This past month our precious Breanna celebrated her 1st birthday. She also learned to walk, which 
has been a fun season. The outpouring of love that was given to Breanna and our family while we were stateside blew us away. Breanna truly has been our joy this past year as she has circled the globe with us and shared her smile with people from the USA, Nepal, India and now Northern Uganda. As we reflect back on her first year of life, Breanna has met and made friends with orphan girls in Nepal, widowed mothers in India, pastors in the foothills of the Himalayas, and now with hundreds of Promise Children in Uganda. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, support, and care for our family that has made our first year as a family so remarkable…all glory to God!
Fleeing To Uganda
We traveled to Uganda in mid-July and were faced with an immediate crisis upon our arrival. Our co-workers who work in South Sudan had tried for days to enter the country in order to minister to the Promise Children there but were unable. Fighting had broken out in South Sudan in the city of Juba, and people began fleeing the country as rebels raided homes and were killing innocent people along the way. Men, women and children were forced to leave what little they had to find safety by crossing the border into Uganda. Make shift Sudanese refugee camps began forming and hundreds of refugees turned into thousands as the Ugandan government began scrambling to try to formulate a plan. In the meantime, thousands were sleeping out in the open with little or no food and many of those caught in the crossfire were children.
Pastor Charles learned of an area about 1.5 hours from where we are currently located that was set-up as a make shift refugee camp. Immediately the team that had arrived from CC San Juan Capistrano and the local medical staff from Midigo formulated a plan to distribute food and provide medical care to those refugees that were in most need. When people are hungry and desperate, things can get out of control really quickly but thankfully everyone remained calm as relief arrived and was distributed by our team. It was heartbreaking to hear the stories of those mothers who had fled with their children walking for days with no food. While the medical team of doctors and nurses attended to the physical needs, Bond was able to share a message of hope that ministered to the hearts of the refugees who were eager to hear good news. After so much tragedy, the Gospel went forth and many heard for the first time that Jesus loved them and they were not forgotten.
Back on African Soil
It had been two years since we had been in Uganda due to unforeseen changes in our schedule. Many 
here wondered if we had forgotten them and others thought we had completely shifted our focus to Asia and would not be returning to Africa. Neither of those could be further from the truth. As we returned to this place, it has been a sweet time of reconnecting with many of the pastors who have planted churches that are now thriving. We are planning to visit a different church each Sunday while we are here as several churches have been planted by those who have attended School of Ministry in the past. It has been humbling to see many of the ministries that we had prayed for and written proposals about several years back actually come to life here. From church buildings that have been built to the Promise Child tailoring school that was merely an idea and has now become a reality to the new classrooms full of children who are now receiving a high quality Christian education….the Lord is at work in this place. But as the ministry has grown, so have the needs and we are thankful for the opportunity to be here and come alongside our co-workers in this remote area. We have jumped right in and are grateful that you have sent us!
Prayer Requests
Pray for the School of Ministry / Discipleship Classes in Midigo, Uganda as pastors and leaders have come from many regions of Uganda to spend time learning the Word of God during the month of August. Pray for Bond as he teaches and for the students to be equipped and grow in God’s Word.
Pray for Heather’s time with the Promise Children and their families. Pray that she is able to encourage, share, pray for and minister the love of Christ to many in this Muslim area.
Pray for protection from malaria for our family, especially Breanna. Pray for continued health so that we are able to be the most effective during our time here in Northern Uganda this summer.
With Love From Uganda,
Bond, Heather and Breanna Gaona
