Dear friends and family,
Things are going so well here. In the last week I have felt so much more at home here and like God truly had a purpose with bringing me here. The ABIDE team and I went to Bushenyi District (about a 2 hour drive from Mbarara where we live) and we shared the Gospel at five high schools and saw a few hundred people come to Christ or re-commit themselves. Praise God! We preached for two days and taught some great lessons, and I think God was truly glorified in the work we did.
I have also come to a peace about being here and feel comfortable and love where I am. I had been praying for that for a few weeks, and finally I feel truly committed to this work and focusing on God. I feel like God has led me in everything and there is certainly a reason why I am here. He is teaching me so much it's hard to even put down in words. There will just have to be a lot of individual sharing with all of you when I return :)
I also wanted to share a few thoughts and verses that I had lately. I had been troubled with God's plan for me over the last days, weeks, months and yes, even year and a half. I've wondered again and again what God has in store for me but I think I have come to a place of contentment, knowing that whatever the plan is, it's good because God is the one who planned it! God doesn't always reveal to us what he has in store, but we can be certain that it's good.
I shared the story of Joseph with the Juna Amagara children, and I was trying to encourage them with the idea that even though bad things can happen in our life (or what we think is a "bad" thing), God has a plan and can/will use it for good. Joseph, for instance, was thrown into jail by Potipher's wife, for a crime he didn't commit. Potipher's wife had lied to put him in jail. While in jail, he interprets the dreams of the cupbearer and the baker, and after interpreting, he tells the cupbearer to not forget him. But that cupbearer goes free, as Joseph said he would, but then forgets Joseph. In Genesis 41:1, it simply says "When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream." TWO YEARS. And the story continues. Can you imagine being in jail for two years for a crime you didn't commit? But God had a plan for Joseph. Pharaoh then had a dream, and the cupbearer remembered Joseph and Joseph interpreted his dream. Pharaoh then made Joseph the second-ranking official - only Pharaoh himself had more power than Joseph. It also says throughout Joseph's story that God loved Joseph and "the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did," (Gen. 39:23). Later, Joseph is restored to his family and forgives his brothers for the evil they committed. They had betrayed him, but he loved them in return. They sold him as a slave and wished for his death, but instead of hating them in return, he loved his brothers and told them plainly, "'Come close to me. I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt. And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing or reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God....Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.' And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." Amen. Joseph loved the brothers that, at one time, hated him for being more loved by Jacob, their father. Yet Joseph loved his brothers and never cursed them, never hated them back, never even thought for a moment that God was against him. He trusted God and knew that one day, somehow, things would be better.
Psalm 66: 8-12 says:
Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
God is the one who allows "bad" things to happen. He puts us into prison...but for a good purpose. He refines our faith and allows us to see how much he truly loves us. He allows Joseph's brothers to hate him and to sell him into slavery. But what they intended for harm, God used for his plan of good. So what, then, should we do?
1 Thess. 5: 16-18
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Amen. I hope that is encouraging to you. It certainly was to me. And remember to be patient. Joseph was in prison for MORE than two years! Can you imagine? Most of us would have thought that God hated us or had forgotten us if we were in prison for two years for a crime we didn't commit. Yet Joseph praised God and waited...patiently. Some things don't happen overnight. But that doesn't mean God doesn't love you. Amen.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Back from Rwanda
I just got back in to Mbarara from a trip I took with some friends. This marks my half-way point so we took a quick trip to Kigali and then to the volcanoes and we also met the Batwa Tribe in Southwest Uganda. They are known because they are the shortest people in the world (avg height of about 4 feet) and because they killed Diane Fossey in the 80's. They lived in the same area as the Gorilla's until they were kicked out of their homes to make way for habitats for the Gorillas. NOw they are homeless and spread out, and they recieve little help from anyone. Its a tragic story. We went and took a few Bibles to them and encouraged them. They are Christians, and need your prayers. I hope to be able to help them more in the future, though right now I'm kind of limited in what I can do.
Times are hard here, though. I am missing everyone and feel like I'm missing out on a lot that's happening at home. Please be praying for me. It's hard, sometimes, to admit that we need help from others, but I need prayers and communication with people. I'm praying that I stay strong to do God's work while I am here. Thanks and love you all...also read Psalm 66. I'll explain more on it next time...
Times are hard here, though. I am missing everyone and feel like I'm missing out on a lot that's happening at home. Please be praying for me. It's hard, sometimes, to admit that we need help from others, but I need prayers and communication with people. I'm praying that I stay strong to do God's work while I am here. Thanks and love you all...also read Psalm 66. I'll explain more on it next time...
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Busy, busy, busy....AKA: sorry for the lack of posts!
Well, as you may have noticed, it's been 3 weeks since my last post! Holy cow...time flies!!! I apologize for the lack of posts for you all but the good news is that the reason for not updating you is because I am so busy. I've been really stressed lately and feeling homesick and have just felt burnt out and there is a constant cultural adjustment going on everyday (I'll discuss this more in my prayer requests!).
So either way, I've been busy. We are constantly learning and taking classes at ABIDE. I can see all of us (me, the new short-term missioner named Jake, and the Ugandans - Samson, Patrick, Obadiah, Mehdard, and Amos) becoming better and better disciples of Jesus. There is SO much to learn, in fact, that I fear we can't possibly retain it all. I'll mention another book we are reading called In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. It's a very short book and an easy read, but there is a lot to take away from it. It's about the future of Christian Leadership and what a Christian Leader should look like. Interestingly, Nouwen is a Roman Catholic Priest and he works at a handicapped facility for the mentally disabled called L'Arche. I've loved reading it, especially since there is a stereotype in the U.S. about Catholics. Many people say that Catholics aren't Christians and I can't help but be disappointed when people say that, acting as if they have the authority to decide who is and isn't a Christian. I know plenty of protestants who don't always seem like Christians (and that includes myself). You have to judge a person's heart...but can you judge another person's heart?
Either way, Nouwen is a Christian and he says in the book, "I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant (i.e. die to oneself, or give up on the idea of being "cool and popular") and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God's love. The great message that we have to carry as ministers of God's Word and followers of Jesus is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen us to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life." Amen.
I am also teaching a computer class here. I've been faced with the problem of trying to teach computers to the students when some have NEVER touched a computer. I had to start from the very beginning, giving a little history of the computer and then explaining the terms - such as hard drive, RAM, laptop, desktop, processor, programs, software, etc... . It's been a challenge, but now all of them have email addresses and most have facebook :)
So, that's my quick update this week. I also have MORE PICTURES!!! WOOHOO!!! These are pictures I uploaded (another vocabulary word!) onto facebook. They are pics of my house, yard, and rooms. If you don't remember, I live just outside of Mbarara in Southwest Uganda in a neighborhood called Nkokenjuro...good luck pronouncing that one! Here is the link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2183650&l=af38b&id=19226300
So either way, I've been busy. We are constantly learning and taking classes at ABIDE. I can see all of us (me, the new short-term missioner named Jake, and the Ugandans - Samson, Patrick, Obadiah, Mehdard, and Amos) becoming better and better disciples of Jesus. There is SO much to learn, in fact, that I fear we can't possibly retain it all. I'll mention another book we are reading called In the Name of Jesus by Henri Nouwen. It's a very short book and an easy read, but there is a lot to take away from it. It's about the future of Christian Leadership and what a Christian Leader should look like. Interestingly, Nouwen is a Roman Catholic Priest and he works at a handicapped facility for the mentally disabled called L'Arche. I've loved reading it, especially since there is a stereotype in the U.S. about Catholics. Many people say that Catholics aren't Christians and I can't help but be disappointed when people say that, acting as if they have the authority to decide who is and isn't a Christian. I know plenty of protestants who don't always seem like Christians (and that includes myself). You have to judge a person's heart...but can you judge another person's heart?
Either way, Nouwen is a Christian and he says in the book, "I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant (i.e. die to oneself, or give up on the idea of being "cool and popular") and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God's love. The great message that we have to carry as ministers of God's Word and followers of Jesus is that God loves us not because of what we do or accomplish, but because God has created and redeemed us in love and has chosen us to proclaim that love as the true source of all human life." Amen.
I am also teaching a computer class here. I've been faced with the problem of trying to teach computers to the students when some have NEVER touched a computer. I had to start from the very beginning, giving a little history of the computer and then explaining the terms - such as hard drive, RAM, laptop, desktop, processor, programs, software, etc... . It's been a challenge, but now all of them have email addresses and most have facebook :)
So, that's my quick update this week. I also have MORE PICTURES!!! WOOHOO!!! These are pictures I uploaded (another vocabulary word!) onto facebook. They are pics of my house, yard, and rooms. If you don't remember, I live just outside of Mbarara in Southwest Uganda in a neighborhood called Nkokenjuro...good luck pronouncing that one! Here is the link:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2183650&l=af38b&id=19226300
Thursday, May 1, 2008
PHOTOGRAPHS!!!
Hopefully this works, but I uploaded photos onto facebook and I wanted to share them with everyone who doesn't have facebook! So here is the link to some of the albums:
This album is from Kishanje in Southwest Uganda. It is just a few miles from the Rwanda/Congo border. I went there with Matt Kehn (the pastor at JAM and creator of the ABIDE Discipleship Program I'm helping to lead) just a few days after I arrived in Uganda. Kishanje is known for its large, rolling hills and its lush farmland. You can see from the pics how gorgeous it is.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178677&l=b42e4&id=19226300
This next album is from my first safari! It was at Lake Mbaro, about 45 minutes outside of Mbarara where I live. Lake Mbaro is known for its zebra's and antellope. There are no lions in the park (much of the wildlife was killed off during the Idi Amine years), but plenty of wildlife to go around! Warthogs, birds, zebra's, antellope, and much more. The other people in the pictures are fellow missionaries.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178540&l=61407&id=19226300
That's it! Enjoy!
This album is from Kishanje in Southwest Uganda. It is just a few miles from the Rwanda/Congo border. I went there with Matt Kehn (the pastor at JAM and creator of the ABIDE Discipleship Program I'm helping to lead) just a few days after I arrived in Uganda. Kishanje is known for its large, rolling hills and its lush farmland. You can see from the pics how gorgeous it is.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178677&l=b42e4&id=19226300
This next album is from my first safari! It was at Lake Mbaro, about 45 minutes outside of Mbarara where I live. Lake Mbaro is known for its zebra's and antellope. There are no lions in the park (much of the wildlife was killed off during the Idi Amine years), but plenty of wildlife to go around! Warthogs, birds, zebra's, antellope, and much more. The other people in the pictures are fellow missionaries.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2178540&l=61407&id=19226300
That's it! Enjoy!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Update: Thursday, April 24
I have now been in Uganda for one month! It feels like it has only been a few days at most, but at the same time it could have been a year. I am getting to know everyone more and more, and the men I live with (their names are Patrick, Samson, Obadia, Mehdard, and Amos) are becoming like brothers to me. The ABIDE Program is going well and the discipleship is yielding some incredible fruit. Its been a time of growth - both in leadership and in learning. I get to be both the discipler and the discipled; the teacher and the student. I have learned so much and we are only 1/4 of the way through ABIDE.
Our ABIDE schedule consists of classes Tuesday through Friday from 9 am until 4 pm (Monday's are our day off). During class time, we are discussing the Bible, specifically John chapters 13-17. We are also reading "How to Read the Bible for All its Worth" (which discusses how to analyze and interpret the Bible yourself using the original languages of the Bible - Hebrew and Greek, mainly - and it also discusses context and applying the Bible today). The second book we are reading is "The Master Plan of Evangelism" which discusses how to share the Bible the way that Jesus did and how to be effective at sharing the Gospel. The third book we are reading is "The Cost of Discipleship" which is also my favorite. It is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (spelling?), and if you don't know who he is, then SHAME on you! Bonhoeffer was German (No, really?!) who was murdered in 1945 because he stood up, as a Christian, to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. He was very vocal at how horrible Nazi's and socialism were, and eventually became part of a plot to assassinate Hitler. It failed and he was caught, and was hanged just weeks before the Nazi's were stopped. He is a Christian martyr and was a voice for the people who Hitler tried to keep quiet. Read this book as soon as you can!
On the weekends we are doing outreach. We are visiting nearby churches and helping with worship, sharing our testimonies, and preaching. We are also doing community outreach through service projects and prayer. We are praying for our neighbors around us, getting to know them, and sharing our faith with them as well. People have been so receptive and the culture towards Christianity is much different here than in America. You are also allowed to openly preach and share with children at public schools - and most of the time, it's because you were invited by the teachers...praise God!
I am also leading worship and teaching a computer course every Friday so that the students can learn some practical skills while they are a part of ABIDE. It's been difficult so far trying to teach computer skills to people who have never touched a computer...can you imagine? But that's why they need to learn it, especially today.
Word of the week: Akamassimye! which means: PRAISE GOD!
I will leave you with a verse: Hebrews 2: 5-9
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet."
In putting everything under him (Jesus), God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Our ABIDE schedule consists of classes Tuesday through Friday from 9 am until 4 pm (Monday's are our day off). During class time, we are discussing the Bible, specifically John chapters 13-17. We are also reading "How to Read the Bible for All its Worth" (which discusses how to analyze and interpret the Bible yourself using the original languages of the Bible - Hebrew and Greek, mainly - and it also discusses context and applying the Bible today). The second book we are reading is "The Master Plan of Evangelism" which discusses how to share the Bible the way that Jesus did and how to be effective at sharing the Gospel. The third book we are reading is "The Cost of Discipleship" which is also my favorite. It is by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (spelling?), and if you don't know who he is, then SHAME on you! Bonhoeffer was German (No, really?!) who was murdered in 1945 because he stood up, as a Christian, to Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. He was very vocal at how horrible Nazi's and socialism were, and eventually became part of a plot to assassinate Hitler. It failed and he was caught, and was hanged just weeks before the Nazi's were stopped. He is a Christian martyr and was a voice for the people who Hitler tried to keep quiet. Read this book as soon as you can!
On the weekends we are doing outreach. We are visiting nearby churches and helping with worship, sharing our testimonies, and preaching. We are also doing community outreach through service projects and prayer. We are praying for our neighbors around us, getting to know them, and sharing our faith with them as well. People have been so receptive and the culture towards Christianity is much different here than in America. You are also allowed to openly preach and share with children at public schools - and most of the time, it's because you were invited by the teachers...praise God!
I am also leading worship and teaching a computer course every Friday so that the students can learn some practical skills while they are a part of ABIDE. It's been difficult so far trying to teach computer skills to people who have never touched a computer...can you imagine? But that's why they need to learn it, especially today.
Word of the week: Akamassimye! which means: PRAISE GOD!
I will leave you with a verse: Hebrews 2: 5-9
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet."
In putting everything under him (Jesus), God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Seeking God
I shared this verse with a friend yesterday, and I thought everyone should hear it. Often, people just quote Jeremiah 29:11, but they leave out the sweetest part which are in verses 12 and 13. It is such a good reminder of who God is and "the plans (he has) for you."
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Amen!
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Amen!
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