Mercy Hands Uganda

My Grandmother used to say -”If you want to make God laugh – tell Him what your plans are”.  As I recalled that statement this morning, I had to chuckle to myself. We were walking to the truck from the US Embassy where, once again, the visa application was denied. This time, the counselor determined that because he doesn’t own land here by land title that he really intends to stay in the US once we get there. I wrote a letter stating that WE would be returning here after our visit but it wasn’t enough. God has His reasons. I just don’t understand how our government can allow a so-called pastor from this country (who doesn’t have a land title to his own house) to travel year after year to the US who is intentionally defrauding US citizens , but a US citizen can’t take her husband home for a 10 week visit. Can someone explain that to me because it doesn’t make sense at all.

Sarah, thanks for the message. It is so good to hear from you and I am so pleased that Joe was allowed to come and visit. Just sorry we missed him. Next time!

The girls are busy with school…trying to get finished so we can do some exploring before we head home. I have been invited to preach at a church in the far west at the end of the month…please pray for provisions, etc as this is very far – almost to the Congo border. God is so good and He continues to make a way for these things here. The truck needs some major repairs – we were hoping to hold off until after the US trip, but I may have to do them before I go. God will take care of the details!

Dennis has returned from the village and I am sad to report that the two younger siblings have already experienced some abuse by the “family”. The girl (12) was taken by an Aunt and in just the short week since her mother’s death, was already put in the position of cooking/cleaning for the Aunt’s family – basically as a house girl. The boy was taken from the home to an Uncle and has been physically abused and is suicidal. By our standards, this is unacceptable on so many levels…, but unfortunately this is Uganda. Yesterday, the Dutch family met with a woman here in Entebbe that is part of a Christian organization that places true “orphans” into schools. The girl, who has never been to school, will arrive here in Kampala today, be received by the Dutch family for the night, then taken to this school tomorrow. They will start her in P1 – Primary 1, which in the US is where we put Kindergarten/1st graders…but it’s ok – she will get an education and a roof over her head. The Dutch family is going to pay the 100,000 shillings for the first installment of her school fees (very reduced but not free) trusting that God will provide the money in the future. If anyone is interested in donating towards this, please let me know.  Please pray for her (we don’t know her name yet) and her brother – suicide is very common in Africa – especially when these young people become orphans, as they feel there is no hope.

Blessings

As I think about how today would have been my Mom’s 67th birthday, I am reminded of how blessed we are to be here in Uganda, living in obedience to God’s calling. Most people spend some time, a year or two or even more if necessary, securing their support before heading off to whatever part of the world God directs them to. I was fortunate in that the girls and I were able to travel to Uganda with the money that Mom left me – all the while striving to be the best steward of such a gift and to use it in a way most pleasing to the Lord. We have been truly blessed during our time here in Uganda and we have been able to bless many – I think surely these things are pleasing to the Lord and would  have been pleasing to our Mom as well. I was thinking this morning – do we celebrate birthdays in Heaven and if so, is it our birthday here on earth or do we get a new birthday – the day we die here on earth and enter Heaven for our eternity? Either way – Mom you are missed today as you are everyday.

In remembering Mom, I am reminded of how different African culture is to ours when it comes to death. It’s not easy.  Or friend Dennis’s mother died this past Thursday after her long battle with AIDS. In Uganda, there are no funeral homes, no mortuaries, no death certificates to be issued by a coroner…just death. Since Dennis is the oldest, he was responsible for providing for the funeral. He headed off about 3 am on Friday morning for the long bus to Masaka Town, and when he got there, before he went to his village and to see his mother’s body, he had to purchase the items needed for her burial – the backclothes, the sheets, the coffin and whatever else he could purchase with the little money we gave him. While he was preparing to purchase all of these things, he learned that his mother’s body had been removed from her home.

Here in Africa, the father’s family decides what happens to a body, if there is no written will. She did not have one. So the father’s family came and took her body - away from the two youngest children, ages 12 and 15 to go bury her somewhere else. They put her in a car, wrapped in just a sheet and headed off to another village for burial. They drove a bit and then the car stopped running. They couldn’t get it to go. They took her body out of the car, it started running again. They put her back in – it wouldn’t go. So they got a boda-boda. The boda-boda worked, then they put her on it and it wouldn’t start. In this culture, what they say is that her spirit didn’t want to go where that family was taking her, so she was refusing. It’s hard to argue the point, even though as Christians, we know that when she died, her soul went to heaven to begin her eternal life with Jesus, but this cultural stuff is what we are up against as we witness and speak the Word of God. The other part of the body stealing is that they want to control her land and house – which would kick the kids out and they would be true orphans. They will continue to raise themselves – yes, at 15 and 12 they are on their own. There is no welfare system here in Uganda, no DCF, no homeless shelter. Please pray for her children – Dennis is the oldest at 19, with a 17-year-old sister and the younger two. They need God’s protection and the three younger siblings need salvation.

It’s time for me to finish cooking for small group. So far, we have 2 new faces for small group tonight, which doesn’t start for 45 minutes! Praise God!

Martha, Cat and Pam – I’m ok and thanks so much for being concerned. I was just having one of those days. God is good, but sometimes I just let myself get discouraged. All is good now. I love you much.

Blessings.

My tears seem to be keeping pace with the raindrops falling outside. They took me to sleep and they woke me up early this morning. It is quiet in the house, as everyone is still safely snuggled in their beds. I have had a chance to have my alone time with God this morning without interruption and I am gaining strength from His unfailing love and by reading His Word…

Today will be a good day. Amina.

The girls are counting days until we land in Orlando – 64 as of today. I can hardly believe we’ve been here almost a year already. It’s been an amazing time so far. God has really shown me some things about myself that I never imagined could be possible. I’ve seen the girls grow in their relationship with Christ, lose some ground then gain it back again; we’ve seen the daily life and death struggles within another culture that you can’t learn from reading a book; and we’ve met some amazing people who will be a part of our lives forever.  We are so very thankful for the support we have received during our time here in Uganda – emotional, spiritual and financial. We could not be here without all of you and all of your support. We love you all and we can’t wait to see you soon.  We are re-applying for the Visa tomorrow – please pray with us that Ronnie will get it this time. We have many things to do for this ministry while in the US and as my husband and partner in life, he is an important part of what I am here to do.

The girls and I ventured into Kampala today – by ourselves! I don’t think Ronnie was so keen on the idea, but he had programs of his own and we needed to get out of the house and away from the sickness that has consumed me for the last couple of weeks. We went to Garden City – Uganda’s version of a shopping mall and did a little shopping for the first time in forever. Loren is very pleased to have a new pair of jeans – as Erin is taking her old ones!

Please pray for our friend Pieter (the Dutch family). He is experiencing some major health issues here lately and needs healing. He has many things to teach the African nations as a servant of God, so these health issues are preventing him from being able to do as the Lord sent him here to do. Remember that medical treatment here is inadequate at best and medications are given that we are not used to in our countries and when you google them, the side affects are horrible. Please pray  for a quick and complete healing for him – he is eager to resume his calling, his body is just weak. Praise Jesus that Dennis, the boda-boda, is doing amazing.  He is actually driving a bit each day, without passengers, to re-establish his strength and confidence in driving and he should be back at work  (part-time) in the coming weeks. His recovery is a miracle from God and people are opening their eyes as to how the Lord has worked in his life since his accident. Praise Jesus!

We are finally painting our home this week – the renovations and re-construction are complete and the electric meter should be installed tomorrow.  It’s taken long to get to this point, but it finally looks like a home – our home. Wow…our home. Sounds weird but exciting! Once the painting is done, all that will be left is the flooring and then the furniture. Praise God

Blessings!

Ministry work has no boundaries. Ministry work is exhausting. Ministry needs have no limits, and often those needs come before your own. Sometimes, ministry work frustrates me to the point that I ask what am I doing here. I’m learning that ministry work isn’t all about preaching, teaching and praying.  What I know is, that without a doubt, ministry work is the most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Ministry is about time – giving it selflessly to someone who needs it. Ministry does not have an expectation of getting something in return. What was supposed to be a quick 2 hour trip to a village, turned out to be an all day event on Saturday. For me personally, it was over 11 hours of driving our packed truck  as we headed out of Kampala towards some village about an hour past Masaka. After we realized that it was much farther than we had been told, the back seat became emotional and began to fill with tears.  I listened to the quiet conversation between the Dutch family when Dennis, our boda-boda friend realized he could not remember how to get to his village. Dennis is still recovering from the brain injury he sustained in the accident last month. During his recovery, Dennis has felt burdened to see his mother, who is in the final stages of her battle with AIDS/HIV but, because due to his recovery, he’s been unable to take the trip by taxi or bus. Without  a second thought, I offered to the truck for the journey. As Dennis began to quietly weep, the Dutch family was trying to calm him down. Stress is not good for his recovery. He was crying because he could not understand why Ronnie and I would be taking him to this village, so far away, without asking for a single coin for fuel. How could we love him so much to do that? Faith quietly spoke to him in Luganda (and in English so Pieter and I could understand) and told him about the love we all share in Jesus, love that he now has, and how we do because we can, not because we have to. He cried because he was afraid we would turn around and come back home because he got us lost and had us heading deep into the bush and probably towards the border of Tanzania! He cried over the wasted fuel. He cried when Ronnie explained to him that he was part of our family now and  that families do for each other without question. We stopped many times, turned around a few more and finally arrived at the very modest home of Dennis’s mother. Dennis was greeted warmly by a score of men standing outside the home. Because of his injuries in the accident, those in the village had been waiting for him to be brought home for burial, not for a reunion. We went inside and seated around the small, small room, was his mother, younger siblings and a few women from the village, and his Mother’s pastor. The only furniture in the room were the empty seats of the benches clearly saved for us, the visitors who brought their beloved Dennis home. They clapped for us, said weebale (thank you) for saving his life and bringing him home to see her. Unlike all the others, for this trip I took no photos. I felt led to leave the camera behind and just hold those private, precious memories to myself.

Dennis’s Mom, and I don’t even know her name, was seated on the floor in front of us. I have never seen an AIDS/HIV patient in person, only on tv. She is advanced in years now, but I expect that she was a beautiful woman in her younger years. The years she has spent battling this disease has taken a toll on her  body, her skin and her mind. Ugandan women are thin, but she was extremely thin. Her frail arms were mostly covered by her traditional dress but each time she moved them, you could see the sores and scars from the disease on every inch that became uncovered. Her legs were tucked under her and each time she tried to move them, you could tell she was in much pain. She did not get up or even attempt to do so, as her body is just too weak.

Dennis is angry. Dennis is scared. He can’t read, write or count change, so it’s overwhelming to consider that as the first-born son, despite the fact that he is only 19 years old, he will become responsible for his 12 and 15 year old siblings when she is gone. Children in the villages are left to raise themselves after they lose their parents as there is no child welfare system in this country. I don’t understand this myself and yet it is nothing out of the ordinary for people here. I have no idea how to help, but I feel compelled to help find the solution. Please pray for Dennis and his recovery and for the salvation of his mother and siblings.

Please pray about Ronnie’s visa to travel home with the girls and me in July. Unfortunately, his application was denied this morning, but we can re-apply and try again. Time is running short…prayers are much needed.

 I often find myself these days asking the Lord to release me from the spirit of something – today, more than once, it has been the spirit of frustration. After a very restless night due to my new medications, I woke up to the cries of a very stubborn baby outside our bedroom window and the mother loudly saying nedda, which means no. I didn’t get up to see what was happening, I truly didn’t care. I just wanted her to stop. I laid on the bed for a few minutes more and felt the peace that only comes from Jesus when you let it go.  Nana used to say “let go, let God”, but I never paid any attention like I do now.

We are preparing for our return home to the US…..the travel agents are busy shopping for us the best air fare available and we have applied for Ronnie’s visa. Please remember us in prayer as our appointment is this Tuesday, the 24th. We are working hard to complete the finishings of our small room at the family home, which will be our home when we return from the US later this year and today we applied for our own power meter. I could feel the spirit of frustration filling me up again as we sat and waited for hours at the Umeme offices. It’s not easy!

I still recall how the Lord answered me so clearly last year when I prayed for Him to remove any obstacles that could prevent me from preparing for our trip to Uganda…and 24 hours later I was fired from my job – the first time in my life to be fired from anything. God knew how much work is involved in preparing for the mission field and He provided me with such a peace that our last months in the US were easy and free from stress. I prayed that prayer again today – but this time for our trip home, that God would remove any obstacles regarding our trip and that He would guide and direct us to visit the right churches and meet with the right people while in the US. Looking for support is not going to be easy, especially with our current economy - but anything is possible for those who believe in Him! I believe my place is here in Uganda and until the Lord tells me to go elsewhere, this is where I will be and I know He will provide.

JJajja Mary was here today to do the laundry. How happy I was to come home from Umeme to find it all done, hanging on the line to dry and to see the girls happily doing their classwork. Loren has spent the last couple of days doing science labs – with Erin’s help. It’s great to see them helping each other instead of arguing. It’s becoming more frequent, and oh what joy that brings to my heart. I know it is pleasing to the Lord as well. They were up until about 4 am this morning, skyping with the youth group back home. So many new faces – how exciting! They  had a great time, as always. The Lord has truly blessed our home church as they continue to walk in obedience and teach His Word!

Oh….kudos to the Chelsea Football Club for beating Barcelona last night.  It was a great match to watch.

Many blessings…

We spent an incredible Easter Sunday after church with Ronnie’s family at the family home. 6 of the 7 siblings were there and it was an amazing time of fellowship and laughter with the new family and friends. We were certainly welcomed warmly and we appreciate their love and acceptance so very much.

Monday evening we enjoyed some serious conversations during our small group about speaking in tongues and healing. There are 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit. I was always taught that once we receive salvation, we will receive our spiritual gift(s), but that not everyone will receive the same gifts. If we all received the same gifts, what would make us unique? Makes sense to me…at least it always did. Now, I am being taught that while there are the 9 gifts, the gift of speaking in tongues is given to everyone, as well as being able to cast out demons and heal the sick. I have always seen the Benny Hinn’s of this world on tv, but I always looked at them as theatrical, not religious. So, me being me, I questioned why I can’t speak in tongues. I have been saved for a long time. So Pastors Paul and Pieter were quick to show me the verse where we, as believers, are given this authority, these gifts.  In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says “And these signs will follow those who believe. In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” I am so thankful that I can ask questions, be provided scripture to help understand the response.

I was asked to join the Dutch family when we come home in August for two weeks of preaching in Nairobi and Tanzania. How incredibly awesome this will be. Pastor Jeffrey, a pastor friend from Kenya, runs what he calls “Family Clinic” whereby he teaches married couples how to have happy and successful married lives in Christ. I will be teaching in these clinics, as he loved it when  I mentioned one day that the phrase “Head of the Household” doesn’t mean “boss” and it isn’t a title – it’s a responsibility. Lord willing, the funding will come to pay the border fees for the visa and the insurance for the truck into both countries and for fuel and food. Praise God, the housing has already been provided in both countries. What an amazing time this will truly be, so please pray with me that the funding will be available for me to take this journey.

I have started the process of booking flights to come home in July – the girls are counting days – Erin says it’s only 82 days until we land. Wow. That is amazing. I can’t believe we’ve been here this long already and that their time is almost over. Mine, of course, has just begun as Ronnie and I will return here after Loren’s birthday. There is so much to do here and God has already begun to lay the groundwork for so many amazing things. I am looking for doctors to see while we are in the US to help with funding and committing their time to come work in the hospital we will build. If you are one or know any that may have an interest in participating in building up Uganda with an International Hospital, please please let me know.

Please also pray for our pastor friend and his family in Kissi. Pastor Joshua and his family are in much need of prayer and healing as they weather a storm. We love them and our heart is with them all at this time.

God’s continued blessings for you all.

It began to rain in the middle of the night and the air is cool this morning. Power has been off more than on for the past few days so it was refreshing to wake up this morning to power. The passion fruit juice in the frig will be cold this morning, which is always good. When you go to bed at night, you never know what to expect when you wake up. I’ve learned not to be disappointed…makes life so much easier.

We had 2 new faces at our small group on Monday. Dennis, the boda-boda driver that works for the Dutch family is out of the hospital and he and his caretaker came and joined our group. Praise Jesus for the miracles that He has shown so many since Dennis’s accident. The Dutch family has been an amazing example of Christ’s love and their actions have affected  many. Africans in general don’t help their own, so having this Dutch/Ugandan family reach out and help this young man is something not common. The nurses at the hospital actually came to meet the people who helped this young man…they couldn’t believe there was someone who didn’t give up on this young man.   It is obvious that God has a purpose for Dennis to be here on this earth or else he, like so many others, would have died on that pavement or in the hours and days that followed his accident. Having a head trauma and not receiving any treatment for the first week is unacceptable, but this is Uganda. We are so thankful that their personal doctor, Dr. Morris, diagnosed and administered the correct treatment for Dennis as soon as the Dutch family was able to get him to his facility.

Small group lessons have become a little more in-depth lately, which is good. It is more of a teaching, which I like. This week’s lesson was about the Holy Spirit and the purpose of the Holy Spirit. One thing which is really good is the fact that people can ask questions as the lesson goes – which helps in understanding. We have homework – to read John 15 and 16, plus Acts 2. I still am cautious about what I am learning, as it is different from things I have been taught all of my life, but at least I know that it is Bible based and not cultural. One thing that I am having a hard time coming to grips with though is being told that although I received salvation and my name is written in the Book of Life, that it can be removed. That is contrary to what I have been taught so I am looking for some help here with this.

The President of Uganda has deployed his armed forces all over Kampala and Entebbe in an effort to control a perceived threat by the Opposition to his regime. Ugandan’s are quite used to this, but as a foreigner living in this country, it is a bit unsettling to pull out of the compound and find a truck full of police, which are really just army guys in police uniforms, sitting outside the wall. It’s even more unsettling to drive down the road to the market and have the tear gas trucks parked on the side of the road and the army guys with the red hats – the most dangerous – walking down the road in patrol. I am not sure what they are patrolling, but they are ever visible and they all carry AK-47′s. These boys are on the street all day, without food or drink. I was shocked to see them on the street last night when I went with Ronnie to watch soccer. These guys were going to spend the night on the street. What and who are they protecting? I don’t know if I will ever become accustomed to this, but I guess I don’t have a choice.

Loren has made breakfast this morning…potatos and eggs. Wow. Thank you Loren! It looks yummy! Weebale nyo!

Katonda adukuume. May God keep you!

Last Sunday, we went to the Rwandan church in Konge (Gaba) again, as I was asked to preach this time with Pastor Paul. To be invited back after 2 weeks to preach was a great honor. During our last visit, there was a doctor there who spoke about God’s provision – promising to provide for us as he sends us to a foreign land. I felt of all the words spoken that day, that those words were meant for me. I don’t worry about provision, but I don’t take it for granted either. The girls and I have an amazing church family that committed to us for a year, and while that year is almost over, my calling to Uganda and time here has not ended, but has rather been extended with the fact that God brought me a life partner that is Ugandan. So, Pastor Patric told us on our last visit that his landlord was trying to evict him from the space they use for the church, which previously was a bar. We prayed as a group and agreed that God’s will would be done for their meeting space. This past Sunday we learned that another group of pastors have paid double the rent so they could take over the space and Pastor Patric has to be out of the space by this Friday.

After I learned that I was preaching, I began praying that the Lord would show me what He wanted me to say – I don’t ever want the words that come from my mouth to be from me, but rather from the Lord. So many things were running thru my mind, even to the point of when we walked into this church. During praise and worship time, Pastor Patric gave a short testimony about how he was born in Congo but grew up in Rwanda and how he accepted his calling and left his job and home and moved his family to Uganda. He was questioning whether he should just take his family and go back to Rwanda. Then the Holy Spirit gave me the verse that I was supposed to share with Pastor Patric – John 15:16…^“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”. Then I said to Pastor Patric – it doesn’t matter if you have a roof to preach under or if you have to have church under a tree – just do it as the Lord instructed you to do so and He will take care of everything else.

It’s not an easy choice for most to give up their lives, the luxuries and comforts of their homeland to be obedient and follow the calling from our Lord. Many choose not to go for whatever their reason may be, but those of us that choose to go, we know it’s not going to be easy. God didn’t promise us easy – He just said go. I am learning that while I thought I was coming here with a specific skill set as a developer, that God is using me in ways I never expected or dreamed. After my time on Sunday, I was asked to come and preach at their sister churches in both Nairobi and in Rwanda. That is a God thing…not a me thing for sure. Oh what God can do through you as long as you are willing to yield and let Him. The opportunities are endless…what a journey of learning this has been so far!

The landlord had the attic area sprayed Sunday afternoon and since then the bats (thank God not rats) have been falling out of the house ever since. They are not over yet – some are very strong and have survived, but at least 15 have hit the ground that we’ve seen the bodies for. How gross! One fell in the hallway today – not dead but barely living – so I swept it outside with it’s buddies and Jaja Mary beat it with the broom and swept it off into the yard with the rest. YUK!!

We spent 2 days doing hospital ministry this week as Dennis, the boda-boda driver for the Dutch family was in an accident last week and left on the roadside by the car that hit him, claiming it was his fault. Since Dennis was unconscious on the road, the driver was free to go. How does this happen? So Dennis has brain trauma. He was taken to the local hospital in Entebbe…but after 6 days, he had not had a CT Scan yet, so we took him to Kampala for the CT Scan, found out that after 6 days he still had bleeding in the brain and that they wanted to send him to Millago, a hospital in Kampala where people are sent to basically die (that is where the mortuary is). Pieter and Faith have been praying for Dennis’s salvation since they met him – he is 19 years old, can’t read or write or even make change. He is a very very nice young man, who proclaimed after meeting Erin the first time that he wanted to marry her. Haha..step in line with the rest! So, we finally got him to a facility that looked at his CT Scan and didn’t believe he needed surgery, but rest and medication to stop the bleeding. That doctor, a wonderful Christian man, ordered the medication with his own personal money until Pieter and Faith could come up with it. This young man’s family would not help with a single coin for his treatment – but Pieter wrote on his ministies website about the accident and spoke with his mother in Holland and people have been donating money all week to help this young man. Praise God – and guess what…Dennis accepted Christ as his Savior on Tuesday afternoon. He knows that God has a purpose in his life, otherwise he would have died on that pavement. Today as I write this, Dennis is improving slowly by slowly and he will be able to go home on Monday! God is so good.

Malaria has hit the house again … Ronnie first, now me. Today is his last day treatment, the first day of mine. We are praying that the girls continue to remain malaria free until they return home.

Thanks for all that have made comments to the blog…so many now that we don’t even know, but we appreciate your taking the time to experience our journey in Uganda.

Blessings!

 Thank you Lord for allowing us to wake up this morning to power…which is always a good thing to have as we start our day. Unfortunately, today’s power brought the sad news that sometime yesterday Heaven received another beautiful angel – our Gram. She declared that she did not want to be kept alive via artificial means, and so after disconnecting her from her breathing aid, she was soon thereafter taken Home to be with our Lord. Praise God that her suffering was not prolonged. While this news is so very sad for those of us here on earth, I am smiling because I know that Granddad was there to help receive her as she entered the gates of Heaven. They are finally reunited after almost 6 years and they can resume their praise and worship of our Savior together as they did here on earth.

Craig and I were so incredibly blessed as kids – being allowed to travel each and every summer to stay with each set of grandparents for 2 weeks. During our two weeks with her, Gram spoiled us with the most incredible southern cooking – each of us receiving our own personalized breakfast choice each and every day. I loved pancakes and eggs…Craig usually wanted his Cream chipped Beef on toast. She didn’t care if it took her an hour each morning to prepare for us – she was just so happy we were there. Each evening brought about a new dessert – the cakes and pies. Oh the pies. Who cares if we had to watch old episodes of Murder She Wrote…we got to eat her pie! I will forever hold fond memories of her pantsuits, matching accessories, including shoes and handbags. She was “dressed” each morning, even if it was to stay home and do her housework. She was a true Southern Lady and an incredible example to me of how a wife and mother are supposed to be. I am comforted knowing that Gram left this earth knowing how much I love her and I will forever be blessed knowing how much she loved me.

If you have seen on the news about the “strikes” here in Uganda, there are several going on at the same time. One in Kampala – a strike which resulted in the death of a police officer a few days ago and the second at Nkumba University where the students are striking against the government for many things relating to their classroom buildings, food, etc. In Uganda, ”strikes” are equivalent to what we call riots in the US. There is looting, destruction of property, demonstrations, tear gas, beatings and so on. While it is scary to listen to what is happening in Kampala, what is happening at Nkumba is much more real to us because we live less than a mile from campus. Police patrols with tear gas are camped out on the main road outside the wall of our compound. The police presence is visible on every section of the road. In addition to all of this, the government, in their effort to teach the students a lesson, has been keeping the power turned off more than it is on in this area. The unfortunate consequence is that the entire area is affected, not just the students involved.

On a positive note, the church that we visited a few weeks ago with the Dutch family in Gaba has invited us back this Sunday and they have asked me to preach…but for me, I consider it speaking. We are excited – the presence of the Lord is truly great in this small church and we are so very happy to travel back to worship with them. Who knows, maybe the girls will join Ronnie this time and dance with their praise team again…that would be awesome!

Blessings to you all.