I
could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the
truth. (3 John
1:4 NLT)
Happy Thanksgiving!! Hope you were able to reflect on all the many
Blessings God has provided you this year and that you were able to celebrate
with family and friends.
We enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day a little differently, with
Bruce teaching a class in the village and Janine cleaning at home and helping
Doreen with a new sewing project. We ate
Chicken instead of turkey; rice replaced our potatoes, and we had banana bread
instead of pie. Not your traditional Thanksgiving meal, but still delicious!
Teaching with Intentionality
This month we have been back at it hard and with a little
more Intentionality. We are continually reminded that our time in
Uganda is not permanent, this is not our home, we are only visitors passing
through, and that God will eventually lead us somewhere else. With these reminders come thoughts of: What will we leave behind? What legacy can we
leave? Will the work that was started
last? Did we do enough? Were we an
example of Faith? Did they see Jesus in
us? Some of the same thoughts parents
have as they send their children out into the world are again our thoughts with
these people and this community.
We think of the village as our family, in a way we think of
them as Our Children. We have been
training them to Grow and to Go in the way God has for them; just like we did
with our children. The most precious
thing we can leave our children is an Example of Our Faith – a confident
conviction that God is who He says He is, and He will do all He has
promised. Put your trust in Him! Like parents, we must be intentional about
leading and inspiring them to follow Christ.
It doesn’t just happen. We must
be an example for them to follow!
We were like Proud Parents when we returned from the states
and found our village friends working diligently for our God! We were so happy to see that the villagers
were following our lead. They did an
awesome job continuing the work! Some of
what we have been teaching seems to be sticking!
But our work isn’t finished, we continue helping them take
necessary steps toward maturity.
Pastoral Training
Bruce is finishing this week with the final courses in the
Pastoral Class. The men will be given a
final field assignment to complete, and then they will receive a
certificate. They have been like
sponges, soaking in as much as they can.
We are so proud of what they have accomplished!
Women’s Ministries & Training
The Ladies have been hard at work with beading and sewing
projects. The ladies working on the Pad
Project have been busy sewing and learning how to run a business. Sylvia, the leader, has been learning how to
be a good boss, how to lead and delegate in a working environment. We hope to have enough products ready to
distribute in early February.
The Fun Stuff
Janine was able to spend some time with 29 Primary 2
students teaching about keeping our bodies clean, even our teeth. These kids had never seen a toothbrush or
toothpaste. (Something we take for
granted these kids can’t afford.) They
were so excited to learn about this new tool and for being able to take one
home and show their parents and siblings.
Thank you Bethel EFC for sending this gift! You put big smiles on these little faces!
Bible Study
The Ugandans are leading Bible studies. We get the pleasure of joining them and being
there for moral support helping with questions when something needs a little
more explanation. They are understanding God’s truths and sharing what they are
learning with each other. It is awesome
to watch them as they communicate in their own language and in their own
way. They are learning! What more can we ask for?
Our PRAYER
Requests
& Praises
· *THANK YOU
for praying for Bruce’s knee!! He say’s
it is almost like brand new!
· *Please pray for Erine who is family and lives in
our compound with us, (Simon’s 6 year old little girl), she fell and Broke her
arm.
· *Pray for Wisdom and Discernment as we continue
to transition the leadership over to the Nationals.
· *Safety as we travel the roads
· *Safety from thieving. There has been and increase of reports of
home break-ins
· *Overall we stay healthy from sickness and
disease
· *Pray for Clarity as we seek God’s will for our
future
If you are
considering an End of Year Gift for Us or Afayo, Please remember to attach a
note specifying for: “Cokers” or “Afayo”. Any
money not designated as such is put in ECM’s general budget.
God Bless & Merry Christmas!
Serving Our KING
together with you!
Bruce & Janine