Uganda  Compassion Team /June 2013

Preston Trail Community Church

10501 Main Street, Frisco, TX 75035

Dear Family and Friends;

I am beyond excited to tell you that I will be joining a team from my church, Preston Trail Community Church, to Uganda in East Africa for a short term mission trip.  Our team will depart Dallas on June 17^th, returning home on June 28, 2013, and in one capacity I will be using my gifts as a photographer to tell the stories of 1. the trip, 2. the people we meet in Uganda, and 3. the amazing love of God and the transforming power of Christ. I will also be helping to teach at a ministry conference on the topic of spiritual gifts. As you may know, I have traveled to developing nations before, specifically India, but I have never done anything like this before, so I am eager to see how Christ transforms and shapes my life through this experience, and I look forward to sharing the experience with you through my art and story.

During our first week, we will work with our partners from Food Step / Homecoming ministries, both run by an amazing Belgian couple (Nathalie & Werner) who live in Uganda fulltime. The Food Step ministry works with children living in a state-run rehabilitation center for youth near Kampiringisa, just outside Kampala the capital of Uganda.  Most of the children in this center are picked up off the streets because their parents either abandoned them or sent them out to beg for money.  The Homecoming is a relatively new ministry they launched to offer some of these children with little to no hope of getting out of the state run facility before turning 18, a home where they will receive a warm bed, three meals per day, healthcare, an education, and most importantly love and spiritual guidance from Nathalie & Werner. Currently, they have custody of 50+ children with hopes of adding 40-50 more this year.

The following week we will be working with another one our partners, Hesed International to train area pastors, their wives and lay leaders within their churches equipping them to better lead their churches.

While our team will make the actual journey, we do need help and there are a couple of ways you can get involved to support our mission. As we prepare and while we are gone, would you consider praying for us and for those we will meet?  You can also follow us on Facebook on the Uganda Ministry at Preston Trail page. 

Each team member is required to raise financial support to cover airfare, meals, and accommodations. In order to make this trip possible I will need to raise an additional $3,200.  Would you prayerfully consider providing financial support to our team?  If you feel led to involved in supporting me financially, please make your check payable to Preston Trail Community Church and mail it to the address above.  Please reference “Uganda” in the memo section of your check.  All donations are tax deductible, and a receipt will be provided. You can also easily contribute online at http://tinyurl.com/chgegk8 This link will have you create an account with a secure user name and password, also allowing them to mail you a tax credit receipt.

Thank you in advance for your consideration, and soon I look forward to sharing how God will change the lives of everyone involved with this trip, both here and there! 

Kiran Fernandes