Day Five

THE REST OF BRENDA’S STORY

Yesterday Brenda shared about leading Maureen to Christ and how glad she was that she did not quit sharing when she hit “the wall” we talked about in devotion. Maureen showed up for the crusade service this evening and said that she wanted to share a testimony. I always defer to a pastor regarding anyone who desires to speak in a service so I introduced her to Pastor Enoch. She shared her story with him and he was so moved he has asked her to share it this Sunday morning. Here’s how it goes: Maureen used to frequent the Sun Set Pub which has now become home to Luzira Community Church. She admitted that not only was she addicted to alcohol but that she slept with many men who were regulars there until she contracted HIV. Her next statement was so sad. She stated that not one of the friends she partied with at the Sun Set Pub cared enough to come and see her in the hospital. And, not one of the men she slept with so much as called to check on her. Then she smiled, though her face is already distorted by the effects of her disease, and said that she was finally happy now that she had accepted Jesus. Tonight, when she walked into the very place that Satan had used in the past to destroy her life, she was greeted by her new brothers and sisters in Christ, who she said, “really, really love me.”
-Donnie

Oh my goodness! I don’t even know where to begin or how to describe this amazing journey. I am truly overwhelmed with all of the things happening. First of all, I have fallen in love with the children. They are the most beautiful and precious children I have ever seen in my life. Every time we go to a school, it’s so exciting to see their smiling faces. You can see the anticipation they have as they wait for us to talk to them and tell them about Jesus. I love it! Secondly, I have to be honest for a second and say that going door to door or doing street evangelism is really not my cup of tea. I knew that was part of the trip, but I was never really excited about it. However, it’s amazing to me how God has worked in that area, not only in me, but with everyone. Although it still makes me nervous every time we get off the bus, I know that God has divine appointments waiting for us. Donnie, Kat, our translator Dorothy and I work together when we go door to door. Yesterday we stopped in Bbina and the first stop we made we talked with five different guys and Donnie led each of them to Christ. My eyes were full of tears as they each prayed the sinners prayer, and I was so amazed how obvious God was at work. Today another divine appointment was waiting and once again I was nervous as we walked off the bus. Kat talked to a few people and Donnie and I stood back. We were her prayer warriors for that encounter. As we moved on down the road we saw a place where three girls were sitting. Donnie said to me “I want you and I to tag team this one” so I said okay and walked on in. We all introduced ourselves, and then Donnie started talking and sharing with them about the new church in Luzira. Then I shared the hand thingy, and Donnie added more when necessary. At the end I asked them if they wanted to take that small step of faith, and they said YES. The girls told Dorothy that they were excited and if we left without leaving them this special gift of Jesus, it would be so bad. So for the first time in my whole entire life I led these girls in the sinners prayer, and they accepted Jesus into their hearts. What an amazing moment for me. I’m not the only one with stories like this. Each of us on this team has unique encounters with people each day, and I am so overwhelmed each night when I hear them. As we have stated before – the harvest is very ripe for picking, and I am so excited we have so many new members in the family of God!
-Crystal Gulley


Before I came on this trip, I had been learning about the power of the Holy Spirit living in us and the authority we have in Christ. This morning we talked about spiritual warfare and mentioned different ways that Satan is trying to distract or discourage us. So as I read my Bible on the bus this morning, God took me to Luke 4, where Jesus casts the demon out of a man. As I sat there, He prepared me to go out, and He placed on my heart that I needed to be aware of that spiritual warfare going on around us. So I went out with confidence as we shared the Gospel, knowing that God had already intended for me to have a divine encounter. Susan and Julius, both from Ggaba Community Church, interpreted for Laurie and me as Adolf prayed for us. Almost immediately we encountered five people. I could tell immediately that two of them were Muslim. It was apparent to me that demons had control of them. So I began praying with confidence that these demons, just as when Jesus had sent them away, would leave! As I began sharing “the hand” presentation of the Gospel with this group, both Muslim women turned and walked away. I probably don’t need to tell you what happened next. You probably already know. After sharing some scripture and explaining the Gospel to the other three, all three (Jeffrey, Richard, and Diane) knelt down and prayed to receive Christ.
Then, this afternoon after lunch, I felt God impress on me that I just needed to go prayerwalking. So I grabbed Adolf and two translators from Ggaba Community Church, and we began up the road near the church. The members from Ggaba had never prayerwalked before. So we were able to mentor them. After a while, we came to the end of a dirt road, and there we found a man digging a ditch on the side of the road. So we told him about the church that is being started, and he was willing to hear what we had to say, so as Adolf prayed, I shared the Gospel with Alex. Without any questions or objections, he said he wanted to accept Christ right now. So standing in the ditch, this man prayed and became our brother in Christ.

I told Judith, Pastor Enoch’s wife, that it is so unusually easy to share Christ here. With childlike faith, these people accept the truth readily. She told me that this was because God has anointed us to go out and has gone out before us. These are only two of many amazing stories about what God has done. God is great, isn’t He?
-Krista

A Busy Muzungu is a Happy Muzungu!

We just finished dinner with Pastor Peter Kasirivu from Ggaba Community Church. He came to hear what God is doing at the new church plant in Luzira and he was amazed at the many stories of miraculous conversions. When he heard our hectic schedule and all the types of ministries we were doing, he said: “one thing we have discovered in hosting groups from America is that A BUSY MUZUNGU IS A HAPPY MUZUNGU! The one thing that seemed to blow him away was the fact that we were allowed tonight to sing and preach the gospel at a huge tin auditorium filled with 1500 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST students! African Renewal Ministries has never been allowed to speak at an Adventist gathering. We sang our worship songs and I preached the gospel including a sinners prayer. I was not sure if I had offended the headmaster but I guess it was o.k. because he invited us to come back if we were ever in Kampala again. He also told us that the reason we had been invited was that of all weeks of the school year we had come on “International Week” so it gave them a perfect reason to allow the Americans to come into our school. We were not able to counsel them afterward but many, many of them prayed to receive Christ.
-Donnie

                                Krista & Adolph leading 3 people to the Lord


                                                 Child playing by the road


                      Tanya, Judy & Adolph sing with Luzira children


                                              Seventh Day Adventist School


                  Crystal, Laurie & Katrina try to blend in with the locals