Blessed Be the God of All Creation

As I write this week's blog, I find it difficult to fathom that half of our team will be returning home in three short days! As their journey and adventure in Uganda comes to a close, our prayer is that their passion and fervor for reaching the lost will continue, with an urgency that comes from knowing how fast time is passing. Each of them have been a blessing and an added joy to the ministry. This year, we have covered more ground, and reached more souls with the message of the Gospel, than ever before. I praise God for their work, obedience, faithfulness, and love they have all shown to the people of Uganda. And while five of them are heading home, the rest of us are only half way done with our time. We have a remaining 6 1/2 weeks to continue working through the land. Please do not refrain from praying for those heading home, and for those of us with work left to do.

Traveling in Style

Carrying the Good News to the mountains of Kapchowra

However, refusing to slow down, the team traveled to the mountains of Kapchowra this week. We were close to Mount Elgon, near Sipi Falls (beautiful waterfalls). As you can see from the pictures, the topography and scenery were breathtaking (yet they do not do justice), but the ministry was even more wonderful. And although our time was short in this area, it was not in vain. We had only two days of evangelism, with five teams, as Jim, Jon, and Jack led a Pastor's Conference, but the amount of people reached, and the response of many who heard the message, was so encouraging.

Heading into the field

The magnificent views

  

Emily and her translator

This area has very strong tribal ties, with dark practices and skewed doctrinal beliefs. Teaching the regional pastors how to study, practice, and teach strong, true doctrine is critical to combat the tribal strongholds of this area. This is exactly what the men taught at the conference, and it was very well received. Please pray for these pastors and their churches, as they fight against ungodly, cultural practices, that do not align with Christian practices or behavior. As the Bible states, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." ~ Ephesians 6:12

Our team, translators and those attending the Pastor's Conference

The leaders of the Pastor's Conference

Our evangelism teams walked very far, up steep mountainous terrain to reach many. We were greeted with smiles and squeals of excited children. While there were some very stubborn, hard hearts, the majority of those we preached to were, at least, receptive and humbled by the message. We were blessed on Saturday with another opportunity to evangelize to prisoners. This came as an unexpected event, but it was fantastic. While Zach went home to home, Julius, Emily, Sydney, and I, (Chrissie), visited Kapchowra Prison, with 164 male inmates, 6 female inmates, and 3 juvenile inmates. We spent about 90 minutes presenting the life-saving, and freeing message of hope and salvation. Jesus said he came to set the captives free, and while the prisoners must serve out their earthly sentence as a consequence for their crime, their eternal soul can be set free, by the One who is Mighty to Save! What a joy and a privilege to be able to minister to those who seem so hopeless.

The Kapchowra prison guards with some of the team

Outside the prison

Appreciating God's amazing creation

Bridge over the rivers of Kapchowra

Pastor Peter Kwemboi is the pastor at Grace Hill Baptist Church in Kapchowra. He is a humble, kind friend who we've worked with for over two years. His church is healthy and growing. Peter started a ministry for children who have lost one or both parents. He cares for over 100 children now, but is only provided support for about 30 of them. However, in the midst of pastoring a church and caring for orphans, he has a story of his own that is heartbreaking.

Peter is married, and has 4 children. When his son, Daniel, was five years old, he was in an accident that broke his leg. Peter took him to the hospital, where he thought he would be seen and treated by a legitimate doctor. But, unbeknownst to Peter and his wife, the man was a witch-doctor, and the unthinkable happened. Instead of his leg being reset and casted, a tourniquet was tied to Daniel's leg. Then, to keep it immobile, the "doctor" ordered the staff to tie it to the other (good) leg...for five days!!!  This procedure stopped all blood flow and killed the limbs from the knees down, resulting in double amputation. Even as I write this, I find it hard to not be sick or cry. I cannot imagine the pain and anguish felt by both parents and Daniel. Today, Daniel wears poorly-fitted, wooden limbs, that are painful and inflexible. I do not intend to make this sound like a pathetic, emotional commercial, where people beg for money. But, my prayer is that God will raise up a faithful, compassionate, charitable doctor or medical team who will desire to provide prosthetic limbs for Daniel.

Daniel doing his Bible verse presentation

Daniel seated with his little buddy

Our last departing team member, to contribute to our blog, is Emily Rexford (17 years old). Here are her thoughts...

"Well, first off I have to say that this photo makes me look way more thoughtful and smart than I actually am. Secondly I suppose I should give you all some wise thoughts of wisdom and knowledge that I have learned over the past six weeks. The difficult thing is I have learned so much over this time it's so hard to choose what to share. I learned that God grows you in the areas that you need to grow, not the area you want to grow. I have learned how to live in a relatively small space (at least smaller than we spoiled Americans are used to) with eight very different people. I have seen the joy that these people have and I am astounded, and I now know that if I stop shaving for three weeks my leg hair gets longer than Eli's. However, what I really want to talk about is what I have been learning over the last two weeks, and that is finish strong. I have missed home since week one, however these last few weeks have been the most difficult. I was finding it hard to focus because I just felt guilty about being homesick. Others on the team had a passion that I longed for and thought of nothing else but the field. I felt I was letting people down because I was looking forward to going home instead of dreading it. But then it hit me. We all have different callings. I have been called here for six weeks, and while I have loved it here, I have not been called here for longer. However, that is not an excuse to not focus on the right here and now. The point is not how long we are called to be here, (whether 6 weeks, 3 months, or years), the point is that we all have been called here now. I cannot compare myself with others and what God has given them, I have to ask myself if I am doing what I am supposed to with what God has given me. So yes, I am excited to go home in two days, twelve hours, and thirty-five minutes, (not that I'm counting or anything), but I am also so grateful for all the times that I have had here and the growth, (however painful), and the few days I have left. I have had to rely on God and I am so thankful for the people who have been on this journey with me. So as one last thought, I would like to leave you with this picture: 10 very tired people packed into a 5 person car singing Christmas carols in July in Uganda, Africa at the top of our lungs. Yup, I will never forget these times.

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 3:14