After a long journey, a team of our brothers and sisters in Christ - men, women and children from West Texas - have arrived in the east Africa nation of Uganda for Christian mission. The 2009 Uganda Mission Team from First Presbyterian Church of Midland will be sending back regular reports from Uganda, along with photos.
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We began our day as we always do – with fellowship, song, prayer and a devotional. It is such a wonderful way to start the day. We are studying the book, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” written by Eugene Peterson. It has been our devotional study as a team since we begin meeting and it has become a comfort and mainstay of our group. Our first devotional in Uganda was on Saturday and Sharon taught on chapter 7, entitled, “Security”. It was a fitting chapter to begin our journey to the new church in Sironko. Robin taught this morning on chapter 8, entitled, “Joy”, and it was a perfect description of what we experienced on our first Sunday in Uganda.
On this first Sunday, the team is divided up into six teams and we are “sent out” to preach and teach at churches that have been planted over the past years. The men are responsible for teaching Sunday school to the men and preaching a sermon to the congregation. The women are responsible for teaching Sunday school to the women and children. The churches are spread out around Mbale and it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour to reach the church site by van. For the returning team members it is a chance to see old friends at churches we helped plant in the past and for the new team members it is a chance to experience their first taste of Uganda and its beautiful people.
Al, Rita, Carole and Dawn visited Buwabwala located up in the in the beautiful mountains of Mbale district. This was the church Al preached at last year with his family. The people of Buwabwala were so appreciative that Al would come back to see them and kept saying over and over, “You did not forget us, you did not forget us!” Such humble and lovely people here in Uganda. Buwabwala is a very active church and Rita remarked how impressed she was with all the activities announced during the service. They are planting a sister church nearby, sending people to the Bible College, counseling on HIV-AIDS, and challenging their youth to continue to grow in their faith. Dawn taught children’s Sunday school to a crowded, attentive room full of children. Dawn said she was so overwhelmed by the songs echoing from the church when they arrived and the crowd of laughing children pressing in around her that it just brought tears to her eyes. It is such a joy to watch the “newbies” experience their first Ugandan service.
Robert, Karen, Louisa and Pat visited the church at Tirinyi. This was the church that we planted six years ago and it was also the church that Pat planted on her first trip to Uganda. Pastor Joseph introduced Pat and the congregation applauded and cheered for her return. Tirinyi is a vibrant, active church and they are so excited that one of their Elders has finished Seminary school and has taken over the pastoral duty at Kanyolo (the church we planted two years ago), replacing Pastor Dennis who has transferred to a church in Kenya. Louisa and Karen taught the Hand Prayer to a group of delightful enthusiastic children. It is always amazing to hear such wisdom from the children as we teach them about the Lord, they humble us each and every time. Robert did a masterful job with his sermon based on Psalm 120 and 121 and Pastor Joseph remarked on how timely it was for him personally to hear. He has recently been injured in a car accident and is healing from a broken pelvis. Please keep him in your prayers for healing.
Jeff, Robin, Elizabeth and Malone visited the church at Nalubembe, the church we planted last year. They have added a beautiful front porch to the church and the congregation is active and growing. Jeff preached a moving sermon on letting God help carry your burdens – a very fitting topic for Uganda, where every day the people must carry a heavy load, both physically and spiritually. Malone and Elizabeth taught the children’s Sunday school and had a delightful time teaching the children the story of Zacchaeus. When Elizabeth entered the church, she noticed some bright colored cards suspended along the wall at the front of the church. She soon realized that the cards were the ones our team had brought last year from Terry Miller’s class and they were decorating the sanctuary for all to enjoy. Such a simple gift that has brought such joy to the people of Nulubembe. Thank you.
Ben Spinks, Sigrid Coats, Harlan Coats and Cynthia Howard were at Nampido, which was the church we planted in 2006. They were surprised to see one of the men of the church playing a guitar that Cynthia had brought to them the year the church was planted. It needed a little tuning but looked like it had gotten lots of use! Ben Spinks gave a sermon on and taught the men’s Sunday school and Cynthia taught on the woman at the well to the women’s class while Sigrid and Harlan Coats taught the children the Hand Prayer. The church at Nampido seemed to be thriving with many different people taking leadership roles in the service.
Pastor Jerry Hilton, Lisa and Robyn Zachry and Kathryn Gates were at the First Presbyterian Church of Mbale, which is the main church that has helped plant all the satellite churches we’ve been a part of establishing. The church was treated to a wonderful sermon from Pastor Hilton on Isaiah 40--while Lisa Zachry shared with the women the story of Ester. Robyn and Kathryn had a class of hundreds of children and used puppets that the children loved. There were choirs of all ages including our own “praise team” from First Pres with excellent harmonizing from Pastor Jerry. The Bible College is growing steadily and continues to help the program of church planting in Eastern Uganda.
Namaje Church was visited by Ralph Green, Sharon Webb, Susan Strange and Ramon Billhimer. Ralph taught the men Sunday school and gave a sermon on “Where do we go from here?” while Ramon taught the women on “Ester” and Sharon and Susan worked with the children on the Hand Prayer. Sharon was moved by the sincerity of their tithe offerings of produce from their fields, eggs from their chickens and grain from their harvest.
Tomorrow begins our time on the trail. Please pray for health of the team, strength and boldness in sharing the Gospel.
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We began our day as we always do – with fellowship, song, prayer and a devotional. It is such a wonderful way to start the day. We are studying the book, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction” written by Eugene Peterson. It has been our devotional study as a team since we begin meeting and it has become a comfort and mainstay of our group. Our first devotional in Uganda was on Saturday and Sharon taught on chapter 7, entitled, “Security”. It was a fitting chapter to begin our journey to the new church in Sironko. Robin taught this morning on chapter 8, entitled, “Joy”, and it was a perfect description of what we experienced on our first Sunday in Uganda.
On this first Sunday, the team is divided up into six teams and we are “sent out” to preach and teach at churches that have been planted over the past years. The men are responsible for teaching Sunday school to the men and preaching a sermon to the congregation. The women are responsible for teaching Sunday school to the women and children. The churches are spread out around Mbale and it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to over an hour to reach the church site by van. For the returning team members it is a chance to see old friends at churches we helped plant in the past and for the new team members it is a chance to experience their first taste of Uganda and its beautiful people.
Al, Rita, Carole and Dawn visited Buwabwala located up in the in the beautiful mountains of Mbale district. This was the church Al preached at last year with his family. The people of Buwabwala were so appreciative that Al would come back to see them and kept saying over and over, “You did not forget us, you did not forget us!” Such humble and lovely people here in Uganda. Buwabwala is a very active church and Rita remarked how impressed she was with all the activities announced during the service. They are planting a sister church nearby, sending people to the Bible College, counseling on HIV-AIDS, and challenging their youth to continue to grow in their faith. Dawn taught children’s Sunday school to a crowded, attentive room full of children. Dawn said she was so overwhelmed by the songs echoing from the church when they arrived and the crowd of laughing children pressing in around her that it just brought tears to her eyes. It is such a joy to watch the “newbies” experience their first Ugandan service.
Robert, Karen, Louisa and Pat visited the church at Tirinyi. This was the church that we planted six years ago and it was also the church that Pat planted on her first trip to Uganda. Pastor Joseph introduced Pat and the congregation applauded and cheered for her return. Tirinyi is a vibrant, active church and they are so excited that one of their Elders has finished Seminary school and has taken over the pastoral duty at Kanyolo (the church we planted two years ago), replacing Pastor Dennis who has transferred to a church in Kenya. Louisa and Karen taught the Hand Prayer to a group of delightful enthusiastic children. It is always amazing to hear such wisdom from the children as we teach them about the Lord, they humble us each and every time. Robert did a masterful job with his sermon based on Psalm 120 and 121 and Pastor Joseph remarked on how timely it was for him personally to hear. He has recently been injured in a car accident and is healing from a broken pelvis. Please keep him in your prayers for healing.
Jeff, Robin, Elizabeth and Malone visited the church at Nalubembe, the church we planted last year. They have added a beautiful front porch to the church and the congregation is active and growing. Jeff preached a moving sermon on letting God help carry your burdens – a very fitting topic for Uganda, where every day the people must carry a heavy load, both physically and spiritually. Malone and Elizabeth taught the children’s Sunday school and had a delightful time teaching the children the story of Zacchaeus. When Elizabeth entered the church, she noticed some bright colored cards suspended along the wall at the front of the church. She soon realized that the cards were the ones our team had brought last year from Terry Miller’s class and they were decorating the sanctuary for all to enjoy. Such a simple gift that has brought such joy to the people of Nulubembe. Thank you.
Ben Spinks, Sigrid Coats, Harlan Coats and Cynthia Howard were at Nampido, which was the church we planted in 2006. They were surprised to see one of the men of the church playing a guitar that Cynthia had brought to them the year the church was planted. It needed a little tuning but looked like it had gotten lots of use! Ben Spinks gave a sermon on and taught the men’s Sunday school and Cynthia taught on the woman at the well to the women’s class while Sigrid and Harlan Coats taught the children the Hand Prayer. The church at Nampido seemed to be thriving with many different people taking leadership roles in the service.
Pastor Jerry Hilton, Lisa and Robyn Zachry and Kathryn Gates were at the First Presbyterian Church of Mbale, which is the main church that has helped plant all the satellite churches we’ve been a part of establishing. The church was treated to a wonderful sermon from Pastor Hilton on Isaiah 40--while Lisa Zachry shared with the women the story of Ester. Robyn and Kathryn had a class of hundreds of children and used puppets that the children loved. There were choirs of all ages including our own “praise team” from First Pres with excellent harmonizing from Pastor Jerry. The Bible College is growing steadily and continues to help the program of church planting in Eastern Uganda.
Namaje Church was visited by Ralph Green, Sharon Webb, Susan Strange and Ramon Billhimer. Ralph taught the men Sunday school and gave a sermon on “Where do we go from here?” while Ramon taught the women on “Ester” and Sharon and Susan worked with the children on the Hand Prayer. Sharon was moved by the sincerity of their tithe offerings of produce from their fields, eggs from their chickens and grain from their harvest.
Tomorrow begins our time on the trail. Please pray for health of the team, strength and boldness in sharing the Gospel.
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