Our two weeks here in Kampala have been very busy as we get things to set up the RAU Guesthouse/Hall of Tyrannus to live in and to host pastors,evangelists and church planters as well as teams from America. The logistics of getting things in this large city is very challenging, to say the least. Most of the time Sam and I travel on Bodas (motorcycle taxis). Patrick has also driven his vehicle for us when we have had to get larger items. These men, as well as Abraham, are such blessings to me, to RAU, and for the advancement of the gospel. It is an honor to work with them!  At the end of the long days coming back to our hosts’ home (The Bukenya’s) all sweaty and covered with African red dirt I have had to remind myself that all this going here and there to finish the Guesthouse is not the reason we are here. Our lives, the Guesthouse/Hall of Tyrannus, RAU’s 17 acres, and future facilities are just vessels for the advancement of Christ’s Name where He is not known so people who have no opportunity to hear the gospel would believe and become worshipers of the living God.

We have water in our outside RAU water tank which was filled from our well. This tank has gravity filled our 5,000 liter tank in the Guesthouse attic so we will have running water in the house! I am hoping the water will be warm enough in the attic tank to give us warm showers, if not our showers will be very brief! We are working on getting the remaining fixtures working. We are bringing from Kampala a generator and two 230 watt solar panels with all the equipment needed  to electrify the house. We have a central battery room which will feed the rest of the house. The only electricity we will have is from the solar panels and the generator.

For cooking needs we have purchased a two burner gas unit which will run off the LPG tanks we bought. We also have a small refrigerator which will help store a few items as long as we can keep power. Too many things to list have also been bought. We have brought some things in our suitcases but we are pretty much starting from scratch. It reminds me of when Carol and I first were married and were setting up our home. When the container arrives there are things in it as well which will be a great help, such as a wash machine. Carol has already gotten a taste of washing clothes by hand (see attached photo). Once the container leaves Seguin Texas it will take about 60 days to reach us. Great friends from Lifegate and a few other friends will pack it. Pray for it’s safe arrival!

I have been “pinching pennies” the best I can to get as many things as we can with the funds we brought with us. My haggling skills are getting better but are still lacking.. Fortunately, I have had Sam with me. He literally grew up on the streets of Kampala so there is not much that gets past him! Thank you to all who have given and prayed to bring us this far. In the attachments there are pictures taken of the Guesthouse from the same spot. The only difference is one was taken in 2011 and the other just a week ago. The water storage tank used for construction  is the only thing which is in both pictures. Praise God for His grace and mercy! Thank you as well!

Please continue to pray and give whatever you can to help us spread the fame of King Jesus. In many ways we we feel everything we are doing is like planting an acorn. An acorn which will grow into a large strong oak tree which will proclaim the gospel and disciple generation after generations until Jesus comes back again. We are here for the long term and together with your support and prayers we look to strengthen the church, help send out church planters to the many unreached people groups in Africa (some have this count at 3,000 unreached people groups in Africa), and as the Lord provides, give medical care and provide education from a Christian worlview for so many without it in the Moyo area. We commit to faithfully use the funds which are given for God’s glory. Thank You!!

We are still lacking the remaining funds to purchase the 1999 Land Cruiser we would use for ministry.  Yesterday I picked up Carol’s, Sam’s and my South Sudanese visas. Then Sam and I spent most of the afternoon literally in the shadow of the Mu mar Gaddafi mosque (it is right in the middle of Ramadan season) filling out papers for my Ugandan driver’s license. The mosque is said to be the largest one in East Africa. The calls to prayer were very loud and were an impetus for me to pray for the Muslims around me.
The Lord sent us a “well connected” man who helped us walk through the many bureaucratic hurdles that are set out for a foreigner to get a drivers license. What could have taken many days or even weeks we were able to get accomplished in two or so hours. He knew all the right people to get the needed stamps and signatures. I gladly paid him for all his help! Today I went through a few more lines and was told my Ugandan license will be ready to be picked up in one week. May the Lord provide the right vehicle for the Lord’s work in the rugged terrain in which we will be working.

We are looking, the Lord willing, to travel north to Moyo Monday. We are hiring a truck to haul all our things and we will go in Patrick’s vehicle. We will be very loaded and roads are not good, especially the from Gulu to Moyo which are all dirt. We will have to take a  ferry across the Nile River between Adjumini and Moyo.

Thank you for all your prayers and support!

“Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger men or women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers, pray for power equal to your tasks. Then the doing of your work shall be no miracle but you shall be the miracle” Phillip Brooks (1835-1893)

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