Monday June 30th

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline: therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:19)

Monday I arose at 5:00 AM and was greeted by Cedric, A Kenyan Pastor who is staying here with Robert and Sarah as he studies at the University in Jinja, Robert and he met in class and have been good friends ever since. He was up early to catch a bush taxi home, a 120 mile trip that he said would take him 6 to 8 hours. We said our goodbyes and he slipped out into the darkness. As I sat at the dining room table Charles came in with my shoes, he had already cleaned them and they looked as good as new. There was hot coffee on the table and I fired up the lap top to send of a few messages. Pastor Al and Julie sent me a verse for the day; Psalm 17:15 - As for me I shall behold your face in righteousness. I will be satisfied with your likeness when I awake!

Later in the morning we gathered at the Nile Eden Guest House for breakfast and devotions. Martha lead with 1 Peter 4:8-11 “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” I felt it to be appropriate regarding the work we are doing here in Africa but it caused to ponder if this brief step out of my comfort zone qualified me to be a good steward. After all the teachers here work in un air-conditioned classrooms from 7 in the morning to 5 in the evening for about $100 a month. They are molding the minds of the next generation of their nation and doing it with an average class consisting of 65 students. These children are well mannered, polite and well behaved. They obey their teachers the first time they are called upon and they take it upon themselves to clean their own school. No janitor is needed. The teachers get no credit that I can see and all the attention is directed at the wonderful Americans who have come to help. I wish I could give each one of them a fraction of what a teacher at home makes.

On the agenda for Monday it said free day, shopping in Jinja. But I had 27 children who had given me a wish list so there would be no free day for me. I was soon to learn just how Robert’s wife Sarah earned her title Momma Sarah. She and I got out of the taxi and headed for the bank and soon emerged with a grocery sack filled with bundles of bills. First we tried to get a ride on a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) but there were none to be found. I strode along beside her clutching the black bag to my chest. It contained what the average person would consider several years worth of wages. She looked up at me and said, “give me that bag, you’re are going to get us in trouble” she dropped it in her shopping sack and continued on as though it were nothing.  

When we reached the shoe dealer she told me Monday is good for shoe shopping because they open their bags on Monday. There were literally hundreds of pairs of used shoes laid out on the sidewalk and we needed 27 pairs before you knew it she had enlisted the help of six young men working there and she was giving orders and checking her list. The sizes are nothing like what I am used to, ranging from 20 to 50. She said give me 6 boys size 34, no not that one I don’t like it, give me something better. You are going to have to put new laces on this one! It took half an hour and we were all covered in sweat in the humidity of the African summer. At first she started out pinching the shopping sack between her knees but I took it and knelt there watching Momma Sarah buying shoes for her kids. There are almost 1000 kids at Fountain of Hope and she knows them all by name and shoe size. She knows much much more about each one also because you see Sarah truly is a good steward of God’s manifold grace. She has a bright infectious smile and you can’t help but love her. I know God is preparing a mansion for Sarah in heaven and I only hope I will be able to spend many days in that cheerful house. Before our shoe shopping was all over the shoe lady and her assistants were all thanking her and posing for pictures and her Mazungu friend. Juwali loaded the huge bag of shoes into our taxi and we were off to another shop for mattresses and blankets.

We were running all day from one shop in Jinja to another until eventually the sack of bills had decreased in size enough to where I could fit the bills into my five pockets. It felt kind of weird though with those huge bulges so I kept my hands in my pockets so it didn't appear like I had money. This situation caused a considerable amount of sweat to begin running down my legs. By late afternoon Juwali’s van looked like the Clampets old truck from the Beverly Hillbillies. We had stuff hanging out the windows, mattresses tied on the top and back, too many people inside, we were quite a sight as we made our way back to Robert and Sarah’s house. This whole stay has been rush rush rush. I hardly had time to change my clothes and throw a few things in a bag because we had to make the 10 mile drive back to Bukeeka and the Fountain of Hope School before class was dismissed for the day because Monday night was our home stay. We were to walk home with a student and spend the night with them in their humble homes. 

I had requested the same family I was with three years ago and Momma Florence was ecstatic to hear the news. I met young George at school, he is 16 and in High School now and we walked the half mile to his house together. It took me a good 15 minutes to acclimate my hearing to his accent. Ugandan English is thick with an African flavor and a touch of British attitude and if you are not paying attention you won’t be able to make out the words. Three years ago when I stayed with them there were seven children in the house. Three boys and four girls. I was sad to hear the Aidah, George’s older sister was living in Kampala and two of the orphans had gone to live with family and beautiful Brenda was now living in the boarding house at school so she would not be there either. So it was just Sharon and Wilberforce still at home. As we walked, George asked me all about my family and he remembered each by name, How is Sean? He reminded me that I had promised him a picture of Sean 3 years earlier. I will have to go into Jinja and get one printed because after 3 years I had forgotten. George had not forgotten and he wanted to know all about Christy and Tiffany and their families. Honestly I had only spent one evening with this boy but he seemed to remember everything I ever told him.

As we rounded the corner and the house was nearly in sight George said I think I hear Aidah. Sure enough Momma had called her and she made the three hour ride in a bush taxi just to see me. She and her Momma came running so quickly and grabbed hold of me hugging me with such enthusiasm it almost knocked me over. I don’t think anyone has ever been so happy to see me. George and I walked the three acre property and he explained all his work there to grow the food for the family. He is a hard working boy and they have prospered because of his labor. Momma pulled out all the stops for dinner, we had chicken, rice, mutoke (cooked bananas) casaba, potatoes and broth. Everything was so good and we sat in the living room of the tiny house and ate by the light of the lantern. After dinner George told me all his dreams of becoming an electrical engineer, I believe he will make it happen, his teachers say he is one of the smartest boys in his grade and the hardest worker. I felt like family as I sat with him talking electrical theory and education. Later the topic changed to theology and I realized what a great pastor Robert is. Georges knowledge of the Bible would put most American adults to shame. He had heard me preach on Sunday and he wanted to discuss the topic. I wanted to stay up late and just talk with him but you know farm boys have to get to bed early. So we sang a hymn, Aidah had me give a short bible lesson to Sharon and Wilberforce and we prayed and went to bed. Aidah told me not to worry about the rats this time we have a cat and the rats are very few. I was awakened about 2 in the morning with something on my bed by my feet but it was only the cat. 

Tuesday July 1st

You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:11

Tuesday morning I was up before the sun, I heard George get up and get dressed so I followed him outside. He went about his early morning chores while I sat on a small stool, back to the wall watching the sun rise over the jungle. The red African dust that clings to everything also makes the sunrise spectacular as it appears as though the sky is on fire. I had to use the bathroom as would be expected and I held the tiny flashlight between my teeth as I stepped inside, It shown down through the hole in the floor and I was amazed to see the hole benieth was some 20” deep. I marveled that this was probably dug by hand by George and Wilberforce with a ladder and a bucket and a rope one bit at a time.

The children scurried around performing their chores before school and I sat and watched the people go by. The path to the main road is about 40’ in front of their house and each person that came that way, stopped, knelt in the middle of the road and greeted me. At one point three young boys carrying large bundles of fire wood on their head’s stopped and did the same. They treated me like I was some sort of celebrity just because my skin is white. It seems that Momma Florence had notified many of the neighbors that she was having a guest and they wanted to come by and see for themselves. There was a loud speaker blaring off in the distance and Aidah said it was telling of a man that had died in the night. They chased the goats which bolted out from the kitchen where they were kept at night and we said our final goodbyes. They spoke about me coming back again next year as if it were a given that I would be doing this every year from now on. George and I headed down the path to the school, I had to be back there by 7:30 because there was a very busy day ahead.

Nawaikoke is 60 miles east of Jinja and it is a three hour drive over some of the most crowded and worst roads I have ever traveled. We gathered ath the school and then headed out with our traveling evangelism corps. In one van was Pastor Robert and his seven Mazungus, in Juwali’s van was the sound system, generator, beans, rice soap flour and sugar for gifting and three Pastors, Momma Sarah and her singers, Also Philip and his keyboard. When we arrived at the tiny church in Nawaikoki there were maybe 20 adults and 40 children inside. The music was already going and we joined right in. This small bush pole church had a tin roof and side boards all on land provided through the ministries of GGI. We preached for four hours and it was a very unique experience. I recall bringing a message on rewards in heaven drenched in sweat distracted from time to time by loud children singing outside, mosquitos and two young mothers in the front row nursing babies. John kept teasing me about diverting my eyes each time they would change sides. I kept my chin up and raised my notes to read them. There was one large lady, taller than me who had a rather imposing scoul on her face the whole time I preached. She approached me afterwards and suddenly gave me a big bear hug almost lifting me off the ground; now smiling and singing my praises in her native Lugandan tongue. They had two choirs that had worked hard to prepare for this day and the singing was delightful. After this all believers meeting we had lunch outside the church prepared by the women of the church.

We loaded our little troop into the vans and headed out to outreach, that is present our gifts to a few needy families in the community handpicked by Pastor Herbert.  We prayed with Eunis, a shy lady with eight children. We met with Scovia and Esther who were Christians but did not have a church so we introduced them to Pastor Herbert and now they are part of the fellowship at Nawaikoki.

Then we met Robert,  Pastor Robert told him this is a special day because Robert is not the name given to am in the village who kills snakes (your guess is as good as mine) And these Mazungu had come all the way from America to give him gifts and tell him about Jesus. We explained to him the Gospel and he said what is to prevent me from being baptized right now. I said I would do it even if I had to make the three hour drive home soaking wet. So we knelt in the dirt with him there and he prayed to receive Jesus and then we baptized Robert where he lived amidst the rice patties and swamps outside Nawaikoki. We spoke to many other people and shared the Gospel with them and somehow our hearts were very light and we made our journey home after dark.

Dinner was ready when we arrived because Monica and Silivia had been working hard, we ate and fellowshipped and then we all retired exhausted after a long day praising God for all He had done.

I want to share a couple colloquisims that have struck me as humorous; Abbey was looking for me yesterday and when he finally caught up with me he said, “you are lost to my eyes, I have been going here and there.” Pastor Earnest is a thin man, slight of build and he is always urging me to eat more, he said in Africa we make a mountain, referring to the way they pile the food on the plate. When we were called to lunch he said to me, “come Miles, sit down over here, we are moving mountains” So much more happened yesterday there just isn't enough time to write it all down.

Wednesday July 2nd

Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

I was awakened at a quarter to five by the most awful screeching coming from the kitchen. Abbey had let himself in the back door and forgot to close it behind him so about thirty seconds later the chickens decided to come on in. He was in the process of running them out when all the noise started. Momma Sarah would not take well to chickens in her kitchen.

There were so many things on the agenda for Wednesday that the day was doomed from the very beginning. We all decided that it would be best if we headed out for the Fountain of Hope School if we were going to accomplish everything we wanted to do. By a quarter after ten we still didn’t have everyone in the van. Out devotional took a half hour longer than usual because Ahnika and Hannah had been confronted by a group of Muslims at the local well the night before when they made their home stay and they wanted to talk about it. Ahnika chose Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me. And her young mind's grasp of the truth of God was in stark contrast to that of Chiseka Emanuel, the witch doctor we would spend our afternoon with.

Our first stop was at the Favor Community School run by Wycliffe, a former associate or Pastor Robert and the best man at Bosco’s wedding. We toured the school and visited each class room as John and Robert renewed old friendships. Of special note was the things that occurred when we visited the fifth grade class. There were 41 students crowded into what appeared to me to be a large stall in a barn. Pastor Robert addressed the class and said, “where is the girl who gave her life to Christ the last time I visited you?” The kids told him she no longer went to school there but was now enrolled at Fountain of Hope. Pastor said, “that is good but it will not do, how many of you are born again?” Six or seven hands went up. Then he said, “that number is too small, who wants to give their life to Christ today?” Three hands went up and I watched as he explained the gospel to the whole class and then he lead Aisha, Joanne and Jovia in a prayer to receive Christ right there in front of the whole class. It was truly a privilege to see him work with the children and it became apparent to me why God chose this man to start a school and bring Christianity to the community through the children. 

Here was the local Bishop over seven churches and nearly 20 Pastors taking much time to speak to fifth graders about their exams, their families and make himself approachable and accessible to them. They joked with him, talked soccer and held on to his hand like he was family. In the next stall, one of the teachers had a 6 month old baby and Robert just fell in love with him. He picked him up and kissed his fat little cheeks over and over. He told the mother that if he could he would take this one home.

The next few hours were sent at Fountain of Hope school with the kids. We had shoes to hand out and sponsor photos to take. It was very time consuming to read each sponsor letter to each child that received one. We gathered all the students together in the center of the yard and John climbed up on the roof and got a group picture. We had three overlapping meetings at 2:00 PM which didn’t occur until a half hour later and then we walked up the road to speak to the witch doctor.

We sat under the same tree in Emmanuel’s front yard that we sat under three years ago when we spoke to him. The meeting started with a good fifteen to twenty minutes of flattery where he praised us for the work we have been doing and all about how wonderful the school is. He was especially happy that GGI had sponsored his son Elisha’s education. When we finally got to ask some questions the conversation shifted to politics and culture. I would have liked to have been able to see into the spiritual realm and see what was truly going on. He artfully dodged our pointed questions, deflecting the intentions and changing the subjects all the while proclaiming we all serve the same God. The most we were able to get out of him was that he does not sin. When I tried to explore that topic more deeply the comfort level deteriorated so I gave him my testimony with the gospel and we parted ways agreeing to disagree. Emmanuel invites spirits to posses him and they speak to him in dreams, he considers himself a doctor because when he is possessed he can tell people what they must do to appease the spirits and end their troubles.

We planned an evening out to show our appreciation to all the people here that have been contributing to the work in the work behind the scenes. There is an American Restaurant in down town Jinja and we all (17 of us) piled into Juwali’s van and headed to, “The Keep”. The service was terrible, food over priced and greasy but we really just enjoyed each other’s company. It was two and a half hours before everyone was served. John Monica and I actually had time to walk the four blocks to her apartment and meet her son Dalton. He recently completed his degree at the University and got a job in communications. He makes the equivalent of $140 a month. If he can hang in there for five years, he can make up to $200 a month. His supervisor has been there ten years and makes top wages, $320 a month. He is a bright intelligent young man of 24 and he works in networking, he lives with his mom in a one room apartment that is wall to wall with four beds and nothing else where he and mom and two sisters live. You wouldn’t know it though because he is so positive about everything.

As we walked back to the restaurant I paused  for a moment to reflect on where I was. It was 10:00 PM and I was walking down an unlit street in the city if Jinja, Uganda. People were passing in the darkness in all directions and a loud speaker from the Mosque was blaring Islamic prayers into the night air. We passed by a bar lit up in blue and people were spilling out into the street. We dodged taxis and motorcycles as we crossed the main drag and I was thinking of home.  

 Our African road trip starts tomorrow so I may be out of internet range for a couple days. Thursday we preach in Kafundikife, Friday Bulangira and Saturday at Ndolwa. My final opportunity to preach will be on Sunday when we return to Buloba.

Good news about Pastor Peter, we got him in to see a very nice doctor and the man said he does not believe the tumor on his head is cancer but it will have to be removed and a biopsy done. Peter wants to make our evangelistic road trip so he will have the procedure done next week after I leave but we will be paying for the procedure. Please be in prayer for Pastor Peter and his health.

Blessings, Miles

Photos: Sarah buying shoes, the Fountain of Hope School student body, and Mzungus (white people) surrounded by students.