Our time in Uganda has come to an end. I am sorry for not posting yesterday. There was a power outage & my phone battery was too low to type & post.

The last 2 days have been amazing. Ugandans are very beautiful & amazing people. The pastors & ministers we had the privilege of teaching this week are the most gracious I have met. I can actually say this of all the East African men of God I have met over the year. We are greeted daily with a friendly smile & “Most Welcome to Uganda”. The hospitality is overwhelming.

In addition to the kindness we have been shown, they hunger & thirst for a fresh Word of the Lord. I don’t experience the same level of hunger & chasing after the Lord in the U.S. as I have during my journeys to Africa. My mission partner, Jim White, and I have spoke to them concerning these topics: “Failure is NOT Fatal”, “Overcoming the fear of failure”, “The Gospel in the Dwelling Place” and “Not called to do church, but to BE CHURCH”. The Word has been received with gladness and my prayer is it will bare fruit.

Many more relationships have been built, as well reuniting with my dear friend Apostle Rogers Sserwadda. I was introduced to John Kayima who operates an orphanage here in Kampala. Jim actually met him in Joplin, MO and it was such a blessing to connect with him. Because of time, we are not able to visit, but I have his contact information and he makes many trips to the U.S. We embark shortly to head into the Kenyan bush to train pastor & ministers there as well. I so love Africa and am humble I get to share my heart with these amazing people.

Please continue to pray for us as we continue to minister this week in Kenya. I will attempt to post each day, as the Lord wills and third world conditions accommodate. Thank you for joining me on the journey.

James

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Yesterday we toured the area of Kampala, Uganda where our host lives & pastor Living Vessels Church. Much like Kenya, there are plentiful streams of raw sewage mingling with natural run off. The streets, alleys, pathways & any other available space is polluted with garbage. The people make a living much in the manner they live, in make shift shacks that don’t seem to have any order & not very sanitary. As we were walking about, one of the church mothers greeted us…”Welcome to our slum.” I can’t describe the grief & sadness I felt, but was encouraged to know I am not here in vain.

I learned so much about Ugandan history & culture, as well all of East Africa. The nation is plentiful in fruit, all types that I have never heard or seen before. It is rich in raw natural resources, but like most African nations political corruption, criminal manipulation & western exploitation keep the people poor, starving & diseased while making the elect & select few wealthy. It is a cycle that I fear they learned from the west. My number one question…”Where is the church?”

Sadly, many of the riches men & largest businesses are churches. Some would shout hallelujah & praise the Lord; however, I have witnessed equal, if not more, corruption & deception among the church leadership. They have learned to beg for hand outs from the west, fleece their own sheep & do what ever is necessary to “succeed”. Church is about numbers, money & influence instead of the Gospel.

Today we begin doing what we came to do…teach the leadership. Most times it’s an exercise in futility to deprogram a “church” culture that appears to bear much fruit, but has had limited to no impact on the nation. We may not change the nation of Uganda this week, but if we can turn the hearts, minds & purposes of few true Christ following believers, they will change their own nation. Christ never instructed us to build His church. Our mandate is to seek His Kingdom & righteousness & make disciples. It is He who builds & grows the church.

Please continue to pray for our journey as we endeavor to share Christ & His true gospel.

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