“To testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 NKJV.

Friends: February greetings to you all because of the gospel of God’s grace! This month marks our 6th year in Africa and our 5.5 years of service in Uganda. It’s been quite a time! We thank the Lord for it! We rejoice to say with Paul that we want to testify to the gospel of God’s grace! Isn’t God good to give us our heart’s desire and enable us to testify here in Africa?! Praise His name! Pray for us today please that our gracious Master and Lord will continue to sustain us that we may testify of His favor and that the testimony will bear the good fruit that he wants it to bear.

One area of gospel testimony is in our present Bible, book and literature distribution of 17 tons of the excellent materials that Chapel Library and Action International Ministries have donated. Pictured above are friends from African Bible University who are distributing literature to their students and friends throughout Uganda. And Samuel is shown holding a few of the titles that we are sharing with pastors, students and church members. About 25% of the materials has been shared at this time. Please pray that we will wisely bring the materials to those who will read it and benefit from it and that it will then be honestly and widely shared with many others. Some areas that seldom receive this blessed opportunity are receiving the literature.

Another area of gospel testimony is in our HIV Outreach in partnership with Reconciliation Community Church of Nakawa. Pastor Jolly Joe Opio’s wife Betty (pictured to the right in this photo with Mama Jonathan whose testimony is found on Page 3 of this Prayer Letter) leads this good work with the HIV+. Betty currently serves the gospel at a large HIV treatment center where she befriends the people and brings the good news to them and in her in-home visits where she brings “Hope and Care”. Goals for this Outreach this year include: To share “Hope and Care" with 10 churches this year and encourage them to begin a similar ministry. To train workers in those churches. To recruit another helper for Betty. To expand the work to other HIV treatment centers as God wills. Betty also serves with a Christian radio station; it may be possible to encourage the HIV+ and churches through radio. Please pray that God will shape this ministry so that people like Mama Jonathan will be helped and loved and hear the glad tidings. HIV is still a desperate problem in Uganda. Billboards like these pictured to the left are seen throughout the city (and probably the country) to educate and warn about HIV. Pray that God will save and bring His compassion to the people.

A quick report about our vehicle...we are still seeking the Lord for funds towards the purchase of a newer and better vehicle. Please pray that as God wills all that’s needed will be received for this necessary vehicle for our gospel testimony. Our thanks and love to you all! Thanks for enabling us to live and serve in Africa so that together with you we testify of God’s inexpressibly great gift of Jesus His Son and His great salvation! We join you in prayer for God’s mercy for Haiti. Please see our renovated website at: www.actionuganda.net

KAPPY’S CORNER —The Mark

Many years ago I lived in a small beach town in California, USA. The town was liberally peppered with palm trees. One of those trees was just outside my rental house on a street corner. I enjoyed the shade of that tree on hot sunny days. I would sit at the base and look up into the fronds, watching the sunlight flash in the glossy leaves when the wind would blow. Sometimes I would sit and read in the grass, leaning against the trunk listening to the soft rustling over head.

One day I found the tree had been marked with spray paint. I thought it might have been the work of gang members, but a few days later, I heard a clanking outside my kitchen window. A man with a chain saw swinging from his utility belt was climbing my tree. A timid soul, I debated with myself whether or not to go outside, but when the man had climbed halfway up, concern for the tree won out.

“Excuse me.” The man stopped climbing. As he looked down I felt very small, but I had questions. I asked them one after another and he kindly answered them. Was he going to cut the tree down? He had orders from City Hall to do so. Was the tree diseased? No. Was the tree infested with something? No. Then, why? Because it was marked to be destroyed. Then he asked me a question. Is this a complaint? One citizen’s complaint will stop an action of City Hall until it comes up again in session. “Well, then I guess I’m complaining!” Good! He didn’t want to cut the tree down anyway.

Thirty years had gone by and my two sisters and my youngest brother were taking me to the corner in town to see if the tree was still there. There it stands. Still strong, the fronds still glistening in the sun, softly rustling in my ears, but twice as tall as it was the day I unwittingly saved it.

At the time I saved the tree I was young, strong and healthy. To all appearances I was fine, but I was marked for destruction. I didn’t believe it, but the mark was there. Finally, I could not go on believing that the mark was not there. How could I be saved? Then someone came and told me about the only One who could save me from destruction. I don’t remember who it was, but that person told me about Jesus—the way, the truth and the life. He is the only way to the Father and heaven. I’d like to say that I received the Lord instantly, but I didn’t. What I know is that I began trusting in and loving my Savior about twenty-seven years ago. He removed the mark and replaced it with the seal of the Holy Spirit. The seal will never be broken. I am His forever!

The mark is gone from the trunk of the palm tree. As time went by, it weathered away. One day that tree will die, despite my efforts so many years ago. People, unlike trees, don’t just turn to dust after death. We have souls. We go on, either to eternal suffering or eternal life. There are people like I was who bear the mark of destruction and there are people like the one who came to me (maybe timidly) who told me about Jesus. If we can save trees, can’t we, by the grace of God, tell someone today about the only One who is able to remove the mark and save their souls from destruction?

For the gospel, Jim and Kappy

Mary Aketo, Mama Jonathan

This is Aketo Mary, I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ, for keeping your life and mine. I have written this letter to determine how my lifestyle was until today.

I was born in Kitgum District (N. Uganda) in 1971 in Padibe Divison (Lamwo County). I studied in Padibe Girl’s Primary School then I stopped in S-1 in Padibe SS due to some processes in government (Rebel activity).

I got married in 1987 which was a traditional marriage.

I blessed with four children and these are as follows: Eric, Jonathan, Flavia, Priscila but they got an rebel ambush whereby one lost his hand and that is Jonah, but I still thank God for their lives, because He has the purpose for everything. (Jonathan’s arm and hand were badly injured by gunfire.)

By then, I came to Kampala with my family and I started brewing alcohol, but when I was living in a difficult life.

Since then Nakawa Reconciliation Church started, I got saved because of my Jonah and I have seen what the Lord has done for him and for my family through ACTION which is a blessing to my family. I am living in a difficult life up to today, but I thank God who saved me because I have a Friend in salvation and that is Jesus Christ.

I am doing a small work (job) which is a blessing from God because I didn’t study for that work, but I give thanks to Him.

By then I felt very sick and suffering from breast pain and some wounds on it for some year and I was fearing to go to the hospital and I was thinking of cancer. God worked it out for me as a dream come true. I went to the hospital but He used that Dr. to give me the right medicine and I got healed by God’s grace.

My husband has been sick for a year now and I was a problem on school fees and feeding for my children. My first born is supposed to join the university but he didn’t due to my financial stands and is at home. I thank God for their performance because they are in and out of school. My husband was sick to the extent of dying and I was left alone in that situation. I have tried to look for help from his relatives but they abandoned him and they told me to take him to the village to go and die from there. I thank God who saved me and his life and he is still living up to today.

I thank God for the small job. To make sure that struggle for my family. I stay in Nakawa quarters and we are not stable because we can go at anytime (the quarters residents may have to leave the area).

Thank God for my pastor and his wife-they are my family friends and they have made me to grow in salvation and may God reward them. My husband is suffering from TB/HIV and he is on drugs (medicines). We are positive living and we are still alive. Thanks to God for our life. Amen.