John's Day

   I remember the first time I ever set foot on Ugandan soil. It was the summer of 2004. Until then I had never been off of the North American continent. The plane touched down in Entebbe in the dark and we were greeted by a sea of smiling yet unknown faces. I recall the feeling of being a foreigner in a foreign land for the first time in my life. My wife and I  were there as part of team of fourteen youth and ten adults . Our mission was to work on a chapel at a christian school in the southwestern part of the country Kabale, Uganda which has now become like our second home. The chapel was completed in 2005 and since then the rest of the school buildings and classrooms have been added around the chapel. So the chapel is in the center of the campus,just as the the director,Joab  had been inspired by the Lord on how things should be.

   From that beginning our ministry there has evolved from just being involved with the school, to now having an outreach in the community through the local churches. We have even been given some air time on a local radio station on Sunday mornings. That radio ministry is ongoing when we are not there by my colleague and brother in Christ Pastor Wilber. We have also held some Pastors and church leaders conferences in Kabale in the past few years.These have resulted in being invited to some of the village churches up in the hills around Kabale. We take tea and bread with them, preach in their churches,and enjoy sweet fellowship. These days may include open air meetings,visiting in homes, walking around from house to house with the gospel, and praying with and for them as the Lord may lead.

   On one of those days up in the hills we stopped by John's home. He is the man in the photo seated between Wilber and I for whom we are praying. He had been "knocked" by a pickup truck and was not able to get around very well. John had worshiped the local god "idol" for a long time.In fact there was a shrine to that local "god" not far from his door. It had been burnt a few days earlier  we were told.That day as we talked with him and prayed for him I was led to tell him that God is no respecter of people and shows no
partiality.We read Paul's words from Acts 11: 34-43 to him. When we were finished reading and translating the scripture to him, John informed us that he wanted to believe in Jesus, and receive forgiveness of sins through His name! He experienced Nembabzi (God's grace) in the doorway of his home. A day none of us will forget!

Thank you for reading my new blog Nembabazi. The Lord willing there will be more to come as we continue on the journey. Jesus is our vision, our calling, our location,and our destination. Glory to His name!