In Jinja

We have made it safely to Jinja. Trip was a little more lively than the trip north after our plane rides to get here.

We saw Jody safely off to South Sudan. He will visit with a missionary couple our church supports to see the work they are doing and join us on Thursday evening for the remainder of our mission. Please pray for him to have a safe journey.

Team continues to get along and having a blast serving together.

Tonight as we headed to dinner Sarah, Katherine, Mike, Jonathan and I took a boda boda (motorcycle) to the restaurant. I love traveling in Jinja this way! Sarah and Katherine had a blast!

Tomorrow we head out to the school at Kikubo to set up day 1 or 2 medical clinics. I will get to see Viola and Reagan, our sponsor children.  I cannot wait to see them!

Please be in prayer for us. The area we will be serving in has a heavy Muslim influence.  We need your covering to be the hands and feet of Christ and serve in such a way that Jesus can be seen. We do not wish to be tripped by any snares of Satan.  Everyone is tired from the travel today. We are halfway done with our trip and need to be filled with strength, power and grace to keep moving forward.

I am off to bed. It is so good to be back in Jinja with my brother Edward. This is like my second home!
Thank you for your prayers.

Chris

Pictures from Sunday and Monday

Area pastors receiving thier Acholi Bibles
 

Pastors being annointed with oil.

Kara singing at the pastor's training seminar.

Farewell in Gulu.

Getting my picture made with Grace.

Sarah with Ana Lois, Pastor Douglas's new daughter who Sarah got help name.
 

Monday: Teaching in Gulu

Today was a day of teaching for the team. We arrived at the Methodist conference center in Gulu and began the day with singing, dancing and worship. Everyday should start this way.

Our team gave 6 different talks including: priorities, studying the bible, grace, assurance of salvation, and faith in action.

Our speakers were Sarah, Jim, Les, Sue, Jody, and me.  It was another great day. After each talk we had a question and answer session; the questions were fantastic. It was a time for the church to build each other up so that we could all go out and be the hands and feet of Christ.

Jonathan and Kara sang three songs throughout the day. The last song, “Blessed Assurance, was moving. As Kara started to sing both the team and our brothers and sisters of Uganda joined in; man was it a truly heaven moment. Reminded me of the verse that says "and all nations, tribes, and tongues will join together in worship to God."

We shared a meal together made simply of rice and beans; but nothing simple about how delicious they were! Jody asked for everyone to sit next to someone from a different church.  I was able to meet Simon, a youth pastor from the church in Opit where we held the clinics.

It was a beautiful time of fellowship and learning together. This day was special. The church in Gulu is growing and developing and it is exciting to see the pastors we have worked with for the last seven years become stronger in their faith while raising up disciples. We are blessed to call Pastors Solomon, Titus, Peter, Josephine, Gabriel, and Alphonse brothers.

As we left the team agreed it felt like we were leaving a family reunion. These brothers and sisters are family. We have gotten to know them, pray with them, laugh with them and serve with them. This is the church.

As we closed out the day our team delivered some gifts to the pastors. Each one received a solar powered audio bible in Acholi, plus a case of Bibles written in Acholi;  plus, we left the solar powered movie projector to be used to share the gospel in each of their villages.

Thank you Lord for the blessings you provided for all of us. Today was a great day.

Tomorrow we begin the long drive south to Jinja to see Pastor Edward and his family. It will be a long day and I ask for you to pray for safe travels for the team. Also for Jody who is heading to South Sudan to spend a day with a missionary family our church supports and to see the work they are doing building water wells.

Be proud of your team member. I am honored to lead them all. Each one has truly been the hands and feet of Christ.

Good night till tomorrow.
Chris

Sunday Evening in Gulu

Tonight we attended a fellowship at the Methodist conference center for an association of area pastors in Gulu. Pastor Solomon (UMC, Layibi) organized the area Christian churches to bring unity so they can begin to bring healing and restoration to the area from the war.

Talk about a powerful time. Jody delivered a message about the church and had everyone pray for someone next to them; you could see each team member with hands on the shoulders of a Ugandan and vice versa. I was able to listen to their needs and pray for them and they lifted me up as well. It was a powerful moment. The church was being the church. Coming together in unity to support and encourage each other.

We then celebrated Holy Communion together. This was a powerful moment to be a part of. Bishop Wandabula asked me to serve with him and this was incredible. In a different way! The bishop went outside the church building and invited everyone sitting outside to partake of communion. I was holding half a loaf of bread (the bishop had the cup of coke) and I was wondering how this was going to work. But as the children began to come, I almost could not keep up with breaking the bread. It was chaos! We had to have Susan and another lady keep the kids from pushing and shoving, but once we got a line in order it was one after another. Some of the kids dumped their whole hand in the coke! The bishop and I just laughed and blessed the children till there was none left. He hugged me and thanked me for serving with him.

We had a portable movie projector with a 90 inch screen set up outside and showed the Jesus film in Acholi. Showing movies in Africa is always a well attended event! Jody reported that when Jesus rises from the dead on the movie the crowd applauded! I love that!

It was a good day. This time of teaching, worshipping and learning from each other is vital. Lifting up the church and supporting them as they work to bring healing, restoration and grace to their people.

The team has been simply amazing. I see them engaging and loving on people with no boundaries. They are quick to hug, high-five, shake hands, pray, dance or whatever. It is beautiful to see!

I was wondering when it would happen and tonight was it. Katherine was hanging out with kids and a young man asked if he could get her advice on dating. She said yes and he said he liked this girl and wanted to ask her out. It turned out to be her and so he asked if she would like to get married! She politely declined and came inside. Katherine has been so loving with the children. They climb in her lap and hold her hand; she just lets them in.

Great night. So honored to be here and support the church.
Off to bed. Tomorrow is a discipleship teaching day.
May God provide the speakers the words He wants to be spoken.

Chris

Some Pictures from Church in Gulu...

Church in Gulu.

The choir singing.

Jonathan and Kara sharing their gifts.

Church in Gulu

Good morning from Uganda! The sun is rising and there is a cool breeze. Today is a good day. The team was able to sleep in a little later than normal since. Church did not start till 10am.

We left the hotel and traveled to the Methodist Church in Gulu. The building is the conference center the Methodist conference constructed to host pastors for training, etc. Central helped fund the purchase of the land and a church in Kentucky provided the funds for construction.

Bishop Wandabula attended worship with us, as well as, the director of Global Missions for the Methodist conference named Rev Adriano.

As we entered church a choir was singing and dancing and I love to experience this! Worship is high energy in Uganda! We sang two of my favorite songs I have heard over the years: “There is Dancing Today in the house of the Lord” and “Jesus He's a Winner Man.”

It is such a blessing it see the young children and teenagers in the choir and congregation singing and dancing in worship!

Sue prayed for Adriano before he preached. And man can he preach! Told a great story that timed to his main message and it was powerful.

Katherine prayed over the offering for the church.

Jonathan played the keyboard while Kara sang; it was awesome! The people were blessed and they let them know how much they enjoyed it! Such talent in these two!

Jody gave the benediction to dismiss the church and I gave a greeting to the church and thanked them for inviting us to join them.

I must say, I saw some Munu's dancing up a storm during the singing. I believe we should ask Sarah, Kara, Sue, and Susan to lead our church in dancing when we get back!

It was a good morning! To join together with our brothers and sisters in worship makes me think this is a glimpse of what heaven is like. All nations lifting praise to God!

After the first round of songs was done Sam Mdune told us that there is a reason they do not need gym's in Uganda. The worship services are high energy!

Today and tomorrow will be our most important work on our trip to Gulu. Whether in Gulu or Jinja the time we spend fellowshipping, worshiping and praying with our hosts is our main reason to be here. The medical clinics are needed and very important to try and meet the physical needs of people, but to help encourage and empower the local church to go and be the leaders and neighbors God created them to be is powerful. We do not come from America with all the answers. We do not come from America to solve every medical need or physical need. We come to lift up the local church. We come to share in their struggles and empower them to go back to their community to be the hands and feet of Christ. The medical clinics provide pain relief and minor surgeries. But with our presence an interaction with everyone we hope that our witness brings restoration that comes from Jesus. Not from us, not from America and not from witch doctors and charms.

I know for myself, and the team feels it I can tell; I get so much blessing being here with my friends.

Today has started out great. Tonight we go back to the conference center to join in a feast, fellowship, singing and dancing with our brothers and sisters. We will also show the Jesus film in the native language on a solar powered projector that folds out into a 90 inch screen and can been watched from both sides. We are leaving one of these in Gulu and one in Jinja as a gift for the church as they share the gospel.

More updates from tonight later. Thank you for your prayers. This trip has run smooth and the team has worked hard and done whatever they can to be a blessing. Keep lifting us up!

From the medical clinics... I forgot to report that in the prayer room Sue, Gabriel and Pauline were able to remove two ziplock bags full of charms and bracelets for good luck from witch doctors from people that wanted to start a relationship with Jesus. False hope replaced by the True Hope. They did not have a way to burn them, so did the next best thing- Threw them in the pit latrine!

Pit latrines.... After seven years visiting is beautiful place I can still only say, “Dude!” Truly an unforgettable experience! I did get a nice picture of the one in Opit for my collection!

Talk to you later friends and family. We love you all and miss you! Be very proud of your teammate. They have truly been the hands and feet of Christ. It is an honor to serve with them.

Chris

Opit pictures




Susan inside the clinics.

Addressing the crowds.

Inside the pharmacy.

Dr. Moses accessing the needs.

I wonder what Christ's sandle tan looked like.