Time to get our groove on!

Yup; there is a lot to celebrate and Larry and I want to dance and sing for joy with everyone here and in Uganda.

We all made it...together!  Whoo hoo!! Praise God! Today, the church met the fundraising goal needed to build a school for Siloam in Uganda (raised $10,113)! We give thanks for this outpouring of love and support for people never met and now loved by many.  We are grateful for our church family, family and friends. You rallied and made it happen!

I love this video! Pastor Peter sent it today from their 2018 Christian Revival Annual Conference at Siloam in Jinja, Uganda. It will be fun when we get there and celebrate with them! (Okay, Lake Union - Are you ready to get your groove on with Larry and me?)

Pastor Peter is working diligently to build the school as funds are available.  With us reaching our goal, we will wire the remaining funds (~$2.5k) so he can keep the project moving to completion.  The workers are now putting up the timbers for the roof.  Soon the tin for the roof and the concrete floor. Amazing!

The church updates the progress on the project, fundraising and building, on their website: https://www.lakeunionchurch.org/project_scope_giving_and_progress_updates.  Four months, $10,113, and a permanent school on owned land.  What a blessing!

This is not the end of our church relationship with and support of Siloam!  Funds continue to come in and there are a bazillion ways to help them.  God already knows what they need and He will meet that need.  You are the conduit!

Do you have a special talent?

Do you have a compelling desire to do that (whatever "that" is) and only that?  It's been a weird and cool week for me.  My brother is an artist and has a show at the Clear Lake Art Center. I went to his talk on Tuesday evening and he spoke about the creative process and what compels us. He has had a wonderful life of creating beautiful things and either selling them or giving them away (whichever moves him). I am grateful for him and his heart.

Creative juices that result in beautiful art is pretty cool and I'm proud of my brother.  I look around and see so many expressions of creativity and am amazed at the added value these bring to the world.

Well, so much for  being philosophical. I am going to mention names because I just have to.  People are sharing their talents to advance fundraising for the school in Uganda.

• Dan G. is making paracord handles for the Siloam water tumblers. Not just any paracord handle but reversible, color coordinated and a perfect fit for our promotional water tumbler.  Art in a cool, utilitarian and attractive form and Dan is doing it to help raise funds for Siloam.  Thank you Dan!  
• Last week, Wally S. told me he is making cardinal whirligigs in his shop to benefit Siloam.  (Okay, I am going to pretend these are Iowa State whirligigs and that is just a fact.) :) Anyway, another cool talent being used to benefit others. Thank you Wally!
• There are other stories and you know who you are!

These gestures are inspiring!

So I bet you are wondering where we are at bottom line for our fundraising.  As of today, we have $7,338 of the $10,000 needed for the school.  Pastor Peter receives funds each week toward progress of the building and pictures below show how far he has come.  For more detailed information, check out https://www.lakeunionchurch.org/by_the_numbers_and_progress_updates.

We need everyone's help to get to the goal!  We are so close!  Thanks to all of you who pray, donate, buy stuff and share your gifts/talents.  All of this will build a school for those much less fortunate in Uganda.

Spontaneous blessings...this last week has been crazy cool.  And the coolest part is that I had nothing to do with it, other than enjoy it!

• Larry and I love our church family at Lake Union. Everyone is working hard for our Siloam friends in Uganda...and having fun at the same time!  We played kickball on Sunday, sold some stuff (raising funds), and secured some gifts for the youth of Siloam.  Yup...Larry and I kicked the ball and ran bases.  We didn't do too bad (okay; for our age)!
  
  
  
• Lake Union Church hit the 50% fundraising mark this week (okay; $15 short of that)! We are fully invested toward this new building for Siloam Junior Academy.  Step by step...Pastor Peter secures materials and labor as money is wired to him (as funds are given). The footings were poured and completed this week and the brick walls are going up! Pretty cool. We have faith that the funds will continue to come and we pray for hearts to be open to helping.  

• Larry and I bought our travel insurance and submitted our visa applications. We leave in 5 weeks! We can't wait to see Pastor Peter, his family and attend the Siloam church and meet our church family in Uganda!  
  
• Pastor Peter tells us that the families are asking if we can support them financially by buying arts and crafts that they have made. Larry and I will bring back as many as we can and sell them when we return (100% of the funds will go to the family).  If you are interested, let me know and we will add you to the email list for more info. 
  

I update the church web page, "Project Scope, Giving and Project Updates," (this is a link) regularly so you can find more detailed information there.