Day Four

I am overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounds us, even as we travel through the vast poverty of Luzira. The children, dirty and dressed in rags, are stunning as they run up to us, eager for hugs. They are so excited to see visitors in their communities. God continues to amaze us with His power. Our team has been carried moment by moment by the Spirit and we are witnessing lives being changed.

As we followed another group from our team, we prayed as we walked the streets. God answered our prayers within a block as we encountered our first Luzira residents. We had intended to only invite folks to view the Jesus video that evening at the church. But the Spirit led Brenda, Stephen and I, along with our interpreter, David, to share Jesus with each person we spoke with. I am humbled that God allowed me to lead Lydia and Wamula to Christ. Pray for them as they begin their new lives in Christ.

The first service at Luzira Community Church was amazing! The African people love music and expressive worship. They began playing music to draw in the crowd. Children and adults began arriving right away. The music had a great beat – something you just have to dance to! We began dancing with the children and they loved it. It is so touching to see how little things mean so much to them.

Thank you for your prayers and for helping make this trip possible.
-Janet


God is the God Most High. I don’t know where or how to start. There are so many miracles that are happening every moment. The children—oh my—when I looked into their eyes—God spoke to me and said—“You are looking into the heart of God.” It was a very clear thought in my mind and it was there—no doubt. This is a hurting nation that is hungry for healing—their heart is ready and God is “raining a healing “on the people of Uganda. Within steps of every team praying and walking, people prayed to receive Jesus. They are open and inquisitive—they are listening to what we are saying and they ask very good questions. A father was wearing a cross with Jesus on it and then looked at Judy’s cross. He started to turn it around and around—the other people in the crowd were also looking at the cross. She told him, "He's not there—He is no longer dead, but risen and alive and he lives in my heart. He can be in yours and yours and yours” she said as she went around to each person. His wife, who was standing in the background, popped her head forward and said “that is a very good answer." The people here are sponges—they can’t get enough. In preparation for Team Uganda I impressed in my heart to pray for miracles in Uganda. All along the miracles have been coming in—weather breaks, healed team members, lost souls eagerly receiving Christ. I had thought that God had more than answered this prayer. Today a sister came to Gaba members, Judy and myself to come to the house across the street for prayer for her 16 year old brother, Mark. Judy and I eagerly entered the house. Phyllis got her brother—wheelchair bound recovering from a stroke secondary to a sickle cell crisis episode that happened during a gall bladder removal procedure. I am overwhelmed that God has found us to be faithful to raise this small child to Him in prayer and supplication. Judy and I are claiming Matthew 17—faith the size of a mustard. The team prayed for complete healing of little Mark. Pray for strength and endurance for his sister Phyllis who has done a wonderful job of caring for him. God be Praised.

Thank you for your prayerful support.
-Diane


I am sitting here with our bus driver, Patrick. He has been such a blessing to our team and he is an excellent driver. He has driven us up hills, over hills, down steep embankments, through tremendous traffic and we’re all still in one piece. Praise God! Patrick loves the Lord and we love him! These past five days in Africa have been the most amazing days of my life….I know I will never forget Africa or the hundreds of faces I’ve seen. Today we ministered in a school of about 150 children. Some of the children were orphans and some had families. They were so excited and at the end of our program we gave them toothbrushes and presented a soccer ball to the Headmaster (better known as football here). In our team meeting this morning, Donnie told us that many of us might “hit a wall” in our ministry here, and that we must be in prayer constantly, yet rest in God and allow him to break through the wall for us. Well, I hit the wall today. After we ministered in the school I was ready to call it quits for the day. Yet the Lord had other plans. Donnie felt the Lord leading us to minister in the streets so he led our team and the team from Ggaba Community Church to a market area and we sang praise songs right there in this market as people shopped and moved about! Yet they were listening. As we sang, a man approached Stephen Hokenson and asked him how he might be saved. While we were singing, I watched Stephen share the love of Christ to this man…..and guess what. God used this to break through that wall I hit today. After we sang we went in teams to walk the streets and see who the Lord might draw us near. He led me, Janet, Stephen and our interpreter, David, to a small beauty shop and I shared the love of Jesus to Maureen while she had her hair done….then she prayed to receive Christ as her Lord and Savior. Down the street Joann prayed to receive Christ. I am so thankful that I didn’t call it quits today….the Lord had an appointment with Maureen and Joann that he allowed me to witness. Praise His holy name. Please keep us all in prayer…that we “rest” when needed, yet remain expectant and open to how the Lord will use us. Love to you all and my family…I miss you all.
-Brenda

Hello to all back home. What an experience it has been to be here in Africa! God has moved in so many ways. Before coming here, I was never one to be comfortable sharing Christ w/ people by way of talking to them one-on-one. I have always done so by “living by example.” Boy, God has broken those walls down on this trip. Adolf, Krista, two translators, (Suzanne & Julius) and I are in a group going door to door on the streets. I have shared with many people and every time it gets easier and easier. There have been some very difficult questions that people have asked me, but I am continually amazed that He has given me the words to say. On Monday, a man stated that his parents were in hell because they did not believe, therefore, why shouldn’t he sacrifice eternity with God so that he could be with them? He also asked, for their sins to be forgiven could he pray long enough? Wow! What do you say to that? Thank the Lord he gave me the words to say……We as humans can’t tell if they are in heaven or not. That would only be between them and God. I also said there is nothing he could do to save them, but the only thing he needed to be concerned about is his relationship with the Lord. At that point, Donnie came over to help out and the man asked him the same questions. Hearing Donnie’s answers confirmed that my answers were true. Later, Donnie said that those were the hardest questions he has faced when witnessing to people. No open professions of faith were made, but many seeds were planted and people said they would visit the Luzira church that night. Today, I talked to a man named Vincent who is “riding the fence” between Catholicism and Christianity. I believe he is close to making a decision, but he wants to learn more before praying to receive Christ. The greatest news today was that Krista led a 15yr old girl to the Lord today….Praise God! There are so many other stories to tell but I think you can see God is definitely working here. Thanks for your prayers, they are definitely working.
-Laurie

The Jesus Film-

Last night after our crusade service an African evangelist joined us and set up a huge screen ten feet in the air which can be viewed from both sides. People from the community not only packed out our little facility but were crowded onto the street adjacent to our building, to watch the story of Jesus in Lugnadan. At the close of the movie twenty four people prayed to receive Christ.

HERE’S THE REST OF THE STORY! Three days before we left for Africa I am sitting at my desk and a man calls my office. His name was Greg and he told me that he had heard that we were going to Uganda and he needed us to carry a generator there for him. Let me share my first impulse…are you crazy? We were already taking over one hundred bibles, six microphones, mic cables, a twelve channel mixer, a direct box, two microphone stands, two thousand pencils, one thousand toothbrushes, two thousand gospel bracelets, twenty presentation bibles, and on and on. On top of this, saying you need to take a generator to Uganda is a bit like saying you need us to take something to your friend in Texas. I could see all sorts of potential for problems in making the connection once we arrived there. But, then I found out that this guy was Devin Holmes’ uncle and Devin is a faithful missions champion in our church so reluctantly I agreed to bring the generator and worry about the details later. Brenda actually checked this as her second bag at the airport. This past Sunday morning after church at Ggaba a man walked up to me and introduced himself by saying something like: “I think you have something for me!” He told me that his name was Jonathan and that the generator was for him and he needed it desperately because he had been assigned to SHOW THE JESUS FILM EACH NIGHT FOR THE CHURCH PLANT AT LUZIRA. In short, if we had refused to bring the generator these precious souls might not have a new address in heaven.
-Donnie

Prayer Requests:

Please pray for Joy Martin and Adolph Ramirez, they are not feeling well.

Please pray for Tish Hicks, she has experienced both headaches and nausea.

Please pray for boldness as we face the enemy and spiritual protection as we enter his territory.

Please pray that we will allow God to lead us into any area of ministry He desires for us.

Please pray for Pastor Enoch's family, his infant daughter, Vickie, has had a fever.

Please pray for the volunteers/translators for Ggaba Community Church.

Please pray for Donnie for leadership and decisions for our team.

Please pray for our overall team health.

Please pray for Maureen, a new convert who is HIV positive.