“Come over to Uganda and help us!”

Many people have been asking me how it is that we are going to Uganda. Here’s the Reader Digest version. 

Several years ago (2009) after coming back from a short term mission to Honduras the Lord began to turn my eyes towards Uganda. The first mention of Uganda came when I sat in the office of a local pastor who had just been there. Pastor Bill Smith (http://www.worldwidecrusades.com) shared story after story of how God moved powerfully as the Gospel was preached during crusades. He encouraged me to consider going someday as the fields are white and ready for the harvest.

Six months later, January 2010, I met Virgil and Joy Ricks (founders of Say Yes International) at our home church, Calvary Chapel Corvallis (http://www.calvarycorvallis.org). They "happened" to be visiting on a Sunday and brought a very special friend with them, Pastor Moses from Uganda. We sat on the opposite sides of the church, yet the Lord drew my eyes towards them and encouraged me to go speak with them when the service was over. So, I approached Virgil and introduced myself and I met Pastor Moses. I invited them to come to our House Church the following Sunday and share what the Lord is doing in Uganda. Moses came, and we were so very blessed and encouraged by his report and prayers!!  

One year later, January 2011, Pastor Moses returned to Oregon and once again shared with our House Church. Before I was even aware of it, there was this desire rising within me to go to Uganda and see for myself what the Lord was doing. At that time I began praying and asking the Lord about going with Him to Uganda.

Then, in March 2011, the Lord brought Pastor Jonah to Oregon. Jonah spoke to our House Church about his ministry to the children of Kampala, Uganda. Jonah and his wife (and five children) were called years ago to live in the slums of Kampala and to minister to the people there. They began opening their small home to orphaned children, and today they have 50+orphaned children living with them. Bunk beds are stacked to the ceiling, food is "prayed in," and they all stand in awe of how the Lord meets their every need. Jonah shared wide-eyed with our children at House Church the story of how his children had no mattresses to sleep on, so they would all huddle together every day and pray for mattresses. These little prayer warriors just believed that the God who loved them would hear their prayers and provide. After two months of praying, the Lord provided the mattresses!!  This is just one example of how the Lord cares for these little ones through Jonah and his wife.

Jonah started a school near his home to reach out to the many Muslim children in Kampala who have been abandoned by their fathers.  Muslim fathers may marry three or more wives, bear children, and then abandon all but their favorite wife and children. Jonah reaches out to these single moms and their children by sharing the love of Christ and providing schooling for the children. His school now has several hundred children enrolled, and God is being glorified in each of their hearts as he teaches them about Jesus.

That night at House Church, Jonah pleaded with us to come and share the gospel with his children and the people of Uganda. With so many needs in his country, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Greatest Need!

As I listened that night to Jonah, I was reminded of the vision that Paul had of a man from Macedonia pleading with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Unlike Paul, I did not have a vision; a man from Uganda was standing right there in the living room inviting us: “Come over to Uganda and help us!” I was irresistibly drawn by the Holy Spirit and knew in my heart that I would soon be going to Uganda!

Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:37, 38