5 things to pray for

Here are 4 specific ways to pray for McClain, Candace, and myself (Brett) while we are in Uganda this summer.

“We seek to bring glory to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in all that we do.”

1. Pray that God’s glory would be revealed, according to the Holy Spirit at work within us, so that Jesus would increase and we would decrease forever and ever. Let it be so!

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. EPHESIANS 3:20-21


“We seek to fulfill the task and the ministry that we have been created and empowered to carry out.”

2. Pray that our heavenly Father God would make us to know His ways and the good works for which we have been created, so that we would be His hands and feet to the world in all of life. Let it be so!

4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
   teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are the God of my salvation;
   for you I wait all the day long. PSALM 25:4-5

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. EPHESIANS 2:10


“We seek to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all because it is the only hope for life now, life after, and life forever.”

3. Pray that the minds of the perishing would be opened to see the light of the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, so that the blind would see His face and the enemies be made heirs. Let it be so!

1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.


“We are not going to Uganda to be safe, we are going to be faithful.
We plan, strive, and will work hard in the name of Jesus- and let the Lord do what seems good to Him. If we perish we perish. To live is Christ and to die is gain.”

4. Pray that God would give us the faith, strength, and grace to proclaim “To live is Christ and to die is gain!” In sickness, in health, in danger, and in peace. May our lives show the we prize Christ Jesus above all. May all see and come to believe that knowing Christ and making Him known is more precious than any comfort this world has to offer. Let it be so!

"Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish." ESTHER 4:16

12And he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13Be strong, and let us use our strength for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him." 1 CHRONICLES 19:12-13
21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. PHILIPPIANS 1:21-24

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. PHILIPPIANS 3:8-11



"We are completely aware that we have an enemy and that he will be seeking to destroy our plans and to keep us from revealing God's glory. We will be fighting Him with prayer and our dependance on the Holy Spirit's leading. We know that we are fighting not against flesh and blood but an enemy far more powerful than mere men. Thanks be to Jesus for defeating Satan, death, and sin on the cross. May we live in the reality that God is our only hope of success in Uganda."

5. Pray that Satan's attacks would not keep us from bringing glory to our God! Pray for us to live in dwell in the gospel and God's sovereign grace and providence. That though things might not go how we planned, we know that for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose- God uses all things to work together for our good. Pray for Satan's attacks to be null and may we be guarded from the evil one. Let it be so!


"We greatly appreciate your prayers in these areas and in whatever way you feel lead. Pray for our safety, yes, but pray more earnestly for the gospel of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to be on display. Thank you to all who gave financially to send us on this gospel mission to the country of Uganda. Senders and just as necessary as goers."

11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. ROMANS 10:11-17

You are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are yours.

May love, hope, grace, and peace from God the Father abound to you all.

Sincerely,

Brett Baggett

Let the peoples praise you, O God!

THIS SUNDAY, Brett and I (McClain) are heading to Oklahoma City to fly to Uganda!! Candace will be along at the end of June to join us! We are so excited and have been anticipating and preparing for months now. Brett and I will be on this journey for 66 days, returning on August 2nd. The Father has shown us again and again that this is exactly where we should be and what we should be doing. He provided in abundance the funds that we needed for our own expenses AND to purchase bibles to take with us!

In a nutshell we will be doing the following in Uganda: Photography and videography for several Gospel centered organizations, preaching the Gospel to local pastors and leaders, distributing bibles, and implementing CHE Training in the village of Masese. For a bit more detailed description, check out the "Missions" link on our website! Brett and I WILL have access to the internet while we are in Uganda, just not the reliable kind :) We will be updating as often as we are able to let you know what is happening, how Father is moving, and in what areas we need specific prayers. Thank you all for supporting us as we journey into the good works that God created us, in Christ Jesus, to walk in.

We ask now for your prayers to surround us, this journey, and the people we will encounter. May they see Jesus Christ in a new light, or perhaps for the very first time!

This will be our prayer:

Psalm 67

1May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
Selah

2that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Selah

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

6The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
7God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

Post-fundraiser update

The fundraiser for Serving His Children went so much better than we could have imagined, of course... THANK YOU LORD! It was good to be in Tennessee that weekend. We had so much help from friends and family, we hardly knew what to do with it. The night started off quickly with lots of bidding on the silent auction items and purchasing of merchandise that benefitted SHC. We had so many donors and willing servants!

Thank you all who participated in any form: giving of time, donating, praying or just being there. We feel so blessed to have been able to host such a fruitful event!

**SHC is still in great need of monthly sponsorship. Even if the amount is small, this will take such a burden off of them because they will know exactly how much money they can depend of every month. If you or anyone you know is interested in sponsoring SHC monthly or donating, please email us and we can help get you set up... OR visit their site at www.ServingHisChildren.org

Here are some photos from the night of the fundraiser for those of you who weren't able to see for yourself :

Checking in...


Ugandan paper beads to make bracelets...




Bidding on the silent auction items...


SHC table with jewelry, headwraps, bracelets, and purses from Uganda...





Renee and her daughter, Selah...




Serving His Children volunteers and sisters <3...



We can't wait to share with you in the coming weeks about our latest plan to serve in Uganda (Lord willing)! Great things are to come in Jesus' name!!

Candace, Megan, and McClain
LOVE

Fundraiser for SHC this November!

Here are a few photos from the great fundraiser we were able to help SHC with in June:
Candace, Renee, McClain, and Megan





**FUNDRAISER IN CHATTANOOGA, TN NOVEMBER 20TH**

Ethos of Chattanooga (This is actually City Church of Chattanooga in the East Auditorium)
7122 Lee Highway
Chattanooga, TN 37421
5-8pm

We are SO EXCITED to tell you all about the fundraiser we will be hosting in Chattanooga, TN! This is for anyone and everyone who wants to come and see and hear more about what we do and what goes on at Serving His Children in Uganda every day! Join us on Saturday November 20th, 2010 from 5-8pm for a night dedicated to caring for the children of Uganda! We are asking for a $5 donation at the door.

Renee Bach is director and founder of Serving His Children, who we served with while we were in Uganda. Renee is coming all the way from her home in the village of Masese to share with us the immediate needs of the children and the community where she lives, and how YOU can help.

THINGS YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO THAT NIGHT:
-Your $5 entry fee ALONE will have served about 33 meals to the children of Masese.
-Handmade Uganda bead necklaces and head wraps (made specially for this event) will be for sale.
-You will have the opportunity to make your own bracelets from the handmade Ugandan beads.
-We will be holding a silent auction with items to bid on from all over the country AND straight from Uganda!
-Snacks, desserts, and drinks will be provided
-Renee will tell you about what goes on at SHC in Masese, and a little about her story.
-We will be showing videos of the programs and the children cared for by SHC.
-Those interested can give one-time donations, or begin monthly sponsorship to SHC.

Let us know any questions you have! Those of you who are interested in donating, but are too far to attend, we would love to get you involved: EMAIL US at livinghislove@gmail.com We hope that you will commit to being there to see some of the Lord's work... and spread the word... invite others!!

-McClain, Candace, Megan

Progress

Hi friends,

In the last post you read about a 7 month old baby boy named Katoyia who was in very BAD condition. Renee had done all she could to save this severely malnourished child but he was (and is) completely in the Lord's hands. We were updated the other day that he is doing much better and his twin brother is fine as well! Please go to Renee's Blog HERE and read more details. You will also see some of the other sick children that are currently living with her to receive care. Please be in fervent prayer for these kids and Renee. She doesn't usually have much help in the day time and never has help at night... alone with 7 babies!

Renee is coming to America sometime in November and we want YOU to take advantage of the opportunity to meet her, hear her story, and help in whatever ways you want to! We will be holding a fundraiser in Chattanooga, TN on Saturday November 20th. The details are in the works, but please go ahead and mark your calendar for that evening and SPREAD THE WORD that Renee will be there to share what's going on in Uganda and how you can get involved! As soon as more details are worked out, you will be the first ones to know! We desperately hope that you will commit to being there to hear what Father has been doing and what He is continuing to do for His children in Uganda!

I know it has been a few months now, but we want to say THANK YOU again for your love. We will be forever grateful and humbled by your prayer and support we received while we were at work in Uganda. We felt great comfort knowing that so many of you were thinking about us and talking to the Lord on our behalf while we were gone! God willing, we will be journeying back again from May to June next year. We will be taking a few more "hands and feet" with us this time and looking forward to lots of work in His name! RIght now we are planning, researching, and praying for projects we can take on while we are there and we hope you will join us in praying about these things. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10, Paul (inspired by God) tells us exactly what we were created for: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for GOOD WORKS, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." So, currently we are praying and asking God which good works He created for us to do in Uganda in May and June of 2011. We beg that you, as a part of The Body, would take part in praying with us.

Please spread the word about this blog if you feel compelled ; ) Everyone wants to be a part of something, so why not Uganda and it's hungry children?

We love you... yes, you. Grace to you and peace.

URGENT!

Please pass this on to anyone who will pray for Renee and this boy and his family!

Renee has an urgent prayer request for a little 7 month old twin named Katoyia. Katoyia's mother is from Rowanda and speaks not one word of english. She married a Ugandan man who died while she was pregnant with their twin boys leaving her alone with no means of support. After the boys were born, her milk dried up (probably due to lack of food and water for herself) and she tried to keep them alive by feeding them posho water (the water used to boil cornstarch into a sticky substance with no nutrition) It was at this point that the fathers mother heard that her daughter-in-law was still in the area with her twin grandsons. She found the family and took them to the local government hospital where Renee found them last Friday. It appeared that there was no hope for Katoyia so he was left alone on a table waiting for death. On Saturday Renee persuaded the hospital administrators to discharge the boys into her care and transported them to a small private clinic where he was put on an IV through the night. When Renee arrived on Sunday morning, the clinic was discharging them because their care was more than they could deal with.

Both of the boys along with their mother and grandmother are currently living at Renee's house. Katoyia requires a small feeding every 10 minutes 24 hours a day (his veins are too weak and they are not able to run an IV for hydration) and has been under Renee's constant care since Sunday. Last night (Wed) Katoyia took a turn for the worse and was transported back to the clinic this morning. Although he requires more medical attention than Renee can offer at her home, she feels that he still will not receive the treatment that he needs. His life is totally in God's hands and we are asking for your prayers to intercede for the life of this little boy. Please also pray for Renee as she is dealing with all of this with very little sleep since Saturday night.

For pictures of Katoyia and more information, go to Renee's blog at www.servinghischildreninuganda.blogspot.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

Official promotional video for Serving His Children in Uganda!




Renee (founder and director of SHC) on the news. Part of our video is shown, as well as US a few times!
A local woman starts charity to help children in Uganda | WSLS 10