Youth Conference

Last week we had a youth conference with the UCFM churches.  Schools here have three terms so each year during the holiday between the second and third term our church has a conference for the youth.  The last couple years this has been a highlight for Lydia and Grace and even for our whole family.  This was the first year it was not at our church in Obule but at the UCFM church in Pingere.   Pingere is an hour from our home so we packed up our tent and stayed at our friend Micheal's for the three day conference.  We find these events have been very meaningful and they bring us very close to our friends.   We always make great memories too.  I will let our pictures do tell the story.

Sunday evening the truck arrived to pick up the youth from Obule.  It had already picked up youth from Amuria and Kabramido.  To say it was a full load is an understatement!  I often think, "Can you imagine youth in America doing this?"

I was so thankful this truck with precious cargo made it safely.
We took our van Monday morning to the conference in case you are wondering.

The new church building in Pingere.

A great turn out of youth for the conference! 
(And a great number of kids with their baby siblings from the area too!  Best entertainment of the year and free food.)

Last year the theme was from Hebrews "By Faith".  It was a powerful conference and this year is a follow up to that - "Therefor Go!" from Matt. 28 about going and making disciples.  Josh taught on five characteristics of a discipler and four things that prevent us from making disciples.

The youth had hours of teaching/preaching.  Amazes me.

They LOVE to sing together!

Two meals a day of posho and beans for the youth.  Porage for breakfast.  They feed over 250 people so it is a lot of work.  Most of the youth struggled to pay their conference fee (less than $2) plus transport (about $2) so the leaders were short on money and food.  They took offerings to get money for food the last day.  I was happy the youth did give.  And somehow like always it all worked out.  They truly depend on God and see Him provide.

Our kids were so excited to camp out for the conference.  It is fun to be with our friends for a few days and kind of live like them - I said kind of.  This is Micheal and Rose's compound.  They are FIC leaders and friends.  They not only opened up their house to us but to ALL the girls at the conference and most of the leaders!  That is a full house!  They graciously let everyone take their rooms and beds and serve all of us too.  I am humbled by their hospitality.

I just had to add this picture because Emalai was SO happy to be able to bathe like her friends!  She was all into to it and knew exactly how they do it because every week she is at her friends and they wash their feet together.  She finally got to take a full bath outside.  The privacy thing is a bit of an issue for me.

This picture doesn't do justice, but the first night we got a huge rain storm - and we were in our tent.  There was lighting, wind and buckets of rain.  The storm went on for almost two hours.  I did not know if our tent was going to make it.  We got a little wet but overall did well.  I prayed a lot that night.  (We had prayed for no rain for the conference because we knew it would be a mess but oh well.)  The youth didn't make it back to the house before the rain so they waded through the swamp and rivers that covered the paths.  The next morning there was mud and water everywhere.  Our shoes were caked with mud by the time we got to the church.  Ugandans value having clean feet so we all washed our sandals and feet when we got to the church.  It was quite the experience.

Thankful for a well to clean up and to drink!

The youth were really into the choirs at the conference.  Our youth did a dance to "Send Me Out" that Lydia and Grace put together, a drama Rose and the youth put together and a song they made to go with the theme.  So much talent!

(I will upload the video of the youth dance as soon as we have good internet.)

Lydia and Grace also did a dance to "Born Again" that they put together themselves.  They youth loved it and went crazy cheering.  They love anything that sounds like hip hop or rap.

We practiced what we preached at the conference and went out to make disciples.  One afternoon they went out and did "door to door" evangelism.  Thirteen people gave their lives to Christ!  People in the center were resistant or stubborn as they say.  One group was chased from a home (drunk and angry) and another group faced disagreement from a Muslim man.  But another group met with three different group along the road and all three times shared the Gospel and they accepted and believed!  Our pastor was feeling sick but persevered to go with this very group.  He said after so many coming to Christ he came back healed.

And we had a crusade one night in the center.

It gathered a lot of people and they heard the Gospel.  Two people gave their lives to Christ and seeds were planted in many more hearts.

They love to sing and dance!

They asked Lydia and Grace to do "Born Again" for the crusade too.

Our friend and former prisoner came to share at the crusade.

Josh also gave the invitation to give your life to Christ.

It's no wonder we feel close to our friends after a conference like this.  We are doing God's work together!  It is a privilege to partner together to make disciples of all nations.  I was blessed to learn and serve together.  I am humbled by the leaders.  They took care of us, they worked hard and they appreciated having us there.  I know God's will was done and He was glorified.  I pray youth grew in Christ and God raised up workers for the harvest field.  I pray they take it home and begin by sharing there.  I pray lost were saved and those who were are discipled.