COUNTY WIDE T H U RS DA Y , M A R C H 24, 20 16
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KendallCountyNow.com
Kendall church sends first team into ‘mission field’ By ALLISON SELK
correct immunizations needed to protect themselves against diseases found in Uganda. fter he received an invita“I personally had to have tion to visit Mbale, Uganda, seven shots prior to going on from Pastor Titus Wamahe, the trip. I had to catch up on my Pastor Larry Jacobsgaard of Lis- MMR and hepatitis A and B, and bon Bethlehem Lutheran Church then receive meningitis, typhoid, looked for others to join in his and yellow fever immunizamission. Two women involved tions,” Davidson said. “I also had with the church felt led to go to take malaria medications and with Jacobsgaard and the trio will need to have hepatitis A and left the United States for EntebB follow-up shots.” bee, Uganda, on Feb. 16. Johnson had to undergo the Jacobsgaard had visited same immunization regimen, Africa twice before, but this but received a DTAP, instead of was a new experience for fellow MMR so she would be covered missionaries Laura Johnson of for tetanus. Lisbon and Gena Davidson of Jacobsgaard and Johnson Newark. had to leave work behind, but The entire trip had a price tag Davidson struggled with the of $3,000 per person, so the group possibility of losing her job if she created fundraisers to offset went on the trip, which led to their expenses. First, the group some anxiety. held a pork chop and chicken “I just kept hitting roaddinner sponsored by the church blocks, and each time it hapand catered by 5 B’s catering pened, God wiped it away. But at the Lisbon Grade School. this didn’t stop my doubts. I Over 240 people showed up to asked myself why I was needed show support, even though the because Laura sings and sews weather turned bad quickly and and Larry preaches, I asked God many left early due to snow. for a purpose,” Davidson said. Jacobsgaard said the rest of the costs were from personal The mission donations from church members The team had several “misand out of a missionary support sions” throughout the time they fund of the church. were in Uganda. One was to “This is the first time this work with Africa ELI (Africa church has sent a team to the Education, Leadership Initiamission field and it was amazing tive) to teach over 200 women how the church stepped up to how to sew in three separate help,” Jacobsgaard said. communities. Since Jacobsgaard had been “We taught the women dress overseas before, the main prepa- patterns on a beginner level so rations were to take malaria they could make a lot of them. pills. However, Johnson and See MISSION TRIP, page 6 Davidson had yet to have the news@kendallcountynow.com
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Photo provided
Gena Davidson (front row, from left) and Laura Johnson of Lisbon Bethlehem Lutheran Church taught sewing classes in a remote farm village in Uganda. The Ugandan women thanked Davidson and Johnson with papaya or popo.
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“We [Americans] have so many distractions in our lives that we don’t see the many blessings we receive.” Laura Johnson, mission trip participant from Lisbon Bethlehem Lutheran Church