"Sonrise Baby Home was started in 2009 by Damali Mirembe Wattier. Damali felt burdened to help some of Uganda's 2.3 million orphans. Sonrise specializes in taking in babies that are severely malnourished and nursing them back to health. In 2010 they also opened up Sonrise Childrens' Home for children that are 4-years-old and older. They currently have 21 children total. Their mission is to rescue and save babies in Uganda who are starving or in need, and seek to provide a loving and safe environment where they can grow physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually with the ultimate goal being that they would know the saving love of Jesus Christ and grow in His grace.
Sonrise hopes to share the love of Christ with these children as well as the people in the villages where the children come from. By raising these kids in a loving, Christian environment they hope to give them a foundation that will help them succeed in life and one day be able to give back."
I am writing tonight about a land that I've never seen with my own two eyes, but that my heart has taken up residence. I've been on a wild journey and since you're likely new to this blog I'll tell you a bit about it.
I moved to Birmingham, Alabama for work on July first. A move that was orchestrated specifically by God in this way: that as soon as I stepped out in faith and gave it to Him, He provided. In an effort to keep this entry as un-wordy as possible, I'll spare you the specifics. Once I moved I began a journey that I light heartedly referred to as the "Nomadic Protestant Adventures." I went from church to church looking for a home church. While this search was underway, God was preparing me. He prepared me specifically through the life and family of a beautiful young lady, Olivia Mills. Miss Olivia was a senior in her high school and was loved by many, but was a very quiet spirit. Olivia allowed God to be the super star as she played stage hand. It's funny to use the word "allowed" in the previous sentence, considering our insignificance by all holy means ... but it's truth rings very clearly that we are in charge of His place in our life ... and He will only take first place. Olivia was in a devastating car accident which ultimately lead to her no longer inhabiting the vessel that God built for her, but during the week that Olivia was alive after the accident, a beautiful revival was started in her town and around the world through a beautiful blog written by a beautiful soul, Stacie Holland. Her story went viral. The significance of this is that Olivia so badly wanted to visit Uganda in mission work because she felt that her influence in America was not vast enough.
Beautiful irony.
The morning of Olivia's passing, God lead me to Gardendale First Baptist Church were I rededicated my life to Christ and shared Olivia's story with Mountain Man from Duck Dynasty ... but I never could've fathomed the journey that God was embarking on through this feeble insignificant life that I live. That night I wrote a blog entry that has been viewed thousands of times by people in countries across the world. I emailed the entry to the pastor at Gardendale thinking that he would MAYBE read it a few months down the road when his schedule allowed. The following afternoon I received a voicemail from him stating that he would be reading my blog at church the following Wednesday. Through that, God has not only given me a beautiful new family in Christ, He has also revealed to me the very nature of adoption and of His vast love not only for the people that I see on a daily basis but also for people spanning this enormous globe.
What's significant about these stories? Well, the singles ministry that I've become involved with at GFBC has a heart for Ugandan and African mission, just as sweet Olivia did. Even more compelling, her sister and brother in law visited the same area of Uganda on a mission trip and are very aware of the ministry that our class at GFBC is involved in ministering to.
Precious Olivia and the scope of her life was never apparent to her, and that's what made her Olivia. Her humble spirit and love for Christ and His ultimate mission in this world which is to LOVE PEOPLE...
love is what makes her story so beautiful.
What is even more beautiful is the story that God continues to play out through this precious angel and her family. Olivia, baby girl, you never got to take your physical self to Uganda ... but there are people going and pouring out in your memory. What an angel you truly are.
Do you see how God has worked FULL CIRCLE through this?!?!? As I was driving home tonight I called Olivia's sister and explained to her about this entry and as we spoke we realized God's incredible purpose. It was incredible.
Please know that you were all being prepared for this and for so many things to come in your future. Know also, that your heart is so incredibly loved and washed clean. Not to mentioned, prayed over. You and your family have been prayed over by the Mills family and by the family of Sonrise and buy the faith family of Gardendale First Baptist Church.
Here are a few stories from our class and the missions that they have been involved with at Sonrise baby home in Uganda:
The Moody's Story
"Kim
and I can't even put into words the impact that Sonrise Baby Home has
had on our family. I wake up every morning and get to hug a couple of
those reasons. Our sons, Steven and Mark, were adopted from Sonrise in
2011. Many of the staff have become very dear friends of ours. We have
traveled there several times and have seen firsthand the impact that
this ministry is making in a very difficult part of the world. They not
only serve the precious babies in the home. They also care for widows,
the broken, the poorest of the poor, and the lost. Sonrise Community
Church has been birthed out of this ministry, and God is doing gigantic
things through this church. The men and women who serve at Sonrise are
truly being the Hands and Feet of Christ in ways that we will never
know. They aren't seen on tv. They aren't talked about in books. They
will more than likely receive no recognition for any of it on this
earth, but they continue to love like Jesus loved everyday. We
literally praise God for this ministry every day of our lives, and are
thankful to get to be a small part of it."
Talmadge's Story
My Ugandan Story
Last year I had so many excuses that I couldn’t go to Uganda
on a mission trip but God continually showed me why I could go. And finally on a morning in January when I
was having breakfast with one of my mentors and brothers in Christ, Josh Moody,
he simply stated God provides for what he favors and to take this simple leap
of faith in obedience to what God is asking of me by going on this mission
trip. I now realize this a divine
appointment to make this decision and would change my life forever.
Fast-forward a few months and our team is in Uganda after
traveling some 9,000 miles via airplane by route of Amsterdam. The next 8 days God did nothing short of
breaking my heart over and over and showing me how great He truly is and how insignificant
I am. The fast paced world where we lived in America was exchanged for a very
simple and primitive life by our standards.
For the first time ever I was able to be still and allow God to show me
things that I probably would have looked over back home. The spirit of the African people, the love
they had for each other, and the faith in God was unlike anything I’ve ever
seen. These people had nothing yet found everything they needed in their Faith
in Christ while we have everything we need in our material world yet we don’t
think we need God. How in the world have I lived the way I have
for so long? Christ, you are revealing
your true identity to me on this trip.
Looking back on the trip, I can remember the exact moment
Christ spoke to me. What’s funny is he
did it through a child named John, one of the children at Sonrise baby
home. From the moment I arrived at
Sonrise, I noticed John was into everything.
When we were laying brick, he was in the middle of it. When we were installing the water
purification systems, he was there as well.
And every time I was around him, he would always find his way to me for
me to hold him. But our unique
relationship started the second day we were in Uganda on a Sunday at
church. As we walked up to the thatch
roof hut to worship, John found his way to me and followed me to my lap where
he would sit during worship. As we were
sitting there in that seat singing and worshiping, I remember looking at John
and noticing the innocence of this child.
And in that moment I remember God just laying on my heart saying to me “Just as you traveled halfway across the
world to serve these children, John still had to come to you. I am no different. Find me and I will come to you” . In this moment, my heart was broken like it
had never been broken before as I experienced the love of Christ in a way I
never had before through this simple interaction with baby John. My life has never been the same.
As we got back home, I realized my perspective on life had
changed. Life was not about me but
pouring myself out into others. Things
that I thought were important had no eternal meaning. My eyes had been opened. I remember sitting at home a couple of nights
after we got home crying my eyes out for the people in Uganda and wrote this
post on Facebook:
“Been back home from Uganda a
couple of days and my heart is broken. How in the world do these people who
have so little love so much? Why do we have so much and give so little? They
find happiness in nothing while we find excuses for everything. The perspective
on life changed. My eyes have been opened, My spirit renewed, My life will
never be the same! Thank you Lord for showing me your greatness through these
people over the past few days!!”
I
keep this post close to me so I can read it in times when I have bad days or
lose perspective on life. It also lets
me know there is unfinished business there and am planning on returning with
GFBC in 2014. It is my prayer that I
continue to draw closer to God daily so that I can serve Him and give him the
glory for what he has given to me.
Here
is a short video of our trip if you want to use it or check it out:
Kim's story
A little over two years ago, a beautiful Ugandan lady by the name of Damali, spoke in a worship service at Gardendale’s First Baptist Church in Alabama. I sat through a message of her pouring out her heart that Sunday morning. As I watched the video of slides of the sweet faces of the babies and children of Uganda, tears streamed down my face, and I knew in that very moment, God was calling me to be a witness in that country to some degree. This summer (2013), God opened a door for me to go to the people of Uganda. I said yes, without ever being on a mission trip (near or far), to the opportunity God laid before me!
The mission God put in front of us was one of evangelism and meeting some minor medical needs of the surrounding villages of Jinja, Uganda. We also served at Sonrise Baby Home by beginning the construction of a chicken coup, cleaning with the Nannies, and loving on the sweet faces of babies. My point in saying all of that is, Sonrise Ministries was created to rescue babies and children in their country, but God has given them a desire to serve the people around them also. It amazes me that God is taking the establishment of an orphanage and the faith of the leaders and the workers, to share the gospel in more ways than the very important mission of rescuing helpless, innocent, babies.
As I was preparing to write this testimony to Sonrise, God led me to I Thes 2:7-8. “Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.”
Damali and the workers of Sonrise, their families, and the many missionaries that God sends to Uganda, have a heart like Paul describes in this scripture. They have a love beyond anything I’ve ever experienced in a people. The faith and obedience they display changed my life, therefore prayerfully changing the life of my children, and children’s children for generations to come!
When I arrived at Sonrise Baby Home, I began to express thankfulness for the work that Damali, Ivan, Melissa, and Daniel (as well as a team of others) do to serve God in the way they do, because their faith and obedience to Christ just overwhelmed my heart and mind. Damali quickly reminded me of Romans 12:4-8.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
We are all members of the body of Christ, 9,000 miles apart or not. It takes every gift, every serving heart, every teacher, etc. to do the work God wants to do in this country. Just as a body cannot function to its fullest potential without a part, the body of Christ needs every functioning part to spread the gospel!
Laura's Story
When I think of Sonrise Ministries, all I can think of is
love. While I was volunteering there,
they made me feel like family. They have
such loving hearts and strong faith. The
workers and volunteers of Sonrise truly live out the gospel on a daily
basis. I saw them feeding the children,
comforting them, playing with them, teaching them, but most of all loving them
with the same love Christ loves us with. They pour their lives into these kids
by nurturing them and teaching them as they show them what the gospel looks
like on a daily basis. They truly have a
passion for loving and nurturing the fatherless, and give them a chance at life
that they may not have had otherwise.
It doesn’t stop here though.
I saw firsthand how the workers of Sonrise live out the gospel. They saw a need in a nearby slum, and fed
them for the day. They took any extra
they had in that moment, and without hesitation, gave it to a young mother of
malnourished twins. They didn't just
feed them physically, they fed them spiritually. They showed this young lady that there is
hope in our Savior. This really spoke to
me because it showed me how passionate they are for people in need. They give.
They give their time, their energy, and their hearts to anyone who needs
it.
Lindsey's Story
"As I think about my experiences in Uganda, I have so
many emotions and so many stories I could share, but I know one home, one
family that holds a special place in my heart.... The family of Sonrise. The precious babies and children, the sweet
girls at Mirembe, and the nannies and sisters and brothers truly live out the
gospel of Christ. They always have a happy and uplifting spirit that shines
wherever they are. I think of so many
stories... Dancing and singing, telling bible stories and making bracelets with
the sweet girls of Mirembe, to bathing the babies one after another, lathering
on the baby lotion, folding the diapers and trying to find outfits that
matched, it was a true workout, but I loved every single minute!! I could go
into stories with Kim and Amy of Damali's beautiful wedding and the live
chicken escaping in the van that night. I could also share a story that
includes the 'wringing of a neck' by John in the backyard at Sonrise. Oh what a life-changing experience that was! But, as I
think about the long, dirt roads we walked each day, it brings to mind a clear
picture of how Christ went from place to place reaching out to the people of
the villages. I think about the journey we took one day as the men led the
Pastor's Conference. We traveled down a long, winding path to visit and pray
with families among the village. We met
a group of ladies who were pumping water at the well, while also meeting a
family who had lost a precious little boy to Malaria a few days before that,
and we had the experience of planting potatoes in the garden and shelling beans
under a huge mango tree. Sharing the love of Christ and praying with the people
of the village was a great reward... I remember the last day of the pastor's
conference when the Ugandan people were saying 'thank you' to our men and they
all began to pray, prayers were being shouted in different languages, and the
presence of Christ was filling that place up! What a joyful time it truly was
to know that even though we all speak a different language and we all come from
different cultures, we still serve the same mighty God. A God who is all
powerful, a God of mercy and strength, a
God who breathes life into our nation.
As I look back at the words in my journal, the words I got from the GFBC
bracelets that were given to us, the words that we wanted to speak to the
people as we went out that day, it still stands in my mind... He Came, He Died,
He Arose, He Ascended, and He's Coming Back....He's not just coming back for
you and me, but he's coming back for all His followers among the nations. He's calling us to follow Him, and by giving
to Sonrise, we are being the hands and feet of Jesus...
>>> "Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when
did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to
drink?
When did we see you a stranger
and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick
or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine,
you did for me."
Matthew 25:37-40<<<
____________________________________________________
I've told you about all of this to tell you about the needs of this precious baby home. Sonrise Baby Home has run out of some of the basic things that it needs to maintain the health and wellness of these precious angels. I and several of the people in this ministry have chosen to sponsor the children of this beautiful home that God has built. Tonight I ask you to search your heart and find in it a desire to reach out in the same way if you are able. In sponsoring children, a monthly donation of $30 can go a very long way in this hurting country. If you feel led to give alongside a group of friends, Sunday school class, group of co-workers, etc. - your donations will make an enormous difference not only in the life of a child, but in the eternity of a child. You will be able to get updates about all of these happenings via their website. If you aren't able financially to sponsor a child at this time, one time donations are also very much appreciated. Even if the donation is $0.50, please know that it is MORE than appreciated. These babies need our love, they need to see Jesus through us, and what a better gift to give for Christmas? In giving to Sonrise you aren't just giving a small donation, you're moving mountains in the life of a child. Mustardseed faith is moving mountains in my life and I can't wait to hear about the mountains that He moves in your life due solely to the obedience that you show in this love offering to Sonrise.
Donate to Sonrise Baby Home
(^^ Click the Link ^^)
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory."(Ephesians 1:3-14 NIV)
You see sweet reader, Sonrise was a place that our team felt lead to go and bless, yet they came home more blessed than they ever imagined to bless Sonrise. By the spiritual blessings that God has bestowed on this precious home of grace and love.
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