Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Pastor Apollos says "today is a good day, the devil is not happy"
Another night of approximately 5 hours of sleep and our team forges ahead with God's strength, grace and mercy.
God has been so good and He has been glorified through many things this week.
We will start with the school ministry. Scott and Dee visited three schools today. It was evident to the interpreter team that Scott was a "preacher" because he teaches the Word with so much conviction. Dee gave testimonies and Scott was able to compliment her story well. Probably the most profound thing that happened on their trip today was a conversation with a Muslim woman in a restaurant during lunch. She began by telling Scott that she was without sin. However, previously she had told Scott that she knew Jesus, and that she trusted in Him. After probing further, Scott was able to share the gospel as she recognized her need. She ended up praying to accept Christ! Amiina (Amen in Uganda)!
At Lulwanda, Kayla continued her "technical support" of our teachers at the orphanage, providing assistance and teaching typing and formatting in Microsoft Word. One teacher finished typing the first exam today and Kayla said that it looked exquisite!
Rose helped with computers and taught the older girls some new crocheting techniques. She also helped refine old techniques taught in years past. She found that some girls knew how to crochet as fast as her! Pardon the pun, but it was tight! No, seriously, it was sew-eet. (That was from Jamie) She also taught them how to crochet water bottle holders that can loop onto one's belt.
Jamie, Melissa, Alicia, Stephen, Mike and Don went hut-to-hut evangelizing at Sibanga in the morning. There were many amazing stories of people coming to Christ. We will highlight one special story shared by Don when he returned from the crusade. As Don walked into his first hut, a woman greeted him and told him that she had a dream last night that a Mzungu (English-speaking white person) was going to come and talk to her today! God is clearly working and the Holy Spirit is going before us softening hearts and preparing them for the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Don shared with her and she trusted Christ! Amiina!
God was all the more present at the crusade. Melissa and Mike shared their testimonies. God's story through Melissa was able to pierce the hearts of many women, and prepared them to hear the good news from Don's sermon. Don preached of stories of God's grace and mercy evident throughout the Bible. Many were moved by God's message and a brother of one of Don's translators prayed to receive salvation. Meanwhile, Alicia and Stephen conducted the children's service. They reviewed yesterday's lesson on Jesus calming the sea, which the kids accurately remembered. They shared the story of the wise man who built his house upon the rock, which led into Alicia sharing the good news and bad news gospel. Approximately 20 kids received Christ. Your prayer for the children’s service during the crusade has been felt here!
Jamison (Jamie) went to prisons today after lunch in Sibanga. The trip ended up being two hours of traveling to Masafu prison in Tororo. It turned out to be the same prison that he visited in 2008 with Nancy and Betsy. They even showed him the spot in the guestbook because they remembered him. He was not completely sure what to preach on going into it, but as he started preaching, God kept giving him the words. About 10 prisoners came to faith in Jesus!
Tomorrow Crown Financial Ministries is doing a seminar at Mbale PCU for the pastors, elders, and deacons from the approximately 90 churches in the area that Morris has planted. Please pray for financial stewardship of those attending.
Pray for school ministry as Jamison is going back out again in the morning. Tomorrow afternoon, there will be the 1st Annual Ogenga Cup where the Lulwanda Primary School will play Covenant Primary School (Mbale PCU's Primary School). Mike has brought many uniforms, shorts, and cleats that were donated by the Dallas Texans Football Club-Houston. The children were able to pick out their cleats and uniforms or as they call them boots and bibs. Please pray for safe and exciting days of African football.
God has been so good and He has been glorified through many things this week.
We will start with the school ministry. Scott and Dee visited three schools today. It was evident to the interpreter team that Scott was a "preacher" because he teaches the Word with so much conviction. Dee gave testimonies and Scott was able to compliment her story well. Probably the most profound thing that happened on their trip today was a conversation with a Muslim woman in a restaurant during lunch. She began by telling Scott that she was without sin. However, previously she had told Scott that she knew Jesus, and that she trusted in Him. After probing further, Scott was able to share the gospel as she recognized her need. She ended up praying to accept Christ! Amiina (Amen in Uganda)!
At Lulwanda, Kayla continued her "technical support" of our teachers at the orphanage, providing assistance and teaching typing and formatting in Microsoft Word. One teacher finished typing the first exam today and Kayla said that it looked exquisite!
Rose helped with computers and taught the older girls some new crocheting techniques. She also helped refine old techniques taught in years past. She found that some girls knew how to crochet as fast as her! Pardon the pun, but it was tight! No, seriously, it was sew-eet. (That was from Jamie) She also taught them how to crochet water bottle holders that can loop onto one's belt.
Jamie, Melissa, Alicia, Stephen, Mike and Don went hut-to-hut evangelizing at Sibanga in the morning. There were many amazing stories of people coming to Christ. We will highlight one special story shared by Don when he returned from the crusade. As Don walked into his first hut, a woman greeted him and told him that she had a dream last night that a Mzungu (English-speaking white person) was going to come and talk to her today! God is clearly working and the Holy Spirit is going before us softening hearts and preparing them for the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Don shared with her and she trusted Christ! Amiina!
God was all the more present at the crusade. Melissa and Mike shared their testimonies. God's story through Melissa was able to pierce the hearts of many women, and prepared them to hear the good news from Don's sermon. Don preached of stories of God's grace and mercy evident throughout the Bible. Many were moved by God's message and a brother of one of Don's translators prayed to receive salvation. Meanwhile, Alicia and Stephen conducted the children's service. They reviewed yesterday's lesson on Jesus calming the sea, which the kids accurately remembered. They shared the story of the wise man who built his house upon the rock, which led into Alicia sharing the good news and bad news gospel. Approximately 20 kids received Christ. Your prayer for the children’s service during the crusade has been felt here!
Jamison (Jamie) went to prisons today after lunch in Sibanga. The trip ended up being two hours of traveling to Masafu prison in Tororo. It turned out to be the same prison that he visited in 2008 with Nancy and Betsy. They even showed him the spot in the guestbook because they remembered him. He was not completely sure what to preach on going into it, but as he started preaching, God kept giving him the words. About 10 prisoners came to faith in Jesus!
Tomorrow Crown Financial Ministries is doing a seminar at Mbale PCU for the pastors, elders, and deacons from the approximately 90 churches in the area that Morris has planted. Please pray for financial stewardship of those attending.
Pray for school ministry as Jamison is going back out again in the morning. Tomorrow afternoon, there will be the 1st Annual Ogenga Cup where the Lulwanda Primary School will play Covenant Primary School (Mbale PCU's Primary School). Mike has brought many uniforms, shorts, and cleats that were donated by the Dallas Texans Football Club-Houston. The children were able to pick out their cleats and uniforms or as they call them boots and bibs. Please pray for safe and exciting days of African football.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
A Good God Tired.
Know the feeling? When God has poured you out physically and emotionally and you don't know exactly what it was that took so much out of you, but you are very aware it is gone. That was the experience for many who went hut to hut and schools today. It is amazing how pouring out your heart and pleading with individuals to receive Christ can leave you so drained. God allowed Mike and Kayla's first hut to hut experience to be an exhilirating time as they walked through corn fields sharing the gospel and seeing God draw so many of his children into his kingdom. Kayla and Larry gave their testimonies at the crusade and Don got to hear his son preach to the Sibanga people and witness Mike's invitation to them to receive Christ as their Lord and savior. During the time of invitation, Larry was able to encourage a man to give his life to the Lord. Larry found out later that this man was a man Dee had witnessed to earlier in the day and he had promised he would come to the crusade. There were many ways like this we saw God's hand working things out perfectly.
What a difference a day makes and changing to the other side of the road makes. It was incredible the difference in the openness to the gospel that was present today. Many team members reported that every hut or almost every hut people were eager to accept Christ. The openness to hearing the gospel and receptiveness to respond was completely humbling. Bringing humility and tears many times to those going hut to hut and seeing 2 and 3 generations in families all pray to receive Christ at the same time. It was a thrill to see the joy tonight on the faces of some who had prayed to receive Christ the day before. Smiles so big their faces could barely hold them, reminded us the difference Christ makes.
God worked things out perfectly for Stephen as he courageously went to share at the prisons by himself today. He saw the same Ugandan team members as well as many of the prisoners he had met the year before. Out of the 60 prisoners only 11 are now left that have not trusted Christ. Stephen shared that he had fallen back in love with prisons. It wasn't clear if he was wanting to go to prison or loved seeing the prisoners become set free by Christ.
Melissa and Rose continued to teach at the Children's home where they were blessed with the opportunity to spend time encouraging and teaching the children and staff.. Teaching the students and teachers how to use the computers to aide in doing more of their work.
Jamie and Alicia went to schools today. They were unable to share at the first school because the school already had a program for the afternoon scheduled and it was going to interrupt too much of the children's schooling. The second school they attended they were greeted with friendliness, yet there was a heaviness in the air. Before leaving the school, one of the teachers told Jamie and Alicia that the school was built on an Islam foundation. All of the teachers at the school are Christians, but the children are being raised at home in the Muslim faith. The teachers are praying for Christianity to come to the children and their homes. Please pray for them.
The last school Jamie and Alicia attended had a drastically different atmosphere. They had a worship service and church before they even began to share their testimony or the gospel. Many children prayed to receive Christ at both schools, but they were strongly reminded that the battle we face here on earth is not against flesh and blood, but of principalities.
The team was also encouraged multiple times today from the people out at the Lulwanda Children's home and one of the pastors translating hut to hut that they receive so much encouragement from the teams that take the time to come out to help them further spread the gospel. That just knowing we are coming helps them persevere through often very difficult circumstances.
We also did some celebrating of our own today as we celebrated Kayla's birthday with a Ugandan cake. Even though some of you might think we were late, it was really that we have become accustomed to running on Ugandan time. If you want to know what a Ugandan cake is like just mix alot of sugar in paper mache' and spread that on your cake. Enjoy!!
We covet your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for good health and endurance as we have another full day tommorrow.
What a difference a day makes and changing to the other side of the road makes. It was incredible the difference in the openness to the gospel that was present today. Many team members reported that every hut or almost every hut people were eager to accept Christ. The openness to hearing the gospel and receptiveness to respond was completely humbling. Bringing humility and tears many times to those going hut to hut and seeing 2 and 3 generations in families all pray to receive Christ at the same time. It was a thrill to see the joy tonight on the faces of some who had prayed to receive Christ the day before. Smiles so big their faces could barely hold them, reminded us the difference Christ makes.
God worked things out perfectly for Stephen as he courageously went to share at the prisons by himself today. He saw the same Ugandan team members as well as many of the prisoners he had met the year before. Out of the 60 prisoners only 11 are now left that have not trusted Christ. Stephen shared that he had fallen back in love with prisons. It wasn't clear if he was wanting to go to prison or loved seeing the prisoners become set free by Christ.
Melissa and Rose continued to teach at the Children's home where they were blessed with the opportunity to spend time encouraging and teaching the children and staff.. Teaching the students and teachers how to use the computers to aide in doing more of their work.
Jamie and Alicia went to schools today. They were unable to share at the first school because the school already had a program for the afternoon scheduled and it was going to interrupt too much of the children's schooling. The second school they attended they were greeted with friendliness, yet there was a heaviness in the air. Before leaving the school, one of the teachers told Jamie and Alicia that the school was built on an Islam foundation. All of the teachers at the school are Christians, but the children are being raised at home in the Muslim faith. The teachers are praying for Christianity to come to the children and their homes. Please pray for them.
The last school Jamie and Alicia attended had a drastically different atmosphere. They had a worship service and church before they even began to share their testimony or the gospel. Many children prayed to receive Christ at both schools, but they were strongly reminded that the battle we face here on earth is not against flesh and blood, but of principalities.
The team was also encouraged multiple times today from the people out at the Lulwanda Children's home and one of the pastors translating hut to hut that they receive so much encouragement from the teams that take the time to come out to help them further spread the gospel. That just knowing we are coming helps them persevere through often very difficult circumstances.
We also did some celebrating of our own today as we celebrated Kayla's birthday with a Ugandan cake. Even though some of you might think we were late, it was really that we have become accustomed to running on Ugandan time. If you want to know what a Ugandan cake is like just mix alot of sugar in paper mache' and spread that on your cake. Enjoy!!
We covet your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for good health and endurance as we have another full day tommorrow.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sabanga, Schools, Prisons and Lulwanda
Today was a busy day. Larry, Dee, Scott, Alicia, Jamison and Don went to Sabanga. Larry left at 1:30 and went to a prison. Mike and Stephen went to the Schools. Rose , Melissa, and Kayla went to Lulwanda.
First the news from the schools. We visited 3 schools. The first school was a small christian based secondary school in Tororo. Stephen shared his testimony and Mike gave the presentation of the gospel. 6 Ugandan students trusted Christ and recieved prayers and words of encouragement from Mike, Stephen and Pastor Godfrey. The gospel was preached and Stephen's testimony was heard by 2,000 primary students at the second school we visited. Many raised their hand to affirm that they had prayed a prayer to accept Christ. The third school was a very special school for Mike and especially for Stephen. Stephen has worked for 3 summers at Camp Blessing with special needs kids and today we had the pleasure of visiting a school for the hearing impaired. Stephen felt led to give the gospel presentation and Mike shared his testimony to approximately 300 students. Students that wished to trust in Christ were asked to come to the front. There were about 40 students that felt God lead them up to the front. They all prayed a prayer of salvation and accepted Christ into their hearts. Mike and Stephen were encouraged and blessed by this experience and humbled at the opportunity to be a vessel of God's good news!
At Sabanga we met with mixed results. Some areas were kind of dark while others received the gospel with much enthusiasm. Thank all of you that are praying as most of the ones that did not accept, seemed to have God stirring in their hearts. We just need to keep praying that God will water the seed and make it grow. Praise God that several from beer huts heard the message and accepted Christ. Alicia and Don gave their testimonies, Dee and Jamison taught the children and Scott gave a stirring message at the crusade. We had seven accept Christ at the crusade and others that appeared ready but did not step up. Again pray that God will make the seed grow. After the crusade a young man (18) approached Scott and asked for prayer. Scott asked him how he could pray for him and he responded that the day before he was contemplating committing suicide. He told Scott that he felt God spoke to him telling him no to. He told Scott that hearing the message that Scott preached reached him where needed. Scott reported seeing visual joy in the man after they prayed together.
At Prison, Larry preached on the need for the husband to be the leader of the family. The need for them to take financial and leadership responsibilities. He was told that those men needed to hear that. Larry used some well timed world cup illustrations to make his point. All 20 men prayed a sinner's prayer and accepted Christ as their Savior.
Kayla, Rose and Melissa visited Lulwanda Children's home and worked with the teachers on computer skills. The teacher's need specific instruction on typing and formatting documents to help their instruction be more effective. The three of them will be returning tomorrow to work with the teachers and of course, love on the kids!
Prayer warriors: Pray for Alicia and Jamie as they go to the schools tomorrow. Pray for Rose and Melissa to be effective in teaching computer skills at Lulwanda - and of course, to love on the kids! Pray for Stephen as he visits the prisons tomorrow. Pray for Don, Scott, Larry, Dee, Kayla and Mike as they will be hut-to-hut evangelizing in the village of Sabanga. Mike will be preaching and presenting the gospel and Larry and Dee will be giving their testimonies. Dee and Kayla will be working with the children - pray for patience and loud voices as there were over 150 kids for Dee and Jamie today :)
First the news from the schools. We visited 3 schools. The first school was a small christian based secondary school in Tororo. Stephen shared his testimony and Mike gave the presentation of the gospel. 6 Ugandan students trusted Christ and recieved prayers and words of encouragement from Mike, Stephen and Pastor Godfrey. The gospel was preached and Stephen's testimony was heard by 2,000 primary students at the second school we visited. Many raised their hand to affirm that they had prayed a prayer to accept Christ. The third school was a very special school for Mike and especially for Stephen. Stephen has worked for 3 summers at Camp Blessing with special needs kids and today we had the pleasure of visiting a school for the hearing impaired. Stephen felt led to give the gospel presentation and Mike shared his testimony to approximately 300 students. Students that wished to trust in Christ were asked to come to the front. There were about 40 students that felt God lead them up to the front. They all prayed a prayer of salvation and accepted Christ into their hearts. Mike and Stephen were encouraged and blessed by this experience and humbled at the opportunity to be a vessel of God's good news!
At Sabanga we met with mixed results. Some areas were kind of dark while others received the gospel with much enthusiasm. Thank all of you that are praying as most of the ones that did not accept, seemed to have God stirring in their hearts. We just need to keep praying that God will water the seed and make it grow. Praise God that several from beer huts heard the message and accepted Christ. Alicia and Don gave their testimonies, Dee and Jamison taught the children and Scott gave a stirring message at the crusade. We had seven accept Christ at the crusade and others that appeared ready but did not step up. Again pray that God will make the seed grow. After the crusade a young man (18) approached Scott and asked for prayer. Scott asked him how he could pray for him and he responded that the day before he was contemplating committing suicide. He told Scott that he felt God spoke to him telling him no to. He told Scott that hearing the message that Scott preached reached him where needed. Scott reported seeing visual joy in the man after they prayed together.
At Prison, Larry preached on the need for the husband to be the leader of the family. The need for them to take financial and leadership responsibilities. He was told that those men needed to hear that. Larry used some well timed world cup illustrations to make his point. All 20 men prayed a sinner's prayer and accepted Christ as their Savior.
Kayla, Rose and Melissa visited Lulwanda Children's home and worked with the teachers on computer skills. The teacher's need specific instruction on typing and formatting documents to help their instruction be more effective. The three of them will be returning tomorrow to work with the teachers and of course, love on the kids!
Prayer warriors: Pray for Alicia and Jamie as they go to the schools tomorrow. Pray for Rose and Melissa to be effective in teaching computer skills at Lulwanda - and of course, to love on the kids! Pray for Stephen as he visits the prisons tomorrow. Pray for Don, Scott, Larry, Dee, Kayla and Mike as they will be hut-to-hut evangelizing in the village of Sabanga. Mike will be preaching and presenting the gospel and Larry and Dee will be giving their testimonies. Dee and Kayla will be working with the children - pray for patience and loud voices as there were over 150 kids for Dee and Jamie today :)
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sunday at Mbale PCU
The team had a good day today at Mbale PCU where we experienced true African worship through the songs provided by the Dove choir, the children's choir, and the youth choir as they sang English and African praise songs. Teaching was filled by Alicia teaching women's Sunday school, Mike teaching men's Sunday school, Dee teaching children's Sunday school and Jamison preaching to finish the morning.
Today has been a sweet reunion of various team members with numerous Ugandans who have been a part of our lives over the past many years. Being at Mbale PCU was a time to see our team reaching out with love to the Ugandan people and the Ugandans reaching out to our team with love. A continuation of our day was when we arrived at Lulwanda Children's Home in the afternoon. The team spent fun time playing soccer with the kids, holding hands with numerous children and learning some new card games from the children. It struck the team that the importance of what we did today by investing just a few hours of our time in these kids was that we were giving these children male and female companionship hours that they would not get without our presence. No outstanding words of wisdom were spoken by the team. No problems of the world were solved today. But 90 children are in bed tonight knowing that 11 people from Tomball, Texas love them enough that we will travel around the world to hold their hand, play cards with them or allow them to show off their soccer skills.
Tomorrow, the team will begin our ministry to the people of Sibanga village through hut to hut evangelism, testimonies and preaching. 2 members of the team will be visiting schools in the area presenting the Gospel and giving testimonies. And 3 team members will return to Lulwanda to begin investing in the teachers of Lulwanda Primary School by teaching them computer skills.
It has been a good day.
Larry Hoelscher
Today has been a sweet reunion of various team members with numerous Ugandans who have been a part of our lives over the past many years. Being at Mbale PCU was a time to see our team reaching out with love to the Ugandan people and the Ugandans reaching out to our team with love. A continuation of our day was when we arrived at Lulwanda Children's Home in the afternoon. The team spent fun time playing soccer with the kids, holding hands with numerous children and learning some new card games from the children. It struck the team that the importance of what we did today by investing just a few hours of our time in these kids was that we were giving these children male and female companionship hours that they would not get without our presence. No outstanding words of wisdom were spoken by the team. No problems of the world were solved today. But 90 children are in bed tonight knowing that 11 people from Tomball, Texas love them enough that we will travel around the world to hold their hand, play cards with them or allow them to show off their soccer skills.
Tomorrow, the team will begin our ministry to the people of Sibanga village through hut to hut evangelism, testimonies and preaching. 2 members of the team will be visiting schools in the area presenting the Gospel and giving testimonies. And 3 team members will return to Lulwanda to begin investing in the teachers of Lulwanda Primary School by teaching them computer skills.
It has been a good day.
Larry Hoelscher
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Team in Mbale, Uganda
Well, travel mercies were indeed necessary as this trip has had a few issues. All went well from Houston to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, we all boarded the KLM plane ready to head to Uganda but instead of pulling away from the ramp, we sat. And we sat. Finally, they said the plane had a fuel pump issue and that we needed to deplane and move to another terminal where another plane was waiting. So off we went, across the entire airport of course, and no plane. 3 hours later we were on our way to Uganda which put us into Entebbe at about 11:30pm, Uganda time. The team was tired and ready for a bed to sleep in. And did we ever sleep. You know after 20+ hours on airplanes or in an airport, a person is very thankful for a horizontal place to lay.
We awoke this morning to a great breakfast and a garden view to hold our devotional time. We arrived in Mbale this afternoon to the Mt. Elgon Hotel and as we pulled into the parking lot, the team from Midland, Tx was pulling in as well after a day at Lulwanda Children's Home. This gave us a great time of fellowship tonight at dinner as we went around the room introducing ourselves to each other and finished the night with prayer over the preachers and teachers from both Midland and Tomball who will be leading tomorrow's services. Tomball will be holding services at Mbale PCU, Pastor Ogenga's church while Midland will be commissioning their new church plant.
All team members are healthy and looking forward to a busy week of ministry. Now it is time to catch up on some sleep. Keep us in your prayers.
Larry Hoelscher
We awoke this morning to a great breakfast and a garden view to hold our devotional time. We arrived in Mbale this afternoon to the Mt. Elgon Hotel and as we pulled into the parking lot, the team from Midland, Tx was pulling in as well after a day at Lulwanda Children's Home. This gave us a great time of fellowship tonight at dinner as we went around the room introducing ourselves to each other and finished the night with prayer over the preachers and teachers from both Midland and Tomball who will be leading tomorrow's services. Tomball will be holding services at Mbale PCU, Pastor Ogenga's church while Midland will be commissioning their new church plant.
All team members are healthy and looking forward to a busy week of ministry. Now it is time to catch up on some sleep. Keep us in your prayers.
Larry Hoelscher
Friday, June 25, 2010
Safe in Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport
Well, the team arrived this morning to sunshine in Amsterdam as we touched down just about on time. We arrived at 8:30am Amsterdam time or 1:30pm last night your time. Our second flight to Entebbe leaves at 11:00am so we have part of the team shopping at this wonderful airport, some are visiting Ronald McDonald just to have a Big Mac European style and others have slid off to the Mercur hotel where you can rent showers by the hour for a quick early morning wake up call.
The flight was smoothly operated with better food on board than we have had in the past. The Ambien worked very well for some of us so we watched the insides of our eyelids for half the flight. Others did not succumb to the sleep fairy and are walking around with somewhat of a glaze look on their face. I am sure that once we settle on the second flight, their eyes will be soon closed.
We will likely not have internet in Uganda until we reach Mbale on Saturday. Everyone is feeling good (other than sleepy). We have had a chance to speak to cross cultural folks from Germany, Kenya, & Jordan on this first leg.
Pray the Lord will open doors and hearts and for our boldness.
The flight was smoothly operated with better food on board than we have had in the past. The Ambien worked very well for some of us so we watched the insides of our eyelids for half the flight. Others did not succumb to the sleep fairy and are walking around with somewhat of a glaze look on their face. I am sure that once we settle on the second flight, their eyes will be soon closed.
We will likely not have internet in Uganda until we reach Mbale on Saturday. Everyone is feeling good (other than sleepy). We have had a chance to speak to cross cultural folks from Germany, Kenya, & Jordan on this first leg.
Pray the Lord will open doors and hearts and for our boldness.
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