While attending Bible school some nine years ago I felt a call to Africa. I was petrified and did not want to go there, but after much conviction of heart, I surrendered my will to the Lord and said, "O.K. God, I will go, but YOU have to initiate it and set it up... and I waited for that to happen, nine long years! Finally while living in Fort McMurray in 2008 I saw the Children's Watoto Choir* performing at the Pentecostal Assemblies of Fort McMurray, it was there that God spoke to my heart again and gently said, "This is the place I want you to go, prepare a team!"

I sponsored a baby in Watoto Bulrushes* and sent for a package to prepare a team to go there. In Sept 2008 I left Fort McMurray and returned to my hometown of Bonavista Newfoundland. By merely mentioning my dream to a few people, I received enough support to go full steam ahead. Over the past year we have had sub-sandwich sales, garage sales, flea markets, church services and gospel concerts, hot supper sales, and I recorded a new CD, "He Understands My Tears", the profits from which have all went towards developing the missions team. We began passing out our sponsor sheets from Watoto and this enabled people to get receipted for their donations. I spoke with Tanya Witzke from Watoto and the ball began rolling!

Before we knew it the Bonavista newspaper “The Packet” picked up our story, Newfoundland Television did a little presentation, VOAR (a Christian radio station in Newfoundland) did a live interview and the schools in our district got involved.

Eliza Swyer, one of our team members, had an "awesome" GOD idea... she declared our town "Toonieville" for Watoto. The Watoto choir came here to perform at the Pentecostal church in May and shortly thereafter we created Toonieville, which enables people to put a Toonie into our project. Many people around our communities helped out and gave one or two toonies a week for an entire month. Eliza's plea was that ONE TOONIE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE when it is put together with MANY. On its own, it does not look like much, but when added together all things are possible!

We had an anonymous $1000.00 donor, and recently another anonymous donor has stepped up to the plate, feeling challenged by God to give in response to His blessings. This donor gave a $7000.00 to Watoto for our project and with all the fees together we have raised approximately $27,800.00!  To GOD be the glory! We are currently $1000.00 short to meet our goal for this coming week... anyone wishing to give can do so by going to any Bank of Nova Scotia and deposit a donation to the Uganda Mission Trip 2009. OR send the donation DIRECTLY to Watoto Canada, by contacting pathma@watoto.ca

Our team had had many challenges: One member developed a heart condition, and her husband developed cancer, and so now she is not able to go with us. Another lady also lost her husband through cancer just a couple of months ago. While there have been many challenges, God has worked through all the circumstances and we know firsthand that "GOD is our refuge and strength in times of trouble" (Psalm 46:1), and that "All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to HIS purposes" (Romans 8:28).

Right now our team has only five members, as we lost two who were planning to go but due to health reasons have been unable to. Our team includes members from four of the seven churches in our town! We have had many interested and, God willing next time, we will double our number as I plan to go BACK to Thailand in 2011.

Please feel free to download the application form from my web site www.prodigalministries.ca

We are scheduled to leave on October 2nd 2009, and will arrive in the Village of Kampala, Uganda, on the 5th where we will be met by a team from Watoto who will guide us in building an additional classroom for their school house. We will also spend time at Baby Bulrushes to hold, love and care for the babies there who have been saved by the love of God through "Watoto". Our main focus, however, is the school house as we desire with Watoto’s founders to help those children to become educated and raised up to be the next generation of Ugandan leaders!

We leave Uganda to return home Oct. 16th, knowing that we will have left a piece of our hearts with this organization and church, and with the people to whom we have ministered.

May God richly bless you as you support us either through financial donations and or prayer! Be sure to get a copy of our prayer calender and cover of us daily with the Blood of Jesus Christ, who saves, protects & keeps us in faith!

*Watoto is a church that was set up in Uganda by Canadian missionaries Gary and Marilyn Skinner.  Upon arriving in Uganda they saw numbers of babies and children that were literally being thrown out into garbage bins, left at banks, hospitals, and behind bulrushes, abandoned and left for desolation. Gary and Marilyn began by building a church and praying about their ministry needs, following which they built villages and homes for older abandoned children, and a home called Baby Bulrushes to care for the abandoned babies. Once the babies are 2-3 yrs old, they are moved into a village home with a "momma" for every eight children. Their goal is to raise the next generation of Uganda's leaders and let these children know they are worth something to them and to God.