Thank you for wanting to serve Christ in Uganda! Please let us know how we may better serve you. We do not promise you a comfortable or an easy trip, but we do offer you ministry opportunity among a needy, receptive people and a chance to see the hammer-stamp imprint of the faithfulness of our King in an “uttermost” part of the world. You will also likely learn much—perhaps about worship, contentment, yourself and the Spirit of God.
The information in this manual is Uganda-specific and designed for both team-leader and team-member use. We want to make your trip as effective as possible. Reflections upon many trips to Uganda are condensed for your assistance. Keep in mind that some suggestions reflect our comfort levels. You will not need everything suggested. You’ll find great information and links at sites maintained by Bob Hayes and by Barry McWilliams. Check also our Uganda page for short-term Team forms and Uganda information. If you don’t personally have an email address or access to the Web, try to obtain it. Otherwise make friends quickly with someone who does. Such access speeds transfer of Team and personal information both before departure and while in Uganda, and provides access to tremendous resources.
Thank you for your willingness to assume the extremely important servant role of Team Leader as you equip the saints for ministry! Your godly, encouraging pastoral guidance is a key to your Team's effectiveness. This information is designed to assist you in building Team unity before leaving for Africa and in scheduling essential tasks. We want to provide the best possible experience. Please first become very familiar with the contents of the Africa Christian Training Institute Travel Manual.
A clear line of authority should be present within each Team so that Ugandans will have clear signals from your Team. While delegation is encouraged, overall Team leadership should not be rotated among Team members, particularly when working with Ugandans. You may have to make very difficult decisions while on the field. Consider obtaining the email address of your pastor and/or another godly counselors in case of need.
Start at least 6 months in advance of departure
Objectives: (1) getting acquainted (2) initiating prayer (3) initiating study of Uganda (4) initiating study of cross-cultural ministry (5) intercessory prayer
Objectives: (1) Uganda up-close (2) fund raising procedures (3) distribute essential forms (4) monitor medical preparations (5) intercessory prayer
Objectives: (1) collect completed forms and papers (2) monitor medical and fund-raising progress (3) discuss intercultural issues raised by Lingenfelter (4) continue intercessory prayer
Objectives: (1) Pack all gear except carry-ons (2) policy development as needed (3) checking for essential papers (4) check on medical preparations (5) check on finances, including insurance
Being sick has been the low-point for some short-termers who have gotten sick from mostly intestinal difficulties. We try to take full preventive medical precautions, but cannot claim to keep people from all illness. Ask Team members to ask their prayer supporters to pray against sickness for all the Team, and to have those supporters pray DAILY for their ministry in Uganda.
Objectives: (1) provide closure to the trip (2) share reflections, experiences and lessons learned on the trip (3) assure that donors have been given a report and thanks (4) plan for church preparations (5) intercession for Uganda
Jim Sutherland 8/23/13
Checked Baggage
Delta/KLM is our current preferred carrier from the USA to Entebbe, Uganda, via Amsterdam. Arrival and departure times for Entebbe are excellent, and layovers in Amsterdam either minimal or reasonable, and the airport has many amenities including a mini art gallery and tables with power supply.
British Airways allows 3 checked bags under its humanitarian fare, which is a great help getting items to the field. Their fares generally do not fluctuate very much seasonally, as other airlines do, so this has an advantage during summer flights to Africa, which is the high season. It's often possible to avoid overnights in London. And they have a good Starbucks at Heathrow.
Check with Delta concerning size and weight regulations and possible charges. Typically we're allowed a maximum of two bags not exceeding 50 lbs., with bags of combined dimensions of 62 inches. Team members are responsible for baggage expenses. Carry-on bag dimensions should not exceed 45 inches. Team members are responsible for possible baggage charges.
Why this list? It’s a simple, last-minute checklist to make sure that you have the “essentials.” Some items are luxuries.
To carry on your person or in carry-on for the flight:
Pen, small tablet or large lined sticky notes, prescription drugs, ear plugs, eye shades, travel-size deodorant, breath freshener/travel toothbrush & paste, reading glasses, travel pillow, copy of photo page of passport, address and phone number of destination. In concealed travel pouch should be your tickets, passport, debit/credit cards, and currency. Of course, if you bring a camera, a laptop computer, or a video projector, they should be carried with you, not as checked baggage.
For more difficult village living conditions (such as Sudan):
The MRS AutoFlow Gravity Filter is an excellent and easy filtration system (Campmor.com), Lipton “cup of soup”; salted nuts; beef jerky; Gatorade; trail mix; protein bars; fly strips (sticky) for flies. A “solar shower" is useful, but our Team does not need one.
A laptop?
Pros: you can dump pictures from digital cameras onto the hard drive and burn CDs to share pictures before the team disperses. A universal USB media card reader is useful. You may need an extra laptop battery. It's useful for projector presentations and to record expenses on a spreadsheet. You can teach and preach from it without the need of a printer.
Cons: it is a target of thieves, so you always need to protect it. You may be in situations where you cannot recharge it, unless you have access to a generator or solar charger. If weight is very critical, either don’t bring it, or distribute extra weight to other Team members, if possible.