Valley Word Ministries has a global vision.

Inside the church, 33 large flags hang, including one from Uganda, where the church is preparing to go for a medical humanitarian trip in February.

On the church's left wall, a large world map is painted above the words, "Ask of Me and I will give you the Nations as your inheritance." Photos of the Power Team, a group of evangelizing athletes, adorn a wall at the church's entrance. Images of muscle men setting logs the size of telephone poles on fire and crushing huge blocks of ice hang near photos of the church's 2000 mission trip to India.

Valley Word has ambitious plans for its Uganda trip. It costs $500,000 and will be the church's most extensive mission yet.

Eleven Valley Word members will travel to Uganda from Feb. 14 to 24. They will be based on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda's capital, and will provide construction, medical and missionary services. Two missionaries from Tucson, Ariz., will also participate.

"Africa seems to be our heart right now," said the Rev. Eddie Crabtree, the church's pastor, while seated in his office adorned with wooden eagles. Large formal photos with his wife and co-pastor, Debbie, stand on his desk. "We're anticipating a long-term relationship," he added.

Members of Valley Word Ministries became interested in Uganda after meeting Solomon Mwesige, a Ugandan pastor who founded Good News Ministries. Mwesige has worked with more than 30 churches and has been part of crusades and revivals in Uganda, other African countries and the United States.

In addition to ministerial work, Mwesige also started Life Link Hospital, which provides free health care and ranks 13th out of the country's more than 200 health centers. He also founded King Solomon's Academy, an elementary school with 450 students.

During their February trip, Valley Word members will collaborate with Mwesige and his projects.

Five men will work to construct a chicken-fishpond. The project will have a fresh water source on one side with an adjacent chicken coop with 300 chickens. Waste from the coop will lead into a 25,000-gallon pond with tilapia fish. Runoff from the pond will in turn fertilize vegetables and citrus groves.

According to Crabtree, the project will "change the economic culture" by supplying more nutritious food and generating profit from the sale of products.

Five other people will train health workers and provide medical equipment for Life Link Hospital. Debbie Robinson and Sandi Bird will act as co-health directors for the trip. Robinson works as a respiratory therapist at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, and Bird works in tissue recovery at LifeNet.

The two women have already raised $250,000 in medical supplies and equipment. Carilion alone has given $150,000 in equipment, including 12 heart monitors that cost $5,000 each. They are still seeking donations from individuals for small items such as Tylenol, Advil, sinus medications and antibiotic and anti-itch creams.

Meanwhile, Crabtree will focus on training Ugandan pastors. Talking about Mwesige's ministry, Crabtree said, "They're really changing the minds of the people."

In June and September, Mwesige stayed with Chris and Debbie Robinson when he visited the valley.

Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, Chris Robinson described Mwesige by saying, "He's a small guy, but in spiritual levels, he's a giant."

Robinson described Mwesige as a humble, quiet, committed man who "was really excited to get saved." He said Mwesige was influenced by T.L. Osborne's crusades in Africa and described Osborne as a figure similar to Billy Graham, "just in Africa."

Debbie Robinson described preparations for the trip. Talking about the costs and delayed departures, she said, "We've really had to walk by faith."

Meanwhile, Bird talked about the reason she wanted to go to Uganda by remembering a sermon by Crabtree. He described how when you look at your tombstone, you want to feel that the dash between your birth and death had meaning.

The Robinsons, Bird and Crabtree are all excited for what awaits them in Uganda.

Chris Robinson imagines the rush of missionary work by saying, "When you come back from something like that, you're fired up to go on the next one. ... We're just in the infant stages of this."