Dedicated Praise Team

Evangelistic Rallies would be "dead" without the dedicated Praise Team. Pastors & workers have already set up platforms of wooden planks in the location of the Gospel Meetings. After a hard day of clinics, the Praise Team loads the equipment and themselves in to the back of a small pick-up truck for the dusty ride along roads full of pot holes and gullies. At the Rally, they lead worship with dancing, singing, clapping and praise for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. The people gather and sing and dance with the Team - all energetic, enthusiastic, and smiling!! If the generator goes off, they just supplement with LOUD energetic clapping. They can make music!! After the last exuberant song (which usually lasts 15 minutes minimum), the Gospel is proclaimed and many respond to the Holy Spirit's work in their hearts. Hearts have been prepared by Children's sermons (which all ages understand), testimonies, special music, and the leadership of the Praise Team. The Lord is at work in a mighty way. After the decisions for Christ are recorded, the Praise Team again takes the stage for a time of celebration! All dance and praise God in this beautiful worship time. As many ladies started dancing facing me, I asked the interpreter the meaning. She said, "O Madam, she is saying to you, 'Though you are white and I am black, we worship Jesus Christ together ' ". I LOVE it! Free in Christ to worship and no complaints of tiredness or hardships. (No wonder they are skinny as a rail!)

The Poor You'll Always Have With You!

These pictures are reversed in relation to the story. I apologize.

In 2007, our second trip to Uganda, we did our first medical clinic. When we arrived the first day, there weren't a huge number of people. Pastor Agnatius said, "The people don't believe me when I say people are coming to help them and bring free medical supplies". (In Pallisa, there is an old hospital, but very few medicines (which have to be bought, when available, by the patient). The next day, the crowd was larger, and even more came the next day. We began to have to give out a "yellow slip" with the ability to return the next day and get in first. The second to the last day, the crowd was so large, we had to give out about 200 slips. I thought, "That will be most of our patient load for tomorrow." As we arrived the next day, there were bicycles everywhere (the main method of transportation besides walking). We were informed people had walked for hours to get there. We immediately set to work, but by noon it was obvious that we would run out of medicines that day and have none for the next (and last) scheduled day of clinics. As I walked outside, I tried to explain to the people that we were so sorry that we were running out of medicines (hoping that we would at least get through that day). As I looked to the right, a huge number of people began to show me their "yellow return slip". I had assumed they had been first in line! Yikes! I had forgotten to tell the "crowd control/line handlers" to let them in BEFORE new people there for the first time. I prayed and, expectantly, told all the people (apologizing again) that we would only be able to see people with yellow slips (explaining the reason), and that they should just go ahead and return home. They just sat! And looked at me! And motioned to me of all their aches and pains and illnesses and hurting children. We continued to hurriedly see patients, but it seemed impossible as those without slips pushed to the front, no longer patiently waiting in line. Finally, I decided that we would take those with slips to the church building and only allow those in. So those with slips, accompanied by everyone else (of course), walked to the church, and we only allowed the many with slips in. We had very limited medicines left. We separated those who needed treatment for malaria and the doctor helped them. I stood in the middle of the others who were lined along the walls. I asked who needed pain meds, raise your hand. After explaining the usage, we started at the middle, working both ways to the outside and every person with their hand raised received medicine and there was none left. I went to the middle again and asked about general weakness (vitamins), did the same thing. All with their hands raised received medicine and there was none left. I did the same with coughs - same results! Over & over, we had just the right amount of medicines. Each time, every need was met (but not 12 basketfuls of leftovers!) Mike, outside, had decided to mix up some vitamin mix we had with water and later reported that everyone waiting OUTSIDE had reeived a cup of vitamin drink. To the last drop of our supply! God is good!! People began to come to the door and say they just wanted to hear the Gospel. As the numbers increased, I asked Hugh to just go outside and present the Gospel. He did, and between them, the conseling, and preaching that day, HUNDREDS of people were added to the Kingdom! Praise the Lord for His bountiful goodness!

I was hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me.

Basic needs of clothing and food are obvious throughout interior Uganda. The children often receive only the evening meal and that is just a bowl of rice. They mention hunger pains and "grumblings" in the stomach. I grumble, too, when I am empty. Would you sponsor a child, providing food, clothes, school, a place to live? Just $35 a month takes a child like the ones pictured above and provides basic needs, plus the opportunity to know that someone cares about them? What about you? Will you show your care? Jesus said, "When I was hungry you fed ME. . . when you did it to the least of these".

FBC Mabank builds church in Uganda

Last January, FBC of Mabank, TX began a building program, not to build another building at their location, but to build a church in Uganda. As the church got excited about the project, it didn't take them long to raise the $4500 necessary to build a beautiful church in the village of Oboliso. The local people were excited to dedicate the church and worship there for the first time while members of the Mabank church were in Uganda in June, 2011 for medical clinics and church planting. The church was overflowing with excited worshippers who would no longer have to worship (rain or shine) under the tree or in a grass hut which is often blown away during storms, eaten down by termites, or just a temporary structure constantly having to be replaced. Thank you, FBC Mabank!

"Once I was blind, now I see"

As Hugh fitted glasses, he would double check the Rx by having them look at the form (with info about help given and then various choices on decisions made in counseling). One man, so excited that he could read, began to read the form! After a moment, he asked, dumbfoundedly, "What kind of person would NOT pray to receive Christ?"

It was very rewarding to fit glasses in a country where many people speak English. They would get so excited, "I can see! I can see!" And the you'd get a big hug or a big grin!

ZIMBABWE 2009

Due to the collapse of the Zim Dollar, the people of Zimbabwe are desperate for help. As we arrived for the clinic on the second day, people were lined up outside the gate, inside the church, and outside the church in droves. Nevertheless they remained orderly and controlled, hopeful that they would be among the 300+ who would be seen by the eyedoctor, doctor, and nurses. Clinics bring people to the church where we help them physically (temporary relief) and also offer spiritual help through the free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ (eternal life). Many heard the Good News and responded. They came, "hopeful" to see better; we offered Hope for future perfect vision! 854 people were added to the Kingdom of Heaven through clinics, BYBC, Evangelistic Rallies, and street preaching.

PERSECUTION IN INDIA CONTINUES

I RECEIVED THIS FROM A FRIEND: (I deleted names).

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, 11:08 AM
> Below is the story of a pastor who was recently arrested, falsely accused and put in prison. Hope you are blessed to read it just as I was. Let's pray for Pastor J--that he may continue to stand firm in the midst of trial.
 
In Jesus, your brother in Christ, D M

Greetings in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Our God is good and He’s good all the time. I belong to Orissa, which lies in the eastern India . My life was full of darkness and sin but God changed my life through an evangelist who had come to our village to preach. Since then, I’d been preaching the gospel.

In 2008, I joined the Alpha Ministries and was commissioned to preach the gospel in unreached areas.
 
Initially, I served the Lord in Nandpur Block. Thereafter, God began to enlarge my borders. He opened doors in the town of Majhiput, Gunthaput and Chatqa. Eventually more than 86 people came to faith in Christ. In addition, 18 people have been baptized so far.

During the week, our church would assemble and pray in the house of prayer in Gunthaput. Three to four months back, some people from the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), which is a Hindu extremist organization, razed down our prayer house. When I questioned them, they falsely accused me saying that I convert people from Hinduism to Christianity. They threatened me to stop the conversion and filed a complaint with the police. The police did not take action immediately but towards the end of July, I was arrested and put in prison. Three days later, Pastor B-- N-- who is our area leader got me released on bail. The believers whom I led to the Lord defended me saying that they have willingly accepted Jesus as Lord and that no one forced them to do so.
 
Now, I am out on bail. Previously, I used to stay in my field area and minister to people. Now, I have come to my native village but go everyday to the field area to preach.

The religious activists constantly intimidate me but I am determined that I will serve the Lord as long as I live. I am willing to stand in face of persecution just as our wonderful Lord did. May this testimony encourage you to serve Him even more and know for sure that our God is the sovereign God and that ITS ALL WORTH IT!

Pastor J--

MY ADDED COMMENTS:
Many of these Christians from Orissa fled south to the area where we work in India. Extremists were burning churches (with people inside), and Christians fled into the forests with literally only the clothes on their backs. There were some uprisings that were falsely blamed on Christians that started the persecutions. Orissa has always been a hot-bed of opposition to Christianity. In our area of work, there are sometimes hecklers at the gate on Sunday morning. (Not yet when we've been there). Benjamin's dad told him to be prepared to die for his faith in Christ when he took over the ministry. Millie