A Church in Search - Part 3

This is the third in a 4-part series.

A Church Envisioned - Part 1

A Church is Born - Part 2

Eucalyptus and papyrus.   Do we need those yet?  Not yet, but soon.

Having been evicted on Sunday, the church elders met together on Tuesday.  Pastor Sam informed us that he received a phone call from a landowner with whom we had been negotiating.  While we were certainly interested in the property, we did not have sufficient funds to purchase it.  But this time the phone call – which actually came immediately following the Sunday service in the sun – was to inform us that the owners of the land felt God telling them to allow us to use that land and pay for it later.  They weren’t even members of our church, nor were they aware that we had just been evicted.  But God knew – and He was the one to whom we had been directing our prayers.

“African Time” refers to how slowly things move here.  Africa is simply on a different kind of timetable.   “God’s Time” is at times a long wait and other times miraculously fast.  With the offer of the land on the table, Pastor Sam was able to meet the landowners, the LC1 (local village leader, essential for all legal matters) and other witnesses that very same day when the elders approved the deal in principle.  By the time the elders met again on Wednesday, the official papers had been signed and the land belonged to the church!  No payment is due for one year and even then the church does not have to make full payment if we don’t have it.  Glory to God!  Answered prayers!

A church brings new life to an old maize field.

Next challenge:  A scrubby field of maize occupied the one-acre land and there were only 3 days until Sunday.  God brought the church body together.  One person volunteered to oversee the building of a structure.  A workday was organized for Saturday to clear the land and the village paths leading to it and to erect the structure.  Several church members offered their papyrus mats which are commonly used for roofing and walls.  The church had enough funds to purchase two large plastic tarps to make the structure more rainproof.  Another member offered to make choir uniforms.  A used signpost had even been given and a volunteer had painted it for the church – ready to use, but not yet planted in the ground.  Pastor Sam told the elders, “The community has given everything we need.  We are only lacking eucalyptus poles to construct the framework.”  Well…

GSF has not recently planted churches, but we have been planting eucalyptus trees for several years.  They grow fast and tall and straight.  There are probably over 3,000 eucalyptuses of various sizes on the GSF campus.  Given that GSF staff and children make up about one-third of the church, we also decided to give from our means.  Not mzungu money or donor funds or American-style capital campaigns.  We gave from what we had, just like the other church members were doing.  Light of the World Church could take as many eucalyptus poles from our land as they needed. 

The first Sunday in our rustic new church structure.

Within 3 days the land was cleared and the structure erected.  We met together on Sunday in a brand new 30x80-foot structure, which is about 4 times the size of the rented schoolroom where we met the week before.  Did God just answer our prayers, or did He go exceeding abundantly above all that we asked or even thought possible?  Beyond answered prayers!

(To be Continued)

A Church Amazed - Part 4

A Church is Born - Part 2

Click here to read A Church Envisioned – Part 1

So where do the eucalyptus and papyrus come in?  We’re getting there!  A church had just been born in November 2012.  It was named Light of the World Church.

At that time, GSF reorganized its Sunday schedule.  Sunday school classes continued to meet and Junior church continued for the younger children.  Those old enough to walk to the new church in the village began doing so.  We were partnering with and taking part in a local church – just like the history of GSF and according to the advice received and under the prayerful direction of God.

Filled beyond capacity

The new church rented an unfinished schoolroom that was at least twice the size of the Bible study location.  Yet it was immediately filled beyond capacity.  Sunday services were accompanied by two midweek services.  Marriage seminars resulted in the reconciling of husbands and wives according to the Word of God.  Families were attending church together, whereas we previously saw children without their parents, women without their husbands, or elderly without anyone to support them.

The church’s reputation for being a solid Bible-teaching church was growing.  At a district gathering of more than 300 local churches, Pastor Sam was nominated to oversee the doctrine of the churches.  It was well-known that Light of the World Church stood firm in Bible doctrine.  Yet it was not even 6 months old!

Over 100 people were now in attendance each week.  In fact, when the children were dismissed to meet for junior church outside and those standing outside came in, the church was still full.  Discussions about purchasing land ensued and a larger structure was needed, but we were only renting a room.  Having little money, we continued to fix our eyes on Jesus Christ in prayer.

People gathered for church - June 23, 2013

Then on June 23, something amazing happened!  The church had tried to pay for two more months of rent, but it had been refused.  With only two weeks remaining on our current rent, the elders pondered what to do.  Lacking funds to purchase land, the need was going to be presented to the church for prayer.  Some people arrived at the church building early to organize things.  Upon arrival, they found workmen plastering the walls and all of our benches thrown outside.  Without notice, Light of the World Church had been evicted!

The church met outside on the compound that day.  Singing and praising under the hot sun, Pastor Sam preached more powerfully than ever before.  We had to trust and believe.  Unable to announce where we would gather the following Sunday, the church joined hands in a large circle and prayed.

Nowhere to go... A circle of Prayer

June 23, 2013 - Evicted.  Nowhere to go.  Little money.  A circle of prayer….

(To be Continued)
A Church in Search - Part 3

A Church Envisioned - Part 1

How do eucalyptus poles and papyrus reeds display the greatness of God?  Let me tell you!

Early in 2012, several people in leadership at GSF (both missionaries and Ugandans) were growing uneasy with things at GSF Chapel.  We had been without a pastor for over a year, people attending from the village were very few and the GSF kids were not getting an accurate picture of what a genuine body of believers looks like.  We wanted something more and we began to pray.

We started hearing advice that GSF should be partnering with a local church – which is actually the model of ministry from the days when GSF was positioned in the town of Wairoka. Yet a review of churches within walking distance of GSF revealed that solid Bible teaching was significantly lacking.  Without a local church partner, we asked God what we should do.  A group of 7 people (David Malisi, Sam Ngole, Claudia Arango, Auntie Juliana, Mark & Amy Gwartney and Robb Warfield) began meeting weekly to pray.

The idea of planting a local church, offsite from GSF,emerged. GSF is not a church-planting ministry, so we had doubts, but the Lord kept confirming this plan.  Withencouragement and counsel from several sources, a weekly Bible study group began meeting in March 2012  near GSF in Kizigo village.   The Bible study began with just 8 people, all of them Ugandan.  This was to be a truly local community of believers trusting in God for his direction and provision.  Meanwhile GSF continued holding Sunday services and the group of 7 continued to meet weekly to pray.

A room was opened for use to the Bible study group.  The initial 8 people rapidly grew to more than 20 meeting twice per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Then it was more than 30 and more than 40.  Even 50 people would sometimes gather, spilling over into an adjacent room and outside.  People were thrilled to be hearing solid teaching of the Word of God.  These people started asking to organize the group into a formal church.  It was already larger in attendance than most rural churches.  The people began to pray.

Worship at the new church.

In November 2012, the step was taken to establish a church.  A group of 5 elders (2 missionaries and 3 Ugandans) was elected.  Sam Ngole, who had been the primary Bible teacher, was appointed as the pastor.  A new location was rented in our own village of Buwundo.  Just as the life inside a womb is genuine, viable and a growing human being, the birth of the child is the celebrated day.  This body of believers was genuine, viable and growing for 9 months before being officially born into a recognized church.

Baby Dedications - New Birth!

Praying for the Children

But the birth was not to be without challenges…

(To be continued)

Click here to read A Church is Born - Part 2

New Kid in the House

Look who's in our house!

A couple of days before our girls went to Europe, we found out that little Dennis, age 4, needed to be moved out of the toddler house for about 2 months due to an illness he had acquired before being brought into GSF. Dennis is on medication and will eventually be completely better but in the meantime, we needed a solution.  As we prayed about where to put Dennis, we realized that God had orchestrated a plan.  Here are some ways, he orchestrated it:

• Our girls would not be occupying their room for over 3 weeks, so there was space. 
• A few weeks before this, we had a new missionary couple, Tom and Sharon Batley come to join the team.  Sharon is now in charge of teams and visitors.  With the team season on us, if Sharon was not here, I could not have had a preschooler in the house and host teams.  
• Titus had just finished school so would be able to spend time with Dennis.  Many a mom knows how bored a kid can get when school lets out, so we are also grateful that this helps with the boredom factor for Titus.   
• We also have several short term missionaries and a young lady who grew up here who are able to watch Dennis if needed.  

We are enjoying having him in our home for this time.  We know that God knows the plans He has for Dennis and we rest in that.  Please pray for healing for him and his father and older siblings (still at home) who also have the  same illness.  

Globe trotting girls

Last Friday, our family headed for Entebbe.  Our girls and I had been packing for days to prepare for this day.  They had the amazing opportunity to fly to Europe to meet their grandma and cousin for a three week incredible trip around Europe.  We spent hours in their room laughing and preparing for the trip.  So on Friday, we ate at a favorite pizza place next to Lake Victoria and then took our sweet, excited girls to the Airport.

We haven't heard from them except to hear that the dermatologist appointment for Caralina went well (yep, we were able to arrange a 6 month check-up regarding her melanoma).  They did take one spot off and replaced it with 4 stitches.  The doctor wasn't too concerned but felt like with the history and our remote location, it would be best to take it off.  So besides hearing from them that one day, we have been following them by looking at their schedule hanging on the refrigerator.  I am sure they will have lots of stories to tell. 

Triplets--Update long overdue

Back in December 2010, I wrote a post about triplets born in the village and the dilemma we were in when the parents asks us to take them into GSF.  Read the post, tough decisions, now for background information.  

We ended up giving the father a job on the farm and moving the family closer to GSF.  All three girls were put on the feeding program, and we have been able to monitor the girls' health and growth.  There have been a few challenges when one of the girls would have to be put in the hospital because of being sick.  But overall, this family has been able to stay together and all three girls have grown to beautiful, cute little 2 year olds.  The mom is getting instructions and help on caring for these little girls at the feeding program, and their dad goes to Bible Study every week at work where he is learning to be a Godly leader in his home.  What a blessing from God!  Caralina captured these two pictures of them.   

Thank you for praying for them.  We're sorry for such a late update.  We would appreciate your continued prayers for them and their mom and dad.

Women's Day Celebrations

March 8th is Women's Day in Uganda.  Because it is a public holiday and all the staff are off today, we gave gifts to all the women staff on Wednesday during our weekly Bible Study.

We have 49 women staff; here's shot of a group of them.

It is customary to kneel out of respect and gratefulness.  The women  always think it is funny when I kneel to them.

Fellow missionary, Shelia helped give out the gifts as well.

My legs always hurt after I kneel especially when I do it as long as I did this time.  I started shaking my legs and told the ladies I don't know how they kneel for so long.  Notice the laughter.

Opening gifts

What a fun day it was!  The women of Uganda are incredible and I am so grateful to be able to work with so many of them.

A note: The missionary women were also honored as Mark made breakfast for all of us this morning.