Dedication Sunday, June 27th

Our devotional by Garrett Lang this morning was based on prayer and it was a fitting chapter to study on the day we would have the first worship service at the new church in Kanyumu.

It was truly unbelievable--the sight of all the people as we approached the church.  As we arrived, the church was already filled with the new congregation.  We joined them in their opening ceremonies of prayer and song before breaking up into men’s, women’s, and children’s Sunday school.  There were at least 90 - 100 men in the class that Steve led under a tent by the church.  He taught on prayer using I Thessalonians 5:16-18    "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  He taught on the importance of prayer in the new believer and challenged the men to find their gift that will help build the community of faith and help assist Pastor Stephen in ministering to the needs of the congregation as it grows.  Karen Williams led over 100 women in the women's class.  She taught the women how to be faithful to the church--emphasizing that we are "called ones" gathering for fellowship, service, instruction and worship.   Children's Sunday school was led by Melissa Rendall where she told Bible stories and taught them the hand prayer.  They were delightful as they sang, danced and praised the Lord.

After Sunday school, the people gathered back in the church to a packed house, overflowing to the aisles where they had placed mats on the floor for the children to sit.  It was so full that by the time we made our way back to the church, there was standing room only at the back - and then that filled up, too.  So we enjoyed the wonderful service from outside until the Muzungu Choir (that’s us) was called to the stage.  We sang a rousing rendition of a Ugandan song that we had been practicing all week followed by "I've Got the Joy Down in My Heart" accompanied by Karen Lang on the guitar.  We actually sounded pretty good as the congregation joined in with clapping and singing.

Walter preached on Philippians 1:9-11 which encouraged the congregation to grow into a tree which would produce fruit.    We enjoyed the beautiful sound of Ugandan prayers, lifting up the Lord with passion and joy.  Pastor Morris gave a passionate and powerful sermon on the importance of being a community of faith.  He charged Pastor Stephen with having Bible-centered authority over the church and the importance of leading a faithful congregation.  His wife Beatrice was sitting faithfully beside him as he was commissioned.    When it was all said and done, we worshiped and sang with our new friends for about 4 hours.  IT WAS GREAT!

We enjoyed one more delicious meal by our cooks – Christopher and James and made our way back to Mbale.  It was bitter sweet leaving our new brothers and sisters in Christ but it was so rewarding to leave such a vibrant and happy congregation.

We arrived back at Mt. Elgon and began preparing for the Pastor’s Dinner.  This is one of our favorites events of the week because it is the time we share Holy Communion with our Ugandan family.  It is like getting a ‘peek’ of heaven – all of us gathered around the table sharing the Lord’s Supper and praising God.  We then share a meal, share some laughter and share a few tears during the evening.    What a blessing they have been to us this week – walking hand in hand with us translating and spreading the gospel to the countryside.  We could not do this without them.  Please keep them in your prayers.
It has been a wonderful week.  We have had the opportunity to live out our mission statement, “Loving and leading all people to deeper life in Jesus Christ” on the red dirt roads of Uganda and look forward to continuing to live it out at home.

Saturday, June 26^th

Today we were able to sleep in and didn’t have our devotional time until 10:00.  Jeff Darr gave the devotional on the second half of the chapter on Joy.  We loaded up in the vans and headed off to the Lulwanda Children’s Home, which is the orphanage that First Presbyterian has been supporting for several years. We visit here each time we are in Uganda.   It was great fun for us, as well as the children.  We have watched some of these children grow the past 6 years and it is so heartwarming to see the loving and nurturing environment where they live.  Each year we are astounded by how well adjusted and happy these children are.  Except for the fact that they are orphans, they are so much better off than the children we see in the villages.  They have warm, safe beds to sleep in, healthy meals, and loving Christian role models to take care of them.

We also had the opportunity to meet the children involved in the “I Choose You” Ministry program at the Mbale Presbyterian Church.   The  “I Choose You” ministry works with the children of the Karamojong.  The Karamojong are an ethnic group that have escaped Sudan and Ethiopia and now live in the slums on the outskirts of Mbale.  The “I Choose You” Ministry is designed to provide for the Karamojong children with relief from overwhelming social, economic and spiritual poverty.  It was founded by Cypress Creek Church in Wimberley, Texas and is administered by Morris and Aidah’s church.  We had the opportunity to help distribute the monthly allocations of flour, sugar, and soap to the children and their mothers and we were able to hand out packets that contained toys and essential items to each child.

When we got back to the hotel another group from Tomball Bible Church outside of Houston was arriving.  The Tomball church is a generous supporter of the home and informed us of 2 new buildings that they had raised the money to build.  We enjoyed a meal together with their team tonight, hearing about their plans for the week and prayed together for the endeavors of each team.

Several times during the sharing time each evening, and also in the devotional times in the morning, people on the team have mentioned how encouraging it is to know that we are being supported with prayer by the home team.  We cannot express how grateful we are for this opportunity, and for your continued love and support.   Thank you!

Friday, June 25th

Joy was the topic of our devotional this beautiful Ugandan morning led by Robert Winkler.  Henri Nouwen says that “ . . . great sorrow and great joy are often seen to be parts of the same experience.  Often we discover the joy in the midst of the sorrow.” 

That was amazingly applicable as today was a day of extreme highs and extreme lows for the team.  The suffering and pain of the people that come to the medical clinic is heartbreaking, but the joy we feel for all the people who have come to know the love of Christ is overwhelming.  We want to share with you all the stories of the day but this day has been very long and emotionally draining.  Highlights of this, our last day on the trail, will be sent out tomorrow, after we have had a good night’s rest.  We have included some pictures of the day to help you share in our experience.

Thursday, June 23^rd

It is hard to believe the team left Midland one week ago.  So many wonderful moments have been experienced over the last week and they have been blessed over and over again by the people they have encountered along the way.  Karen Winkler led the devotional time this morning.  We studied the second half of chapter 8 entitled “Compassion” and it was a fitting topic for the day.  With the beginning of the medical clinic today, the team would be surrounded by people of Kanyumu, some of whom would need special care.  A quote from Henri Nouwen’s book, “Here and Now” helped up face the day.  ”Compassion means to become close to the one who suffers.  But we can come close to another person only when we are wiling to become vulnerable . . . We can be with the other only when the other ceases to be “other” and becomes like us.”

The medical mission started out this morning seemingly in mass confusion but we quickly realized that the Ugandans had a method to their madness.  We had hundreds going through the makeshift clinic to receive medical attention.  The inside of the church was transformed into 4 doctor stations, one wound care station, an inoculation station (for aids testing and malaria testing), the pharmacy and a mosquito net station.  So add in a few hundred people and it gets awfully warm in those close quarters.  The doctors and nurses that we worked with were wonderful and very compassionate.   We think we have a few ways to streamline the congestion tomorrow.  The day was full of blessings but one of the more gratifying things was to get to give away over 800 mosquito nets.  Our church raised the funds for 3000 nets to be distributed while we are here!!  Thank you all so much—it’s one of the things that make so much difference over here.  They really do save lives. 

Throughout the week, the team has encountered elderly or sick people who would have difficulty traveling to the church. We were grateful to learn that Dr. Patrick Mutano had an extra wheelchair left from a large wheelchair distribution through Free Wheelchair Missions. We drove to the church in Kanyumu with the wheelchair strapped to the top of one of the vans, wondering who would need it most. At one point Cynthia and Kathy were called from the Medical Clinic to meet a woman with abnormalities in her legs - she could not move from the ground without being lifted. There was no doubt that God intended the wheelchair for her! Overwhelmed and grateful, her three sons lifted her into the wheelchair that would allow her to be mobile and independent for the first time. Praise God for his perfect plans!

While at the crusade this afternoon, a young girl approached Hannah and said her name was Miriam. She was 17 years old. But the first thing Miriam said to Hannah was, “Will you be my friend?” Hannah replied with, “of course I will be your friend!” From that moment on, Miriam never left Hannah’s side. The two began to talk and Hannah soon discovered that Miriam was the daughter of a polygamist. Her mother was the first wife of her father, but her father had left her and her family for another wife. Miriam told Hannah about how difficult it was to grow up without a father and knowing the reason he had left their family. Yet she also explained that the reason she had accepted Christ is because through him she knew she could have a heavenly Father, even if she couldn’t have an earthly father. Miriam’s faith in Christ was inspiring. Hannah was blessed abundantly by their new friendship.

Karen and Garrett Lang and Walter visited three schools today.  Two of the schools were primary schools and the third was a secondary school.  The children were very attentive and many trusted Christ for the first time.  The rain came right as the service started at the secondary school, so the event was moved inside.  Despite cramming almost 500 people into a room at the school, the students were very excited to have music and preaching at their school.  Everyone was very appreciative of the team’s visit.

Today Allison Ellis, Jim Alsup and Robert Rendall traveled to the prisons.  As Robert put it, Allison will most likely win the award for “The Most Interesting Summer Vacation.” After a morning spent reading and writing in her journal, Jim, Robert and Allison loaded up the van and headed South of Mbale. When they arrived at the prisons, Allison realized that she had drunk one too many cups of coffee that morning, and the only facilities available were those at the prison. That, she said, was an experience in itself.  Speaking to the prisoners was surprisingly unintimidating. There were 10 to 15 men sitting in front of them and they were all very attentive, responsive, and respectful. They appeared to be thankful for their presence, and gracious for the encouraging Word of God that they brought before them. Jim and Robert both came prepared with amazing words of faith, and it was rewarding and affirming to see the Lord work through them. Allison felt so blessed to have been able to live out this opportunity. It was both refreshing and empowering to be able to speak to the men that we spoke to today. This experience was one more instance that confirms my faith in Christ and His power to forgive all of mankind.

At the crusade, Ben Spinks, Jeff and Elizabeth Darr shared their testimonies and Steve Schorr preached a powerful sermon to our largest crowd yet.  Many people came forward to accept Christ, including one young man who had caused problems on the trail for Karen Williams the day before.  It was encouraging to see how God pursued this young man long after the seed was planted by Karen.  God’s timing is always perfect.   It was a very good day.  Praise the Lord!

Please keep the team in your prayers as we finish our week on the trail, going to schools and prisons.  Pray that we are able to help as many people as possible at the medical clinic and let the clinic be a blessing to the people of the area.  We have a few people on the team who are not feeling quite “up to par”.  Please pray for health and renewal.

Blessings to everyone,

The Ugandan Team