Working with street children, venomous snakes, and soccer—lots of soccer

Alexander Mills • Pastor
July 2, 2026

4 Minute Read
We’re feeling right at home here

The end of this week marks the halfway point of our trip. Truthfully, it feels like we’ve been here forever—in the best way. Asher plans to live here when he’s an adult. We’ll see where God leads him, I guess.

Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to.

  • Last Friday we went to Pambazuka. An auntie took our boys around the compound for a while while I sat with Pastor James, a young man who is finding his way in his pastoral vocation. I heard about his hopes and his hesitations, and I was able to encourage him while also answering some questions. While we chatted, Rebecca met with the nurses on staff to answer questions about antenatal, maternal health, postpartum, and newborn care. There are a lot of harmful myths that she was able to gently dispel.
  • After that, I led a devotional for the entire staff and we share a meal together.
  • On Monday I spent the day with a local ministry called Jinja Connection. Their mission is to rescue and rehabilitate children who live on the streets of Jinja. I joined the social workers for a walk through town to seek out the children and invite them freely back to the centre. About 25 kids joined us to spend the day together. They started the morning at the rugby field, learning from professional rugby players who are volunteering their time to teach the kids. Around midday they regathered at the centre to wash themselves, their clothes, and receive a meal. They then did an hour or so of “class”, learning math and language in English, and then we headed to the soccer field. There was video evidence that I’ve since permanently deleted of me being manhandled by children on the soccer field. My legs are still hurting.
  • On Tuesday we journeyed to Ekisa Ministries, the work of the family that’s hosting us here. Ekisa exists to help serve children with disabilities. We were so compelled by the work that they’re doing there.
  • It was also Verity’s last day with us before she left to return to Australia. We savoured every moment with her.
  • On Wednesday morning we said goodbye to Verity. It was so sweet to be reunited with her after all these years, and she was a tremendous gift to the people of Uganda during her time with us, teaching life saving first-aid to many groups during her short time.
  • We spend each Wednesday afternoon at Amani Baby Cottage simply enjoying the kids. “Warm bodies to play with the children” is what they need, so that’s what we bring. This week, we also brought two new soccer balls thanks to your generosity. My legs hadn’t yet recovered from Monday, but these children were a little easier on me (the oldest is 6).
  • We had more than one snake encounter this week (mom, this is a good time to tune out). The first one evaded us without capture, which is likely for the best since it was identified as a deadly Jameson’s Mamba by the photo we took of it. The next time we saw a snake we knew what to do. We called Steve from Snakes Uganda, and he came with all the necessary tools to capture it. Although this one was harmless, a gentle Battersby Green snake, he caught it nevertheless and relocated it to the national forest.

We celebrated Canada Day with milkshakes, and we’ll spend The Fourth of July at the pool. We’ve caught more lizards and tree frogs this week than a 5-year-old can keep track of. The sun is hot, and the passionfruit juice is cold.

Next week is shaping up to be full, with visits to Jinja Connection, antenatal days in the village, our weekly visit to the baby cottage, and more.

Ebola Update 🦠

Life in Jinja continues completely undisturbed. Ebola is not breaking out here, although the situation in the Congo is still very serious. Pray that the Canadian government laxes the 21-day isolation requirement by the time we’re headed home.

Stay Updated

I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write.

Grace and peace.
Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden

To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.
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July 2, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Working with street children, venomous snakes, and soccer—lots of soccer
We’re feeling right at home here The end of this week marks the halfway point of our trip. Truthfully, it feels like we’ve been here forever—in the best way. Asher plans to live here when he’s an adult. We’ll see where God leads him, I guess. Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to. Last Friday we went to Pambazuka. An auntie took our boys around the compound for a while while I sat with Pastor James, a young man who is finding his way in his pastoral vocation. I heard about his hopes and his hesitations, and I was able to encourage him while also answering some questions. While we chatted, Rebecca met with the nurses on staff to answer questions about antenatal, maternal health, postpartum, and newborn care. There are a lot of harmful myths that she was able to gently dispel. After that, I led a devotional for the entire staff and we share a meal together. On Monday I spent the day with a local ministry called Jinja Connection. Their mission is to rescue and rehabilitate children who live on the streets of Jinja. I joined the social workers for a walk through town to seek out the children and invite them freely back to the centre. About 25 kids joined us to spend the day together. They started the morning at the rugby field, learning from professional rugby players who are volunteering their time to teach the kids. Around midday they regathered at the centre to wash themselves, their clothes, and receive a meal. They then did an hour or so of “class”, learning math and language in English, and then we headed to the soccer field. There was video evidence that I’ve since permanently deleted of me being manhandled by children on the soccer field. My legs are still hurting. On Tuesday we journeyed to Ekisa Ministries, the work of the family that’s hosting us here. Ekisa exists to help serve children with disabilities. We were so compelled by the work that they’re doing there. It was also Verity’s last day with us before she left to return to Australia. We savoured every moment with her. On Wednesday morning we said goodbye to Verity. It was so sweet to be reunited with her after all these years, and she was a tremendous gift to the people of Uganda during her time with us, teaching life saving first-aid to many groups during her short time. We spend each Wednesday afternoon at Amani Baby Cottage simply enjoying the kids. “Warm bodies to play with the children” is what they need, so that’s what we bring. This week, we also brought two new soccer balls thanks to your generosity. My legs hadn’t yet recovered from Monday, but these children were a little easier on me (the oldest is 6). We had more than one snake encounter this week (mom, this is a good time to tune out). The first one evaded us without capture, which is likely for the best since it was identified as a deadly Jameson’s Mamba by the photo we took of it. The next time we saw a snake we knew what to do. We called Steve from Snakes Uganda, and he came with all the necessary tools to capture it. Although this one was harmless, a gentle Battersby Green snake, he caught it nevertheless and relocated it to the national forest. We celebrated Canada Day with milkshakes, and we’ll spend The Fourth of July at the pool. We’ve caught more lizards and tree frogs this week than a 5-year-old can keep track of. The sun is hot, and the passionfruit juice is cold. Next week is shaping up to be full, with visits to Jinja Connection, antenatal days in the village, our weekly visit to the baby cottage, and more. Ebola Update 🦠 Life in Jinja continues completely undisturbed. Ebola is not breaking out here, although the situation in the Congo is still very serious. Pray that the Canadian government laxes the 21-day isolation requirement by the time we’re headed home. Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

June 25, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
A trip to the village to deliver life saving kits
It’s been a full week We’ve been at work each day this week, serving different ministries and many people. Here’s a bit of what we were up to. On Monday Rebecca and Verity went to visit Pambazuka Ministries here in Jinja town. They toured the home, visited with the directors, and planned for how we can serve them while we’re here. On Tuesday Rebecca and I went back to YWAM, the place where we first met in 2011. We saw many old friends, met some new ones, and felt all sorts of nostalgia walking around the grounds where we lived and learned to love the Lord all those years ago. We also went to visit with our friends Claire and John. Claire is from the UK, and we met her at YWAM back in 2011. She met John there, and she has lived in Uganda with him ever since. We saw their home where they run a sustainable farm, welcoming the community on a daily basis to share in the fruits of their labour and also showing them how to farm for themselves. On Wednesday morning, Verity taught first-aid skills to about 50 missionary kids who are living here in Jinja. In the afternoon, we all went to Amani Baby Cottage, a home for orphaned children. Since 2003, Amani has cared for over 430 children. Today, they are caring for 33 children between the ages of 3 weeks and 7 years. Their immediate goal is to nourish the children while they are with them, and the longterm goal is to reunify them all with their family of origin or a forever family through adoption. Me and Verity, Asher and Aiden spent the afternoon simply playing with and loving on all the kids. Rebecca worked with some of the newborns, doing some head to toe exams and bottle feedings. Our plan is to visit the cottage every Wednesday. On Thursday, Rebecca and Verity were up early to head to the village. Alongside Redeemer Ministries, they travelled for hours to deliver 115 birth kits to pregnant women. These birth kits contain everything that’s required for a woman to be welcomed into the hospital to give birth. Without these supplies, they will be turned away. Thanks to your generous donations, we were able to fund most of these kits. In addition to delivering the kits, Rebecca was able to spend a few hours answering questions from all of the expecting mothers. While she was spending time with them, Verity went to the village school to teach the girls about menstruation. On Friday (as I’m writing this), we’ll be heading back to Pambazuka. I’ll be spending some one-on-one time with a pastor who is looking for some mentorship. At the same time, Rebecca will be meeting with the nurses as they plan to construct a new maternity ward. They’ll be looking to her to learn about best practices and what to prioritize. Our Saturdays will be set apart for rest and reconnection. Tomorrow we’ll take the boys to the pool and see if we can find some monkeys. We’ve been enjoying all the simple pleasures here as a family. The boys are enthralled by all the nature. They’ve caught tree frogs, all sorts of lizards, and made an attempt at domesticating a monkey. We’re spotting and logging a new species of bird each day. Asher’s new favourite fruit is passionfruit, and Aiden eats “g nuts” (ground nuts, which are basically peanuts) by the handful. Rebecca and I are savouring each mango, avocado, and even the occasional local soda. Ebola Update 🦠 There has been one new case reported in the country since we arrived. Also this week, a French doctor who was working in the DRC tested positive for Ebola upon returning home. Life in Jinja continues with business as usual. Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

June 19, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Our First Week
Our first week, in the books I’m writing to you on late Friday night, sweat on my brow, stars in the sky. Our first week in Uganda is coming to a close. We travelled all of Monday and Tuesday, arriving in the Pearl of Africa late Tuesday night. The boys did as well as we could have hoped during our air travel, and our 5 hour trek to Jinja on Wednesday felt like a breeze. We’ve settled in nicely here. We’re staying in the home of some American missionaries who call Uganda home. They’re back in the US for the summer, so they opened their doors to us. We have a little extra space here, so Verity (our British friend that we met in Uganda back in 2011) is staying with us for the next two weeks. She arrived on Thursday. Today, Verity and I (Alexander) travelled to Hanak International School to teach first aid training to primary and secondary students. It’s the last day of their school year, but the teachers were so eager at the opportunity for us to teach these emergency skills that they brought us in to end their year. We spent the morning teaching about 30 primary students, roughly grades 1-3, and the afternoon with a group of secondary students. We taught them emergency first aid skills like CPR, choking, wound care, snake bites, and drowning. Verity is a first-aid instructor for YWAM in Australia where she lives and works. What’s Next 💡 Next week, we’ll be connecting with Pambazuka Ministries to serve pregnant teens in their care. Rebecca will be teaching prenatal and postpartum care, breastfeeding and newborn care, and bringing menstrual education to schools. She’ll also be teaching nurses some midwifery skills. Ebola Update 🦠 The Ebola outbreak in Uganda is completely under control. There have been no new cases reported in the country since we arrived. Life in Jinja is business as usual. Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

June 15, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Aaaand we're off!
You’ve sent us off. That was the word at church yesterday: we’re not just going to Uganda, but our community is sending us. That delineation matters. We feel it, too. Your prayers, your kindness, your generosity. They are the wind in our sails. What’s Happening This Week We’ll arrive in Uganda late Tuesday night. We’ll spend what’s left of that night in an airport guesthouse, and then we’ll finish the final leg of our journey to Jinja on Wednesday. We’ll take some time to settle in before our work begins on Friday. Verity, a British friend of ours from our first time in Uganda, will be flying in on Thursday to spend two weeks with us. This Friday, Verity and I (Alexander) will be leading first aid training in a local school. We’ll teach CPR, wound care, and other basic life saving skills. Fun fact: Verity works full time with YWAM Medical Ships in Australia and Papua New Guinea! Ebola Update 🦠 The WHO reports that the Ebola outbreak in Uganda is completely under control. As of today, there have been 20 confirmed cases, all in isolated care in the capital city. Life in Uganda is business as usual in every district. How to Pray For Us 🙏 Our Travel – pray that our travel day, although long, will be smooth. Let’s believe that our bags and our boys will arrive to our destination in one piece. 🙏 Our Arrival – pray that the boys will ease into their new environment gracefully and easily. 🙏 Our First Week Of Work – pray that the first things we put our hands and hearts to will be fruitful. Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

June 2, 2026 • 3 Minute Read
We're going to need your prayers now
Since the last time we wrote you, a lot has changed. In late May, the WHO Director-General determined that the Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. That’s a high level of concern. A few quick things to put that into perspective: The outbreak is critical in the Congo, and neighbouring nation to Uganda. The border between the Congo and Uganda has been closed. As of today, there are 15 confirmed cases in Uganda. The disease is currently very under control where we’re headed. The Ugandan government is suggesting business as usual for daily life. No school closures, no districts under lockdown. With all of that in mind, we’re still planning to take our trip. It won’t be without adjustments, however. The Canadian government (in coordination with the WHO) have instituted a mandatory 21-day isolation period upon return from Uganda. For that reason, we’ll be adjusting the length of our trip, heading home about three weeks earlier than planned to account for our isolation. Our airline KLM seems to have stopped sending planes from Amsterdam to Entebbe. It’s unclear how this will impact our travel route, but we have yet to be notified about any changes to our itinerary. We need your faith, wisdom, and prayers to navigate these new challenges well. We want to make good and mindful decisions while also following the wind of the Spirit. We’re trusting God with this.Support Our Trip Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. What's Next We'd love your specific prayer over these next few weeks. How to Pray For Us 🙏 The Ebola virus – Pray that the healthcare professionals in every country affected are well equipped to temper the spread of this virus, and that the infected will be recovered. 🙏 Our final vaccinations – The boys have one more shot left. Pray that their bodies know exactly what to do. 🙏 The rest of our supplies – we’re still collecting everything we need for ourselves to be in Africa for the summer, as well as the things we want to bring to donate to others. We’re so grateful for you. We wouldn’t have as much courage to follow the Spirit if we didn’t know that you were on the journey with us. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

May 20, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Less than a month to go
We’ve gone from counting down the time in months, to weeks, and now days. We’re heading out on June 16th, which is less than a month away. Here we go! A Couple Updates We’re in the final stages of packing now. Here are the things we’re still collecting to bring along: Post partum diapers Baby aspirin for pregnant women Belly bands We’re currently fundraising to raise money for birth kits that we’ll be hand delivering to the village. Each kit is worth $10 and gives a pregnant woman everything she needs to be accepted at the hospital for delivery. Any support helps make a measurable difference in someone’s life.Support Our Trip Our boys did so well with their Yellow Fever vaccines last week. We’re so grateful for the support that we’ve received from The North York Travel Clinic as we have prepared for this trip. We only have one more shot for the kids to get, second week of June. Stay Updated I’m planning to write one of these posts every other week or so while we’re away (depending on internet access). To stay up to date on our trip in real time, subscribe to these posts below to get them sent directly to your inbox whenever we write. What's Next We have to finish packing of course, prepare our home to be away for the summer, and set our work up for success as we take unpaid leaves. We'd love your specific prayer over these next few weeks. How to Pray For Us 🙏 Our final vaccinations – The boys have one more shot left. Pray that their bodies know exactly what to do. 🙏 The rest of our supplies – we’re still collecting everything we need for ourselves to be in Africa for the summer, as well as the things we want to bring to donate to others. We’re so grateful for you. We wouldn’t have as much courage to follow the Spirit if we didn’t know that you were on the journey with us. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor

May 5, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
The countdown is on
When we started counting down to our trip in weeks rather than months, it started to feel real. In less than six weeks, our family of four will be heading to Uganda for the entire summer. The genesis of this trip was a moment more than a year ago. God met Rebecca in the car, and then Rebecca called me. “I think we’re supposed to go back to Uganda”, she said. “I’m not so sure about that”, I replied. “Dear, I think God told me this.” “Oh,” I said, “then we’ll have to think about that.” We started following where the Wind was blowing, and sure enough, I can say confidently today that God is leading us where we’re headed. We want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for journeying alongside us, letting us borrow your faith and cash in your prayers, and of course, for all the practical ways you’ve helped us so far. Sure, the four Mills’s are making the trek, but we don’t go alone. You’re with us Here’s Where We’re At Making lists and packing, making more lists and packing some more. Our guest room has been overwhelmed by suitcases, voltage converters, and closed toe sandals. We’re putting everything together a little bit at a time. Our plan is to pack our personal suitcases as efficiently as possible so that we can have room to bring things that some folks have requested. Some things we’re planning to bring along: Post partum diapers Baby aspirin for pregnant women Belly bands Supplements Clothes We’re currently fundraising to raise money for birth kits that we’ll be hand delivering to the village. Each kit is worth $10 and gives a pregnant woman everything she needs to be accepted at the hospital for delivery. Any support helps make a measurable difference in someone’s life.Support Our Trip Our Trip Is Shaping Up Did you know that time is told differently in different parts of the world? Affectionately, there’s a way to tell time the African way, which simply means that things don’t always start on time or go according to plan. That being said, the schedule for our trip is shaping up. It’s not fixed, but here’s an idea of what we’ll be doing at any given time. We’ll be partnering with Pambazuka Ministries in Jinja to serve pregnant teens in their care. Rebecca will be teaching prenatal and postpartum care, breastfeeding and newborn care, and bringing menstrual education to schools. She’ll also be teaching nurses some midwifery skills. Alexander will be leading bible studies for the staff and women in the ministry, as well as discipling young pastors in the area. We’ll then go into the village to work with Redeemer Ministries to distribute the aforementioned birthing kits. The mortality rate of birthing women in Uganda is 1 in 47, and these life-saving kits can have a measurable impact on reversing that. What's Next We have to finish packing of course, prepare our home to be away for the summer, and set our work up for success as we take unpaid leaves. Our visas finally came through this week (thank God!), and we only have two vaccine appointments left. We'd love your specific prayer over these next few weeks. How to Pray For Us 🙏 Our yellow fever vaccinations – Rebecca and I are both vaccinated from our last trip, but the boys need their shots. This is big one, so pray for grace and gentle healing. 🙏 The rest of our supplies – we’re still collecting everything we need for ourselves to be in Africa for the summer, as well as the things we want to bring to donate to others. We’re so grateful for you. We wouldn’t have as much courage to follow the Spirit if we didn’t know that you were on the journey with us. Grace and peace. Alexander, Rebecca, Asher & Aiden To get in contact with us directly now or while we’re away, email alexander@lifeabundantniagara.com. We’ll be checking in regularly.

Alexander Mills

Pastor