The Great Physician; July 23

Saw the healing hand of the great physician today in Kifumbira. Bena Nandi is an elderly widow who Mitchell, Jamie, and Nathan visited exactly two weeks ago. She had suffered a stroke in January and the left side of her body had been paralyzed. This left her immobilized - unable to walk, unable to lift her arm - her daughter even had to carry her to the Latrine. Seven months. They had prayed for healing at that time, while encouraging her that her final hope of rest and joy was found with Jesus Christ in heaven.
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Today when we approached her house, we witnessed an amazing thing. There was Bena, standing in the doorway! She walked out to meet us with her hands held up in an exclamation of praise. Not only that, but she even danced! How do you even begin to process something like that?! We praised the Lord with Bena, and we all walked away reminded that God hears prayer.

Providence and Preaching; July 22

Sometimes you get asked to preach when you don't really expect it. That was the case last night, when I was asked to have a sermon ready to go for the following evening. Since I've used up every sermon in my very short repetoire, it was somewhat of a time crunch. However, the Lord is so faithful! Check this out: the power was out (as is often the case),
and daylight was fading fast. I had barely begun thinking about the
Scripture passage (Phill 2:17-18), and I was really wondering how I
would be able to get it done, because it's so hard working by
candlelight. The light was getting to the point that I could not see
at all, and so I said, "Lord, it would be helpful and it would seem
like a good thing if you could just turn the power back on so I could
work on this more." Just then I heard Darlene saying from the main
house that dinner was ready. I had been thinking that it would be a
good night to fast because, due to tensions on the team, I felt that
the word which I was preaching could be really helpful (of course the
preaching of the word always is, but it seemed particularly important
last night). So all of the sudden it struck me that I needed to lay
things before the Lord. I said, "Lord if you turn the power on before
I go down and eat, then I will fast and work on this sermon here in
the room." I stood up, and tried flipping the light switch. Nothing.
So, thinking that was that I walked down to the main house. They
were just sitting down to pray when I arrived, and as I folded my
hands (with the platter of steak sitting right in front of me), one of
the guys in the kitchen said, "The power is on."
I mean, come on!! That's crazy. I knew that the Lord was directing
me to go back to work! It would have been disobedience not to. That
power must have come on within one minute of me praying. So I excused
myself, and went to work on it, and the Lord really blessed my time of
preparation. It became clear that the Lord wanted me to talk about
the demands of love and how we are to rejoice when we are being
"poured out." It is amazing how much easier it is to write a sermon
when you know you are being directed and enabled by God! I also had
an incredible conversation with Tyler (into the wee hours of the
night), and even though I was tired today, it was such a worshipful
day! Not to mention we were worshipping (in the morning) at the
church in Entebbe where we have been evangelising all week. There
were five people there who we had witnessed to! It was so neat to see
the church recieve them, and welcome them, and love them! I'm telling
you, the church here in Uganda has got some stuff right!! Of course,
it is God's phenomenal grace. At least 2 of those five were formerly
muslim, which is just encouraging. I couldn't help but tear up as we
sang (maybe it was from being tired too...), but some days, the
presence and providence of God just hits home hard.

Entebbe; July 20

The final day of evangelism work in Entebbe. I have so enjoyed working with Milton and Charles. What loving faithful men! As I walked down Entebbe Road behind Milton, I prayed for him, that the Lord would gaurd him and protect him, because there is such a strong sense of being a lamb among wolves here. I suppose we all are as Christians, but it is far more evident here. I am certainly thankful to the Lord for him.
Last night Milton worked through the night at the airport (the job he keeps to support his family). I think he only slept about 2 hours before getting back to church related work. Milton challenges me to be a man of prayer; to be a spiritual man. He also challenges me to be radically God-centered. He does this simply by the way he speaks. He is so simple in that everything he speaks about is pointed towards the Gospel and the glory of God.
Today we saw the Lord at work. Tyler spoke with a woman who had dreamed last night that someone would be coming to preach to her today: and Tyler was the one! She recieved the gospel readily! As he was sharing with this woman (Grace was her name), I was sharing with her neighbor Gloria. Gloria had no religious background at all. She kept asking to here more and more, so we spoke about Ephesians 2, John 1, and a few other verses. I hope that both Gloria and Grace will come to the church. Oh Lord draw them! (note: Grace was in church the Sunday after I wrote this entry!)
Mitchell and Lisa also were priviledged to be part of a work of the Lord. They visited the home of a woman in the church, and in God's providence, this woman's prodigal daughter had returned yesterday with an infant child after not being in touch for 7 years. Mitchell said that they knew even as they walked up that the Lord was calling this lost daughter to himself. Yesterday she returned to her mother - today she returned to her Father!
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God has been gracious to allow us to take part in the harvest - to see eyes openned and lost lambs gathered in. The field truly is white for harvest, and those who are his chosen ones respond to the call of the Shepherd. "How he watches o'er his loved ones - died to call them all his own!"

A week of working with Entebbe Presbyterian;7/16-7/21

Spent one week working with a Presbyterian church in Entebbe, which is a little south of Kampala. Each morning we would drive 40 minutes from the Eby's house (where we live) down to the shores of lake Victoria, where the town sits. We met up with Pastor Milton and deacon Charles (see photo) every morning, and visited homes in the community all around the church, sharing the gospel when people were open to listen. What stood out to me throughout our time was the sincere love that Pastor Milton had for his congregation and the people of the community. Here's a journal entry from the week:

July 19
Again, a sweet day of proclaiming the gospel in Entebbe. It is always a struggle of the will to go out and exert the energy of preaching to total strangers who are also foreigners - and yet, what a joy to begin to connect with people - to see the dawning of understanding - comprehension of sin and the need for a savior. Even the simple connections of common man - humans of different nationalities understanding each others' expressions, feelings, and experiences. Felt this particularly among a group of men today after preaching the gospel intently for some time. We connected on a very human level, exchanging smiles and handshakes, while they laughed at my attempts at Lugandan. "Oli Otya...Balungi...jaybole sebo....chagomba cha Katonda..."
That time of preaching with the men in the hut was very providential. There initially were only 4 men in the hut. By the end it was 8 or 10. I began by speaking about the law of God as revealed in the 10 commandments. The Lord had placed a self righteous man among the group who was convinced he was good enough for God because he had kept God's law. Even when I said, "you mean to tell me you have never lusted, been angry or self centered, hated another person, and have always loved the Lord you God with every ounce of your strength?" - he would not concede. Although the the man was stubborn, the reality of sin and the need for the righteousness of Jesus Christ alone was made the more clear I believe, thanks to the orchestration from the Lord.
Two other things were providential. At a certain moment in the conversation, the stubborn man pulled a nail out of a bag he will fiddling with. It was a large steel nail, maybe 5 or 6 inches long. He then set it down on the table, not too far from me. I took this as a cue from the Holy Spirit that now was the moment for me to proclaim the cross of Christ, using the nail to demonstrate how a man's hands were pinned to a Roman cross. I think the Lord used this to give understanding. Another act of providence was when a drunk stumbled into the hut, making a disturbance. This was right at the moment of the explanation of receiving the gift of God by faith. It has been interesting over my time here to see how distractions come time and time again at this very moment in the explanation of the gospel. In fact, it is something I have come to expect. So in light of this, I used the opportunity to explain how Satan does everything he can to silence or confuse the understanding of the most important message - the gospel. In a culture steeped in witchcraft, this is not written off as it might be in the West. I then proceeded to explain how grace is received - by faith - like holding out our hands to receive a free gift.
What was so encouraging about this time was the Spirit's provision in enabling me with freedom, boldness, and clarity. I do not know the effect in hearts, but I am confident that the word of God went forth.

More Thoughts from Kifumbira Slum; July 14

Yesterday the afternoon was spent in Kifumbira slum, playing with the children and doing crafts, then prayer walking down the hill on which part of the slum sits into the lower areas where there is a significant presence of witch doctors. I was struck by the filth and poverty and spiritual darkness. A dirty stream blackened with trash and refuse runs down the hill and makes a significant flow by the bottom. We walked along this stream, taking in the sights, sounds, and "aromas," and prayed. Ps 103 came to mind - "there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God." I was moved with longing and sorrow that these blind suffering people - including the witch doctors - would be loosed from the powers of darkness and one day meet their Lord and Savior by the beautiful river of God.
I have been particularly affected by a little boy in the slum by the name of Michael, who has one shirt that says "Hawaii" on it. He consistently has been the first one to meet me every time we come to the slum, and he holds my hand as long as he can. He has a gentle spirit, and always smiles. It breaks my heart that such children live in a terrible slum such as this. How long oh Lord? I pray that Michael and all the children would find their hope and joy not in this world, but hidden with Christ in God.

Kagadi; Another Church is Born; June 8

Unfortunately I don't have pics from the church service wich marked the beginning of a new work in the town of Kagadi, but I thought this chameleon was pretty cool...
The morning service was characterised by joyful worship - African Style - which is something to experience! Two songs sung by the choir of a neighboring village church (Mbale) were among the most beautiful and worshipful pieces I have heard. Sometimes the Holy Spirit simply moves in the hearts of a congregation, and eyes are lifted to Christ in adoration. "His Grace Presbyterian Church." A fitting name.
Dave Eby set forth a vision for this new church. It is to be a Christ-centered, gospel-driven, grace-empowered, Bible-following, Bible-teaching, ministry-focused, spiritual gift-cultivating, kingdom focused-praying, generation-reaching, mercy-ministring, mission-sending, financial-stewarding, Biblically-governing, Holy Church, engaging in White Hot Worship of our great God!
Sounds like a tall order, but we may be confident that "he who has begun a good work will carry it on to completion."
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A PRAYER REQUEST
I have been so priviledged to see two new churches planted right before my eyes, and come alongside the men who will be caring for the new flocks. While many people have come to Christ for the first time - often people who have never heard the gospel - the most exciting thing to me is the life and work of the church that is ahead of it - growing in truth and grace - being built up and changing the community and world around it - teaching the word of God - exposing the lies of Satan that enslave this land - nurturing and feeding people who are hungry to know God and grow into strong, sturdy trees, planted by rivers of water. In a nutshell, I find the pastoral heart within me simply being moved and excited by the church: it's existence, forward motion, and future hope. One thing you could pray for me is that God would show me where these desires are supposed to be put to use. It is hard to see a fitting role for myself in Uganda. I had thought perhaps doing something like Dave Eby is doing (teaching in the seminary here) would be a possibility. I still think it could be, but not in the near future. I think you need to "play basketball before you coach the team," and I have become more and more convinced of that as I have spent time with the wise and mature men of faith who attend the seminary, many of whom have years of pastoral experience. In Uganda, there is not really a pastoral role to fill for the western missionary, so it is difficult to see myself here longterm. Anyways, I don't presume upon God to reveal instructions to me which are not to be carried out for a few more years at least. He will direct at every juncture. All I know is that I am finding my heart for pastoral ministry strongly confirmed. Please pray that he woud continue to direct my life unto his glory.

Kagadi; A Testimony; June 8

Last night I sat and listened to the testimony of a man named Francis, who had traveled with us from Kampala to help with the effort in Kagadi. Frances is from Rwanda. In 1994 he was in seminary studying to be a priest when the Rwandan genocide broke out. He is Tutsi - this is the tribe which was massacred by the Huttus. Francis escaped death by hiding at the seminary, which was protected because the bishop was favored, although he was Tutsi. When the violence subsided, Francis returned to his village to find everyone he was close to - family and clan - dead. People who had been his neighbors and friends were the ones responsible for the murder. There is no need to write the grisly ways in which his family members were killed. Suffice it to say, such evils are almost unthinkable.
With his family dead and only enemies remaining, Francis would have committed suicide, had not the Great Shepherd of the Sheep taken ahold of this lost lamb. A pastor shared the gospel with him, and Francis recieved a new family - God's. The amazing thing which happened next was that Francis forgave the Huttus. What's more, he decided to marry a Huttu - an act which was totally inconceivable to the village and everyone involved. It was assumed that Francis had a plot for revenge through this, but thirteen years of marriage with children, and living out the love of Christ, has convinced many people that he is sincere. If this is not evidence of the power of Christ, I am at a loss to come to any other explanation. Humanly, I don't think such forgiveness is possible. As I sat in our little bungalow listening to Francis' story, I put myself in his shoes - imagining such atrocities committed against my family by my neighbors. I am very aware that in myself, there would be nothing but hatred and bitterness. And yet Francis was not consumed by hatred. He was given grace to love. Instead of being bent towards revenge, he is driven by a desire of love to reach Huttus and Tutsis with the gospel of peace.
An amazing characteristic of Francis is that he looks like he is 22. In reality he is 37. He has said that the Lord gave him a new lease on life when he met Christ, in order that he could serve the Lord for many years with youthful zeal - and I believe him. Praise the Lord for a man who has been forgiven much and so is able to forgive.

Kagadi, June 8

Yesterday, Saturday, was a good day of wrapping up the week. In the morning we visited a small prison. Driving out a small dirt road into the bush - grasses higher then the land rover on each side - a clearing opened before s with a small complex of red concrete building and mud huts (for the staff) off to the side. The cells for the inmates were about 20x20 ft - absolutely no furnishings and bare cement floors. 15 men are in each cell, and the stench is not particularly pleasant. 25 prisoners were available to hear our presentation. They listened intently. Many responded to the call of salvation. Good questions were asked: "How do you discern between different teachings? -Some people teach different things, and work miracles." Dave answered this by basically saying, "you know a tree by its fruit. There are false teachers and false miracle workers. Look for lives showing evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in accordance with Scripture - which is the final authority."
Probably the man who asked this question had the cult leader Bisaka in mind, who is able to maintain power over many people. The way that he does this is probably through his miracles - It certainly is not by his charisma or intelligence. The members of our team who met him reported that he was an unintelligent overweight man, missing a few front teeth, unable to respond intelligently to the questions they asked (i.e. what will happen to you when you die?). And yet he has thousands of followers who have built a massive worship center to him and bow down before him. Frankly, it is hard to believe that such a massive dark deception could occur - but I do believe there is a dark power behind it. Praise the Lord that Jesus is King, to whom "every knee will bow and every tongue confess."
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The Afternoon was spent at a wedding in the nearby town of Mbali. What a cultural experience! - Traditional dancing - traditional instruments - the pavillion outside the church was a simple yet beautiful construction made of bamboo poles that were chopped for this occasion and held tarps to shade the guests, the whole area decorated with palms and bananna trees. The bride's processional was the slowest processional I have ever seen. The wedding "started" at 11:00 am, and we left at 6:00 pm, while the festivities continued on.
The church where the wedding was held was the parish of a pastor who was working with us all week, by the name of Francis. Francis is a kind, softspoken man (as are almost all Ugandans), who dresses neatly in a coat and tie every day (also common to many Ugandans) and faithfully led the effort in Kagati. We were able to see his home which is adjacent to the church. It is a nice home by Ugandan standards - but I am always surprised by the mud floors, absence of furnshings and screens on windows, and the tight space which houses many children. And yet Francis, like many Ugandans, is a joyful man with a wonderful family and a happy household, serving the Lord with all his strength! Keeps things in perspective...

Kagadi; June 6

A hard day today. Thankful for extended time in prayer in the morning on the side of the mountain. Spent a large portion of the morning trying to maintain order at the medical clinic. Many people had been waiting for more than a day to be seen and were frustrated. Many were not able to be seen (although about 1000 people were treated throughout the week). It made for a difficult situation.
After lunch we went to a local school. This was a very encouraging time. We performed a gospel skit and were able to preach clearly to 300+ students. (It is amazing how open the institutions are to the gospel!) We then saw the land which is being considered for the church site. I am excited about this prospect. I love the men we work with here. There are many trustworthy men - Francis, Edward, Gerald, Lazarus, and others.

Church Planting in Kagati

On Sunday, July 1st, our team met up with two other teams from America and traveled to the town of Kagadi in Western Uganda. A seven hour car ride, half of which was on dusty red roads, brought us to the growing town which sits in a mountainous, green region of the country. The purpose of the trip was to plant a church here, where cults are rampant, and few people understand the gospel. In fact, many people in this region are under the influence of a cult which is led by a man who believes he is god. A number of people on our team actually were able to meet this man and preach the gospel to him (it fell on deaf ears).
One of the American teams was a large medical team from Alabama which was able to address dental, optical, and medical problems. The other team was also from Alabama and worked alongside of us as we went door to door (or shop to shop) preaching the gospel. We also ran evangelistic meetings in the evenings, where we preached, gave testimonies, and sang. One of the greatest parts of this whole endeavor was that it was not the Americans who were running the show. Three Ugandan churches from the towns of Port Royal, Hoima, and Mbale put together the effort - so the thirty Americans were outnumbered by fifty Ugandan brothers and sisters! Praise the Lord for what he is doing in Uganda! The newly planted church will be led by two trustworthy men from the next town over - Lazarus (see picture) and John (whose wedding we attended on Saturday). I cannot capture everything which happened in the week, but I will post a few journal entries of my time.

June 5
Last night I had an incredible opportunity to preach the gospel. I spoke from Isaiah 6, expounding on the character of God - his eternal nature, power, beauty, and holiness - and that the only way to stand in his presence is through grace which comes from the altar of sacrifice - the blood of Christ. A large crowd was gathered: 600-800 people from all around town and surrounding.... when will I ever have that kind of opportunity again!!!
....Today going door to door was a neat time. It seemed that illustrations were abundant. To some taylors, we spoke about the garment of righteousness which covers sins. To men building houses we spoke about the Great Builder who is building a church with living stones. One muslim man was named Moses, and to him we talked about the Passover Lamb and how the blood smeared over the door post points to the One whose blood was smeared on the cross. We trust that the seeds of the Gospel are finding good soil....