Late To Bed, Early To Rise

For as long as we have been coming to Uganda (2012), time on the mission field is pretty demanding. Regardless of what the day holds, we are up between 5:45-6:15am, read together, and have a light breakfast. Days in the field can be extremely exhausting. Week after week, we spend 3-5 days evangelizing from 10:00 – 2:30, going home to home, compound to compound in the hot sunshine. Not only do we walk miles, but we pour ourselves into the gospel presentation – after all, souls are at stake. Other days are spent with building relationships with people who come to the church compound (for the store or clinic). We also use those days to restock our food supply and go to the market. Occasionally, we get an audience with a roadside shop or piki-piki stand (motorcycle taxis), and we present the gospel there.

Tororo sky

Each evening, we try to handle some administrative work and plan for the next day. For the past 4 weeks, Eli has been leading the upper-elementary students through The Doctrines of Grace. They concluded this week and the students head back to school Monday morning after being on holiday. 

Eli with his Doctrines of Grace class.

Monday through Friday we attend Bible study at RBC from 7-8:15pm. This week, Eli has had the opportunity to teach it. There are approximately 18-25 people who attend.  When we come home, we try to write or call a few people at home, prepare for the next day, talk about the events of the day, and try to have family worship. We finally have time to check emails, texts, and other online stuff. Bedtime varies, but it’s usually between 10-midnight. I am not writing this in out of pride, but rather to give each of you a snapshot of what our week looks like here.

Julius preaching at RBC.

 Thankfully, Janet and Immaculate, two beautiful sisters in our church here help us with cooking for the evangelism teams each week. Since we all go out, they stay back and prepare lunch for the three teams (Brockmans plus RBC members who also evangelize and translate). We usually have 3-6 people who join us in the field each week. The days we visit a church in a different town, we are fed lunch by that church. The meals often consist of posho (which is a staple food here, made with corn-flour), beans, greens or cabbage. Sometimes, we are treated with a pot of beef, chicken, or pork. These foods are prepared very differently from American cooking but are delicious. The fruit here is my favorite - mangos, pineapple, bogoya (sweet little bananas), and the list goes on. There are days here that we miss some of the comforts of home, but there is no place we’d rather be.

The Tororo Center for Biblical Studies

The Tororo Center for Biblical Studies, which sits next to the church, is like a beacon of light in this town. Uganda is not short of churches, but they are empty of solid theology and sound doctrine. False teachings, witch doctors, and unholy traditions still permeate Uganda. Word of Faith and Pentacostalism are poison here. Not only do these teachings exploit and manipulate those in abject poverty, but in areas throughout Uganda, former witch doctors are now serving as pastors/pastoresses.  In order for these imposters to invoke a “miracle” they demand a sacrifice – not an animal – a child! It is pure evil and accepted insanity. My mind cannot wrap itself around such vile sin, and I weep for the innocent lives stolen for evil. May God have mercy.

Jim, Eli and Nicodemus

Nicodemus' former house that now serves as a church.

Nico and Julius

                               

We had the privilege of meeting a pastor named Nicodemus who once served in a Pentacostal church. He shared much of his life and experience with us. He attended seminary, and the Lord opened his eyes to the lies, so he returned to his congregation ready to preach the truth of the Word. Rather than repenting and rejoicing in the truth they heard, they beat him and chased him out of the church he helped build. He is the only Christian pastor within a 25-30 mile radius. The story does end there though. Knowing he must carry the gospel faithfully, Nicodemus knocked down the inside walls in his small home in order for it to serve as a church on his own land! He built a small mud shack for him and his wife to stay in until he has the money to rebuild a home. He is hated by family and he has very few friends, but his faith is strong, as is his integrity. Rev. Julius has been a great encouragement to Nicodemus, through phone calls and visits. Please pray for Nicodemus as he struggles through this difficult time, that God would keep him encouraged, and that the Lord would continue to meet his needs.

After a short break, two of our seminary students are back at school. Please pray for Junior and Maxwell as they continue their studies, and grow in the knowledge and truth of God's Word.

Joseph Keeya is also a seminary student but he is on break, as he is on a different cycle. Joseph is now part of our evangelism teams each week until he returns to school in September.

From L to R - top: Eli, Julius, Jim
bottom: Maxwell, Chrissie, Junior

I will close for now in order to get this posted. Please continue to pray for us, and if you haven't, please drop us a hello via text, email, messenger, or even a call. We are 7 hours ahead, but we'd really love to hear from you. If you call between 9am-2:30pm EST, we might be available. Please know that we love and miss you. We pray for our church, our family, and our friends often. Much love to you. 

For Our Good and His Glory,

The Brockmans

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus...preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with complete patience and teaching.   

                                                                                                   ~ 2 Timothy 4:1-2

Needs Greater Than We Can Meet

 This week was filled to the brim with ministry within the Amagoro area (where RBC is located) and some deep village evangelism. As I’ve said to most people back home, the days are long, the work is hard, but the Lord is good and so is His work. We pray the work we are doing brings Him glory alone.

Evangelism in the villages

Beautiful faces who need the Living Water

Each week night, we are blessed with a Bible study led by Reverand Julius. He is taking his people chapter by chapter through the Bible. We just completed Exodus on Friday, which we celebrated with sodas for all. :) Julius is a wonderful expository teacher and preacher. He loves the Word of God, and his prayer is that his congregation continues to grow in the knowledge and fear of the Lord.

Eli is continuing with teaching the upper-elementary children The Doctrines of Grace. These are heavy teachings, but the children are really soaking it in and having fun learning with Eli. He is also preaching tomorrow at a village called Mudokori. Please continue to pray for him, to preach only what the Lord would have him speak.

Homes with two wives is common and so destructive

 Mudokori is where we finished the  week with evangelism. It was very fruitful but very sad. Polygamy is very common in Uganda among the pagans, but what happens when a woman or even the whole family becomes born again? How do you minister to a family torn apart by polygamy that then comes to Christ? What does that look like lived out? My heart has been heavy as this is a common theme within Mudakori. I am praying for wisdom and discernment about how to counsel these women in repentance, confession, forgiveness, and biblical living which can bring hope to their families. 

One of our adventures brought us to a branch of Compassion International – Uganda. Here in Ochegen, there are over 450 children ages 3-20 who are cared for. Students who are living in abject poverty are selected to partake. Schooling and trade training is provided, along with a meal.

Jim and Eli addressing the children at Compassion Intl

Pinina is the Director at Compassion Int'l Branch
and is also the wife of the doctor at Charis Medical Clinic.

At Ochegen, we were able to fellowship, share the gospel, and help lead a Bible study with different age groups. We watched the students versus teachers in a game of netball, and we had fun teaching the students some of our American songs.

An area I want to cover is the Charis Medical Clinic attached to the Tororo Center for Biblical Studies. This center has been mentioned in our church (Church of the Open Door, Fayetteville, NC), as the church has helped provide supplies to them from time to time. The three workers (doctor, phlebotomist, and nurse) are all volunteers. They receive no pay, yet they dedicate their time and talents to those in need. They treat patients daily who have malaria or typhoid. Dr. Patrick has treated those with diseases, snake bites, broken bones, and even 3rd-degree burns. Many patients need the main hospital, but cannot afford anything, so the clinic takes care of them the best they can. There are no sedatives or anesthesia at the clinic (it's way too expensive), so at least once a week, we hear the screams and cries of those with terrible injuries who have come for help. It is horrifying and heartbreaking. Medication is expensive for Ugandans, and there is often not enough money to replace what they need. Please pray for this need, as it is very great. Please, also pray for those serving in this ministry, who go without to help save the lives of others.

Last night, we had a terrible storm. The rain and wind reminded me of the strong, tropical storms that Florida often gets. Because most of the roads near us are dirt, they became very dangerous with nothing but mud and muck. The roads erode, and little is done by the city, which causes many problems for transportation. Ah, Uganda…

The rain brings so much flooding. Many mud homes are washed away
and people are in great jeopardy.

Praise the Lord for the walled fence, which keeps RBC property from being flooded.

We were blessed by friends back home that sent us videos and text messages! We even had a chance to chat with a few online. It’s always great to hear from you all, so don’t be a stranger. We also sent letters home to our friends at church. We hope they arrive before we get home. Haha! 

Your prayers are so appreciated. We see God working and all the glory is His. We are grateful to be part of this ministry, but we are mere instruments. May God raise up more men and women to be the bringers of His Good News!

Romans 10:12-15

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Feet that are bringing the Good News!

Broken Homes and Broken Lives

My African Sunrise

We have now been here two weeks and we are in full swing with teaching, preaching, evangelism, and ministering to different people. This week was met with many challenges, but the Lord is always faithful.

Eli preaching at RBC on the Assurance of Salvation

Eli preached his very first sermon last Sunday, and by God’s grace, it touched many hearts. We know the words were not his own, and we praise God for using broken vessels to carry forth His message. The sermon was on the Assurance of Salvation, Romans 8:1-4. A sincere “thank you” to those who lifted him in prayer.

Evangelizing in the village

                                                                                       

 

We spent much of the week evangelizing in the deep villages. Poverty and depravity are ubiquitous. Hearts are hopeless. Broken lives are strewn throughout the land. Families are torn apart by polygamy and abandonment. Joy is foreign to so many.  There are many religious and cultural strongholds that prevent the true Gospel from being heard. We were blessed to have the opportunity to share the good news with some with ears to hear. We pray for those who have heard, that the Lord would do a mighty work in their desperate lives.

Sadly, this is a typical scene...the homes often represent the condition of their lives.

Sweetest faces!

                                        

Firewood carried on the heads of women is most impressive!

Last Saturday, we were reunited with old friends, Pastor John Obbo and his wife Susan, from Nagongera Baptist Church. Pr. John faithfully evangelizes his village and surrounding towns. Nagongera has a strong Roman Catholic presence and rejects much of what Pr. John teaches. Please pray for him and his community, that they may come to see the light and freedom that Christ offers.

Visiting with John and Susan Obbo

 

This week, we have also had the privilege of spending time with each of our sponsored children/teens. We are taking a couple of days each week to catch up with them one-on-one, take them to lunch, and find out about their lives and needs (both physical and spiritual). Each sponsored child/teen is either a member or faithful attendee of Rock Baptist Church and is either a partial or total orphan. They are often at-risk children, with little to no hope for a future, without the help of generous sponsors. There are also a few widows who help care for these children, even though they have little to nothing themselves. If the Lord leads you to contribute to a child, teen, or widow, please contact me via email at cabrockman66@gmail.com.  Please pray for them to grow in the hope of Christ, regardless of their circumstances.

 
Finally, an update on our personal challenges…our bank account was hacked! Yes, this was quite concerning, as we are thousands of miles and an ocean apart from home. But God is faithful and thankfully, very little was taken. We can tell you all about it when we get home, but suffice it to say, all is well now.

Also, there was a miscommunication about extra baggage and Bibles that I need to clear up. Upon our departure, we asked if we could pay for an extra bag, to which we were told, “Yes”. However, upon arriving to the airport, they denied the 7^th bag due to us flying through two different airlines. No one denied Bibles, but the majority of Bibles were in Bag #7. Sigh. However, we do have a few Bibles and all of our other bags arrived with no issue – Praise God!

 

Please continue to pray for us, for Pr. Julius and RBC, and all of the hearts we come to know while we are here. We miss you all and you remain in our prayers as well. Until next time...Tuonane and Praise God! 💛

 Our Rough Return

The day of our departure from the US finally arrived. With luggage in hand, our friend,  Justin, brought us to the airport at the crack of dawn. All was well until we were asked for our visas. Upon booking tickets, I confirmed that we could indeed purchase our visas at the border – just as we always have. However, this was not the case for the airlines and we were promptly told that we would not be flying if we had no visa.

I cannot recall a time in my life that I had such anxiety when traveling. I was visibly shaken and distressed, when two airline staff members took pity on us and began to work furiously to help us. We began the process of applying for e-visas to Uganda, which normally would take minutes, but due to poor WiFi, and using only a phone, it took much longer. Very long story short – we made it to Uganda on every flight we were originally booked on!!! Praise God for intervening, because it really didn’t look like that was going to happen at all.

We even had a bit of delay at the Ugandan Immigration Office, but Pastor Julius waited patiently for us to finish up and we were happily reunited a few short hours later. We are now safely home in Tororo, and have even started the work. Jim and Eli have already had some evangelism opportunities with Mormon missionaries and an Anglican pastor.

 We attended one of the training sessions at the new Tororo Biblical Training Center, called The Aletheia Project, where pastors and ministries from villages all around come to learn and study. The focus of this training was finishing up the Doctrine of Salvation.

Church service on Sunday was most glorious! I have always loved worshiping with my Ugandan family each Lord’s Day, and to be in the presence of my brothers and sisters here was most joyous and refreshing. There is so much raw beauty in the music and prayers, and the teaching and preaching were solid and strong bringing conviction and encouragement.

Pastor Julius preached on the joy of contentment in Christ. “Contentment comes from learning to accept less than you are due. Train yourself to rejoice!” Amen and Amen!

Though far from home, and without some conveniences for a time, we are most content and for that we praise God!

Please continue to pray for the mission of evangelism and discipleship, helping raise up leaders to stand firm in churches despite the opposition or difficulties of no pay. Also, pray that Julius and the other young men in the seminary will remain faithful and strong in their calling. Finally, please pray for Eli this week, as he was asked to preach his first sermon at Rock Baptist Church this Sunday. Your prayers are coveted, and we remember you in our prayers as well.

Please feel free to email, text, or message us. We love hearing from you and we will get back to you as time allows. May the LORD bless and keep you all. Until our next update…Tuonane.