Uganda is definately not Kenya. It’s hard to explain, but there is a different atmosphere here. Granted, in Kenya we were in a remote, small village and in Uganda we are just outside the capital Kampala….but I’ll come back to that.
Kenya was amazing, the month was one of insanity. We had 3 teammates come down with malaria, one of whom was my wife Casey. I’m happy to say all 3 of those affected are doing fine now with no symptoms. So that is definately a Praise The Lord. Unfortunately 2 of our teammates did have to head home. One for medical reasons and the other due to support funds coming up short. So this month was definately one of challenge for our team Freedom’s Fire. It was definately a make or break month. Which is hard to imagine coming to this point in our first month as a team. I can happily say that this team has come together in ways that I didn’t think we could, even after 6 more months on the race together. But here we are, ready for battle and on the front lines.
Kenya would have been a different story if it had not been for the contacts we had. Pastor Nicholas was absolutely incredible! He bent over backwards to make us feel as welcomed as possible. He did everything a human could do once our teammates fell ill. While doing all this, he continued to be the head pastor of Deliverance Church and continued with all of his duties to his church and commnuity. I would truly love to come back to Kachibora and spend more time with Pastor Nicholas and his church.
From Kenya we have come to an area just outside of Kampala called Nalukolongo. It’s hard to desrcribe the area so I’ll start with our contact. We are working with Pastor Joseph of Ambassadors of Life Church. Pastor Joseph is an incredible man of God, who just 3 years ago started his church with just 5 people taking shelter under a jackfruit tree. Now the simple structure they use as a chapel is home to a 200 member congregation. Pastor Joseph is the kind of man that, like Pastor Nicholas, wants to do everything he can to make us feel welcome. He has put us up in a “guest house” which is somewhere between a motel and a hostel and has opened his home and family to us.
We are doing very similar ministry to what we did in Kenya, door to door every day and we have 2 church services everyday which we are expected to deliver a message at each. I was terrified to deliver even one message, but between last month and our first few days here I definately have faith that the Lord will use me to deliver whatever message he has for whomever is present. Half a dozen, albeit short sermons later, I know it’s not through my words and preperation that the word of God is spread and people are reached, but through the Spirit.
I’ll just touch on one more thing in this blog, even though there’s a ton more to say, but I don’t want to lose anyone’s attention with a horribly long blog 🙂 I did get a call the other day from the AIM home office that told me we are $500 dollars short of the total we need to be at as of mid September. I was told a couple days ago that if we did not raise the 500 by October 31st we would be sent home. Within the past couple days we have raised about $150, so we have about 350 to go before Halloween. Now Casey and I both know that the Lord has a purpose for us on this race. We are meant to be here for the full 11 months. The Lord is doing such amazing works around us, not to mention the work He is doing in our lives. So I’m asking that if you know anyone who’s looking for the opportunity to share in the blessings that comes from supporting us spread God’s Kingdon, please direct them to this blog. As always we need your prayers, our team and squad need your prayers. We need to be at a total of $22,000 by the end of this month and we then have 6,500 more to raise by mid December to put us at a total of 28,600 to be fully supported and to complete the race. I can’t thank our supporters enough for the miracle of raising as much as we have, you truly have been a blessing to our lives. Please help us continue to keep doing the works God has placed on our hearts for the next 7 months.
Thank you and God bless!
