DONT MISS THE SLIDESHOW AT THE BOTTOM!
Hello! My name is Jennifer Stone. As many of you may know, I am Greg and Donna’s daughter-in-law. I am married to their firstborn and only son, Benjamin. We have been married for 20 years, but the Stones have been a part of my life ever since childhood.
I traveled to Uganda with Two Roads for the first time last year and saw firsthand the physical depravity of a third world country. The desire to help meet their physical needs exploded within me. And immediately led me to evaluate their spiritual needs. I fell in love with these endearing people and a deep desire to show them love and introduce them to Jesus began growing.
As is written in James 2:16, “If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” The very mission of Two Roads is to “mobilize the followers of Jesus to transform the lives of people living in poverty.” To share Jesus’ love with these sweet people of Kabale, Two Roads meets them where they are…in their poverty. Two Roads helps assist them and teach them to better meet their own physical needs. AND along the way, Two Roads is sharing the truth of the gospel with these precious people. Jesus transforms lives.
While we were in Kabale, we got to pray alongside them, study the Bible alongside them, and play alongside them. We laughed. We were choked up with emotions that can only be evoked in a third world country while sitting alongside these friends. They have devasting pasts. And many of them are living devasting presents. Two Roads shares hope with them. Hope beyond this world. Hope in Jesus and in heaven.
My heart rejoiced to be reunited with friends I had made last year. Some of them told me we aren’t friends, we are family. To hug new friends and whisper, “You are beautiful!” to children and moms who may have never heard it before. To celebrate accomplishments and mourn difficult circumstances. These very special people of Kabale have a piece of my heart – one that can only be theirs.
This year, our 15-year-old son, Elijah, traveled to Uganda for the first time with me, Greg, and Donna. His thoughts are written below. He and I want to ask you join us in prayer. Pray for the staff of Two Roads: Amos, Tyra, Rosette, Julie, Wyckliff, Emma, and Enock. Pray for them to have wisdom and to seek God’s guidance for the many difficult situations they encounter on a daily basis. Pray for them to serve with compassion and to have the fortitude to stand strong as they share the love of Jesus.
We also ask that you join us in prayer for the future direction of Two Roads. We pray for God to bring more sponsors to reach more children and their families. We pray for God to align our wills with His. We pray for God’s continual provision for Two Roads – for the staff, for the Junction, for the physical needs of the people of Kabale, for the land and future school, and for the many outreach ministries feeding the spiritual needs of those in this area.
Your sister in Christ,
Jennifer
A note from Elijah:
Hi! My name is Elijah Stone, and I am the grandson of both Greg and Donna. I’d been looking forward to an opportunity to go on this trip for a long period of time, and I was so excited to finally get to go this year! I’m thankful God provided everything needed to make it a successful trip and that it all went smoothly.
From what I remember, I had heard about Uganda from about 9 years ago when we started to sponsor our first child in Africa that was my age at the time! His name was Hakizama Ashim and I thought it was awesome that I had a brother, even if he was on the other side of the world. 2Roads teams had meetings at our house, my grandparents always shared God’s work going on in Kabale, Uganda, and I had simply been exposed to the idea that I would be able to go when I was older.
Eventually, I went on a couple of mission trips with my church, first to Honduras and then to Mexico which were amazing. That was when I knew I would love Uganda. By only being in the presence of kids that are joyful amidst terrible circumstances and that have an amazing and wonderful love of God, it fuels you unlike anything else to show them love and Christ and simply be their friend.
When I arrived in Uganda, I saw it as a place of extremes. While it was so beautiful in landscape and people, the streets were also full of homeless children and trash. It was dirty and unclean, which fueled my desire all the more to serve and help show these people that there is a hope beyond this world.
The first few days were somewhat overwhelming, but as I slowly adjusted to the new way of life, like my mom, I too fell in love with the people and the children there. Having the opportunity to go and meet my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ that I had heard so much about was a blessing I could never have asked for. Seeing some kids that I had only seen in pictures like Ashim, Mordecai, and Jemimah and being able to hug them and talk to them was something that cannot be made up. Visiting homes with mamas that work their tails off to provide for their children gave me a new perspective that I believe everyone should see at least once.
Although it looked hopeless and there were many parts of the town that appeared far from God, He was also so evident in so many of the lives I got to witness. Hearing Mama Gift’s testimony about her life was eye opening to see that even after all these horrible, heart-wrenching things she experienced and went through, she is still able to thank God for her life and for everything that she has. Seeing how God provides for so many of these families through Two Roads was a blessing that I hope continues for generations to come.
The houses and schools that these families lived in and went to were difficult to see just because of the condition they were in. I am thankful that God has placed a wonderful staff there in 2Roads to be the hands and feet for His mighty plan. Tyra and Amos, Wyckliff, Rosette, Julie, Enock ,and Emma are all great blessings to Kabale and I ask your prayers for them as they continue to live there that they might know and seek God in all that they do.
There were countless stories I could tell and faces I could name, but it is so clear that God is working there and that His hand is over 2Roads in Uganda. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to go on this amazing trip and I hope to go again next year!
Elijah Stone
