Big Men With Big Hearts for Missions.........!!!

I'm very sory that i have not mentioned anything about these powerful men of God in my previous blogs. They led us throughout the mission trips with wisdom. I liked working with all of them.

"Pr. Ike, Brother Emeka and Dr. Festus Ukwani"

God moved in our midst in powerful ways and we enjoyed learning more about His love and our identity as the Beloved. We ended the everyday with a sweet worship time and a time of commissioning from these men. We're excited, equipped and empowered to go to Kumi after Fort Portal to be God's hands and feet and to encounter Him in a new way!

ACF UGANDA

I was amazed at how alive they are in their faith at such a young age. These courageous youths have answered God's call, stepping outside of their comfort zone and into an experience that will forever change their lives. God has brought us all individually together to do something corporately to advance His Kingdom...and we're diving in!!

"Pastor Ike. After all is done you have to box in the air and say....Praiiiise God!!!!"

Who is God to allow me the opportunity to experience Him work in and through these youths? What an honor it is! I love these guys! They're hungry, they're passionate, they're FUN, and I got the honor of spending the next 336 hours with them!


Thank you guys for covering us in prayer during those 2 weeks we were on missions. You are such a vital part of what God is doing here in Uganda and your love and support is greatly appreciated!

SMALL MIRACLES..................!!!!!

On the second day of our 2006 December mission trip in Kumi, half of us went to this village Ogooma to meet the ACF sponsored kids and while I was there that’s when God opened my eyes to the hurting children. God’s love was shown to me by a little boy named Margal. I don’t know the meaning his name but his name is sweet.

"Margal having meals on our Mission Van"

I saw Margal sitting by a tree alone, soccer ball in hand. I felt I should build a relationship with this little boy. So I went up to him and started talking to him and this little boy and I connected right away. Then we started playing ball and then after awhile he wanted to race me on his locally made bike and beat me and said “You a loser, Henry!” And that’s when we really bonded and I made him my little brother. Then I asked him how old he was and he was all “I am 4 years of age”. After that we had a little bit of time to just sit and talk. It was sad how he just grasped me and needed me to love him since he never had that from his parents who just left him who knows where.

"Margal being helped by Angela to make drawings"

After we had to leave that’s when God really showed me that being a missionary isn’t exactly going around using words to show God’s love, but also just showing it and applying it in our lives and the lives of others. When we came back the second day of our missions, he came up to me and said “Hey, Henry! Let’s play!” It was a really good feeling knowing that the first time I went I actually made an impact in his life because he remembered my name and was super excited to see me. And also that God could use something so small to make this whole trip worth while. Margal is now a good friend to all our mission team members more especially Sister Tarkor and on top of that he is under ACF education sponsorship program.

It has been an amazing experience throughout......Thank you ACF.

"The Children of Africa"

When I learned that I had to write a blog post this week, there was no doubt in my mind that I was going to write about my experience with the children in Kumi. Since I have been here I have connected with most of the children that I have encountered.

"Carol playing with the kids"

I have a real heart for children and God has really been guiding me toward talking with the children we have seen. I just love to meet them, at first, shy children and by the end of our time together for the day, have them running and laughing and playing with me.

"Carol and her new found friend"

The feeling that you get when you look in the eyes of a young child, and their eyes light up, and they become overjoyed to see you, is just an indescribable feeling. It’s amazing to see God working through not only me, but everyone on the ACF team. Not only continue to pray for our team, but pray for the children of Kumi/Uganda, they need our prayers the most.

Carol

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE.......!!!!!!!!

Most of the Ugandans think that missionaries are supposed to be whites (Read Mzungu) so was I. During my elementally school I learnt of the missionaries and their works, their contributions problems and their failures while in Africa and never wished to be one of the missionaries not until I joined ACF and started going for mission trips and this helped me changed my attitude towards missionaries and the missionary works.

"People leaving the ACF Food distribution Centre after receiving food relief"

Unlike other mission trips, these mission trips particularly that of Kumi was full of God’s manifestation then other mission trips thus proving to His people that He is the God of impossibilities. In one of the mission trips some years back God healed a mad boy (David Ochom) and now the boy is perfect and attending school and this was good but for this year it was more for over three months the people of Kumi were not experiencing no rain but hey through the prayers of the children of God, He (God) was able to send rain to the area of Kumi.

"A Baby Born to us"

The communities of North-Eastern Uganda Kumi in particular were hit by famine and the people more so the children hardly Had no food to eat and many of them were loosing their lives because of famine but still thanks and glory goes to God almighty for that He was able to use His servants(members of ACF) to feed His people and when one of the unborn baby learnt of food distribution which was going on in the area, decided to come out and try to be part of event thus a woman gave birth at the time of food distribution. Whom do you think did this? To it was God the almighty.

Land disputes are prominent in almost all the areas in Uganda but still thanks goes to God that ACF was given a big piece of land for it (ACF) to develop it, this further showed me that God can make away where there is no way.

With and in God we are renewed day by day and given new strength carryon with His work and this were evident in the Kampala team. I saw every one working like never before. Starting with: Sarah; making sure that food was always both in and on time and putting in account that everyone gets to what to eat before the day breaks.

How can forget Sarah’s right hand Phion almost quite all times but working hand in hand with Sarah making sure that everything is just as need especially food. I was drawn to Carol’s works especially the knowledge she had with the trimming of the children’s hair, helping with teaching of the children and not forgetting the very good work of serving food to the hungry with the intention of everyone getting satisfied. Angela a quite lady but hard working making sure that children were in their best moments and bringing to them importance of life. Forgetting not Angela’s roommate Grace bringing out the sweetness of worship and ushering us to the very presence of God. Coming to my remembrance is the good work done by the two ladies Grace and Angela with the sorting and distributing of clothes. What a great teacher we had for the USA team, Esther making efforts to teach luganda and giving others local names like uncle Ogo who was name Ssesanga (Read Strong Ivory) and all this made the USA team to feel at home with such names and this was so beautiful. She further made sure that joy was paramount, also with her session of talking to the girls with how to keep them clean was yet another contribution done by this young lady.

Cathy Mugaga; what can say over the powerful word that you used to give out to the children which built their inner man thus pleasing God for your effort to preached His word just as it’s written that the joy of the Lord is our strength. When the devil saw what you were doing he became unhappy with you and decided to take it away with passing away of the mother, but Cathy note this that when the devil raises the dust the Lord raises the standard so do not be disheartened just take heart and know that God is in control.

This is English and the white man says “Ladies first.” So men I haven’t forgotten the great work that you did for the Lord.. To start with is Pastor prosper Ezra giving the edge in counseling and working hard in the course of food distribution. Sam the soldier man surely bring anew dimension in praising. Lopez providing the funny to avoid boredom during our travels. Enjoying Rajab’s activities of capturing videos in order for ACF to have record for the mission trips and his involvement in the connection of power was awesome. The chief in Commander K.E Henry a person who really gives me the hope to carry on with missions, the sweet and encouraging words from him shows everyone that is important on the team. Joking where need be is yet another issue which relaxes and does the refreshing of our mind on the mission trips, teaching me how to capture some video clips is another experience to me.

But mentioning people like uncle Festus, uncle Raymond, uncle Emeka you spiced up that refreshing moment and made me perhaps think of putting up an ACF football team and my yet to find out the positions of each of the above mentioned in ma team. This doesn’t mean that I have forgotten the unmentioned but you are always on my heart day in day out: uncle Ike always taking the meaning of your name in your personal life thus opening my mind to always give right and perhaps good and meaningful names to my children when the right time comes, uncle Joshua, remembering the type of legumious crop you asked me and am still looking for it. Uncle Ogo, I was impressed with the way and the speed at which you were learning the luganda words, Tarkor, reminds of my young sister how she does not easily give in to lies of people and please keep up that spirit. The driver and his helper were making my travels enjoyable with that good cruising. "Sister Takor with a kid. She was an inspiration to the Team"

In a nut shall therefore mission trips were educative with the words from different preachers in every morning and evening glories, enjoying the Kimere (Read Meals) we used to have.

All of you people were good and you worked to the best of your abilities, effort and knowledge. May God richly bless you for you left your works and served God.

Lubwama Edward Bazira.

BEYOND THE CHURCH DOORS.....!!!!!!

Every Sunday afternoon, after the morning service at the church, the Pastor and his eleven year old son would go out into their town and hand out Gospel Tracts . This particular Sunday afternoon, as it came time for the Pastor and his son to go to the streets with their tracts, it was very cold outside, as well as pouring rain.

The boy bundled up in his warmest and driest clothes and said, 'OK, dad, I'm ready.' His Pastor dad asked, 'Ready for what?' 'Dad, it's time we gather our tracts together and go out.' Dad responds, 'Son, it's very cold outside and it's pouring rain.' The boy gives his dad a surprised look, asking, 'But Dad, aren't people still going to Hell, even though it's raining?' Dad answers, 'Son, I am not going out in this weather.' Despondently, the boy asks, 'Dad, can I go? Please?'

His father hesitated for a moment then said, 'Son, you can go. Here are the tracts, be careful son.' 'Thanks Dad!'

And with that, he was off and out into the rain. This eleven year old boy walked the streets of the town going door to door and handing everybody he met in the street a Gospel Tract .

After two hours of walking in the rain, he was soaking, bone-chilled wet and down to his VERY LAST TRACT. He stopped on a corner and looked for someone to hand a tract to, but the streets were totally deserted.

Then he turned toward the first home he saw and started up the sidewalk to the front door and rang the door bell. He rang the bell, but nobody answered.

He rang it again and again, but still no one answered. He waited but still no answer.

Finally, this eleven year old trooper turned to leave, but something stopped him.

Again, he turned to the door and rang the bell and knocked loudly on the door with his fist. He waited, something holding him there on the front porch! He rang again and this time the door slowly opened.

Standing in the doorway was a very sad-looking elderly lady. She softly asked, 'What can I do for you, son?' With radiant eyes and a smile that lit up her world, this little boy said, 'Ma'am, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, but I just want to tell you that * JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU * and I came to give you my very last Gospel Tract which will tell you all about JESUS and His great LOVE.' With that, he handed her his last tract and turned to leave.

She called to him as he departed. 'Thank you, son! And God Bless You!'

Well, the following Sunday morning in church Pastor Dad was in the pulpit. As the service began, he asked, 'Does anybody have testimony or want to say anything?'

Slowly, in the back row of the church, an elderly lady stood to her feet........

As she began to speak, a look of glorious radiance came from her face, 'No one in this church knows me. I've never been here before.. You see, before last Sunday I was not a Christian. My husband passed on some time ago, leaving me totally alone in this world. Last Sunday, being a particularly cold and rainy day, it was even more so in my heart that I came to the end of the line where I no longer had any hope or will to live.

So I took a rope and a chair and ascended the stairway into the attic of my home. I fastened the rope securely to a rafter in the roof, then stood on the chair and fastened the other end of the rope around my neck. Standing on that chair, so lonely and broken-hearted I was about to leap off, when suddenly the loud ringing of my doorbell downstairs startled me. I thought, 'I'll wait a minute, and whoever it is will go away.'

I waited and waited, but the ringing doorbell seemed to get louder and more insistent, and then the person ringing also started knocking loudly............

I thought to myself again, 'Who on earth could this be? Nobody ever rings my bell or comes to see me.' I loosened the rope from my neck and started for the front door, all the while the bell rang louder and louder.

When I opened the door and looked I could hardly believe my eyes, for there on my front porch was the most radiant and angelic little boy I had ever seen in my life. His SMILE, oh, I could never describe it to you!

The words that came from his mouth caused my heart that had long been dead, TO LEAP TO LIFE as he exclaimed with a cherub-like voice, 'Ma'am, I just came to tell you that JESUS REALLY DOES LOVE YOU .' Then he gave me this Gospel Tract that I now hold in my hand.

As the little angel disappeared back out into the cold and rain, I closed my door and read slowly every word of this Gospel Tract. Then I went up to my attic to get my rope and chair. I wouldn't be needing them any more.

You see-- -I am now a Happy Child of the KING. Since the address of your church was on the back of this Gospel Tract, I have come here to personally say THANK YOU to God's little angel who came just in the nick of time and by so doing, spared my soul from an eternity in hell.'

There was not a dry eye in the church. And as shouts of praise and honour to THE KING resounded off the very rafters of the building, Pastor Dad descended from the pulpit to the front pew where the little angel was seated......

He took his son in his arms and sobbed uncontrollably.

Probably no church has had a more glorious moment, and probably this universe has never seen a Papa that was more filled with love & honour for his son... Except for One.

Jesus is building His church

"…you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth."1Timothy 3:15, NIV

"My Friend do you love the body of Christ? Yes i do my good looking friend"

The Church is Christ's body, in which He speaks and acts! The church is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. That is a huge paradigm change for most people. In this light, how should we conduct ourselves as it relates to the church? Esteem the church! Don't ever minimize the church—God doesn't.

He loves the church. We should love His church. The church is truly the hope of the world! The government isn't the hope of the world. Education isn't the hope of the world. Business and money aren't the hope of the world. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ—filled with believers who have His heart—is the hope of this world.

So, let's love, respect, esteem, grow and serve the church—the Body of Christ—with the same integrity and passion He does. Once we do, we are on the road to His very best.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, NKJV)

Cathy Mugaga

BE STRENGTHENED!

A friend sent me this wonderful material and i thought it would bless you through this blog spot. Thank you so much for those of you who have been able to call us for comments on our missions blog. Please just know that we are in the process of uploading our mission pictures on this blog. A big thank you to those of you who turned up for our weekend fellowship.

TEARS ARE FOR BABIES.......... WORRIES ARE FOR FOOLS...........

When a man lifts you up, it's definitely to the height of his hands, but when GOD lifts you up it's limitless, seek HIM now and forsake all else and be uplifted forever!!!
Tell me about the law of gravity that states anything that goes up must come down and I will introduce you to the law of aerodynamics that states that it is possible that something can go up and remain there.
Before this year runs out, u and me shall find ourselves somewhere that u can't even bring ourselves down.

Your blessings shall never come down, u shall never fail, the law of gravity will never work in your finances, business, family, all area of your life, etc.

The devil is a liar. You may be going through a tough time right now but God is getting ready to bless you in a way that only He can... Keep the faith.
The love of God is like the ocean, you can see its beginning, but not its end...

Henry