Volunteers serve while completing construction/repair projects throughout the city.Last month I was nervous about my 5 day trip Salmon River trip in August. Ukandu hosts various Vacation Bible Schools and sports camps each summer. Follow them on Facebook for more information.
TREASURED EARTH LANDSCAPING REGISTRATION
Registration for this coming summer’s mission trip will begin in February. If you are eager to bring your congregation to “dive in and do something,” especially something right in your own “backyard,” serving our neighbors, look no farther than Ukandu. Who knows what God may have in store for you? Dive in and do something!” If you haven’t been on one, I encourage you to consider going in a future year. He’s pushed me to do things I didn’t know I could do! … God has so much joy waiting for those that will be attending UKANDU. One participant, after reflecting on funny memories and his expectations going into his first Ukandu week years ago said, “What I did not know is that God had plans to hugely impact my faith life in the best possible way.
Whether it be a funny memory of dressing up as Buddy the Elf for Vacation Bible School or a cherished relationship built and sustained for years, Ukandu holds a special place in hundreds and arguably thousands of people’s hearts for the life-giving works of the Lord done there. This is one of many testimonies of the impact Ukandu has had on the lives of its participants. One man, Brett Hansen, who was back for his fourth year told Ukandu that “the BEST part was how relationship with Jesus went to a whole new level.” He says, “Ukandu opened my eyes to so many things and made me so much more.” Participants come back year after year not just because they have fun serving, but overwhelmingly because they experience great spiritual growth. Ukandu states, “we believe in helping youth and adults experiencing the joy of fulfilling the ‘good works’ prepared by God for them to do by creating mission trips that serve God by serving His people here on earth.” Their “proactive philosophy lives in Scripture.” Philippians 4:13 and Ephesians 2:10 are the basis for the name of the ministry and more importantly, are two of the major propellers of the mission. Each day, these teams received deliciously cooked meals, were awoken with great joy, and spent treasured time in devotionals and lively worship.ĭevotionals and worship time for participants are very important to Ukandu leadership. Jumior High Schoolers to retirees from 11 congregations hailing from Tennessee to Minnesota to right here in Chicagoland traveled into the city to serve. There were 41 teams serving as the hearts and hands of God this summer. Participants get to choose the areas they would most like to serve, then teams, which intentionally include people from many congregations, are formed with prayerful consideration. Over the course of the week, Ukandu leadership and 278 participants hosted Vacation Bible Schools, sport camps, did landscaping, painting, and construction jobs, and went out into the community practicing street evangelism and acts of random kindness. This year’s annual mission trip, Ukandu Chicago 2017 “Unleashed,” took place from June 25 through July 1. Ukandu Chicago serves the mission field in our backyard, spending one week serving various locations throughout the inner city of Chicago. This year, they celebrated the 15 year anniversary of the manifestations of those dreams with 278 of their closest friends. John’s Lutheran Church, Lombard, Illinois and his leadership team began planning for what would become a several hundred person, multi-congregation, multi-location affair. 278 volunteers from 11 congregations gathered this summer to serve the city.
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