Greetings from beautiful Uganda!
I know it has been far too long since I have written an update. There were a few things that seemed to get in the way of finding the time to write. Things like four surgeries and 17 radiation treatments in 5 months, the normal crazy goings-on of ministry life in Uganda, and a fabulous outreach team from KLYT in Albuquerque that was here for two weeks! I think I write every time that “life is never dull here,” and I promise you that is no lie! So because it has been so long since I updated you, this letter might be a bit long!
And by the way, I am cancer free and healing well, and have even started working out again, with some modifications. I cannot tell you how gracious God was to me during that whole medical journey! I was and am so undeservedly blessed by His kindness and grace!
In the meantime, Called Christians, alongside The Bridge Calvary Chapel, is still preaching the Gospel and “making disciples who make disciples.”
I was just looking over some photos and information that I will have to have for an interview in a government office this week, and saw many of the things that we are blessed to do from Called Christians (because of the support that people send!)
Give people clean water through Bore Holes
Send children to school
Help people with medical issues
Take care of the prisoners both spiritually and physically
Preach the gospel to men, women and children
Give food and shelter to people
Schools of Ministry and Worship
Start people in businesses, particularly women who have been abandoned by their husbands
And we get to do this through and because of the love of Christ, and because of His calling on our lives and yours. May the Gospel reach every part of the world, and may all that hear come to Christ!
Recently we received an amazing gift from our supporters back in the USA. We have 7 ministry vehicles, but they are often all out on ministry at the same time. So when another missionary friend was leaving Uganda, he offered to sell us his “new” (to us) 1997 Prado Landcruiser that is in excellent condition. By purchasing this vehicle, we actually have a car that Deborah, Ann and I can drive when we need to go somewhere! So our three Care Teams donated and talked to other people, and raised the money for us to buy this vehicle! It is SUCH a blessing to us!! We call it “Bob.”
And the most wonderful thing happened to us during the first two weeks of May! A team of 15 people from KLYT in Albuquerque, put together by Chip Lusko, came and did ministry with and for us in every area we could think of! They did four church conferences (three were DEEP in the villages) where they taught the Word to men, women and children. They went to local underprivileged areas and taught Bible lessons and did coloring sheets with children, and taught Bible to the adults. The team put on a fabulous crusade with about 1000 people in attendance, and over 50 people gave their lives to Christ! They preached in the prisons, and prayed for people in the hospital. And this team just ministered to everyone they came in contact with, including the Called Christians and The Bridge Calvary Chapel Staff! They even washed our feet and prayed over us! What a wonderful, wonderful blessing these men and women were. I know the Kingdom of God grew by many souls because of them!
And Chip Lusko was supposed to come and lead the team, but was at the last minute unable to come, so we owe a special vote of thanks to the leadership at Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig for working hard to find someone to send to us to preach, and to Pastor John Privitt from Calvary Chapel in Taos for dropping everything and coming to work alongside us! It was definitely an adventure!
The people here at Called Christians are so grateful that God has called us to work with Him in spreading the Gospel, and in “making disciples that make disciples.” We can never say “thank you” enough to God, and to you, our prayer partners and financial supporters, for allowing us to do this work. The Lord is so good and gracious to us!!
Praises:
*The team that came! They were fabulous!
*The “new” vehicle that was funded for us by supporters. We love it!
*Peace and Joy on the compound, and a spirit of working together!
*The School of Ministry and Worship that just graduated on 20th May!
Prayer Requests:
*The villages in Orom District near Sudan are being raided every night by warriors who are killing people and stealing cattle and goats. Many people are gathering in the house of the Calvary pastor to sleep at night for protection.
*Financial support for this ministry and for the children we send to school
*That people’s hearts would be open to and touched by the Gospel when we share with them
*That our vehicles would stay “healthy” for a while and not break down
*That our staff would continue learning about and growing in the Lord