Partners in Ministry

This past week has been a lot of fun. Our Arua Team organized an appreciation party for all our Ugandan friends and workers here in Arua. We wanted to thank them for all their hard work and also let them know more about the big picture of World Gospel Mission and Africa Gospel Church, which includes our work of training pastors. Our Regional Director of East Africa, Terry Duncan and his family (pictured above), were here with us too; so he was able to explain a little more about who WGM is and what we are about. It was a great time of celebration and we all felt like our Ugandan friends understood both our ministry a little better and they felt like they were partners with us in ministry too. We praise Jesus for such great friends and such a wonderful day of deepening friendships.

The next day we (Billy, the Duncan family, Erica and I) all went to Nebbi, where we just started some pastor training two weeks ago. Billy, Terry and myself each were privileged to preach at three different churches and there was even one young woman who accepted Jesus!!!! We really had a blessed time and we are trusting God’s Word to continue to take root in the messages that were preached. It was a bit of a long day (9 hours totally time with travel, preaching, lunch etc…) but Jesus truly blessed the time with our new friends in Nebbi. (Pastor Cosmos from Nebbi pictured right)

These past few days have been a great reminder of the reality that we have been blessed with so many partners in ministry: the Coppedges, Duncans, all the other WGM staff, all our Ugandan friends, our pastors in Nebbi, our family and of course all our supporters back home who are bathing us in prayer daily. We are so thankful for each of you and how Jesus continues to help us spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. (Pictures from our staff appreciation party)

Light of the World

This past weekend Jesus opened the door for the very basic stages of pastoral training to begin in Northern Uganda. Billy and Joanna Coppedge traveled to Nebbi, Uganda which is one hour west of Arua (our home). Out of the original group of twenty-five pastors who Billy and I had met with a month ago, we asked them for five key men who we could train to be the leaders of this training center. These five men they chose are top notch and have a genuine hunger for God and a passion to plant churches where there are none. This is a real exciting time to be in Uganda and see what God is doing.

While the Coppedges were up in Nebbi, Erica and I were down in Kampala taking some much needed R & R and also leading some teaching and worship time at Kampala International University (KIU). Being involved with college-age students is something that is close to my heart, so I jumped at the change to lead some worship time with these guys and also talk a little about what true worship really is.

It was a blessed time of worship, and the students were very receptive. Within the first fifteen minutes of singing, the power went out along with the projector with the words. Erica soon jumped up with the laptop propped up on her shoulder so the crowd could at least attempt to see the words to the songs. I played the guitar for a total of an hour and half, and all in all, Jesus really met us as we sang in the candle lit room.

One of the highlights for us was that our good friend Josh (who had been our Swahili teacher and we led to the Lord about three months ago) came to the service! He had a great time singing and hearing our friend Kevin (pictured above with his wife Pamela) preach about what worship is and how our lives are to be our worship to the Lord every day, resulting in our lives being a light to the world around us. Josh really enjoyed the night, and it was great to catch up with him and hear how he is growing in the Lord.

One last thing you could be praying for is this Sunday. Terry Duncan (our Regional Director for Africa), Billy and myself will all be preaching back in Nebbi. The pastors we are training want us to each come and preach this Sunday. It is a great opportunity and a great responsibility; so please pray we will know what to preach and that God’s Holy Spirit will lead us.

Here is also our up coming calendar so you can know how to be praying and where we will be:

June 22-26 Duncans Arrive (WGM Regional Director for Africa)
June 24 - Preaching in Nebbi
June 25 - Discipleship with young Ugandan women (Every Mon)
June 26- “Bible Club” (VBS) at Uganda Christian University (Every Tues & Thur)
June 28 - 30- Our first trip to Congo!
June 30- Banters Arrive (Jeannie’s family)

July 13- 25 Team of 2 girls from NJ Arrive
July 14- 2nd Pastor Training in Nebbi
July 21- Training for Sunday School Teachers @ Uganda Christian University

Saying Goodbyes…

We are learning quickly that as missionaries, saying goodbyes becomes as commonplace as having a cup of coffee to start your day. I remember when our first friend came to visit us here in Arua. When she got on that plane, there was something different about that goodbye… for the first time, maybe ever, for either of us, we were the ones staying, while our friend left us behind. (IWU Team pictured left)
This past week has been filled with the reality of people coming and going, a reality of missionary life. First, for Joanna & I, our husbands left us last Thursday to go to the city for a week to take with them the team of ten IWU students that we had grown so fond of. Then, John and Billy said their goodbyes to those ten young men at the airport as they returned home to the States. Only two days later, we said goodbye to another missionary family who is very special to us, the Vandermeers (Pictured left). They left for Canada to spend the next year and a half there. A few hours later, we greeted Lisa Fish and Lisa Mayo, as they came up to Arua for the day just to spend some quality time with us and mentor us. We turned around only 24 hours later to say goodbye to them once again. Tomorrow night, we will be attending a going away party for three missionary families. Finally, on Saturday, we’ll have to say goodbye to two very special friends of ours, Brad & Annie Brown(Pictured below), who have spent the past four months in Uganda as they also return to the States! That’s a total of roughly 25 goodbyes in one week!

My natural, human tendency in saying all of these goodbyes is to start to feel lonely… and maybe even sorry for myself, because everyone is leaving me. But in all of these goodbyes, I am reminded of the sweet, constant, steadfast presence of our God. He has promised us that He will never leave or abandon us! No matter where we are on this Earth, or how lonely we are feeling, you can rest assured that you are never alone!

“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid… For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” – Deut 31:6

“For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Joshua 1:5