Nick Strong

Ben, Daniel-Ron, Willy, and John discussing name possibilities

Kampala International University is located about 3 kilometers from my house and God is doing a great work in that school.  The school is owned by a Muslim man but he allows a group of people to hold a Christian service in the main hall of the university.  Pastor Kennedy Kirui from Kenya is a missionary to Uganda and specifically to this university and to the students.  He used to be a student there but since graduating he has become a missionary and has returned to Kampala to minister to the students here.

Christohper and Bonni listening in on the action

Pastor Kennedy has a weekly attendance of 400-500 people.  Most of these people are students from the University.  There are only two people on staff at the church for a weekly congregation of that many.  To help disciple and train these peopl in righteousness Pastor Kennedy has sought out different people to help lead Bible Studies and Discipleship Groups. 

I have been leading a discpleship group since I have been here.  I meet with 12 guys each week for Bible study, memorization, and discipleship.  Please pray for us as we meet to study the word together.  We met last night for the first time in almost 2 months due to school vacation and holiday.  We had dinner last night and discussed what the point of our group was and how to go about meeting again this time.  We came up with a meeting day, time, and place. 

Nicholas trying not to fall asleep maybe

I asked them last night if anyone has any other issues that they want to talk about and if they did to speak up at this time.  One of them spoke up and said that he feels like our group needs a name.  So we brainstormed a name over the course of the meal and then voted on the different possibilities.  We decided that our group should be named, Christ’s Soldiers. 

John proposed the idea and I then asked him to explain why he came up with that name.  He said that he thinks it is a appropriate name because we are soldiers fighting for and against the schemes of the evil one.  We are constantly training together of how we can be better ambassadors for Christ and we are not fighting this war alone.  He said that we have a worthy cause to fight for and a powerful enemy to fight against. 

Now I greatly need your help.  I am looking for 12 people or 12 families or 12 groups of people to sponsor one of my guys.  By this I simply mean someone to commit to praying for one of my members.  My guys face many hardships and challenges in their studies and also in their spiritual walk and I want to be praying for them as well as I want to seek out other people that will consistently pray for them.  I will send you a picture of your guy and keep you updated on what is happening in their life. 

Simeon, Edward, and Henry

Please email me or respond by leaving a comment if you are interested in sponsoring one of my guys in this way.  I would like to find a sponsor for each guy by the next time we meet together which is next monday.  Thank you for partnering with me on this, I really appreciate it and the guys do as well.  I told them of my idea and they were very excited about the opportunity to be prayed for by one of my friends.

You can pray as well for wisdom and guidance from the Lord of how to lead these guys.  It is such a daunting task, but it amazing to see how God leads and guides in just the right times.  God has been working in our group and it is amazing to see.  Thank you for your prayers and continued prayers for this group in the future.

Nothing like an afternoon jaunt down the Nile

Winding throughout the countryside of Uganda is the Nile River.  It winds its way up through Uganda, and along its path you can find rapids of category 5 and also calm tranquil water.  In its waters you can find snakes, hippos, crocodiles, and all kinds of fish.

The Nile does not only serve as a home and place for animals but it provides business for the locals.  One very important business for it the business of transportation.  If you can think of it, it is transported across the Nile.  There are small motorized boats that take anything you need across the river.

Getting ready to cross the Nile

There are many villages and small towns lining the Nile.  Also the Nile provides sand.  Many people work day in and day out to get the sand out of the Nile to sell.  One day during one of the pastoral trainings soon after I arrived in Uganda, I took a hike down to the Nile and these pictures are from that trip.  I figured it would be better to take a walk then to fall asleep in the middle of the training because of jet-lag.  I arrived down at the Nile to find all of these people in their boats using their shovels to get the sand out of their boats. 

Just about finished for the day - with this boat load anyway

I found mounds and mounds of sand.  There were people everywhere scooping this sand.  When I asked what was going on they said that many people who are building come and buy the sand and haul it away to their worksite.  Can you imagine shoveling sand out of the river and into your boat, wet sand at that, only to take the boat to shore and shovel it back out of the boat.  I found old guys, young guys, and some women.  And I thought Dollar General was slow, boring, and tiring.

So the other body of water that we have here in Uganda is Lake Victoria.  It is some of the bluest water around.  Lake Victoria is also home to some great fishing.  It stretches for kilometers and kilometers.  Every morning when I drive to school I have a beautiful view of the hills of Kampala with Lake Victoria in the background. 

So the reason that the water is so close but must be observed from afar is a little something that we like to call Bilharzia (sp).  This is a disease in the water that results from the snails in the water.  Don’t ask me how this happens but something about the stillness of the water coupled with the disease of the snails, makes for a bad day for us.  Many Ugandans swim because they have grown immune to it.  Supposedly it can affect many different organs and systems in your body.  Heck if I know.

Fishin' on Lake Victoria

One great thing to do on the Nile River is to go white water rafting.  Supposedly because the water is moving so fast, it does not enable Bilharzia to fully take effect.  Many people over here in Uganda go white water rafting on the Nile.  I am good thanks, I will pass on that chance.  Getting thrown out of a boat in the middle of class 5 rapids does not sound so fun for me.

Looking out Over Lake Victoria

So if any of you reading this blog are avid fishermen come on over and we can hang out on Lake Victoria for a while.  Who knows what we could catch.  Those of you who might want to go white water rafting, come on over and I will find you someone to go with cuz I am not taking you.  No way Jose.  Stephanie Freemyer would be a guide for you, contact her and she will take you. 

Over and Out

Angelo - One of my students and 1 of 3 that I am taking care of while their guardians are in the states

- If you are in a Ugandan home having tea, the Ugandans consider it rude for them to go to the table and start conversing with you.  They think they should stay out of the room and then when you are done they will come in to talk.  I found this out today when I was in ones home with two teachers from school.  I saw the house help walking by and I said hello and asked her to come sit with us.  She was embarrassed and said she was waiting until we were finished to come talk to us.

- When you have a car coming up behind you, it is your responsibility to let them know if it is good for them to pass or not.  You do this by putting your left blinker on if you think it is good for them to pass and putting your right blinker on if it is not ok to pass.  Watch out though cuz you might run into problems if you do not read the next one.

- At times taxis will put their blinker on as a way of saying hello to the oncoming taxi who will put his blinker on in return, and what about when the person in front of you is actually putting on his blinker because he is going to turn one way or the other?

- One of my co-workers was told that she is looking very fat today, and more fat than usual.  Come to find out, the term fat means looking healthy and so she was in this instant looking more healthy than she usually does.

Lino - Also student of mine and 2 of 3 Sudanese boys I am taking care of.

- If you have not seen someone in a while it is very common to hear them ask you, “Where have you been lost, for I have not seen you in a long time?  It is surely obvious that if you have not been around then you have been lost right?

- Southern Uganda is considered much more wealthy and well to do than Northern Uganda.  The president of Uganda has never come from the north.  The roads are much nicer in the south.  The education received in the south in much better than the north due to better schools and teachers.  Many people flock to the cities in the south.

- It is said that each day there are on average 250 cars that come into Kampala.  No wonder I seem to be stuck in a traffic jam most everyday.

- The paper here in Uganda said that approximately 25% of policemen here in Uganda are not real policemen but just mock policemen.

- It is very important to remember and hold fast to what God told you in the light when you are in the darkness cuz if you don’t, the schemes of the devil are too overpowering.  I must hold fast to what God tells me and shows me in my most intimate times with him so that when I am doing God’s work in a dark place, I will not be overpowered by fear, feelings of inadequacy, or frustration.

Suudi - 3 of 3 Sudanese Boys, He is entering a boarding school here in Kampala next week.

- Being Jesus to others and showing love rarely takes on the same form everyday.  So far at school, showing love to others has looked like the following: confronting, giving grace, not giving grace, forgiving, encouraging, disciplining, putting my arm around another, sharing, listening, giving one a pat on the butt (the boys of course), being a mediator between two others, and lending a hand.

- Throughout the past month I have had the great blessing of seeing different settings through God’s eyes.   I pass a soccer game almost everyday right outside my house.  There is also always a group of people playing soccer right next to the school.  Tonight, I learned of a group that plays volleyball every
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  God has been helping me to see them as He does, as people who either do or don’t know Him.  While for so long, I have only seen the game and the athletes, God has seen the brokenness.  I am exploring new ministries that I can also be involved in and am asking God that He would lead or not lead me to those people and places. 

For your information I have made a page of Praise and Prayer Requests and you will find it at the top of the right column.  I will be updating that and changing it from week to week as things change so please keep checking in on that page.  Have a great day and don’t forget to comment back to me after you read the different posts.  This is not a free service, it comes with the price of commenting back after you read.  Get it…Got it…Good.