second language.)
4. Working part time with Every Child Ministries & the families I met last year.
Prayer Needs:
· Wisdom & guidance on when to leave (looking at Nov)
· Safe travels & a smooth transition back to Africa
· Protection from Malaria & other diseases
· An effective & fruitful ministry for God’s glory
· God’s help in learning Swahili & Acholi!
· My family
I am so grateful for each one of you and praise God for your generosity in the past with your prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts. I appreciate your contributions in each of those vitally important areas!
I am humbled that God has called me to serve Him, and excited for you to be a part of His work of restoration among the people of Northern Uganda.
With love,
I have been invited to return to Uganda to work with the Zion Project (www.zionproject.org), an organization that I worked with part time last fall. Zion Project’s main focus is sharing God’s love and spreading His Kingdom among outcasts including formerly abducted girls, Congolese refugees, and young girls rescued from child prostitution. Zion Project’s ministry to them includes a Women’s Counseling Center with a holistic program of counseling, devotions, and job training, as well as a Safe Home for 14 young girls ages 4 to 14.
I will have a few different roles, including:
1. Administrative help to Sarita, the founder & director of Zion Project.
2. Discipling & tutoring the 14 young girls in the Safe Home.
3. Teaching English to Congolese women, enabling them to seek more opportunities for education & employment. (I attended a course in New York Aug 21—Sept 21 to become certified to teach English as a second language.)
4. Working part time with Every Child Ministries & the families I met last year.
Prayer Needs:
· Wisdom & guidance on when to leave (looking at Nov)
· Safe travels & a smooth transition back to Africa
· Protection from Malaria & other diseases
· An effective & fruitful ministry for God’s glory
· God’s help in learning Swahili & Acholi!
· My family
Praise:
· My dad's trip & ministry in Haiti went well
· My Grandma has her sight back after 9 months of no vision & several surgeries
· My dad's trip & ministry in Haiti went well
· My Grandma has her sight back after 9 months of no vision & several surgeries
--------------------------------------------------
How can you partner with me?
I am so grateful for each one of you and praise God for your generosity in the past with your prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts. I appreciate your contributions in each of those vitally important areas!
I am committing to a one year term with Zion Project. In order for me to do this, I need monthly commitments (for living expenses) as well as special needs gifts (for airfare, visa costs, insurance, vaccines). I am hoping to raise $700/month in faith commitments, as well as $5,000 for the special needs listed above. So far I have $250/month committed, and about half of my special needs goal has been given already.
I am raising support through a sending agency called Ripe For Harvest. You can learn more about them at www.ripeforharvest.com or by contacting me. Gifts can be sent online through their website, as well as setting up automatically recurring monthly gifts through your bank account or credit card. If you prefer to send support by mailing a check, it should be made out to Ripe for Harvest and sent to:
Ripe for Harvest
P.O. Box 487
Monument, CO 80132
Please include a note with my name, account # (318) and whether you’re making a monthly commitment or a special needs gift. It is very important that you do not include my name on the check. If you prefer to send money to me personally, email me at SarahDingus@gmail.com and I will send you my address.
Ripe for Harvest
P.O. Box 487
Monument, CO 80132
Please include a note with my name, account # (318) and whether you’re making a monthly commitment or a special needs gift. It is very important that you do not include my name on the check. If you prefer to send money to me personally, email me at SarahDingus@gmail.com and I will send you my address.
I am humbled that God has called me to serve Him, and excited for you to be a part of His work of restoration among the people of Northern Uganda.
With love,
Sarah
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A Long Overdue Update
Dear Friends,
Many of you may have gotten this in my recent supporter update, but I wanted to include it here as well for my online readers. : ) It's a bit overdue - just catching you up on the final update from my internship last fall.
As you may remember from my original letter, I was not 100% sure what I would be doing upon arrival in Uganda. I knew that I would be working with the sponsorship program, but no details. As it turned out, my main role was tutoring. God’s provision was evident from the very beginning… the first month of my internship, I was part of Every Child Ministry’s summer team. We held a vacation Bible club for children in Tegotatoo Village (formerly an Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp). The plan was for me to remain behind as the only American working with ECM in N. Uganda once the team returned back to the states at the end of July. However, one girl on the team, Melissa Rogers, decided to stay behind as well, extending her one month trip into September, and later extending it again until December! I was so thankful that God saw fit to provide me with a roommate. Melissa is a certified teacher which helped during our tutoring ministry. I learned a lot from her!
ECM’s work in Northern Uganda is mainly child sponsorship for children whose families have been affected by a 25 year war. Many families have been displaced by the war, separated from their homes and livelihoods. Many cannot afford to put all of their children in school, so ECM’s sponsorship program provides a way for that to happen. There were around 50 sponsored children, but Melissa and I created a tutoring program for 22 of them – the first, second, and third graders. Tegotatoo is an isolated area so there is a big shortage of teachers. The first grade class in Tegot Primary School, for example, has 120 students and one teacher. If a child is struggling with a concept, they just can’t get the help that they need. This was why tutoring was so important. With children whose lives and families have been torn apart by war, and whose home situations are not yet stable, putting them into a classroom like that is just setting them up for failure. How do you get a question answered, or help with a difficult subject, when you have 119 classmates and only one teacher?
Once we took the 22 sponsored children aside in an after school tutoring session, they immediately began showing improvement. The better student/teacher ratio gave them what they needed to make progress on a weekly basis. Children in these grades get out of school around 1:30 in the afternoon, so Melissa and I held a tutoring class for them two days a week after school while their older siblings were still in classes. We worked on foundational concepts that they were still struggling with – basic literacy and math skills. Every class also included a Bible story and a memory verse. It was incredible to see the progress that they made, from not being able to write their own name at the beginning to reading an entire sentence in their own language at the end of our time with them. Just being in a smaller class and actually having the opportunity for one-on-one attention from a teacher made a huge difference.
The second class we established was once a week for children in Tegotatoo who aren’t in school because their parents can’t afford it and they haven’t been sponsored yet. Some are 9 or 10 years old and have never been to school. This was our most difficult class because we had a wide range of children in both age and experience in schooling. We tried to focus on basic foundational things to prepare them for when they will hopefully be going to school. We also always incorporated a Bible lesson and memory verse.
The third thing we focused on was a partnership with another organization in Gulu called the Zion Project. This project ministers to Congolese refugees and vulnerable girls who have been affected by the war. They have a home for young girls who have recently been rescued from abusive situations. We had our third class there. These girls had also never been to school, so we began preparing them for when they would begin attending school. We worked on basic literacy and math concepts as well as Bible lessons. Sarita Hendrickson, the director, now reports that they are in school and doing well.
This was the longest I have been on a cross-cultural mission trip, and as a result, I was able to see some of the results of the seeds we planted and the ministry we did. Seeing changes in the children’s attitudes and abilities was so exciting! There were difficult moments, but there were also priceless moments and stories that make it all worthwhile. An example of those moments is Odong James, a child from our sponsorship tutoring class. He never seemed to be paying much attention to our class, or at least never seemed very excited to be there. I was often concerned about him, especially about how much he was really gaining by being in our class. At a parent meeting towards the end of our time there, his mother spoke to some of the other staff to tell them how much James had learned in the tutoring class - and to tell them that little James had been coming home in the evenings and teaching her the alphabet and other things he had learned!
It is a crucial time in N. Uganda and for the Acholi people. Devastated lives are being rebuilt and restored slowly and one at a time, and the ministries of ECM and Zion Project are being used mightily by God to have an impact in Gulu and the surrounding areas. I know that the love that is shared there will continue to spread, reaching more villages and more families with the hope and peace that can only come through knowing Christ. The Acholi people have been on my heart for over 5 years, and it was such an honor to finally be with them and learn from their resilient hearts. In spite of the pain, fear, and desperation that they have experienced over the last 2.5 decades, they are the most hospitable, friendly, and generous people I have ever met. I can’t begin to describe the impact that Mary, Simon, David, Agnes, Sharon, Winnie, Barbara, Kwo-tek, Concy, and so many others had on my heart and life.
I have been home from Uganda since December. I spent several months working at KinderCare with the two-year-old class, and then this summer I was on the summer staff team for Mission Serve (www.mission-serve.com), an organization based in Atlanta. They organize youth group mission trips in various cities across the US. I was a “project office manager,” meaning that I got to travel to several of their week-long projects to set up the office and make sure paperwork got done! I really enjoyed the summer and met many wonderful volunteers and participants at each project. I got to watch as God worked in the lives of hundreds of youth this summer, softening their hearts toward missions and those less fortunate than themselves.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement, and for taking the time to read! I hope that it has been an encouragement to you to hear how God is working around the world. Another post coming soon to update you on my upcoming return to Uganda to continue in ministry with both Zion Project & ECM!
With Love,
Sarah
Many of you may have gotten this in my recent supporter update, but I wanted to include it here as well for my online readers. : ) It's a bit overdue - just catching you up on the final update from my internship last fall.
As you may remember from my original letter, I was not 100% sure what I would be doing upon arrival in Uganda. I knew that I would be working with the sponsorship program, but no details. As it turned out, my main role was tutoring. God’s provision was evident from the very beginning… the first month of my internship, I was part of Every Child Ministry’s summer team. We held a vacation Bible club for children in Tegotatoo Village (formerly an Internally Displaced Persons’ Camp). The plan was for me to remain behind as the only American working with ECM in N. Uganda once the team returned back to the states at the end of July. However, one girl on the team, Melissa Rogers, decided to stay behind as well, extending her one month trip into September, and later extending it again until December! I was so thankful that God saw fit to provide me with a roommate. Melissa is a certified teacher which helped during our tutoring ministry. I learned a lot from her!
ECM’s work in Northern Uganda is mainly child sponsorship for children whose families have been affected by a 25 year war. Many families have been displaced by the war, separated from their homes and livelihoods. Many cannot afford to put all of their children in school, so ECM’s sponsorship program provides a way for that to happen. There were around 50 sponsored children, but Melissa and I created a tutoring program for 22 of them – the first, second, and third graders. Tegotatoo is an isolated area so there is a big shortage of teachers. The first grade class in Tegot Primary School, for example, has 120 students and one teacher. If a child is struggling with a concept, they just can’t get the help that they need. This was why tutoring was so important. With children whose lives and families have been torn apart by war, and whose home situations are not yet stable, putting them into a classroom like that is just setting them up for failure. How do you get a question answered, or help with a difficult subject, when you have 119 classmates and only one teacher?
Once we took the 22 sponsored children aside in an after school tutoring session, they immediately began showing improvement. The better student/teacher ratio gave them what they needed to make progress on a weekly basis. Children in these grades get out of school around 1:30 in the afternoon, so Melissa and I held a tutoring class for them two days a week after school while their older siblings were still in classes. We worked on foundational concepts that they were still struggling with – basic literacy and math skills. Every class also included a Bible story and a memory verse. It was incredible to see the progress that they made, from not being able to write their own name at the beginning to reading an entire sentence in their own language at the end of our time with them. Just being in a smaller class and actually having the opportunity for one-on-one attention from a teacher made a huge difference.
The second class we established was once a week for children in Tegotatoo who aren’t in school because their parents can’t afford it and they haven’t been sponsored yet. Some are 9 or 10 years old and have never been to school. This was our most difficult class because we had a wide range of children in both age and experience in schooling. We tried to focus on basic foundational things to prepare them for when they will hopefully be going to school. We also always incorporated a Bible lesson and memory verse.
The third thing we focused on was a partnership with another organization in Gulu called the Zion Project. This project ministers to Congolese refugees and vulnerable girls who have been affected by the war. They have a home for young girls who have recently been rescued from abusive situations. We had our third class there. These girls had also never been to school, so we began preparing them for when they would begin attending school. We worked on basic literacy and math concepts as well as Bible lessons. Sarita Hendrickson, the director, now reports that they are in school and doing well.
This was the longest I have been on a cross-cultural mission trip, and as a result, I was able to see some of the results of the seeds we planted and the ministry we did. Seeing changes in the children’s attitudes and abilities was so exciting! There were difficult moments, but there were also priceless moments and stories that make it all worthwhile. An example of those moments is Odong James, a child from our sponsorship tutoring class. He never seemed to be paying much attention to our class, or at least never seemed very excited to be there. I was often concerned about him, especially about how much he was really gaining by being in our class. At a parent meeting towards the end of our time there, his mother spoke to some of the other staff to tell them how much James had learned in the tutoring class - and to tell them that little James had been coming home in the evenings and teaching her the alphabet and other things he had learned!
It is a crucial time in N. Uganda and for the Acholi people. Devastated lives are being rebuilt and restored slowly and one at a time, and the ministries of ECM and Zion Project are being used mightily by God to have an impact in Gulu and the surrounding areas. I know that the love that is shared there will continue to spread, reaching more villages and more families with the hope and peace that can only come through knowing Christ. The Acholi people have been on my heart for over 5 years, and it was such an honor to finally be with them and learn from their resilient hearts. In spite of the pain, fear, and desperation that they have experienced over the last 2.5 decades, they are the most hospitable, friendly, and generous people I have ever met. I can’t begin to describe the impact that Mary, Simon, David, Agnes, Sharon, Winnie, Barbara, Kwo-tek, Concy, and so many others had on my heart and life.
I have been home from Uganda since December. I spent several months working at KinderCare with the two-year-old class, and then this summer I was on the summer staff team for Mission Serve (www.mission-serve.com), an organization based in Atlanta. They organize youth group mission trips in various cities across the US. I was a “project office manager,” meaning that I got to travel to several of their week-long projects to set up the office and make sure paperwork got done! I really enjoyed the summer and met many wonderful volunteers and participants at each project. I got to watch as God worked in the lives of hundreds of youth this summer, softening their hearts toward missions and those less fortunate than themselves.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and encouragement, and for taking the time to read! I hope that it has been an encouragement to you to hear how God is working around the world. Another post coming soon to update you on my upcoming return to Uganda to continue in ministry with both Zion Project & ECM!
With Love,
Sarah
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