Village Bible Church || Aurora | Indian Creek | Sugar Grove | IL

Happy Independence Day from Uganda!  The team and I all pray that you have a safe and enjoyable day and hope that you “Ooo!” and “Ahhh!” over all the fireworks because there will be none here!  Instead we will be listening this pack of dogs howling all night long.  The dogs are a bit more of an intimidating sound to fall asleep to than the mice that have been squeaking above mine and Natalie’s ceiling for the past few nights. 

This morning we said goodbye to the ABIDE team (Matt Kehn’s students) as went to minister to two schools in the area.  The first school we went to was a secondary school that is nearly divided between the amount of Christian and Muslim students.  We had been told of this earlier in the morning and, sure enough, as we entered the campus there were two signs, side-by-side, welcoming us – one from the Scripture Union, which is a Christian club, and the other from the Muslim Student Association.  This first school was a tough crowd.  The teachers that we encountered at the high school were God-fearing and we could so clearly see their heart and their passion to see their students come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.  Lisa, Keith, and Molly (a team member from West Chicago) all spoke at the secondary campus, while Deb narrated a skit at the primary school.  While it was evident that some of the students couldn’t care less about what we were saying it was apparent that others were soaking in every word that was spoken (or at least every word that was understood because we are Mzungus, white men, and have strange accents!).  We are confident that God is at work in this country and in these schools and He has a big plan for those who are willing to confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. 

One thing that Lisa and I were talking out today was how God has so perfectly orchestrated each and every experience and conversation we have had on this trip so far.  Each and every one of our devotion passages has directly coincided with what we have been experiencing or what we have been feeling that we may need to hear at that moment.  We have already seen God do some amazing things and have befriended some people who have had such powerful, God-filled experiences that we cannot argue against His grace, His goodness, His love, and His power.  As the Ugandans would say, “God is good – All the time.  All the time – God is good.  That is His nature.  Wow!”

Uganda is the most beautiful place I have ever been.  His majesty shines throughout this nation.  From the landscape to the people, to those mice that were in our ceiling for the past few nights, He created it all!  After bringing the Good News to the schools this morning we traveled to Kapchurwa where we will be ministering to five schools within the next two days.  This city is located on the top of a mountain and we were able to stop at several lookout points along the way.  WOW!  The green valley that we looked down upon took our breath away.  With huge cliffs, stunning waterfalls, colorful flowers, banana plantations, and various crops planted below, we were completely captivated and in awe of God’s creation.  No picture will ever do this country justice – another thing that so clearly shows God’s overwhelming power.  Only He could create such a picture.  Nevertheless, we could not stop taking those pictures!  Juna Amagara rented a van that is often seen driving on safaris.  The entire roof popped up so that we could stand and look out without having to peer through the dirty windows.  As we drove along, standing in the back, taking pictures, and chatting we encountered many people along the road.  The children were filled with laughter as they ran after our van waving and shouting, “Mzungus!!” while the adults tended to stare at us and occasionally wave.  Some of us were feeling like total tourists about snapping the cameras every six point two seconds but this feeling drained when Keith saw a man along the road whip out his cell phone and take a picture of us!

With five days under our belt we ask that you would continue to be in prayer for both our team and for this country.  There are so many people seeming ready to accept the Word and yet there is still so much darkness.  We ask that you would pray for God to continue to work in and through us during this trip.  We ask that you would be praying for our safety as we are, and will be, traveling a lot over the next few weeks.  And finally, we ask that you would continue to keep this team unified and to continue to stretch us and push us out of our comfort zone in order that we may have a part in His plan to further the kingdom. 

And finally, I leave you with this song that we have been ending our ministry at the schools with:

My friends may we grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

My friends may we grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory, now and forever, now and forever.  Amen.

To God be the glory, now and forever, now and forever.  Amen