The hardest part of a beginning sometimes is knowing that there
is an ending; for us that happens twelve times in the year; from the family to
every country we make home the next eleven months. This village has been a wonderful ride and
home for me and it’s crazy to think this coming Wednesday will be our last day
there before taking a very long bus ride to Uganda. Our second longest month on the Race and it’s
amazing always at how time flies when you’re having a blast. I’ve really enjoyed our long walks on the
dirt paths, rice fields, sitting under tree shade on a small wooden stool, drawing
in the red African dirt the plan of salvation, seeing chickens fight, and
getting to see God change lives in the hearts of these beautiful people. And our translators this month have just been
amazing along with the church members. Members like MamaMarie, Nchambie, Angelina, Yohanna, Eliza, Pastor
Faustine and his wife, Patrida, Cephas, Bestie, and Joseph have been incredible
in their translations from English to Swahili, no matter how our American
accents could be for them to understand!
is an ending; for us that happens twelve times in the year; from the family to
every country we make home the next eleven months. This village has been a wonderful ride and
home for me and it’s crazy to think this coming Wednesday will be our last day
there before taking a very long bus ride to Uganda. Our second longest month on the Race and it’s
amazing always at how time flies when you’re having a blast. I’ve really enjoyed our long walks on the
dirt paths, rice fields, sitting under tree shade on a small wooden stool, drawing
in the red African dirt the plan of salvation, seeing chickens fight, and
getting to see God change lives in the hearts of these beautiful people. And our translators this month have just been
amazing along with the church members. Members like MamaMarie, Nchambie, Angelina, Yohanna, Eliza, Pastor
Faustine and his wife, Patrida, Cephas, Bestie, and Joseph have been incredible
in their translations from English to Swahili, no matter how our American
accents could be for them to understand!
This past week we’ve done a lot of following up and even new
evangelism to houses where my teams were blessed to be a wonderful lady named
Anastasia come to the Lord on Wednesday and four ladies also on Thursday. God has really been at work this week and our
team has been blessed to be able to bring many new bibles that we’ve bought out
of our team budget to give to the church members here as a gift and to the new
believers as a gift from us that will literally last a lifetime.
evangelism to houses where my teams were blessed to be a wonderful lady named
Anastasia come to the Lord on Wednesday and four ladies also on Thursday. God has really been at work this week and our
team has been blessed to be able to bring many new bibles that we’ve bought out
of our team budget to give to the church members here as a gift and to the new
believers as a gift from us that will literally last a lifetime.
The pastor has really grown a heart for us and we have for
him. The village has never failed to
embrace our team as they see a white broken down pick-up truck carrying
Muzungus through the dirt path and little kids run after you screaming in joy. Of course the start is just part of it all,
it’s the joy of the journey and how you finish that matters. Our team has also experienced our first ever
African crusade out in a field where hundreds of people gather to hear speakers
and watch church choirs dance to songs. African dance is so huge as a part of worship in churches here. With intention, I won’t write about my
experience yet on this crusade, but I will say it’s been eye opening and
challenging for me at the same time.
him. The village has never failed to
embrace our team as they see a white broken down pick-up truck carrying
Muzungus through the dirt path and little kids run after you screaming in joy. Of course the start is just part of it all,
it’s the joy of the journey and how you finish that matters. Our team has also experienced our first ever
African crusade out in a field where hundreds of people gather to hear speakers
and watch church choirs dance to songs. African dance is so huge as a part of worship in churches here. With intention, I won’t write about my
experience yet on this crusade, but I will say it’s been eye opening and
challenging for me at the same time.
Something our team has really been teaching and passionatelypursuing this month is follow up. Not
just house to house witnessing, but even teaching seminars about the basics of
Christianity and leadership for this church. It’s not about us at all, but making sure that this ministry continues
without us here. I believe our ministry
here has really been effective because the people we are working with are
catching the vision and importance of not seeing people as numbers but truly
seeing them as people. That before we
even bring up Jesus in conversation they know we see them as people that God
loves more than anything. That we speak
to them by name and if they do receive Christ that we continue to see them,
love them and know that the real battle has just begun. I pray that our teams love for the people of
the church here will echo from them to this village. Are we truly seeing people as people,
whatever their current or past fallings or struggles may be? I am not different, the only difference is
the marvelous grace of our loving Lord which should compel me to declare.
This past Monday the ministry team we work with, Pastor
Faustine, and our team of translators wanted to take us to the beach of Lake Victoria; only problem is that we
aren’t really allowed to swim based upon possible parasites!! One of my biggest dreams all month was to be
a on real old school fisherman boat on the water, and the chances were looking
slimmer. Well when we ended up at
water’s edge, there were about thirty of those boats just ashore and soon our
pastor talked to a guy on we got on. They took us to a rock island full of huge
boulders and out from the coast quite a distance as the boats would rock far
back and forth with the close to twenty-five us hanging on for dear life. It was an incredible experience that is
always breathtaking. Oh, the vastness of
the waters and the immeasurable creation of our God.
Faustine, and our team of translators wanted to take us to the beach of Lake Victoria; only problem is that we
aren’t really allowed to swim based upon possible parasites!! One of my biggest dreams all month was to be
a on real old school fisherman boat on the water, and the chances were looking
slimmer. Well when we ended up at
water’s edge, there were about thirty of those boats just ashore and soon our
pastor talked to a guy on we got on. They took us to a rock island full of huge
boulders and out from the coast quite a distance as the boats would rock far
back and forth with the close to twenty-five us hanging on for dear life. It was an incredible experience that is
always breathtaking. Oh, the vastness of
the waters and the immeasurable creation of our God.
Just a couple of nights ago our team had a dinner together to
get away beside the lake. It was an
incredible day off as I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen
over water, and then it all ended with a half moon with stars so bright that it
lit the land up while you hear the water waves crash on the side. So I just stood there in the dark and
listened in amazement and told Jedidiah, “Seventy years man, that’s all we
got.” Sometimes it’s saddening that we
get used to living in cages forgetting how beautiful this world and galaxy
really is. How calming it is to just
hear the water waves and see the majesty of it all. When was the last time you’ve stepped outside
to see such beauty?
get away beside the lake. It was an
incredible day off as I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen
over water, and then it all ended with a half moon with stars so bright that it
lit the land up while you hear the water waves crash on the side. So I just stood there in the dark and
listened in amazement and told Jedidiah, “Seventy years man, that’s all we
got.” Sometimes it’s saddening that we
get used to living in cages forgetting how beautiful this world and galaxy
really is. How calming it is to just
hear the water waves and see the majesty of it all. When was the last time you’ve stepped outside
to see such beauty?
Last thing, a cultural fun fact: It’s totally normal in Africa for guys
to hold hands or even women too of the same sex. So my hand is grabbed a lot to walk with someone where we’re going on in friendship. Your next photo is for your enjoyment of me
and my great friend Nchambie! Thanks for Lisa taking the photo upon request!
to hold hands or even women too of the same sex. So my hand is grabbed a lot to walk with someone where we’re going on in friendship. Your next photo is for your enjoyment of me
and my great friend Nchambie! Thanks for Lisa taking the photo upon request!
