THANK YOU SPRING HILL BAPTIST CHURCH

THE KIDS AND STAFF AT MUSANA CHILDRENS HOME SEND THEIR GREETINGS AND THANKS TO SPRING HILL BAPTIST CHURCH FOR THE INCREDIBLE GIFT OF NEW SPORTS EQUIPMENT. THE KAMPALA URBAN TEAM HAD THE PLEASURE OF DELIVERING THE NEW THINGS TO MUSANA CHILDRENS HOME AND GETTING TO SPEND TIME WITH ALL OF THE KIDS THERE AND SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS WITH THEM. THANKS TO THE GENEROUS GIFT FROM THE GUYS AT SHBC, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THE CHILDRENS HOME A NEW VOLLEYBALL SET, BADMITTON SET, PING PONG SET, 4 SOCCER BALLS, A FOOTBALL, A BASKETBALL, A CASE OF 50 NEW BIBLES, TOOTHBRUSHES, TOOTHPASTE, AND MONEY TO PURCHASE NEW MOSQUITO NETS AND SUPPLIES FOR THEIR CLINIC. ANDREA, THE DIRECTOR OF THE HOME WAS BLOWN AWAY AND WANTED US TO EXPRESS HER EXTREME GRATITUDE FOR THE OVERWHELMING GIFT. THERE ARE ABOUT 150 KIDS AT MUSANA, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE LOST THEIR PARENTS TO HIV AND THEY JUST REALLY WANT TO FEEL LOVED, AND SPRING HILL HAS BROUGHT SOME LOVE TO THEM. SPRING HILL ROCKS!! MAY GOD CONTINUE USING SHBC TO BLESS "THE LEAST OF THESE" MATT.25:40

We were recently blessed with a gift that we used to purchase some English and Luganda Bibles. We made the trip to the Bible House a family trip so that our kids could be a part of this. The first Bibles were given to some ladies at a Bible study in Namuwango/Soweto. Thank you friends for this wonderful gift.

MUSANA CHILDRENS HOME

Afew weeks ago I was able to accompany a volunteer team from Early, Texas to an orphanage called Musana Childrens Home. The home is run by a young lady from Colorado and a group of volunteers. The children were so excited to have our team come out to visit them, they greeted us with shouts and songs and found great joy in showing us around their home. There are over 100 kids here that are receiving education, nutrition, and health care, it is a wonderful home. We played games, told stories and shared the love of Jesus with them. I am quite sure that we were blessed by this visit just as much, if not more than the kids were.

The birth of a house church

The Book of Acts records many new believers meeting in their homes for church, and Jesus tells us in Matthew that where two or three are gathered in His name, He will be there with them. Today was such an occasion. In the slum area of Naguru, a new house began and Jesus' name was made famous to people that live here and His name was glorified. After spending many days walking through this area evangelizing, a man of peace was found and a place to meet was granted. Twenty people, ten men and ten women gathered round to listen to God's word, sing a song of praise, and pray together. It was wonderful, and I wish all of you could have been here to experience the power of God in Naguru. To God be the glory, great things He is doing!!

God is good all the time . . .

. . . and all the time God is good! In earlier posts we introduced you to Tina and her amazing journey in faith. She has endured many struggles over the past year. The death of her husband in an auto accident. A partial loss of use in her right arm and leg as part of that same accident. But, through it all she has kept her eyes on the one who provides, the one who supports and the one who sustains, our Heavenly Father. You may remember that she had a little girl in September and we named her Faith. Take a look at Faith now! God has provided Tina with a beautiful little girl, a testament to her faith in Jesus Christ. May God continue to be glorified in the life of Tina and Faith. May Tina share her faith and testimony as she shares the story of her little girl.

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." Philemon :6

Celebrating Jesus' love on Valentine's Day

On this day of celebrating love, we were able to share with those at Lugoba Baptist Church the most important love all all, the love of Jesus Christ! Andrew was able to share through Scripture the importance of love as commanded in John 15. Our prayer is that the love of Jesus would shine through each and every day in the lives of those in this church, this community and throughout Kampala.




This picture cannot fully capture the outpouring of love this sister in Christ is laying at our Father's feet. She worships in song, totally unaware of those around. Her only focus is on the one who died for her, who shed His blood for her and who has prepared a place in heaven for her.









Here is one of my favorite young friends, Ivan, getting ready to sing "Go Light Your Candle". This song simply encourages each one to grab the hand of another and share the love of Jesus. A simple message with eternal consequences! Praise God for these young people, dedicated to sharing God's love through music.






"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalms 89:1

Christmas in Kampala

Yesterday we went to celebrate and share the story of Christmas with the house church in Biina. What a blessing this group of believers is to our family! We were welcomed with a HUGE downpour, as you can see in the picture. It was wet, wet, wet and cold. There were several in the group that were unable to make it because of the rain, but it would take more than this mini flood to keep us from celebrating the birth of Jesus.

We passed out GOD LOVES YOU coloring books, crayons and "sweeties" (candy) to the children and most adults! Then Andrew read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke. What a joy it was to watch the children as they listened to the amazing story of our Savior's birth. We discussed the true meaning of the season and how we need to share the hope we have in Jesus Christ with others.

This group is a living testament to the faith, hope and love we have in Christ. There is a lot to be thankful for this year as we look forward to 2010. We have grown in love, knowledge of the Word and in size. We have a new addition as you can see in the picture, this beautiful baby girl was born about 3 weeks ago. What a blessing to the group and her family. We are still waiting on a name!

Praise God for Jjaja Esther and this group of believers that meet each week! Pray for them as they battle with health issues, lack of jobs and daily living. Even in the midst of their daily struggles they are a light unto their community. Pray that they will continue to share the love of Jesus with their neighbors, family and friends. Pray for Charles, as he has come to be a leader of this group. May God bless him with guidance and direction as he seeks to learn and grow in his faith.

Mukama ye bazibwe! Praise the Lord!

A Testament to Faith...

and that is what we named her! Many of you may remember meeting Tina in an earlier blog. Her story is one of God's mercy, grace and goodness. Many did not believe that Tina would be able to deliver a healthy baby. Doctors told her the baby would be lame and probably die, but God had other plans!

This little miracle was born on September 27th, not sure how much she weighs or how long she is, but we know for sure she is a miracle. She was born at home in the middle of the night, much to the surprise of everyone in the house. There are still family members who don't believe that she can exist so many plan on coming by over the next few weeks to witness this child.

Tina asked us to name her new baby, it was both an honor and privilege. Naming a baby, not your own, can be stressful! But, her name came easily as we asked for God's help. You see, Tina has shown great faith since the car accident. Through the loss of her husband. Through her life changing illness. Through her disability. Tina can see God at work. Now she has an opportunity not only to share her faith with her family and others, but to share her precious baby Faith, as a testament to the awesome power, love and mercy of our Heavenly Father.

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Jesus Christ." Philemon :6

NAGURU

There is an uncountable number of slum areas in Kampala, and I may never get into all of them. This is Naguru, which is a slum that is very near one of the more affluent areas of Kampala, the contrast here is almost unbelievable. I spent all day Tuesday with my friend Douglas visiting the people of Naguru, and exploring the possibility of starting a house church there. As with all of these areas, the need is very great spiritually and physically. This first photo is of a group of women that are making local waragi (moonshine). We had a really good time getting to know these women, and after some time, I started to preach to them as they worked. None of them prayed to receive Jesus, but they all heard the gospel and were given an opportunity. I pray that they will take the words of God to heart and repent and ask Him into their lives.

This man is the landlord of this place and he is a believer, we had a very nice visit with him and encouraged him to share his faith with the community.

Typical scene of kids playing in the mud.

Mother and daughter. This maama saw Douglas and I and came to us and asked us to please come to her place. She is a drunkard and occasional prostitute and has been known to beat her daughter. We sat and listened for at least an hour as they both cried while telling us all of their issues. We shared with them, we preached to them, we prayed with them, and we loved them. At the end, they BOTH prayed to receive Jesus. Mukaama Ye Bazibwe!!!

We shared the gospel everywhere we went and preached at every opportunity, even in the middle of the street. It was a great day in Naguru. Please remember these dear people in your prayers.

Sunday in Buziga

We had the privilege of worshiping at Lifeway Baptist Church in Buziga this past Sunday. Andrew was asked to preach and encourage this congregation not far from where we live in Kansanga. Lifeway is a light in this community, its sits among mosques, an Islamic Institute and other avenues of false teachings.

This church is alive and on mission to reach those in their community. Please pray for this congregation as they prepare for a week long evangelism and outreach event culminating in the showing of the Jesus film. Our prayer is that God will go before them as they reach out as His "hands" and "feet" to share the love and good news of Jesus Christ!

The first hour of service includes great songs of worship and praise, sometimes its more than just the first hour! "Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts." Psalm 105:2

This is Pastor Cosmos (left) with one of our young Ugandan friends, Everest. We pray for the leadership of this church, that they will seek guidance and direction from God. Everest is currently a student at Uganda Baptist Seminary. We praise God for this opportunity for him to obtain a solid foundation in the Word.

Here Andrew is preaching with translation help from our friend Joel. God's word is mighty and strong. Andrew encouraged the church to not be complacent pew sitters, that their role in the great commission is to go out into their community and witness to their friends and family and neighbors about what Jesus has done for them. And how He is willing to do the same for everyone who calls on His name. It was a great spirit filled service and the name of the Lord was glorified. The sermon was confirmation from God's word, to this group of believers that the good news of Jesus Christ should not remain within their four walls, but should be proclaimed throughout Buziga, Kampala, Uganda . . . "and to the ends of the earth."

Biina Zone House Church

Today, August 27th 2009 a new house church was born! While visiting a Manna Ministry recepient in Biina Zone a couple months ago, Christina was asked by Jjajja Ester if we would come and start a fellowship at her house. Several different events delayed our going until today, but it was worth the wait. The Jjajja did not know that we were coming today, but she was so happy to see us, she called some of her neighbors and we had our first Bible study at her house. We will be going every Thursday at 10am to teach and learn together. I think the highlight of the day was when I gave Jjajja Ester a new Luganda Bible. She was upset because her Bible had been left in a taxi and was lost. She told us that she had been selling mango's from her tree to try and save up to buy a new Bible, but now she has a new Bible and she was overjoyed and praising God. We praise God for bringing us to this place and pray that God will bless this house church and all of the people that come to it. Please be in prayer with us for this group, that they would all draw closer to Jesus and become bright shining lights in this community.

A BAGANDA FUNERAL

You may or may not know that Christina and I visit Mulago Hospital(the national referral hospital) every Wednesday, and we have witnessed God doing amazing things in the hearts of many people there.

We go with a young pastor friend from Kawempe named Deon who serves as our translator, and is a great guy. When we arrived there this past Wednesday the 19th of August, Deon told us that his uncle had been brought there the day before and was very sick. We walked into the ward where he was with his wife and two grown sons and everyone was visibly upset, Paul was rapidly going down hill, he was unconscious and having seizures, and as normal, there was nothing being done to help him. We tried to comfort the family and we prayed with the family and Christina held and comforted his wife while she cried. A nurse came and said that they wanted to move him upstairs to a different ward, so I and the eldest son lifted Paul onto a gurney and rolled him up to another ward, and at that time we decided that we should go so the family could get him situated. Shortly thereafter, we received the call that Paul had died. Deon asked if I could please go with him to their village the next day for the burial.

Yesterday morning I picked up my good friend and co-laborer, Joseph Essiana and we went to Kawempe and got Deon and headed out to the village. I believe that his entire clan was there, he was a well respected and loved man. I was not asked to conduct the service,

but I was asked to speak to the people twice, it was a great honor. The service and burial lasted about five hours, during that time I visited with alot of the elders of the family, I visited with the men that volunteered to dig the grave, and I prayed with the widow.

The grave was very interesting, after they dug down about four feet, they lined it with bricks and mortored over the bricks, basically making a concrete vault for the casket. The most special part for me was when I learned that Paul had prayed to receive Jesus, last month! After the burial, we all walked back to the house for the installation service of the leader of the family. Paul's heir was his eldest son who is also named

Paul. I was asked to offer some words of encouragement,

so one of the things that I told him

was to not only be a good leader for the family, but most importantly be a follower of Jesus, I then gave him a Bible. I believe that this will be a day

that I won't soon forget and am very grateful to have been invited to be a part of this family and to be able to share the love of Jesus with them.

GOD'S GRACE

I was extremly priviledged to witness and be a part of two wonderful things today.
A new clothing store opened in Kampala called Mr. Price and Walker has been asking me if I would take him there and buy him a new shirt because we haven't bought him one in two years. I told him that I would, but it would be in the evening because I was going out to visit a man that I had heard about. Christina and I drove out this morning to this man's house, it took about one and a half hours to get there, mostly because of traffic. When we got to the place, we were greeted by two very old women, who were so happy to see us. After all of the greetings and introductions were done, they took us into the house to visit with the Muzee(old man). Meet William, 75 years old, HIV positive, former drunkard, etc, and not a believer in Jesus. He was overjoyed that we had come to visit, and we sat and talked for a few minutes before I asked if I could share with him from my Bible. He agreed and said that he would like that so, I used the opportunity to use my pull no punches, no holds barred evangelism with him. When God and I were finished and gave him the chance to make a decision, he made the right choice, and we now have a new, old brother in Christ that we will be with in Heaven one day. While driving with Walker to Mr. Price this evening, I was telling him about William and the decision that he had made and Walker was so amazed that he had to turn his head so that I wouldn't see the tears. God's grace is amazing.

Gods front row seat . . .

Some days you just have to hold on! The ministry at Mulago gives us another opportunity to have a front row seat to the mercy and faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Each week we visit those who are hurting, both physically and emotionally. We visit those who are dying, both physically and spiritually. Our prayer is that God will be glorified through the halls of the hospital and that His light would be carried on to the homes of those we visit.

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard." Isaiah 58:8

Some days our front row seat takes us to the homes of those we have visited in the hospital. I want to introduce you to Tina. She is a testimony to the mercy and faithfulness of Christ. Her testimony is a miracle and I thank God that we were able to bear witness.

We first met Tina at Mulago, she had no idea we were there, not sure if she had any idea who or where she was. She was involved in a car accident and it was thought she would not make it. Her husband had been killed in the accident and her family was scared to tell her for fear she would stop fighting to live. We prayed that God would heal her and bring her back to her family. Also, that He would provide His strength in Tina and give her the will to continue, may she know that He loves her and holds her in the palm of His hand. The woman in the picture is Tina. She has a long road to go, even longer, when you take into account where she lives. But, God is faithful and she is home among her family who love her. She suffers emotionally and physically, but God is working through her to provide the peace and comfort that only He can provide. While visiting her, we discovered that the most miraculous thing of all, is that she is pregnant. The doctors told her that the baby would or did die in the accident, however that little one is fighting for life and moving around to prove it!! There are many prayer needs for this little one and his mother. We pray for continued physical healing, so she can care for him. We also pray that God will provide a way for her to get further medical care, Tina is HIV positive and desperately wants to do everything she can to not pass it along to her child. Please lift up Tina, her unborn child and the family who care for her at this time. God has a plan and a purpose for His children and we know that He has a plan for Tina.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

KATANGA

KATANGA IS A SLUM THAT WOULD BE DESCRIBED BY MOST PEOPLE AS A PLACE WHERE THERE IS NOTHING GOOD. PEOPLE WILL SAY THAT ALL THAT YOU WILL FIND IN KATANGA IS DRUNKARDS, PROSTITUTES, WITCH DOCTORS, DRUGS, AND THIEVES. WHILE ALL THESE THINGS ARE TRUE, THERE IS SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENING IN KATANGA, GOD IS IN KATANGA AND THE LOVE OF JESUS IS MOVING THROUGH THIS PLACE. WE SPENT ALL DAY FRIDAY WALKING, VISITING, SHARING, AND LOVING ON THE RESIDENTS OF KATANGA. AS WITH MOST OF OUR AREAS, THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR EVERYTHING HERE FROM FOOD TO SCHOOL FEES, FROM RENT TO CLOTHES, BUT OF COURSE, THE HOPE THAT JESUS PROVIDES IS WHAT IS MOST NEEDED, AND WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF KATANGA ABOUT THIS HOPE AND LOVE THAT JESUS GIVES. WE VISITED IN MANY HOMES AND WERE ABLE TO HEAR THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE, FROM THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES, STORIES OF HIV, HOPELESSNESS, NEED, AND PRAISES FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN THEIR LIVES. WE PRAYED WITH MANY PEOPLE AND TRIED OUR BEST TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO NOT LOSE HOPE OR FAITH IN THE ONE MOST HIGH GOD. PLEASE DON'T BE SO BUSY WITH YOUR LIVES THAT YOU FORGET THESE CHILDREN OF GOD, THANK YOU.