A Huge and Unexpected Gift!

During our 2-day retreat, as we were casually chatting together, Beth received a message on her phone and suddenly broke out in loud exclamations of “Praise the Lord…Amazing…Wonderful…Thank You, God!” After a while she came back down to earth long enough to explain to us what had happened.

As background information, Scripture Union Uganda has an amazing scope of effective ministry which they carry out on a minimal budget which keeps them trusting God from one month to the next. At times the staff are not paid at the proper time, simply because there is not enough money. But that never stops them from pressing on to use every opportunity God gives to them to share the Gospel and disciple the children and youth who come to Christ.

That financial situation is true, not only for the National Office but also for each of the eight Regional Offices. Some regions have offices that have been loaned to them free of charge by churches or groups; others pay rent for office space. The latter was true of the Midwest Region with its rented office space in Hoima, about a 3 hour drive from Kampala. With very little notice, the National Director received an urgent phone call from one of the long-time Scripture Union members from that region, insisting that the National Director and the Chairman of the Board come on Friday. They recruited one of our VOICE workers, Chris, to drive them and off they went, not knowing the purpose of the meeting nor the reason for such urgency.

As they and the Regional Coordinator for the Midwest Region met with the one who made the phone call—a somewhat elderly man who actually owns the building where the Scripture Union office is—they were perplexed to see a number of other people there, some who were unfamiliar to them. Without any notice, the landlord passed over to the National Director and the Chairman of the Scripture Union Board signed papers saying that the entire building now belongs to Scripture Union—a total gift. It was then that the former owner informed the other people, who also rent office space in that building, that from now on they were to pay rent to Scripture Union…thus giving them a significant source of regular income! Needless to say, all who went to Hoima were overcome with joy and praise. It was Chris, the driver, who took the time to send a message to Beth which caused the explosion of loud praise! Join Beth and us in praising God for this huge unexpected gift!!

Post Easter Reflections

It was a joy this past Sunday evening to attend an (after) Easter Concert and have yet another opportunity to ponder the amazing work of our Savior.  During the second part of The Kampala Singers "Jesu Joy Of Man’s Desire Concert," the conductor invited the audience to join in several Easter hymns, one of which was new one to us.  But one was our all-time favorite, especially Ruth’s…“Low in the Grave He Lay.” Amazingly enough, it had been included in the Easter service we attended earlier this year…which is fairly rare with so many more modern songs that are usually sung. To sing it with the marvellous choir and all of their harmony plus a pipe organ accompanying us, was an absolute delight!!

“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior;
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord
Up from the grave He arose,
with a mighty triumph o’er His foes. 
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and He lives forever, with His saints to reign
He arose, He arose, Hallelujah Christ arose!”

We have attended most of the Easter and Christmas concerts that the Kampala Singers have offered during our five years year. Having a fellow World Venture missionary as one of the choir members gives added incentive, plus the refreshment of hearing a well-practiced choir sing songs of praise to God adds to the enjoyment. Our colleague and friend Beth, happened to be with us that evening. The concert brought back precious memories of her High School Choir days and previous concerts performed by the Kampala Singers when she was a student.  What a wonderful opportunity to have a post Easter celebration and the reminder that we should be celebrating Easter every day.

Birthday Blues

My stomach problem continued and after missing one meeting, I wondered if our trip southwest to Mbarara would proceed.  “But, if not now, when?”  I packed my pillow and decided I could recline in the back seat with Ruth sitting in the front with our substitute driver.  The plan worked well and I managed some rest before arriving in Mbarara and preparing for our Puppet Workshop that began the next morning.  Ruth was a big help and also a fellow missionary family in Mbarara that volunteered to do a Values script for the Workshop.  The father-son performance was amazing. 

When it was time for our lunch-out with our participants, we especially enjoyed getting to know one deputy Head Teacher (Vice-Principal) that had come from quite a distance (close to the Tanzania border) to learn puppets. She shared that she started teaching the Honesty Module in February of this year, but instead of doing it in the classroom setting, she was teaching it to all of her 1,000+ pupils twice a week during their assembly time. “Pupils are enjoying; it’s making a difference; they are humble, avoid telling lies, have stopped taking things from their classmates, and are showing fruits of honesty, even obedience.” 

While Ruth continued on with the program of visiting a VEC class facilitated by two young volunteers, I opted to return to our Guest House and sleep.  Ruth recounted afterward that her newly-met companion, who also attended the puppet workshop, was a real advocate for children and their spiritual nurture! She’s nearing retirement age but continues full throttle as a church worker assigned to oversee the spiritual welfare of more than 70 church-founded schools in the area. She dreams of training the school chaplains in each of those schools and equipping them with the Values curriculum so that they can teach it in their schools! It’s a huge dream…but we serve an almighty God who also loves children so we look forward to see what God will do.

Just as an update on my health, that evening of the puppet workshop I started back on “normal food.” The next day we returned home and the following day I was able to fully enjoy birthday pizza.  Praise God for fresh strength and God’s mercy and enablement.

Easter Monday Joy

I woke up not well, grateful that my bed was near the bathroom.  Perhaps it was the late night/early morning airport run, or a bug, or just life…  As I dozed in and out I realized that Ruth was standing beside my bed.  “Fred is here.”  Oh, I thought, we have cash for him, as well as a phone, donated by “good Samaritans” after Fred was beaten and robbed by thugs on his way home from night school just a week before.  Ruth doesn’t know where I put that money and phone so I must get up to give it to him.

After a bit of preparation, I joined Ruth as she chatted with Fred on the patio outside.  Fred debriefed about the incident and we sympathized with him, the wounds on his right foot gave ample evidence of the pain. At that point, God gave me an idea to use this situation as a “teachable moment.” I steered the conversation by saying, “We are so glad God spared your life, but what if the thugs had killed you as they said they would…where would you have gone?”  Silence. So I continued, “when you stand before God and if He asks you why He should let you into Heaven, what would you say?” He hesitantly ventured an answer, “I’ve been following Jesus.” (Fred is, in human eyes, a good-living person who tries to do all the right things, including reading the Bible, praying, going to church when he can, etc.)

As the conversation continued, Fred revealed that his wife had asked him the same question, following the unfortunate incident, and he was unable to give her a good answer. He knew that at some point he had “repeated the words of a prayer” as a teenager, but he was not sure if he was saved. We discussed the problem of sin and the necessity of punishment—eternal death, and Fred admitted that he had sinned, including lying. We proceeded to open John 3:16 and had Fred put his own name when we paused reading the verse. I asked Fred if he would like to trust Christ as His Savior or think more about this important decision.  Without too much hesitation, he declared that he would like to pray right then. What a thrill to hear him talking to God, admitting that he has sinned many times (something that he has been reticent to admit in the past), and asking for God’s forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. And then we reviewed John 3:16 to see if God said that whoever believes in Jesus Christ “might not, or perhaps will not, or probably will not” perish…no, it says “will not perish” and God never lies.

Following more follow-up discussion and prayer, I revealed to Fred that friends of ours had learned of his situation and had given a significant amount of money plus a phone. It was easy to see that he was deeply touched by such kindness. “Thank you so much.”

After Fred left, and Ruth and I had a praise time.  As I returned to my bed, words of praise and worship poured forth to the risen Savior.  “Thank you for coming to seek and save the lost.”  If indeed Fred meant what he prayed, heaven was having a party.