Like this:

Kyamukama kids on a termite mound

    By around 9 AM there were enough folks gathering in to begin the conferences and sessions for the day.  Time is a different concept, but when you consider what they have to do to get anywhere (walk, mostly, or bicycle) you realize what a huge effort it was for them to come!   We had a wonderful time of singing and praising under that big tree, and then divided up into different areas for activities.  Sunday and Moses had brought in canopy tents and some plastic chairs so there would be some shelter from the sun.  Our team led (or facilitated) groups of men, women, children, youth, and pastors. 

   It was my priviledge to lead the morning Pastor’s Conference (with an interpreter, since most of them did not speak English.)  We met in the unfinished school building, which had a packed dirt floor with straw spread over it.  Thankfully, the plastic chairs had been brought in or we would have been sitting on the ground.  I was a little nervous at first about how I might be recieved, but quickly just jumped into sharing about hiding the Word of God in your heart to be able to teach it to others.  I had brought colored index cards and Sharpies to give out, to encourage them to write and memorize scripture, and they eagerly recieved them.  These guys have so little resources — even paper is scarce.  I’m not sure how many of them even ha Bibles in their own language.  Colleen had brought a box full to give out and they were so grateful.  Their biggest quest was for help to understand the Bible!  I was astonished when one brought up Ephesians 6 and I commented on the pieces of the armor of God and they asked me to repeat it SLOWLY, with the translator, so they could write it down and understand it.  Such a basic Bible concept, and it was like it was all new to them.   I shared about the Shield of Faith and it was like pure gold to them.  It was so humbling for me to be in that little room with those pastors (most of them dressed in their very best clothes – which I had seen them earlier ironing on a board with an iron heated on the open fire!), just sharing portions of Scripture.  They were so hungry for the Word!   I wish I had gotten  picture of the pastors at that conference, to remember their faces as I pray for them to be able to get the resources they need to learn to effectively preach and teach God’s Word.

   In these pictures you can see the little school building under construction.  The pregnant cow was a gift to be given away, along with goats and chickens, to different ones as “perpetuating gifts”.  We also brought suitcases full of flipflops and clothing to give away.  Of course, then, they had to give something in return, and Colleen was presented with a goat and a chicken that we had to transport back to Kampala.  (More about that later!)

     The afternoon Pastor’s Conference was about family issues, and Colleen Stephenson led that, and I contributed some to the discussion.  It seems that there’s a big problem in that culture with men not taking care of their families and even infidelities.  She also led them in talking about other issues they are having to deal with, including differences in theologies being taught by other church groups and the immense needs in the congregations.    One of the BEST things she was able to announce was that monies had been provided, and a WELL would be dug there at Kyamukama soon!   That will be HUGE for that community!

More pictures from the events on Saturday:

   Things went on until LATE Saturday night — we ended up eating at 11 PM after the Jesus Movie finished.  It was a FULL day for everyone, and I don’t think anyone had trouble sleeping that night.  There was a little bit of sickness amongst the group on Sunday morning that could have been from something eaten, or just from sheer exhaustion, but with prayer and rest, everyone recuperated OK.

Advertisement