....07/09/10

Uganda
Missions Update

I wanted to highlight a few areas from my recent trip to Uganda. I returned on the 6th (our 13th wedding anniversary!).

I plough the field but it is no small thing for my wife Jean to stand with me in such a venture. Behind every man is a greater women and behind every Yorkshireman is a very great women!

10 years ago in September 2000 I stood on the land in Layibi, Gulu with others and prayed to dedicate the work to God. Surrounded by nothing but crops and bush it is staggering to see what God has done. Nearly 25 missions with people from a variety of ages, backgrounds, nations and experience. One uniting factor among the teams has been the desire to serve the local people and meet them on their turf. This is a God thing that we cannot underestimate.

The ministry of the Stepping Out Programme (SOP) is growing significantly in momentum. Over 200 leaders from 57 churches and ministries are now working together. The impact of churches opening their doors and cross fertilising ideas, training and development is humbling to see and deeply moving.

One leader says that there has been unity like this among the leadership in Gulu. We are now working with leaders also in Amuru district (like counties) and planning to extend to 3 other districts in 2011.

One young man got saved through the evengelism and was a drug addict. He is now on fire and in the evangelism leadership team. An evangelist from the team visited a village and heard about a very "powerful" and renowned witch doctor who was a devout muslim. The evangelist visited him and within 15 mins of sharing the love of God he removed his muslim outfit, went onto his knees and committed his life to Christ. We provide access to baptism within 1 month of people coming to faith so that they can seal there faith with a public confession. We have seen over 150 people baptised this year with many coming from new converts reaching out and the second generation converts being baptised with the first generation! This has been the speed of impact. At the baptism they are ministered to and many are filled with the Holy Spirit and expereince healing and freedom.

42 instructors from the local churches are now trained in Adult Literacy (Level 1 and awaiting Level 2 exams) and have set up classes in 12-13 churches. These are not school teachers etc but ordinary literate believers who want to serve their church and community. People are now coming to Christ throughthe classes and coming to the churches whereas more traditional forms of outreach have failed to reach them.

We launched the Mens Ministry. Women are always faster and its been 10 years before we can get the men going! It was extremely powerful to see men coming together under one umbrella. Again one Pastor who coordinates our work said that this is the first time that a ministry to men specifically has been done among the churches in Gulu.
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