Giving Thanks……Counting Blessings........This should be our attitude each and everyday not just during the month of November.  Psalms 107:1 Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is Good; His love endures forever.

I was asked by one of my sons on Thanksgiving Day the traditional question that is usually asked by family and friends gathered around the Thanksgiving table, “So, what are you thankful for?”  My mind went blank and I blurted out the first thing that popped into my head. “You!” I said, and we both laughed.  But seriously, I started to reflect on the many ways we have been blessed even though this return to Uganda has come with many difficulties and struggles.

Many of you are aware (because we posted on Facebook) that we lost our little friend Benjamin.  It was a very difficult time for all of us here.  It was a loss that hurt deep!  But, we feel so thankful and blessed to have had the opportunity to know him, his smile, and his sweetness.  And God, in His wonderful way, has given us strength and a deeper love for each other and our cultural differences.

The school year ended here in November.  We were able to have Christmas parties for the children and the teachers at the school because of the gifts that were on the container.  Each child received a box of crayons, a pad of paper, along with a toy, a stuffed animal or a matchbox car.  To us it might not seem like a big deal, but to these little ones that have never had it, it was major EXCITEMENT and JOY!  One little P1 boy was shaking, with the biggest smile ever seen.  He could barely get out the words “a CAR”!  It was priceless!

We showed the ‘Jesus Film for children’ to 170 children in grades 3 thru 7.  The chapel was filled with children who had never seen a movie before.  All eyes and ears were glued to the screen, taking in every part they saw and heard.  At the close of the movie, the children in the film gave an invitation to pray and receive Jesus.  The chapel was filled with the hum of many of the children repeating the prayer with the movie.  It was obvious God was moving in this building filled with children.  When the movie ended, Bruce and Simon answered questions and then, with every head bowed, they all prayed.  The moment was priceless! 

We are so Thankful for God’s gifts to us! For family and friends who love and pray for us and His ministry!  For safety!  For God’s provisions!  Sewing machines!  Sunshine!  Rain!  When I actually started to list God’s blessings I ran out of space.  I needed more than a page!

We can get so caught up in work, ministry, and the many distractions that are a fact of life.  But, if each morning we reflect on just one of the blessings God has given us, we will have a heart and a notebook filled  with what we are Thankful for!

In Christ’s Amazing Love,

Bruce & Janine

Joy even in Struggles

The Legend lives on from the Chippewa on down to the great lake they call Gitche Gumee. “Lake Superior” This is the first line to the song written by Gordon Lightfoot describing the sinking of a freighter, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald” that sank in Lake Superior on November 10^th 1975. 

One of the crewmembers, Captain McSorley, reported to shore that this was one of the worst storms he had ever seen.  The ship had been caught in the middle of a storm.  These storms are typical during the month of November. The lyrics of the song say the “Gales of November came early” The ship took on water and sank with all hands, meaning, all 29 crewmembers went down with the ship. What a tragedy!

Do you ever feel as if you are caught off guard or that you are overwhelmed with trouble and you’re struggling to keep your head above water?  Well, we just had a month filled with some tragedy and difficulties, but also some joy. Shortly after we returned to Uganda we were blessed to start working in the village and then we were overcome with one problem after another, which affected ministry in one way or another.  I know, we are to praise God in all situations!

I am reminded of Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (NIV)

Our first week here we received news in the middle of the night that a P7 student “Stuate” had passed away at the school.  He was one of the Orphans that the Afayo Project supported by paying school fees and providing food.  He had visited a clinic and he was told he was Ok and to return to school.  He passed away the following day.  As if this wasn’t tragic enough, a member of the village reported to the police that one of our teachers, Patrick, in charge of the P7 class, had beaten the child and this was the reason for his death.

Sad to say: it took two autopsies, multiple visits from the police to school for interrogations. 2 million shillings (aprox. $550) was given in payment for the police to do their work and another $150 to pay for the teacher to eat each day before the police finally released the teacher.  The teacher spent a total of 17 days in jail before they released him, and before they told him the autopsy report said the student died of malaria and a lung infection.  The teacher was innocent!

One of the young mothers in the women’s Bible study delivered a baby safely, but the child died two days later.  Why?  We are not sure.  Another one of our new moms had complications, but finally delivered safely by C-section. 

Benjamin & Maribu

This same week, another one of our women shared that her child, Benjamin, age 5, had a growth the size of a small cantaloupe in his belly.  They had been treating him for worms, but believe that it might be cancer.  We were able to host them in our home for a couple days and spent some time with them before their trip to the big city for more testing and a biopsy.  Benjamin is still in Kampala awaiting the biopsy test.  After the biopsy, it will take a week for the results.  Please be praying!

Two days ago we were celebrating with the P7 students prior to their taking the state test.  Patrick made his first appearance to the school since he had been released from jail.  What a joyous day it was!  The students cheered for the return of Patrick!  We returned home and two hours later we received notice that another teacher “Richard’ was involved in a boda boda (motorcycle) accident and received several lacerations to his face. Richard received many stiches and is doing fine, but he is still in the hospital.

Our P7 Students

We realize accidents happen and that people become ill, but it seems as though there is a spiritual attack on the village and more directly on the people we are involved with.  We are confidant that God is still in control and that He will work out all things for the good for those who believe!

Thank you Harlem for our notebooks!

Even during all the turmoil we have hearts that are thankful!  We spent several days joyfully sorting through the contents of the container.  Thank you for all the gifts that were sent to the village for the school, students, church, and the people!  We are making plans for the Christmas season to start distributing much of the contents.  Thank you Hillcrest and ECM for making this dream a reality!

Janine and Kate (Janine’s helper and interpreter) spent quite a few days sorting through books, organizing and setting up the library at the school.  We have three more bookshelves coming and enough books to fill each bookshelf.  We can’t wait for the students to start using the books.  What a blessing for them to be able to read a book or even look through a book for the first time!

Thank you Whitehall Disc Golf for sending 80 disc’ for the school to use!  Gavin Coker noticed the disc golf course that Luke Vaughn put together at the school in the village.  Gavin encouraged fellow teammates and owners of the Whitehall Disc Golf to donate disc’s for the students to use at the school in the village.

This month has been one with many struggles, but also with great joys!  Thank you everyone for joining forces with us to bring hope to the least of these, for being our prayer partners, our financial partners and our friends! 

With much love,

Bruce & Janine

Back Home in Uganda

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3

October 2, 2015, Star date log 45.  The Uganda experience!  (This is how each episode of Star Trek would start out)  Even though we have been here before we feel that this is a new adventure for us.  An adventure we are both excited to experience again.  Before I get into the adventure I want to share a little about our trip back to Uganda.  It was awesome!!!!!!!!!!  Lol

Many of you were praying for our journey back to Uganda and we thank you for doing so!  We were very concerned about our connection in Toronto because we only had a one-hour layover.  We made the connection in Toronto without any problems and we know it was because of your prayers.  The problem we didn’t anticipate was in London where we had an hour and a half layover.  We arrived in London late and British Air sold our seats.  We were in line for security check a half an hour before the flight left and BA said we needed forty-five minutes to clear security check. Lol

We were then re-routed from flying London to Uganda.  We were booked on a flight to Dubai.  This added more time to our flights and gave us two additional seven-hour layovers, one in London and one in Dubai.  The upside to all of this is we were able to visit another country (airport) and we flew on the largest commercial airliner made (the Airbus 380, a double decker).  We were very impressed with the Airbus 380.  The flight was smooth and we were treated very well by the United Arab Emirates airlines.  We are happy to say we are here safely and we arrived with our entire luggage, which is a miracle in itself.  Thank you for your prayers!

Now about the adventure!  While we were visiting in the States we were blessed to meet with and share with many people and in many churches.  While visiting one of the churches we were reminded about the commitment we had made and about the need to prepare ourselves for that commitment.  We didn’t want to go back to Uganda and fall into the same old routine.  Things were going well before we left Uganda, but things can always be better.

The pastor of the church we visited one Sunday shared with his congregation that a while back he considered taking a pastoral position at another church.  After much prayer he decided moving was not what God wanted him to do.  He felt there was still work to be done at this present church and he decided to stay. The majority of the service, aside from our sharing about Uganda, was dedicated to this pastor re-dedicating himself to the church.  He made a commitment to his congregation to preach, teach and lead the people of the church and to help them draw closer to God.  What a testimony this was to Janine    and I.

Many times in life we can get caught up in doing the same old thing and doing life out of habit.  What I mean is, we go to work, school, church with the intent of getting through another day or serving in ministry to say we served.  Sometimes we get into a routine in our home life as well.  We go home to eat, rest and prepare for another day.  All areas of our life can become habit forming.

I believe we need to be more intentional in our daily lives to try and break out of the routines: maybe recommitting ourselves to a given area of our life such as going to work with the intent of making changes that can bring about better productivity or that can restore relationships and bring harmony.  Also maybe we need to go to church with the intent of worshiping God, receive direction in our lives instead of going out of duty, or serve in a way that challenges people and brings about spiritual growth.

Janine and I moved to Uganda with good intentions and we felt we were able to get much accomplished here before we returned home to America.  After hearing the pastors testimony, we were moved to recommit ourselves to the village of Naigobya and the ministries we are serving in.  As we shared with you while we were on furlough, we are committed to bringing about changes in the village that will develop spiritual growth and help the school and people become self-sustaining.  In order to accomplish this we have to be more intentional about what we do and how we do it.  Even though ministry was going well before we left Uganda, we need to avoid falling into the same old routines.

We want to thank you all for the many ways you ministered to us in the States.  Many provided food, lodging, and recreation to help us get refreshed.  We needed the rest to help us refocus and recommit our lives to “the least of these.”  Many of you increased support and others decided to start supporting us for the first time.  We feel recharged and ready to serve with a better direction.  Because of you we are able to serve here and recommit our lives here.  

The people of the village and those at St. Paul Primary School in Naigobya were excited to receive us.  The men and women greeted us warmly and the teachers and children of the school sang songs of greeting and welcoming to us.  What a blessing we received!  God is good! 

Fun at the Lake

Together at our parents Cabin on the lake

Daddy took Maddie on a ride on the Firetruck for her birthday

P6 Students welcoming us home with songs!

Our first visit back in the village was to check on our little twins.