Uganda Bombing Update

Washington — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Obama administration officials strongly condemned terror attacks in Uganda July 11 that targeted spectators who had gathered in Kampala at a restaurant and a rugby sports center to watch the final game of the World Cup, hosted by South Africa.

In a July 12 statement, Clinton offered condolences to family and friends of the victims and expressed support for Ugandan authorities.

“At this tragic moment, the United States stands with Uganda. We have a long-standing, close friendship with the people and government of Uganda and will work with them to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice,” Clinton said.

State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said July 12 that the United States has no reason to doubt the Somali terror group al-Shabab’s claim of responsibility for the attacks.

“Unfortunately, we see this contrast between the vision and the hope that South Africa inspired … through this past weeks and how that contrasts with the cowardice and destruction espoused by al-Shabab, which used the celebration of the World Cup in Kampala to commit cold-blooded murder of innocent civilians,” Crowley said.

According to press reports, the three bombs killed at least 74 people. Crowley said that one American was killed and five others were hospitalized.

In March 2008, the State Department designated al-Shabab, a Somalia-based extremist group with known ties to al-Qaida, as a foreign terrorist organization. Crowley said the group had threatened Uganda because of its participation in the African Union’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, visited the rugby center and said through reporters July 12 in Kampala: “If you want to fight, why don’t you attack soldiers or military installations instead of fighting innocent people watching football?”

President Obama and other U.S. officials have spoken with Museveni in the aftermath of the attacks. Crowley said the Ugandan leader remains committed to his country’s participation in the Somali peacekeeping mission. “If this was somehow aimed at punishing or weakening Uganda’s resolve, we think that this has backfired,” Crowley said.

Crowley said “the strongest retort to al-Shabab” is that “we are going to continue to support those who want to responsibly govern in Somalia, and we’ll resist those who have a narrow, brutal … violent vision of the future in that country.”

The United States “stands shoulder to shoulder with Uganda in the fight against terrorism,” Crowley said, both in Somalia and in Uganda’s efforts against the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

He said President Obama has sent a three-person team from the FBI to Kampala to help authorities collect evidence, and they are being joined July 12 by two members of the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

“We have an additional FBI team standing by in the United States, ready to assist if needed. But we will continue to do everything in our power to assist Uganda in bringing the perpetrators of these attacks to justice,” Crowley said.

The American who was killed was identified by his employer, the charity Invisible Children, as Nate Henn, a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. Invisible Children works with Ugandan children who have been abducted by rebel groups like the LRA and forced to become child soldiers or into sex slavery.

The organization’s website paid tribute to Henn’s dedication to Uganda’s children in a July 11 blog post.

“From traveling the United States without pay advocating for the freedom of abducted child soldiers in Joseph Kony’s war, to raising thousands of dollars to put war-affected Ugandan students in school, Nate lived a life that demanded explanation,” Invisible Children said.

“He was not serving some idea of downtrodden Africa. He was serving Innocent, Tony, Boni, Ronald, Papito, Sunday and Lilian. These are some of our Ugandan students who fell in love with Nate’s wit, strength, character and steadfast friendship. They gave him the Acholi name Oteka, which means ‘The Strong One.’ Some of them were with him at the time of the attack,” the blog post says.

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)

God is good, all the time.

REMAIN in Me

John 15:5 ~ "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."


At The Annex, CU's campus church, we are studying this passage in John throughout the duration of the summer months. Tonight, Whitney, our summer intern, spoke on this specific verse (cf Romans 8:28; John 15:9-11) and it really struck a chord with me, what with all the preparation for our Uganda trip. She really focused on the 2nd sentence in this verse starting with the reminder to


"REMAIN in Me."


This, followed by the difficult truth


"apart from me you can do NOTHING."


Those are hard statements to act upon and to believe: it is a call of surrender, a call of submission. And in today's society, where individuality and independence are highly sought after, surrendering is and extremely hard thing to do. But at the same time, it should be so simple. After all, Jesus is asking so little of us. He's not commanding us to go on missions trips, or to spend every day at the homeless shelter, or even to tell 10 friends about Christ's love everyday... All He's asking is for us to remain in Him.


He states previously that: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful" (John 15:1-2). In this way, we are to be pruned by THE Gardener, our Father in heaven. He's not wanting us to be the crazy vine that's trying to grow to a farther trellis and push as hard as we can to pop out a piece of fruit. Instead, He's asking us to "remain in Him," being pruned as the Father deems fit, so that through Him, we may bear MORE fruit.


In all that we do, we must REMAIN in Him. Remain in Him in the workplace. Remain in Him in school. Remain in Him in the lonely times. Remain in Him in the extremely chaotic and busy times. Remain in Him in the peacefulness. And remain in Him when disaster strikes.


We have been crazy busy trying to get everything worked out and straightened out for our Uganda trip. It has been difficult trying to figure out how all the finances are going to work out, how we are going to get everything ready in time, how all the little details are going to be figured out, etc, etc, etc... In reality, we just need to Remain in Him and trust that He will work everything out. This will definitely help in the spiritual preparation for the trip and will make remaining in Him during the trip possible. For if we do not remain in Him now, how then is it possible to remain in Him during the trip? And if we are not able to remain in Him during the trip, it will not be possible to bear fruit...


Please pray for us during this stressful time of preparation, that we will have peace in remaining in Him so that we may bear much fruit during our trip. We thank you for your continued support and love you all deeply!

Bracelets!

Hey Everyone!

So Sam and I have a fundraiser going on right now (it will continue after we get back since we haven't met our fundraising goal yet). We are selling bracelets and would love it if you want to participate!

Basically, there are two options for bracelets. They are as follows:

OPTION A: $10

You select three (3) colors for your bracelet. We make the bracelet and bring it with us to Uganda to give to a child. When we get back, we send you a picture of the child with your bracelet along with a thank-you note.

OPTION B: $15

You select three (3) colors for your bracelet and for a second bracelet. We make both bracelets and give one to a child when we go to Uganda. We mail the second to you along with a photo and note of the child who we gave your first bracelet to.

These are hand-made bracelets (we'll be making them as we fly across the world) that are beautiful and clean. They will let the children know that people are caring for and praying for them.

If you can't afford $10, we would greatly appreciate any kind of donation you think you could afford.

Simply print and complete the order form and mail it to the address on the form along with a payment of cash or check made out to Teri Andony or Sam Wright. Since I don't want to post my mailing address all over the web, if you are interested you can simply e-mail us here at siyahamba8611@gmail.com and we'll hook ya up!

Thank you so much again for everything and we look forward to making these bracelets! 11 days!

Love,

Teri and Sam

Packing

We are now under 15 days till our departure and are fully immunized, starting to pack, making hundreds (or so it seems) of bracelets, and reading scripture! We are so excited for this trip and know that, with your prayer support and God's sovereignty, it will be an awesome experience!!


Here's the reading through our day of departure:


July 1: Matt 19; Mark 10
July 2: Matt 20-21
July 3: Luke 18:15-19:48
July 4: Mark 11; John 12
July 5: Matt 22; Mark 12
July 6: Matt 23; Luke 20-21
July 7: Mark 13
July 8: Matt 24
July 9: Matt 25
July 10: Matt 26; Mark 14
July 11: Luke 22; John 13
July 12: John 14-17
July 13: Matt 27; Mark 15
July 14: Luke 23; John 18-19
July 15: Matt 28; Mark 16
July 16: Luke 24; John 20-21


"Therefore, go and make disciple of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"


Matthew 28:19

Persecuted Church Update

As we are preparing for our trip, we must not forget our brothers and sisters around the globe that are being persecuted for their belief in the one true God. Is amazes me how we can worship in public with no repercussion whereas other Christ followers must worship in secret to escape being tortured, imprisoned, and sometimes put to death. Please pray for and follow the journey of these courageous believers as the struggle to stand up for our God.

From Persecution.com


PAKISTAN--18th Court Hearing for Asia Bibi--VOM Contacts

Asia Bibi’s 18th court hearing is scheduled for today, June 29, in Pakistan. According to VOM contacts, witnesses for the prosecution have never appeared in court and the judge is becoming increasingly impatient with them. Pray that the judge will dismiss the false charge of blasphemy against Asia so that she can rejoin her husband and daughters. Praise God for her faithfulness.

Psalm 91:1-6
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91%3A1-6&version=NKJV

CHINA--Beijing Christian Harassed, Henan Believers Sent to Labor Camps--China Aid Association

On June 22, Chen Tianshi, head of a house church in Beijing, was visited by Public Security Bureau police. Police told Chen they had come to "check on his temporary residence certificate." But Chen told Radio Free Asia that the police had been watching him because of a recent article he had written on the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.
In Henan, two members of a house church have been sentenced to one year of re-education through labor on charges of engaging in "cult activities." A statement by the re-education administrative committee accuses the two believers of teaching "heresies and fallacies" in an organization called Total Scope Church. However, a local believer said the charges were fabricated and the two are not members of Total Scope Church. Pray that believers in China will remain faithful and courageous.

Psalm 5:11-12
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+5%3A11-12&version=NKJV

INDIA--Ministry Vehicles Burned by Hindu Extremists--VOM Contacts

On June 22, seven vehicles belonging to Jesus With Us Ministries were burned by Hindu extremists in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts. Hindu extremists reportedly poured gasoline on the vehicles, which were parked in the church compound, and then ignited the fuel. The vehicles were completely gutted by fire. Neighbors alerted the pastor and local police, who investigated the incident. Believers say the arson was probably prompted by a meeting the church held a few days earlier. The vehicles had been used to transport believers to the meetings. Pray for peace between Hindus and Christians in Tamil Nadu. Pray that the church vehicles will be replaced and that the believers’ testimonies will draw Hindus into fellowship with Christ.

Romans 8:34-36
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A34-36&version=NKJV

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http://newsletter.persecution.com/email/PrinterPrayers3.htm

Thank You

The leader of my Bible Study said on the first day that in order to remember names, she had to repeat them three times consecutively. For instance, if she were to meet me, she'd say "Nice to meet you Teri. So Teri, can you tell me about where you grew up? That's awesome, Teri."

Recently I started a new job creating a training presentation for Sales Representatives. I have been teaching them how to handle clients and how to "sell" their best. Something I've had to tackle was how to effectively train the reps so that they'd remember all the information the 157-slide presentation had to offer. The most effective tool, like my Bible Study leader has found, is repetition.

Yesterday I was in line at Subway to buy a sandwhich. I was in a pretty low mood because I've been relatively stressed lately. I decided to try to say "Thank you" three times in my encounter with the Subway employee to see what would happen, thinking that if repetition is kind of like brainwashing, maybe I could "brainwash" myself into a better mood. Boy, was I right. With every utterance, my mood was lifted. I was teaching myself to be grateful in a situation I otherwise wouldn't've thought to be.

So now I challenge myself, and you, to teach yourself to be grateful. To find little aspects of your day-to-day life that could be improved by repeating "Thank you" to someone who really needs to hear it. Try, once a day at least, to say "Thank you" three times in a conversation with someone. You'll be amazed at how God shows you how far a simple two-word phrase can carry you.

Significance in Insignificance

I went climbing Uncompahgre, a vicious looking 14er in SW CO, with my Dad today. It was absolutely beautiful at the top of the mountain, but looking out over the vast expanse of the San Juan peaks around us and getting buffered by the violent 40 mph gusts of wind made me realize, once again, how tiny and insignificant we are as people. We are but ants that could get swallowed up amidst the vast, and sometimes treacherous, world. Thinking about how tiny the World physically is in the grand scheme of the solar system in the Galaxy in the Universe makes me feel even more insignificant.


In this insignificance though, we are created in God's own image, giving us ultimate significance. Furthermore, God, creator of this daunting Universe, sovereign over all happenings, and all powerful ruler over everything, sent His one and only son, to die a brutal death on a cross, to save our tiny, seemingly insignificant selfs.


I thank God for this, and am amazed at His love for us. For to Him, we are of ultimate significance, even when we suppose ourselves to be of total insignificance.

Midnight snack anyone?

^"35Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" John 6:35


Ever get those midnight cravings? When you just can't sleep or you wake up late at night and just have a craving for a lil something to tide you over till the morning... Maybe it's because you didn't eat quite enough for supper that night; or maybe because you skipped a whole meal that day. Or, if you're like me, any food, anytime sounds great!!


I find that I am often hungry spiritually though. And it may be because I skimped on (or completely skipped altogether) my daily Bible reading, much like not eating enough, or skipping a meal. I end up just feeling empty and somewhat "hungary" for the Lord. Jesus reminds us over and over in the New Testament that He is the bread of life. Being simply human, I often neglect to remember that and end up being hungary when I haven't spent time with Jesus. 


After all, we're awake maybe 16-18 hours a day... And yet I still find it difficult to take just one hour out of the day to spend with my Lord and Savior. Please pray that I find the time to do this as I spiritually prepare for this Uganda trip!


Jesus finishes this passage with an awesome promise:


^"36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:36-40


Even when storms hit and clouds loom on the horizon, let us bask in the glory of our Father, knowing that He shall one day raise us up!

Looking in the Mirror

Something that obviously changed when I was led to the Lord last summer was who my ultimate role model was. It was encouraging, to have a mentor who always had the answer, even if it wasn’t the easy one. While it is of great comfort to know I will always have someone to learn from, it is also the most difficult aspect of being a Christian.

You see, it’s quite easy to follow what the Bible says when you agree with it or when the odds are in your favor. But modeling myself after Jesus is much more difficult when what He wants is the exact opposite of what I want.

Matthew 14 verses 13-14 talks about how Jesus deals with his grief about John the Baptist’s beheading. It says, “When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

Jesus wanted to retreat to a solitary place to be alone with his thoughts. When the crowds followed him, instead of being agitated and angry, he freaking healed their sick and loved them unconditionally! This is definitely a good thing to remember when I’m feeling like lashing out my thirty heads at everyone who so much as blinks at me the wrong way. Not only did He take the high road, he paved it and made it sparkle like gold. That’s a treasure worth keeping.