Thanking God in Uganda

God blessed us this past weekend with two Canadian guests who serve the Lord in the Philippines and are here for short-term ministry among at-risk children. It was only after they arrived that we realized that it was also Canadian Thanksgiving weekend! Before their arrival, we purchased a whole chicken to cook in the crock-pot during their stay! So we simply added baked potatoes, baked squash, gravy, green salad and a can of imported cranberry sauce that happened to be given to us recently. How special to celebrate and thank God together with these friends. One left Sunday afternoon for another week of ministry and the second one, Doris, left Monday afternoon to return to the Philippines via Hong Kong where she will meet her husband for some R & R.

Thanksgiving Monday, as part of the airport run for Doris, we managed to swing by the Scripture Union Campsite (not too far of a detour) and briefly introduce her to the beauty of that property. While our driver then took Doris to the airport, I stayed on and enjoyed a couple of hours sharing and hearing testimonies as Scripture Union concluded their 40 Day Prayer Thrust and entered into a week of planning for 2017.

Amid these blessings, Ruth and I couldn’t help but reflect on another Canadian Thanksgiving Monday back in 2003 when we were introduced to the school ministry by dear Kuya Tony (now with the Lord) and his wife, Zeny. We joined them as they taught a lesson about prayer to all twelve of the Payatas Elementary School 6^th grade classes, one class after another. The Lord opened our eyes and burdened our hearts for school ministry which within a few months led to the birth of VOICE Philippines. “Thank you God for the vision that was born that Canadian Thanksgiving day, the resulting transformed lives, and the team God has formed to touch hundreds of schools in the Philippines and now we believe East Africa.”