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!

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

Praise:
· My dad's trip & ministry in Haiti went well
· My Grandma has her sight back after 9 months of no vision & several surgeries

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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.

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