Water’s Edge Church to send eight people on mission trip

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

There are two types of people in the world—one group who asks why and another group who asks why not? 

A group of eight Henning area residents would definitely be in the latter as they prepare for a mission trip of a lifetime to Uganda in August. 

“It’s kind of just been a bucket list thing and I get to go with my daughter, my sister and my nephew,” said Beth Wallevand of going on a mission trip with her daughter Paige Thalmann, as well as sister and nephew Brooke and Beck Thorson. “It’s something I am willing to do and I want to go.”

The idea of sending a group of local residents from a town of just 800 people to an orphanage in Uganda blossomed out of a relationship that was developed from a mission trip Kevin and Jessie Wiek took several years ago. The Vining residents came in contact with Timothy Kakooza and his daughter Jireh Kirabo, who ran an orphanage that began in their home some 25 years ago. 

The Vining residents and their new Uganda friends stayed in contact after the initial mission trip and last fall Jireh Kirabo’s father Timothy made the trek to Henning to visit Water’s Edge Church members. While in town, he shared how their orphanage has made such a life-changing impact on people across the region. Timothy’s journey to Henning was anything but easy as he attempted to plan a trip to the Henning area 10 times before he was finally successful in his journey across the world.

Over the Christmas holiday his daughter Jireh and her husband were in Henning to visit the area and talk about her family’s orphanage and needs of the people from her region of Uganda. It was both the visit from Timothy and Jireh that sparked a local interest in traveling across the globe to bring gifts and spread love to the orphanage and school that serves the community.

“When you have people visit us in Henning from Uganda…why not,” said Jessie of going on a mission trip across the world. “I just think it opens up the world for so many people.”

Jessie said she more-or-less asked people at Water’s Edge Church if anyone wanted to go on a mission trip to Uganda “and I am shocked to see how many people are interested and wanted to go.”

  Jessie said during Jireh’s visit to Water’s Edge Church the Uganda-native the congregation learned that some of the very things people take for granted in America are not readily available in Uganda. For example, Jessie said Jireh was surprised that children in America can bring books home from a library to read.

“One of the biggest shocks for Jireh (in America) was the kids could bring home two books a week from the library. They don’t have the ability to bring books home,” said Jessie.

The group plans to collect things like books, lotions, bars of soap and other toiletries to bring with them to Uganda. 

In addition to constructing bookshelves and delivering books and toiletries to the orphanage and school, Jessie said the group plans to show the children a number of games like duck, duck, gray duck and ring around the rosy as well.

“Just some of the things Jireh said ‘wow’ when she was over here is what I paid attention to,” said Jessie. “We are hoping to do a lot of hands on activities, and at the same time, pull the teachers aside and bless them somehow.”

The orphanage in Katosi was started by Jireh’s parents approximately 25 years ago and has long outgrown their home as the mission has been moved to a large orphanage that serves approximately 980 people. The community of Katosi is located in the south eastern part of the Central region in Uganda. The orphanage was started as a way to improve life in the community through programs that provide both formal and informal education, health care and more. The end result is a spiritual transformation to enable orphans, destitute adults and needy children to become positive, contributing citizens for Uganda, while also strengthening their relationship with God.

“When Jessie and I were over there a few years ago, one of the biggest things that hit me was the kids in the US have more in their rooms than a whole family has over there as far as things and even food,” said Kevin Wiek. “The poverty over there is just unbelievable.”

  While the group of eight local residents, which includes: Kevin Wiek, Jessie Wiek, Dorothy Heschke, Deb Godding, Beth Wallevand, Paige Thalmann, Beck Thorson and Brooke Thorson are excited to go on a mission trip, the cost of doing so is anything but inexpensive. The cost to send each person to Uganda is about $4,000, which includes a $1,900 plane ticket that has increased considerably in price over the past few months. 

As the group continues to plan their mission trip to Uganda, each of them said the experience will be memorable to not only see a different part of the world, but to share an opportunity to spread the word of God.

Dorothy Heschke has been a staple on mission trips in the past as she has went on eight different trips to Ukraine. This trip will be something extra special as she will be heading to Africa this time around.

Deb Godding, the rural Deer Creek resident, said her children and grandchildren have gone on mission trips in the past and she looks forward to an opportunity to learn from people from a different part of the world.

“I have always sent my kids and grandkids on mission trips and now it is my turn to go,” said Godding. 

Just about as quickly as he heard about the project, Henning High School junior Beck Thorson said he wanted to go on the mission trip. As part of his National Honor Society project the Henning student collected items to bring on their mission trip to Uganda.

“Given I am a teenager I think it will be kind of cool,” he said. “The difference in perspective will be kind of interesting.”

Once her son expressed an interest, and given her niece Paige and sister Beth were already talking about the trip, Brooke said she wanted to join the trip as well.

“In the early stages when we were talking about it as staff at church…Beck just said immediately I want to go with no additional information about it,” said Brooke of her son.

Paige Thalmann said she had always wanted to go on a mission trip and one of the things that really stuck out to her when they have seen videos of the orphanage and school was how happy the children and families are in Uganda, despite their humble offerings when compared to people in America.

“Aside from my family going, I have always wanted to go and see a different part of the world,” she said. 

Even though the group will be busy working at the orphanage and school during their time in Uganda, they have also planned a few excursions during their time abroad. One highlight will be a safari, which will also include seeing the source of the Nile River by Lake Victoria. 

In order to help fund the cost of the trip, Water’s Edge Church will be hosting a number of unique fundraisers, including bingo and a bake sale on Saturday, May 16 at the Henning Community Center. The meal will begin at 5 p.m. with bingo getting underway at 6:30 p.m. The cost for bingo is $30 for 10 games with each game featuring cash prizes. The meal, which will be a build your own burger-style meal, will be a freewill donation. 

Proceeds from Saturday’s fundraiser will benefit the Uganda Missions team from Water’s Edge Church for their August trip.

In addition to Saturday’s event, a raffle is underway that features a grand prize of a restored 1953 John Deere 40-S. The tractor is valued at $10,000 with the second prize being a SnoBear Fishing Excursion on a local lake with Kevin Cook at a value of $850, while the third and fourth prizes will be a $200 and $100 Scheels gift card.

Donations are also begin accepted by contacting one of the individuals going on the trip, or visiting Water’s Edge Church online at www.watersedge.churchcenter.com/giving/to/missions 

Once in the giving portal, please select “Add a memo” and include my name so the donation is directed appropriately and volunteers remind local residents that no gift is too small as every contribution will make a difference as the group prepares for their unique trip across the world.