Outreach and Crusade!

The church we are part of here, UCFM, has seven churches and each year they try to go on outreach all together.  Outreach means going to one of the churches and witnessing to the people in that area (go house to house) and in the evening going to the trading center to have a crusade (singing, preaching and invitation to follow Jesus).  Our family has begun to look forward to going on outreach with our church.  It is a joy to be with our friends and do ministry together.  Our kids have fond memories of sleeping in a tent in Pingeri, witnessing to people in Akisim...and the not so fond memories of the extreme heat and feeling dehydrated and being surrounded by curious kids (or mobbed).  Nevertheless, we were all excited to go again this year to a new place, Moruisiru - which means the mountain of mosquitoes.  Thankfully there won't be mosquitoes because it is full out dry season now. 

The outreach began with prayer - perfect.  Each church gathered for a day of fasting and prayer the week before the outreach.  I know God answered those prayers.  

We were a little unsure how everything would go as the leaders ran around the week before trying to get things organized.  We really didn't get answers as far as a plan but they told us it was going to happen.  We were excited because it was a new area and had no church for born again Christians for many miles.  Thursday a truck went to each one of the seven churches to pick up all the people going on outreach.  It arrived in Moruisiru about seven hours later.  It took us two hours when we went with our van.  It was the furthest I have been beyond Amuria.  We realized the next village beyond a huge swamp was Karamoja.  My kids thought that was pretty cool.  It was a desolate place.  Very different than our other outreaches.  There was no trading center just a well/borehole where they made a make shift shelter for the teaching and crusade.  The kids were much more shy here and we were not surrounded - that was nice.  Maybe we were the first white people there!

The outreach and crusade went very well.  I love seeing our friends share God's truth with people!  One of my favorite parts is seeing some of our people go through the crowd at the crusade talking and sharing with people.  They do a great job of sharing Christ.  They have a desire for people to be saved - to know the Good News - to be free like they are in Christ.  I have to tell you that walking house to house in at least 110 degrees (and so dry your nostrils seem to stick together) is hard.  I want to complain but everyone is enduring and the joy seeing people listen to God's Word and some receive is rewarding.  The crusade is fun.  People gather when they hear the music, everyone dances, Josh gave a great message and people come to Christ.  And the awesomeness of the evening is so nice.

We loved being with everyone!  Not that we fit in, but to be a part of them is great.  We ended up sleeping in our van/motor home for the night so the boys who were sleeping outside could use our tent.  It worked well and our kids thought it was great.  I love seeing my kids love it.  Loving being with their close friends, loving sharing Christ, loving dancing and singing, loving being there.  I am so thankful we could go and be a part of what God is doing in our church and in Moruisiru.  

In the end over 50 people came to Christ!  They now desire a church.  Our leaders are meeting this week to discuss how to disciple these people and who could we send.  Pray for the new believers in this village.  They came out of a religious stronghold.  Many at first pushed us away and some would not let people come to their home to share.  Slowly they heard that this teaching is different.  Many ladies (some very old) would come and said they wanted Jesus but their husbands won't let them or will beat them.  Then God's Spirit broke through and even the very ones who drive our people away came and gave their lives to Christ.  Alleluia!     

It is hard to share what happened and what it was like, so I will do the rest with pictures for a visual.  I am always challenged and inspired by my church family here to give up yourself and share Christ boldly.  Our family endured less than two days and one night.  The rest were there three nights and had to take a truck with way too many people.  I praise God for what He is doing - and for using this people.  What an encouragement to see Him work so powerfully!

Ok, I want to start with this picture because I always am impressed with the work people do here to get money.  It was the week of the outreach and we ran out of water in our rain tank (officially dry season) so we let the youth know if they wanted money to go on the outreach they could fetch water for us.  Before seven we had about 25 people ready with their jeri cans.  Even Tata (grandma - like 70 plus years old) was filling to get money.  (Boy, does that make me feel lazy and rich!)  Within three hours our tank with full again and they all had their money for the outreach.

We met the truck in Soroti.  We had some of the youth with us because they were attending Josh's FIC training.
I told my friend they were riding like cattle today.  Can you imagine?!  I prayed for them a lot, that is for sure.
(Oh, how we should be thankful for all our privileges.) 

Around 75 people went on outreach and had to pay to go (which is a sacrifice for most of them).  I was encouraged to see how many came.

It took about six or so hours for the truck to get everyone and reach the destination.

On our way, er, trying to find our way, we stopped in the last trading center and found Josh and Pastor Martin on a poster announcing the crusade.  Of course Josh doesn't like it, but his kids thought it was great.

This is Moruisiru

I love this picture.  It captures the place.  Dry, isolated, barren...and yet ripe for harvest.
The devil wants to keep people in bondage but Jesus has come that we may have life! 

Playing before the crusade and trying to keep cool in the shade.  

The crusade.

Lydia is so brave.  She danced with her friends.  The people didn't quite know what to do with that.  And she really surprised them by even knowing the dances.

Concession stands stated showing up to make a little money.

The FIC choir sang.

Josh preached a wonderful salvation message.  They really listened when he spoke in Ateso.

The longer the crusade goes the more people come.  I like to describe it as a big Jesus party!

Our little motor home.  It really worked out quite well - for a night.  The seats lay flat, there are curtains (we had privacy!), and the night was nice and cool.  We just laughed when we all got in to sleep.  What a memory!  At 5:45am we woke to "morning glory" as they call it.  Singing and prayer.  First we heard the ladies then the men started.  This is when I feel very weak in my faith.  I find it not to be "glory" at that time in the morning.  I found my phone and put the fan noise on - and we all went back to sleep.

The boys fit 13 in our eight person tent - and loved it!  It was better than the back of a truck like the night before and outside under a make shift grass shelter like the last night.  Flexible people I tell you.

The compound that we all stayed at.  The morning was relaxed and cool, but by 9am the sun was heating up.

Most of the women and girls slept next door on the cement floor of this community shelter.

You learn a lot living with your friends for a couple days.  They value bathing.  Almost all the women one by one invited me to bath with them at night and again in the morning.  They couldn't understand when I said no and that I would bathe when I got home.  They went together in the bush to bath.  Ok, maybe they could hide and not be seen but for sure someone would see the white lady bathing!  No thank you.  Lydia and Graces friends asked them too.  They decided to just wash their feet.  No one, however, asked Josh or Luka.

The "kitchen" for the outreach. 
Why do we make it so complicated sometimes?  They do it so simply and always make it work.

Breakfast!  We love this!

Posho (corn) porridge and emukeke (dried sweet potatoes cooked).

Our friends helped us get leaves to eat our porridge.  Emalai loved using a leaf as a spoon!  Ok, we all did.

Morning teaching.  Getting ready to go out to do evangelism.

My group only reached two homes because Emalai was done and it was blazing hot.  There were few trees and little shade.

This young man was a soldier who wanted to come back to God.  We prayed for him.

As we walked in the village and the hot wind blew (like a hair dryer), I prayed for the Holy Spirit to come and move in this place.  To break every stronghold, every lie, every sin that binds...to breath truth, life and salvation...to come in power...to prepare minds and heart for the work of God's Spirit...to bring light to the darkness...peace of Christ...hope of the nations!  For the glory of God.  Build Your kingdom.

Luka went with Josh and their group walked literally miles.  Houses are far apart and I was proud of Luka for enduring.  Lydia went with another group and was also gone for over three hours.  She loved it and came back with many stories about people and what God was doing.  One girl asked if she could dance with Lydia that night at the crusade.

This lady came to receive Christ!

Pray for Moruisiru and the new believers there.