General News
30 October, 2024
'Empty cases, but full hearts'; missions team returns home from Uganda
Ten Harvest Church volunteers returned from an aid trip to Uganda.
"We are coming back with empty cases, but full hearts," said Harvest Church Uganda missions team member Kim Hennessy.
Horsham's Harvest Church recently welcomed a missions team home after the group of 10 volunteers spent two weeks in Uganda working to provide 'hope and practical aid'.
The team worked alongside Australian faith-based charity Operation Uganda to support under-resourced communities with essential supplies, community projects, and hands-on ministry.
With them, the team brought donations totalling $52,000 and supplies that filled their cases, including hundreds of blankets, clothing, books, and more, to support vulnerable families and children.
Harvest Church senior pastor Andrew Cartledge was among the missions team and said the group went to the West African nation 'to be a blessing'.
"And we were," he said
"but we walk away so much more blessed than we could imagine."
During their trip, the team travelled to two parts of Uganda.
In the Kawaala slum in Kampala, the team undertook several projects, including tiling and plastering a new amenities block at a school.
Additionally, the team hosted a community lunch for 700 people, a meal both sponsored and served by Harvest Church, where team members had the opportunity to connect personally with residents, listening to their stories and sharing in fellowship.
The team also took part in local church services in Luganda, Uganda's primary language, and led activities for children in four different schools, from preschool through secondary.
Overcrowded classrooms were a common sight, yet the volunteers like Leith Adams were struck by the students' enthusiasm and discipline.
"They do so much, with so little, and yet they are so happy... The smiles on their faces prove it," said Leith Adams.
After their time in Kampala, the team travelled north to the remote town of Abim.
They were welcomed into a community where many live in mud huts.
There, they shared a message of hope with hundreds of high school students, distributed clothing made by the people of Horsham, painted classrooms, and even took on a local primary school soccer team in a friendly match.
Although the Ugandan team emerged victorious.
A difficult thing for the team to see was the condition of a local secondary boarding school's boys dormitory.
It was extremely hot, with very little light or breeze, no power and overcrowded with bunk beds stacked 3 high.
Over 100 boys were living in the space of a standard Australian classroom.
The trip ended with a special moment of empowerment as the team helped a young graduate from Operation Uganda's program to start a new sewing business, offering vital support for sustainable change.
Operation Uganda's Director Jennie Barton expressed gratitude for the team's visit:
"It means so much that teams would travel all this way," she said.
"It shows our community that these people love them and that God loves them."