Josh's Journal

June 16, 2008
Since the last time I wrote, things with the children’s ministry at church have gotten very exciting. As you heard in my May 25 entry, we were hosting a women’s soccer team for Geneva college. They did 7 afternoons of children’s ministry at our church. By the last day they had 200 children coming to sing, hear Bible stories, and do crafts. They also encouraged the children to come to church every Sunday to keep learning. The following Sunday I had 105 kids in children’s church. Last week the numbers had increased to 109. Yesterday Paul, my translator, and I only had 67 kids for children’s church. Honestly, once the number gets over 50, there is not too much difference in the way you teach. I feel overwhelmed and inadequate to teach so many kids. I really wish we had a good music leader who could get the kids to sing with enthusiasm - it might also help if I spoke Ateso better. Never the less, despite all our weakness, God still is bringing many kids each week to learn His Word. It shows the power of the Spirit and the huge hunger and need for God’s Word in this area.

Things at Bethel Bible College do not feel like they are progressing, they actually feel like they are going backward. We have three students signed up, but Ben has not been present for three and an half weeks because of cancer growing in his chest. I visited him this morning. He was full of smiles and said the radiation last week has helped. He hopes to be back in class soon. However, with only two students, the other staff don’t seem to be treating it seriously. Only Francis has been showing up to teach, but even he has not made the teaching schedule like normal. The students never know who is coming to teach or what time. I don’t blame the others for not teaching, but then there needs to be some open communication about what to expect. Our big opening is scheduled for January 2009 so hopefully we will have a full classroom and complete schedule next year. However, at this point I am not optimistic. I am trying to remind myself that every ministry I have been involved in has always had a lull where our numbers dipped to one. I think we are in the lull here. As far as the Bible college is concerned, I am at a low point since our coming 15 months ago. Thankfully it is not the only thing I am involved in.

Mandy and I have been blessed to discover we are expecting another child - due in January 2009. God has some plan, even though it was not what we were aiming for. He knows best. Unfortunately, Mandy has been sick 23 hours a day. I hope she feels better when she hits 12 weeks (in 3 more weeks). Lydia and Grace are very excited for the baby. They are also excited that we will be visiting Michigan for a couple of months so Mandy can deliver the baby in GR. Mandy was also kind enough to suggest we get home by Nov. 13 so we have a day to settle in before the big holiday on Nov. 15 - what a great wife I have!!!

The blind and I have begun orchards 7 and 8 of the year. Rains have been sporadic so I hope all the seedlings survive. Things get busy when we are in the midst of these projects. We hope to complete a total of 10 by the end of June. Barb Buteyn will be returning for the month of July and will again be teaching them how to knit. They really hope to learn how to knit sweaters - we’ll have to see if they can get that far in 4 more weeks of classes. There is also a group from England coming for a visit. One of the men coming hopes to record the Bible studies I have prepared for the blind. I hope it works out. Francis and the others are eager to add the discipleship aspect of this ministry. The Bible studies have been there for several months, but we have not been able to find a place to record them.
I almost forgot, do you remember the motorcycle I ordered January 20 that would take “two weeks” to get here. Customs officials in Kampala finally released the container of motorcycles so I got it this week. It is an off road 125cc motorcycle. It is made by Senke - ever hear of them? I had not either. The dealer said it is the best bike you can buy except for the true Yamahas which cost 2 ½ times as much. As for all the other Yamahas I see driving around, they are not made by Yamaha - someone else just borrowed the name. Now I am just waiting for my license plate and log book so I can start driving.

June 21
We serve a HUGE God. Wednesday was our wedding anniversary - 9 years! So Mandy and I went to Sipi Falls, about a 2 hour drive east of Soroti. Sipi falls is about 8,000 feet above sea level. From the banda where we stayed, we could only see about 15 miles, because it was hazy. The workers said that on clear days you can see Soroti rock. Honestly, to sit up on that mountain and look down at the hundreds of square miles of African plain was simply awesome. (Picture the song “Hallelujah, He Reigns” which starts out…The song of the redeemed rising from the African plain…I have been blessed to see the African plain on more than one occasion. Add to it the sound of the water fall (a narrow water fall, but going over a 300 ft. cliff), the gentle breeze, cool temps, and red sunset - it is the most relaxing and refreshing place I have ever been. If we did not have kids, we would probably go every coupe months. However, considering our banda was 20 steps from the top of the cliff, we wont be taking our kids there any time soon.
Thursday morning I went for a hike with one of the guides. I wanted to check out the caves in the side of the cliff, even though I never have had an interest in being underground. My flash light broke on the trip to Sipi so only the guide had a flash light (which was WORTHLESS!!!) Getting to the caves was a little harry, it made me feel a bit like a mountain goat. The cave we went to goes more than 100 yards into the mountain. We had to crouch down and basically crawl to get in. It was dry, but very humid. When we got about 30 yards back into the cave we could stand up straight. There the cave turned, bats became active, and it got DARK - he should have just left his flashlight at home, I am telling you, it gave no light. That point confirmed what I have always felt - I don’t mind being up very high, but I have no interest in being underground. I resisted the urge to run for the exit (since I would have had to crawl) and just stood to try to take it all in a few minutes. I would like to try it again next time, if I have a good flash light.
Later, Mandy and I hiked to the top of the second falls (Sipi is a series of 3 waterfalls). There we met a man from Israel. Earlier in the week I had been struck by the gospel of John of how persistent and hard hearted the Jews were in their unbelief. This guy scoffed at the fact that I claimed to teach Bible, but had never been to Israel. He refused to accept anything the New Testament said. However, later he even admitted he does not live according to the Old Testament either. Poor guy. I have prayed a lot for him this week. The Savior came, but he (and so many like him) missed it completely.