Rinehimers’ “First” Pastor Training!

This past Saturday, July 14, was a very special day for John and I… after only four months in Arua, we were able to participate in our first pastor training for our new ministry up here. Although the Coppedges did the first training in Nebbi and John has also been a part of training pastors in southern Uganda on previous trips, this was his first opportunity to teach this time around and up here in northern Uganda! And I had actually never had the chance to even attend a pastor training before, so it was amazing for me to witness John & Billy teach these men who are so eager to learn how to be the pastor God created them to be and to dig deeper into God’s Word! I mainly just observed since it was my first training to see, but in the near future I will be training as well!

The training took place in Nebbi (a small town one hour from Arua). We asked the leader, Cosmas, to choose five pastors to participate in our training so that we can really disciple and invest in a few, rather than take on a big number where they won’t get as much one on one attention. So on Saturday, it was Cosmas, John, John Kennedy (yes, that’s his real name!), Benson, & Andrew. (pictured above) These men are so precious to us! They have such amazing hearts for the Lord and are hungry to learn more. And they ask really great, challenging questions. They are so intelligent and so sweet spirited!

Although we are only going through the “Membership Manual” right now for Africa Gospel Church (AGC), which is the church WGM has established here in Uganda & Kenya, we are hopeful that these five men will be in agreement with what we believe once we have gone through the entire manual with them. We may have an official training center in northern Uganda by January, 2008! Please be in prayer for these five men and for God’s will to be done here in northern Uganda for AGC!

Please Pray for Jeannie!

Our great friend and fellow missionary, Jeannie Banter, left Arua for the States last Saturday, July 7, for medical reasons. She had malaria, which worsened and went into her lungs and gave her double pneumonia. The physicians here in Uganda said her liver looked horrible as well, and she has a history of liver problems in her family. She was receiving medical care here, but there was no sign of improvement after a month of medication. So she really needed to get home to the States to get checked out by a specialist.

Since she has been home the past couple weeks, the doctors also discovered that her asthma has resurfaced because of the pneumonia, so she is on medication for that which is helping. And her blood work came back normal, which is a huge praise! She is currently on a swimming regimen which is helping to build back up her lung capacity and get her strength back. As the Ugandans say, “she is improving, slowly by slowly.” She is tentatively returning to Arua on August 10. Please keep her in your prayers as you are praying for Uganda. Please pray that God would heal her body and bring her here in His perfect timing! We know she would greatly appreciate it, and we would too!

Visitors & Voyages:

This past weekend, we also had the awesome blessing of our two friends, Jenna Gaventa & Kristen Fogg, arriving in Arua from New Jersey to visit us! Jesus brought them to us safely, and they are seeing first hand what our life is like here in Arua and are helping us out with many of our ministries here! (pictured right with children they are ministering to at UCU.) Next Tuesday, we will be taking them back to Kampala and saying good-bye. And then, we will get home to Arua on Friday morning and leave Friday afternoon for another trip to Congo! We are going to a different part of Congo this time, and we will be traveling with two Congolese pastors that we hope to work with! We are very excited about this trip! Please be in prayer with us over our schedule, travels, and safety!

July 21- Sunday School Teacher Training at UCU
July 24- Take Kristen & Jen to Kampala
July 27- Morning- Arrive back in Arua
Afternoon- Leave for Congo Trip!
Aug 10- Al & Beth Coppedge (Billy’s parents) & Jeannie Arrive in Arua!
Aug 18- Training #3 in Nebbi!
Aug 27- Field Meeting in Kampala