Retreat Report

It is 7:15pm in Uganda and everything is now quiet at the compound. The day began early as Bernie met on the verandah at 8:30 with the five young men of I AM for discipleship. Sally and I were busy getting ready for the Bible retreat which was to start at 10am. We had a beautiful day and we were all able to sit outside under the tarp for the entire day. We had approximately

32 people for the all-day study. There was a good time of worship and praise with many playing guitars and singing. Bernie taught from 11:30-1:45 and there was good contribution and discussion during the teaching. Around 2pm we stopped for a large lunch of African dishes which had been prepared by a local Ugandan and served here at the house. We continued the teachings after lunch and the last group left the house about 6pm. Many commented about how much they enjoyed the teachings and that they had learned some new things. All brought their Bibles and took notes. Bernie is great at involving the entire group and questioning their understanding of the lesson. So we had much group participation.

Bernie left about 5:45 with Timo and Peter to drive to Kiraku for village visitation. Each of the guys want Bernie to accompany them to the villages where they have on-going ministries.

Tomorrow will be church, lunch and visit to Naama. I hope Bernie and Sally will be able to keep up the pace they are setting. Everyone loves having them here, and many hope to meet with Bernie privately or in small groups. Sally and I will meet with some of the women early in the week.

Friday at High School

Friday afternoon we met at Kikumbi High School where I had previously met with students for Bible study. Bernie brought the message on Friday. there was a large group of students.

Friday night retreat

Friday night retreat

Friday night we had 25 people for Bible Study Retreat at Becky's house. After all of the work in putting up the tarp--a rainstorm came at 5pm. People were delayed an hour in getting here and we met inside the house. It was a great time of learning, worshipping, and praising through music. Eric, Bernie, Timo, and Peter played guitar,and Eric and Wilberforce played and sang 3 original songs.

Bernie at Work

Bernie and Henry; Bernie heading up the work crew; Bernie and Patrick

February 27, 2009

Greetings,

It is Friday morning in Uganda. Sally and Bernie arrived in Mityana Thursday afternoon at 3:00 and after a quick meal, Bernie was off with some of the guys for Gema to teach. A group of eleven had gathered and Bernie taught. We are working towards the first Sunday of planting the new church there which will be on March 8. On March 7, we will have an open-air time of preaching and singing to encourage the people in the village to come for the new church service.
Thursday morning we visited the orphanage where the children were all waiting for a Bible lesson. Bernie provided great teaching with lots of enthusiasm, chalkboard artwork, and group participation. He preached on Matthew 5:14, and every child now knows exactly what that scripture says, "You are the light of the world," and where it can be found. We had a wonderful time with the children and, of course, they look at Bernie like they have never seen a grown man with so much energy and laughter and they love it!

Bernie and Sally enjoyed seeing all of the improvements that have been made at the orphanage, and we look forward to spending more time teaching with the children there.
At 1:30 we took Dan Douglas and drove to Naama to care for the heel wound on Teresa's foot, but we had a precious time of teaching and sharing with Teresa and her 89 year old husband, George Nelson. George loved sitting by Bernie and sharing with him. Please continue to pray for the heel wound. It is not really better, but it is now cleaner and is definitely no worse. We believe that God will completely heal Teresa. We will back to visit them on Sunday and the others in Naama.

Yesterday evening Bernie, Henry, and Patrick worked on putting a large top over a frame in my front yard in preparation for the retreat/revival we will be having here at my house starting tonight at 5, and all day tomorrow. We anticipate about 30 people, most from the Baptist Church here. Sally taught in Bible Study at the church on Thursday night from Hebrews 12:1-2 and we had a good attendance with lots of discussion and stayed at the church until almost 8pm.
We had no power and the last thirty minutes of discussion was in the dark except for a small light from Peter's cell phone. Sally's teaching was wonderful and I think we could have all stayed for more.

Today we will continue to prepare for the retreat before going to Kikumbi High School to teach this afternoon at 3:00. The head master has arranged for the entire school to attend, and Bernie will teach to them. We will rush home after 4pm for the night session of the retreat. We have some of the young people who are coming in for the meeting from the various universities and teaching colleges, so we are looking forward to a good time together.

I will post some pictures of the retreat hopefully on Sunday. It is so great to have Sally and Bernie here.

Book Distribution Road Trip Begins!

Imagine Acts Ministry's first road trip for book distribution began in Buteleja Village on Thursday. One of Henry's fellow seminary pastor/students coordinated this trip to his village and invited several pastors from the area to attend. We had a good meeting with much discussion and enthusiasm. We spent the night there at the Good News Hotel!

Buteleja Village

Top Picture: Henry Lutaya, Henry Lutwama, Pastor Immanuel in front of the building which is both church and school. Middle piciture: Listening to Buteleja pastor teach the book after training. Third: My shower at the Good News Hotel!

Pallisa District

On Friday we were in Pallisa District at the Baptist Church. On the way there we passed several farmers plowing with oxen. Also, saw the different round mud huts with straw roofs.

Wangobo Village

On Saturday we were deep in the village of Wangobo, but we had a good turnout. The coordinator, a pastor in Kampala who also works at the Baptist Mission Board, had not told the people he was bringing a Muzungu b/c he wanted to see who the faithful people would be who showed up. (Many in the villages rarely see a white person, so a visit from one is a special occasion, I suppose.)

Kasawo Village

Pastor Samuel, a Church of God pastor, who was translating for me as I spoke Monday in Kasawo.

Kasawo Village

These were the pastors and leaders from Monday's session in Mukono District, Kasawo Village.

The coordinator for this session was Pastor Godfrey, the Baptist Associational District Chairman, however, many of these pastors were Church of God pastors from surrounding areas. We had a great meeting with them.

February 19,2009

Greetings from Uganda. I was traveling Wednesday through Monday distributing books and having training sessions with pastors in eastern Uganda. Since Tuesday I have experienced computer problems that have crippled my internet activities and completely prohibited posting on the blog. But thanks to prayers and Eric Steen's computer expertise all the way from Austin, Texas via Sally I am now able to post to the blog!!

The vision of Imagine Acts Ministry's Creation to Christ Book project became a reality this past week as we traveled and met with 100 different pastors in four different districts and villages!!We drove a combined total of approximately 25 hours and experienced different sights in each area--changes in topography, Mt. Elgon, round mud huts with straw roofs, teams of oxen plowing rice fields. Henry Lutaya and Henry Lutwama had never before seen the parts of Uganda we traveled and they have lived here their entire lives. So, it was exciting to give them exposure to parts of their own country.

At each village we met with a group of pastors, explained the project, the book series, the teaching method---based on 2 Timothy 2:2 where Paul instructs Timothy, "these things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others." The faithful pastors were gathered, and for several hours we would meet, discuss, share and teach. They each were so grateful to receive their copies of the book. If each of those pastors or church leaders will teach the book to just 20-30 people each, then the story of God's amazing love shown through His creation will reach 2000-3000 people from those 100 church leaders alone!!

Since most people have heard the creation account, we stressed the attributes of God's divine nature which are revealed clearly through creation. Near the end of the training sessions , I would ask the pastors to stand and state one attribute of God that they learned through just the pictures in the book. They would remain standing so that we could see what we had learned. We believe that the goal of this mission is for people to KNOW God and to enter into a personal relationship with Him through Jesus! (John 17:3)

There is just no way I can explain to you the joy, the gratitude and the appreciation these pastors and leaders have for this resource. I will try to let you see from the pictures. One pastor told me he had never before been a part of this kind of teaching and he only hoped that he would live long enough to see all of the 12 books!!(and he was a young man!)

Observing

I don't know who to watch--Dan Douglas gently washing and caring for the lady's heel wound or Timo teaching The Creation to the lady's husband and all the children. Both were heart-warming.

Sunday afternoon in Naama

I always enjoy our Sunday afternoons in Naama. Today after sharing with a young mother at her home, we visited the JaJa's, grandmother and grandfather. At their home some of our group ministered to Theresa, by washing her foot, cleansing her heel wound, and putting on a clean bandage. Timo gathered the husband and some children and taught the Creation book. I don't think we have yet had a reaction like the man's. He clapped, he praised the book and just held it in his hand. We left a copy with him at his request. He will share it with others. It was a great time to share God's love through ministry and teaching in Naama.

Saturday Work Day

Saturday was work day at the orphanage. Everyone pitched in. First picture shows the current method for drying clothes. We have now installed the two new clothes line poles. Second picture shows the children after gathering all the wood from the garden. Third picture shows the hard-working crew with the newly purchased hoes--Ugandan weedeaters!

Measuring for Uniforms

Through donations made for uniforms, I AM is having one new uniform made for each student, 230+ at the orphanage school. Friday was measuring day.

Measuring for Uniforms

Through donations made for uniforms, I AM is having one new uniform made for each student, 230+

Bicycle Ministry

These are the four new "used" bikes we purchased with the donation from Istrouma Baptist Church. From the front, John, Timo, Akimu, Godfrey, Eric W. and Eric K. Each boy has been provided an English New American Standard Bible and most have been given or own a backpack. These guys are "equipped" for ministry. Thank you , Istrouma.

Update Feb.2-7 2009

It is Sunday morning in Uganda, and we have had another busy week. With Henry now back to work full time with I AM,on Monday we made our lists of weekly goals and made plans for next week's book distributions in eastern villages and towns of Uganda.

We traveled to Kampala twice last week, once for computer problems and once to meet with our artist and a potential new printer. Although Kampala is only about 65 miles away, the trip always takes the entire day. But I now have in my possession the complete original drawings for Book Two, The Disobedience, and most of Noah book illustrations are complete. I expect to get them to the printer on Wednesday. We met with a new printer we hope will be able to give us better quality and service. I am anticipating a price quote from him and pray that we will be able to move forward.

We leave on Wednesday for a four day trip delivering books and having training sessions with church pastors and leaders in four different places. We are expecting to meet with 40 pastors/leaders of various denominations on Thursday and 60 on Friday. Saturday we travel deeper into a village, and I am not sure how many we will meet. I will try to get pictures and post documentation next week upon our return. I received a call last night at 9:30 from a pastor in western Uganda, Stephen, who is anxiously awaiting a visit from us. He told me he will be presenting the book this morning at his church and he was so happy to have it.

ORPHANAGE UPDATE: Many of you are interested in the work we are doing at the orphanage. We have purchased material to begin making new uniforms for all students, both boarders and day students, approximately 230. Once we learned that the children do not have underclothes, someone at Grace Church in Austin, Texas, undertook the effort to send at least two pairs of underwear for each boarder. We will be having our first visitors on Feb.25, my sister Sally and her husband Bernie Boudreaux from Austin. We are all excited to have colaborers joining us. We had a workday on Saturday at the orphanage, cleaning the grounds, the gardens, the entrance, and installing the first clothesline poles. We dug a new garbage pit for burning the trash and moved the one that was so unsightly right outside the hostel. The chicks are doing great. Akimu has spent every night inside the coop with the chicks, adding charcoal to the stoves and feed and water. It is almost a NeoNatal set-up, and we are proud to report that we have only lost 2 of the 306 chicks! They are beginning to put on feathers, and once they have their feathers, we do not need to keep them so warm. Akimu has enlisted the help of three of the orphans to help him and they seem very pleased with their responsibilities.

January had a work day removing cut trees and limbs from the newly turned ground for the gardens. He rewarded all his helpers with $.50 worth of sugar cane. He will be planting seeds Monday morning, maize and beans, as the rains have already started here--earlier than previous years when rain came in March.

Many of you have expressed concern for Norah. On Thursday, Norah approached me that she would like to talk to me about setting up a business selling matoke. We did not discuss the details at that time and I did not know what would be needed. However, on Friday night I learned that someone in Austin had made a contribution for Norah!! On Saturday, Henry and I met with her and gave her the $26.00 she requested to get started---less than the donation had been!

It is now 8:00pm and I am just returning from all of the day's activities, church until 1:30; after church we went to a boarding school to see some of the former residents of the orphanage and take some necessary items to them. Late afternoon we traveled to Nama to minister there. I will try to upload pictures tonight and tomorrow.

New children at orphanage

This is a picture of a new group of children at the orphanage. The older lady on the left is the mother of the two youngest children and is the sister of the three older ones. the children are from the left, Frank, Joseph, Josephine, Barbara, and Ellen. They were very quiet and subdued. The mother was putting some shoe polish on their shoes before leaving them.

Rubbish to be disposed of

We put the kids to work cleaning out some of the old stashed clothes, suitcases, papers, etc.

Most ended up in the rubbish heap. The rubbish heap is located right outside the door of the girls' hostel, next to the water cistern, and on the only road leading to the school. We hope to burn it tomorrow morning and relocate at the back of the boys' hostel, out of sight.

Rack for hanging clothes and the smaller girls' hostel

Girls' Hostel

One of the girls' hostels showing new blankets and storage shelves. There are no electric lights in the hostels.

Baby Chicks

First day in their new coop for the 306 one-day old baby chicks. They have been put in a very small partition in the larger coop while they are so young. There are hanging bulbs for warmth as well as three small charcoal stoves. The feeders are in the center. Akimu spent the night on the floor of the coop with the chicks for their first night.

New "used" bikes for ministry

Akimu in the back, Amon, who went to the dentist in the middle and Timo in the front. Three bikes in the back

February 2, 2009

I am sorry it has been a long time since the last post. Some computer problems, some travel days, some lack of time. I will try to be more regular if possible. Thanks so much for following. Last week we were still quite busy working at the orphanage preparing the freshly renovated hostels and beds for the children's arrival this week. All beds were made with new sheets and blankets and each hostel now has storage shelves and a hanging board with nails to serve as the clothes' hanger. Prisoners worked again yesterday and today digging for the gardens. Planting will begin in late February or early March. Baby chicks finally arrived yesterday! 306!! They send a 2 chick bonus with each 100 ordered. Please see the pictures showing the first day in their new coop! We are working this week on improving the condition of the grounds--Ugandans do not have the concept of No Littering, so trash is a huge problem all over the country. We hope to change that at the orphanage.
Last week we were able to purchase 3 used bicycles to assist in our bicycle ministries. We went to Kampala and 2 of the guys searched the "used bike section" of one street while I sat in the car not wanting to jeopardize the negotiations. We had taken another young man, Amon with us to see a dentist. The Rav 4 was loaded on the way home with 4 people and 3 used bikes!! We still have the need of one more bike and will try to purchase it in the next week or two. Much appreciation to the Missions Ministry at Istrouma Baptist Church for contributing the bikes!!
We met with our 4 village ministry groups last week, one Wed., one Thurs., one Saturday, and one Sunday which are not part of the now "bicycle ministry." We are progressing. It is interesting to me that we have mostly men in two of our groups which is most unusual based on my past experiences in the villages.
I had to take my car in to Kampala to have some work on Friday. I needed new shock absorbers and brake pads which is no surprise considering the roads I travel. After two different attempts, we still have not been able to properly align the tires.
We will travel to Kampala on Thursday in hopes of finding a new printing company to work with on the remaining books. The artist has completed the drawings for Books 2 and 3 and we are very excited about the illustrations and are anxious to begin printing the next books. Meanwhile
we have many requests to travel to both eastern and western Uganda to distribute Book 1 and we plan to go first next week to eastern Uganda. I will post the schedule once I have the details.