Hello everyone!
I know it has been quite awhile since my last post, so it's time for an update. From now on I will be updating my blog monthly. I hope everyone is doing well, and I appreciate your continued prayers.
Here is a link to some pictures- The Faces of Uganda
If you have time I'd love for you to write in my guest book. It'd be great to hear from you and any words you have!
This past month began our fall schedule. Schools have started new terms, and for this next term each week we will go to the same projects and follow a series. For the past few weeks we have been sharing on different aspects of God. So far we have touched on "God is our living water", "God is our food" and "God is the light." We lead a program at each project. Our programs consist of games, skits, worship, sharing, and small groups. Real quickly, here is the schedule we follow each week:
On Monday, we have a planning meeting then in we have the afternoon free. Tuesday morning, we go to Victory Primary school and make porridge as well as have a program. Then Tuesday afternoon we go to Kireka High, which is a secondary school over their lunch break. On Wednesday morning, we go to Katalemwe, which is a childrens hospital. Then in the afternoon we go to Clive college, which is also a secondary school. Thursday morning, we go to two different babies homes, Nsambya and Sanyu, and help with whatever they need and hang out with babies. The babies homes are the only places that we don't do a program. In the afternoon, we go to the Remand home which is the juvenile home. Then Friday morning we go to New Styles Primary school and make porridge. In afternoon, we finish of the ministry week by going to City Side secondary school, and end up at Shalom which is a rehabilitation home for street boys. Each weekend we are free to do whatever we want.
We will follow that schedule until the end of the term in December.
Last weekend, a few of us went to Love Kampala which was a huge conference. It was led by Andrew Palau who is Luis Palau's son. There were a few bands and singers there, including Nicole C. Mullen. It was an amazing time, and hundreds of people excepted Christ. We met a few of the leaders of the conference and got to help out with the altar call by praying with people and helping them fill out information cards.
There are now six of us left. Five MST's left this week, and no one else comes until the middle of October. The last person that was here when I arrived in July left at the beginning of September, and now everyone here has been here for a month or less. It's strange in a lot of ways, but I love the people who are here now. It is a totally different feel then the summer, but I am enjoying it.
God is good, and He is so faithful. I am realizing more and more everyday that there is no other place I want to be. No matter what comes up, I know that this is where God has me. It's not always easy, but it's not about me. God has been teaching me a lot about why I am here. Reading about Paul, and the way he viewed life really opened my eyes. All he cared about was that the gospel was preached. Even when he was in chains, he found joy in the fact that the guards and other prisoners knew why he was there. He truly knew that to live is Christ and to die is gain! God has been showing me that even if I never felt Him or experienced his blessings, but the Gospel was being preached and his Kingdom furthered that that would be all that mattered. It's not about me, AT ALL! He chooses to bless me, and he delights in allowing me to experience His presence, but it isn't my right! I need to be focused on bringing all the glory to God no matter what I feel. God is so huge! He deserves all of me, and wayyyy more!!! I re-watched Louie Giglio's Indescribable sermon the other day, and I was blown away! If you have time check it out, it's worth the time! Here is the link: Louie Giglio-Indescribable. How great is our God!!
God has been opening some cool doors for me, and I'm excited. I am going to start going to court once a week with the boys from the Remand home to pay for gas and to be able to encourage them and support them. For a long time in our small groups, the boys would always ask us to pray that gas money would be provided because they were forced to miss courts dates due to money issues. EAC decided to help out, and so once a week I will get to go along with them. I am excited to be able to build more dynamic relationships and be able to share God's love with them. Also, I am now going to be playing in the Watoto Church worship team. I started pursuing it a week ago and God opened all the doors. I am playing this Sunday at Watoto East campus. Watoto is probably the largest church in Uganda with six campuses. Five of them are in Kampala, and then one is in Gulu. I will hopefully get a few chances to travel up to Gulu to play at the church there, because each worship team rotates to a different church each week. Please pray that God will continue to bless that!
Finally, if you have been following my blog you may remember me writing about Innocent from Remand home. He was released in August, and I was pretty sad because I was looking forward to building relationship over the time he was there. A few weeks ago, he was brought back to Remand because he had nowhere to go and he was just wandering the streets. I don't know how long he will be there, since he isn't there for a crime. The issue is that he doesnt have enough money for transport to his village. Right now I am trying to figure out how to go about getting the money for that, and also ensuring that he uses it to get to his village. I've been talking with the head of sponsorship, so please pray that God show us what to do. Also, please pray that I would be able to be an encouragement to Innocent as he is very down about having to be back at Remand.
Thank you all for your support and prayers! God has been teaching me the power the prayer, and I know when His people pray he truly does work. So I would ask you to continue to pray for me as often as you remember. Pray that God's will and His heart would become my will and my heart! I want to be used as a vessel to bring His light to this nation and bring His name glory!
I would love to hear from you, so please at anytime send me message on Facebook or send me an email. God bless you!
Craig
