Gulu IDP Camp

I am currently in Gulu, Uganda- a wondeful cityi n the Northern part of the country, which I'm slowly loving! The past few days we have left the street children of Kampala to begin working with children in an IDP camp in Gulu. While there are many camps, we only have the capacity to work in one of them- Togo Atecha... but don't begin to ask me if this is the right spelling... just getting the pronunciation down of the Acholi language has been a stretch!

The children here are different than the children we were working with last week. While happy, kind, wonderful children, they have little hope in their eyes. Their lives are literally lived day by day. One little boy, Danielle, I expect won't be alive the next time we return- he is severely malnourished and skin from his head is beginning to peel away. Another little girl, who I'm still trying to learn to pronounce her name, has been glued to me the whole time... not wanting to let go of my hand even to let me take a picture. Yesterday, I had 6 children just holding on to different parts of my left arm, wanting to touch me as I walked around the camp... and there were 3 more holding on to different fingers on my right hand.

Today we served lunch to the children- porridge and bread, which they ate quickly and gratefully. In the afternoon, we did first aid care for probably around 75 children. The wounds here are tremendous and break your heart just knowing the lack of care these children have. It's burdensome realizing that we can't do more.

Tomorrow, I will specifically be walking around the camp with a translator to talk with the children that are orphans. I'm going to be getting some basic information so that the ministry can begin a sponsorship program and begin to get some of these children in school and to Bible school on Saturdays, but also just to learn more information about their background and what life is like. Some of the children will be very small, but others will be in their early teens.

I know this is a lot, but please just keep praying. The language barrier here is so much more prevalant than in Kampala, which makes ministering more frustrating at times. Pray that when we leave, we leave the hope of the Lord most of all. These children and their families need it so much!

Long arrival!

Greetings from Uganda, Africa! I am so sorry to everyone who is curious as to how things are going. I have been very busy and it has been much harder to get to the internet than I thought.

I am here with a group of 6 others right now (they will all leave on July 30th and I will continue work on my own through August). We are staying in a "hotel," which is far from what you would imagine, but definitely liveable. The hotel is located just outside of Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Next week, however, we head up to Gulu to specifically work with children in IDP Camps (Internally Displaced Persons)- think refugee in your own country.

People here are encouraging and inspiring. Though I realize the negative influence many bring to this area, so many are positive and cheerful. They stare at you because you are white, but are so thrilled when you say hi to them! The children run up to the vehicle and wave at the window as you drive by. They call you "teacher" in one of the Ugandan languages (but English is the national language and it makes it somewhat easy to communicate with most adults).

This week we have been working in the poorest slum in Kampala, and yet, I walk away feeling rich each time! The children are kind and loving and desire to learn from you. It truly is teaching me just by watching the hearts and attitudes of these people being lived out each day. I have never seen servanthood more evident in my life!

On Saturday, I woke up feeling very sick and realized quickly that I had contracted malaria. No matter how much you try to prevent it, it still is forceful! While I was completely useless for about 3 or 4 days, I'm finally feeling better today and am hoping to avoid it the rest of the trip.

Please pray for the ministry. The school children respond wonderfully to the Gospel and are eager to learn. They all want to write down every Bible verse and every song and you can hear them in the streets singing as they leave school, "Our God is so big, so strong and so mighty, there's nothing my God cannot do!" :) It's wonderful! Pray that the Lord will continue to place people in their lives so that their faith will build throughout their life. Also, pray for the street children we work with each day. While also loving children who desire to learn, they have not specifically come to us in a response to the Gospel. This may be because of language barriers, even with an interpreter. The street children do not learn English because they are not in school. But the Lord knows all and there may be many of His children amidst the crowd.

This weekend we leave for Gulu, which is in Norther Uganda. Pray for safety, because this is where the most upheaval is socially. We will be going to IDP camps as said above and while we've seen very poor environments, we are expecting far worse once we arrive. Pray that the children and even the adults who also come to listen will hear of the hope the Lord provides in and above all circumstances! All we can do is leave seeds... but the Spirit is nourishing those things already and allowing them to grow. Pray this also happens while in Gulu.

I'm sorry that I won't be able to put up pictures right now. I will hope to get the chance to do that after I return from Gulu.

God bless you all! Thank you for support and prayers!

Partners for Kingdom Work

Thank you to everyone who has sent letters of support, prayer and encouragement as well as sacrificed financially to support me on this endeavor! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! As of today, you all have helped provide $1550.00! Praise God! Only $3500 to go :) He fully provides!

I am humbled and excited as Christ calls members of His church to work together towards eternal efforts! I pray for each of you as I hear from you and ask God to bless you and fill you with the Spirit's infiltrating peace- look to no other than Him and Him alone. For only He can provide you with everlasting peace, joy, strength and hope!

Invisible Children

Grazi!

Thank you everyone who has called or sent emails of love and encouragement! I appreciate every one of you who are praying for this journey and being part of the adventure!

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
Psalm 91:1-2

Adventure's Ahead...

Greetings friends! I am excited and encouraged to welcome you to my website! Presently, the main focus of this site is keep everyone updated on the missions opportunities I'm preparing for this summer. God has graciously chosen me to spend my summer ministering to different populations around the world.

First, I will be working with Communication Institute in Budapest, Hungary. I will be spending my time encouraging and supporting European Christian leaders in their own ministries throughout Europe. The religious setting of Europe is diverse and yet dissipating. Atheism is at an all time high and spreading rapidly as atheists are starting an evangelistic movement. European Christian leaders need the resources and knowledge available in the United States in order to move forward with Christian evangelism. I am looking forward to being a part of this ministry. To learn more about it, go to www.euroleadership.org.

From there, I will leave for Uganda, Africa where I will be working for the next two months with Every Child Ministries- a Christian organization focused on ministering to the needs of children from war torn areas. These children are physically and emotionally traumatized from the effects of war in their country. We will not only be attending to their physical needs (health, food, etc.), but addressing their spiritual needs as well (teaching Bible, evangelism, etc.). To learn more about this organization, go to www.ecmafrica.org.

Thank you for playing a role with me in these two great needs around the world! These ministries need much prayer, and I will need the prayerful support of all of you as things move forward! Please email me, write me, call me, facebook me... send notes of encouragement, let me know you are partnering with me that I might feel your support! If you are interested in serving as a financial partner, all one time donations of any amount (because EVERY amount is used by God in some way!!) can be sent to Every Child Ministries electronically or by mail. To send a gift electronically go to the ECM website, www.ecmafrica.org and click on "Give." Through mail, checks can be made out to "Every Child Ministries" and sent to PO Box 810, Hebron, IN 46341 (Don't forget to send a note with the check saying that your gift is for Megan Towell).

I look forward to keeping updates about support raising and missions work on this website! Feel free to check in often! May God bless you and fill you with the Spirit!

"For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an
awareness of the glory of the Lord."
Habakkuk 2:14