Arrival in Uganda

We are safely in Uganda and had our introductory meeting last night. We flew to Nairobi, arriving on Sunday night around 11 pm to our guest house. We were up at 5:15 to go to the airport to fly on to Uganda. We had a number of stops for various things but arrived in Iganga around 4:30 pm. The country of Uganda is beautiful and green most of the year. We really enjoyed the sights as we travelled. We crossed the Nile river close to its source in Lake Victoria. We passed by several sugar plantations and tea plantations that were also beautiful. I was especially tired for some reason after all the travel but the Lord was with me and I was able to speak and introduce what we will be doing this week. It is such a pleasure to work with people who are so eager and enthusiastic. Several remembered me from last April but most were new. Almost all of them are leaders of movements or groups of churches in Uganda. We are hopeful that these leaders will spread the training to many organizations and churches throughout the country.  

One great disappointment was that our contact in Mbale, Patrick Okabe, who we have been trying to connect with for training was not able to send the trainers he had hoped to. He was going to send 4 pastors to receive our training to take back to his organization, but suddenly on Saturday night his son passed away. Last April we were supposed to meet, but this same son got a serious blood clot the night before we were to meet and Patrick was not able to come. It is so very tragic and perhaps there is an element of spiritual warfare involved in the timing of these incidents. Please be in prayer for Patrick and his family. Pray also if possible I may be able to travel to visit briefly with him. He is about 1 1/2 hours away so it may be difficult to arrange a time and the transportation to go.  

Today I travel with Edie and Suzanne, a friend from our church who traveled with us to help Edie train the women, to a remote village to speak to a group of believers. I had not planned this since it was intended to be a teaching time for women, but now it is apparent that men also will be attending. We thought it prudent that I travel with the ladies and do some of the teaching as well. I am trying to decide this morning, around 5 am., what to teach. Life is interesting in service to the Lord. I will report later how our time went. My partner Mike and our coworker Eric, who usually lives in Africa, will do the training of the pastors in my absence. I will join in with them on Thursday and Friday. 

We appreciate your prayers as we manage fatigue, jet lag, and changing circumstances. Your prayers will end up helping many pastors learn to preach and teach the Word of God well. This will in turn be of great benefit to many believers in their churches, as they hear the Word and are transformed by it. 

 

Al