August 20, 2009, Thursday
Today is my granddaughter, Amber’s 12th birthday. I wanted to be with her today but since I can not she will plan a special day for just the two of us when I get back. I called her to wish her a happy birthday.
This morning we were supposed to leave at 10 a.m. but the truck didn’t get back until 10:30. Phil and Susan are transporting the 40 children from this orphanage to the farm that they have in a village. It’s time for digging the soil and getting it ready for planting. They have 5 acres and if they plant it all in maize (corn) and the crop makes, then they will have enough food for several months at a time. Feeding over 100 children daily is expensive so growing some their own food will help.
When Badru returned with the truck, I thought we were leaving, but Moses, the night watchman told Badru to take some children to the clinic first. Moses didn’t have the authority to override the schedule but Badru didn’t know not to do what he said. So I waited another hour and a half for the truck to return. During that time I took a nap. My sinuses are giving me trouble so I took some medicine and rested. Then Kirunda, a friend who has driven for me in the past came by to see me. I haven’t gotten to see him this trip and I had wanted to. He calls me mom and I call him son. He said, “What is this that a mom wouldn’t come see her son?” We visited for about 30 minutes before the truck returned from the clinic. I gave him some pictures of himself that I had taken last time I was here. He has a computer graphics and screen printing business. I showed him the team t-shirts and asked him to print them for me next time. I’ll bring the t-shirts from the US and he will screen print them for me. I enjoyed visited with him. He was Muslim but got saved last summer. Glory! He has a new lady friend and is thinking of getting married.
He said he wants me to meet her before I leave. Hopefully on Monday or Tuesday, I’ll get to meet her.
Godfrey had to attend a burial for a church member who died so he didn’t help today. We picked up Richard and bought our food on the way. We went to the village of Tongolo to pick up Pastors Christopher and Paul and then went to Kirondo United Methodist Church in Kirondo Village, a SOK church built in 2004. The church is on a hillside with Lake Victoria in the distance. Since we were about 2 hours late there were people waiting at the church. We immediately set up the equipment and played two songs. By 1:45 p.m. I started teaching about 45 people. After teaching the Ten Commandments, Salvation and Holiness, I taught the salvation bead bracelets and gave one to each adult and each child 10 years and older. About 8 people said they got saved today! Glory! I wasn’t with Amber for her birthday, but I saw 8 people birthed into the Kingdom of God! The people liked getting the bracelets and Badru was present during my teaching and accepted a bracelet too.
We didn’t start the film until almost 4 p.m. and then the generator went off twice. During the film the three men and I sat outside in the shade of the church building. It was hot today without much cloud cover. The ladies of the church cooked matooke, cassava, potatoes, chicken and g-nut sauce (peanut gravy). We had a feast! I had eaten a mandas and drank some water with it so I wasn’t too hungry even though it was about 4:30 when we they served our lunch. Badru quickly ate and returned to watch the film. After the film Richard took the microphone and about 15 people came forward to get saved! Hallelujah! A total of about 25 people got saved today. Thank you, Jesus! We gave Pastor Solomon the Bibles and the Books of Hope. They were so appreciative of SOK and this follow up ministry time.
We took the two pastors back to Tongolo Village and then gave a lady and her little girl a lift back to Jinja. She was visiting in the village and came with her mother to the teaching and film today. She speaks good English and said she was blessed that she was here today. We left her and Richard at the taxi stops by the Nile Brewery and then Badru drove us back to Iganga. It was dark and the traffic was heavy. Most of the way there is only one lane in each direction and everyone wants to pass the large 18 wheeler trucks and the cane trucks, so there were several occasions when other vehicles were in our lane and we barely missed wrecking. I have less stress when I close my eyes and just pray. I pray that if we have an accident the Lord will just take me home quickly and not let me be hurt badly in an accident. The black smoke exhaust from the vehicles irritated my sinuses so I took some more medicine. The Lord guided Badru who delivered me safely to Phil’s place about 8 p.m. Thank you, for a safe journey, Lord.
Upon reaching the house, I was exhausted, hot and dirty so I showered immediately and drank more water. After supper of matooke, potatoes, and g-nut sauce, I went to bed about 10:30.
The village roads are very rough so the truck bounces us around a lot. The paved roads have traffic and exhaust fumes. By the end of the day’s ministry, my body is very tired and I sleep very well. Thank you Lord, for a good night’s sleep.
