Rainbow Park Baptist members take mission trip to Uganda

Pastor Steven N. Dial, Sr. of Rainbow Park Baptist Church in Decatur and seven members of his congregation are in East Africa on a mission trip, July 31-Aug. 8.

The church members took new school clothes, supplies and donations to help children in Uganda prepare for school and to help their families.

Pastor Dial said in a cell phone text message that the first days of the trip to benefit Good Shepherd’s Touch Ministries, Inc., Rainbow Park’s missions partner, have been life-changing for him personally. Dial said he was glad the church didn’t just send money but instead traveled to Uganda:

“The mission trip to Uganda has refueled and refocused me as a pastor, leader and child of God. After preaching Monday night with all of my challenges, I prayed through my tears asking God to forgive me for not realizing how blessed I am. No one on the team will leave the same. Some aspect of each person’s life will be transformed.”

The group’s itinerary included a mass feeding and preaching in Kampala, a leadership conference for pastors and a donation of seeds to the Good Shepherd’s Touch Farm in Luwero. According to Good Shepherd’s web site, the village is one of extreme poverty and water borne diseases such as typhoid, malaria and dysentery. Good Shepherd is working to improve farming methods and water quality through such measures as providing mosquito nets.

Those accompanying Dial on the trip include members of the church’s Missions Ministry: Missionary Colleen Ferris, who is over the ministry; Deacon Spencer Murray; Dial’s youngest son, Micah; Lasha Anderson; Amira Aiken; Marsha Hale; and Leslie Bryant.