NEWSLETTER

Mission Africa

“That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all
Your wondrous works.” Psalm 26:7 NKJV.

    Friends: A Happy Thanksgiving to all! Normally a type of Thanksgiving Day is held in Uganda in January, or possibly at another time of the year. But we remember an American Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday (Jim writing)! After God saved me Thanksgiving became an especially important holiday to me as I truly had much to be thankful to God for. And Kappy and I, of course, have very much to thank God for now. We usually have a Thanksgiving , of sorts, of our own here in Kampala and this year we want to share with you some of the things God has wondrously done through the ministry this year. We hope this may be an encouragement to you and also lead you to thank and glorify the Lord with us—hey, that’s a shared Thanksgiving!

   Church Planting   Pictured in the top photo are leaders of a mission church planted in Kyenjojo, Kasaba, in Western Uganda about 3 months ago. And in the next photo are Pastor Didas, who pastors the church, his wife and children. About 35 or so regularly attend services now. We had hoped to assist in planting 7 churches around the country this year in partnership with our Ugandan friends. By God’s grace we were able to do that. The largest of these churches serves about 100 people in W. Uganda near the border with Congo. We think that over 250 are now attending these churches regularly. Praise the Lord! Pray that these churches will thrive in grace and hold to God’s Word. In the next photo down, 2 pastors of a large church in Kalerwe are shown with part of the gift of books that we gave them for a church library. We distributed about 40,000 volumes this year and helped create these libraries. We thank the Lord! Book Distribution

    The regular ministry of Pastoral Development continued by His enabling grace. Pictured below is Jim’s ‘Pastoral Ministry’ class at All Nations Bible College and Seminary. God blessed us to conduct pastor training conferences and pastors meetings in Rwanda, in Kyebando, in W. Uganda and in Kampala. In addition, special conferences were held in the Kampala area in our Life Application Bible Conferences in which 1200 pastors, church leaders and Bible College students received the good study Bible and instruction in its use.

   By His care we lead about 7 teachers in their ministry to teach Bible studies and distribute Scriptures to over 5000 children, youth and adults in over 50 schools and churches. Robert Msweze is pictured here. Robert taught many children and youth and awarded them their Scriptures. He saw many make professions of faith in Christ! Pray that God will provide Bibles and Bible studies in 2010 for this fruitful ministry! We appreciate His provision in 2009. Bible Study and Placement

KAPPY’S CORNER —This Year

This year I am thankful to the Lord:

 
~For the faithful protection He has provided as we have traveled.

 
 ~For the blessing of my visit with family and the deep love I have for them.

 
~That He is giving me wisdom and grace to do things I never in a million years thought I could.

 
~For bringing new, creative ministry opportunities to me in our home.

 
 ~For Jim’s home recording studio.

 
 ~For spiritual growth.

 
 ~That we have been in Uganda for over five years and that we can see the value of long-term commitment and friendships.

 
~For a steadily growing contentment and joy that is taking over every aspect of my life.

 
~For friends here and there that we can pray for and who pray for us.

 
~That even in this time of economic shortfalls, He has provided for those who faithfully provide  for us.

~For the amazing beauty of His creation and that He’s given us the ability to appreciate and enjoy it.

 ~That He is God, that He is bringing more into His family each day and that He loves us so much!

~A Happy Thanksgiving to you!

   By the Lord’s mercy we began a new Outreach to the HIV+ in 2009. Betty Opio leads this church-based ministry in partnership with Action Uganda. She is pictured here with her husband, Pastor Jolly Joe Opio of Reconciliation Community Church. Betty and her helpers visit the very sick in their homes to encourage, evangelize, educate and support the people. She also leads a weekly group of over 100 people with HIV at a nearby HIV/AIDS treatment center as she shares the gospel, Bible study, encouragement and her hope in Christ with the people. God has blessed this ministry of mercy as there have been conversions and many examples of how lives have been truly and deeply touched by the Lord’s compassion working through Betty and her helpers. The ministry is called ‘Hope and Care’. The people served are also blessed with monthly gifts of food. Please remember this needed ministry in prayer. We thank the Lord for this good and blessed work. It may expand in that Betty may begin to train other churches in compassionate care to the HIV infected. Auroria is pictured (far right) to the right. She is one of Betty’s people. She’s in her early 20’s and has just been reunited with her family after a long separation. Her family is helping her as she battles cancer, a secondary disease probably resulting from HIV. She is a sweet and resilient young woman who has professed faith in our loving and forgiving Lord.

  By the Lord’s mercy we served Street Kids from Kampala’s City Centre pictured here. Some of the boys are pictured here on an outing. We served 2800 meals to Kids who visited our Day Shelter about 5500 times in 2009. At years end about 35 will have been reconciled with their families and have returned home. God blessed us with the ministries of Enoch Kayondo, Luke Rienstra and Erin Spring this year; all served the Street Kids. In the bottom photo Street Kid Ministry Leader David Kirya and helper Margaret are shown with Wilson (right in the photo). Wilson first came to the Day Shelter almost 3 years ago. He professed faith sometime ago and joined the church that hosts the ministry. He is now working and has his own place to live. He gladly helped Margaret with the cooking the day this photo was taken. We thank the Lord for this ministry of reconciliation. Please pray often for our kids. Pray that God will bring needed helpers this year. In addition in 2009 we began an informal network of  churches that minister to Street Kids. At this time about 5 churches are participating and serve about 60 kids a day. Street Kid Outreach

 Our weekly Outreach to Youth Prisoners at Remand Home is another source of encouragement. David Kirya and his team serve weekly there in Bible study and in bringing encouragement and hope to the youth. We thank the Lord!

 Our weekly ministry of Preaching/Teaching and our Weekly Radio Sermons via African Bible College Radio continue in the Lord’s grace. And the Lord blessed us to minister to many children this year in our Children’s Ministry. We hope to visit an area in N. Uganda hard-hit by drought in mid-November and share food supplements with about 1000 children and their families. We hope to encourage a church-plant and evangelize in that ministry trip also. Pray that God will abundantly honor His word and service. We hope to reach about 2000 children and youth this year in our traditional Christmas Outreaches. We plan to visit new areas of the city this year and bless the kids with a day full of the gospel, fun, a good children’s program, a good and filling meal and the sharing of gifts. Your prayers for and gifts to this Outreach are very much appreciated. We can bless 2000 children and youth for about $5000 or $2.50 per person.

 Other aspects of our ministry include Writing, Printing and Works of Compassion. For instance, we were able to assist the elderly lady (forward in the right picture) with chemotherapy treatments for her cancer. And friends of ours began an Outreach to prostitutes in 2009. This is difficult work but our friends are persevering. Please pray for conversions.

 We thank the Lord for His gracious provision for the work in 2009. He worked through your prayers and gifts, friends. Please know that we have sought to glorify the Lord by sharing a realistic picture and a review and summary of our ministry in 2009. We hope that you are encouraged. We glorify the Lord for He has done His work through us all. And the glory is His and His alone!

             “To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”
Romans 16:27 NKJV

   Again this year we join ACTION”s worldwide fields in a large effort to bless the needy at Christmas. Please pray for salvation and much good to come to the peoples through Christmas Outreach 2009!

 In last month’s Prayer Letter we mentioned the need we have to replace our failing vehicle. We received gifts for the purchase of another vehicle last month and we appreciate your gifts. Friends, please continue to pray that the Lord will graciously provide so that this need will be met. Please give to this need as the Lord leads. We trust that He will meet this need in His time and way.

  Kappy and I are quite aware of the financial difficulty that many are facing these days back home. It’s probable that some of you are facing tough times but please know that we pray for you and truly appreciate your participation in this good work. We also appreciate the sacrificial gifts that many of you are making. We’ve been personally encouraged in our giving recently to learn that all that’s given for Christ’s Kingdom is never lost but is forever saved. We’ve seen that Christ gave everything for His people, that as the Scripture says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV. Because of His grace, a true, spiritual and eternal wealth becomes ours because He humbled Himself, was impoverished and gave His life and blood so that we are blessed with eternal life and every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. What a privilege we have to give to and for Him who gave all for us and for our salvation. We are touched deeply by His loving sacrifice and we see that we must give more fully for His glory because He gave His very life for us. We appreciate you, friend, and your ministry to Christ. May our Lord Jesus provide for you and may He bless you all with a deep love, peace and rest in His grace as you worship Him in thanksgiving this month.

 “Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with rejoicing.”
 Psalm 107:22 NKJV.

 
Thankfully His,

Jim & Kappy

“Where do wars and fights come from among you?” James 4:1 NKJV.

   Riots   Friends: Greetings in the Lord’s peace today! We thank the Lord for His mercy and His kind providence. About  3 weeks ago our city of Kampala was rocked by days of rioting and violence. There were deaths and the whole city was in great upheaval for about 1 week. Some of you receive our email Updates and were aware of the riots as we asked you to pray for God’s peace to rule. He answered prayer and we have had no riots for these last weeks. We’ve been sharing in churches about the source of wars and fights from the Book of James, Chapter 1, and have been calling on Christians to be faithful peacemakers and to intercede for the city and region. James says the source for war is evil desire, covetousness and pride. Please pray for peace and stability here. Many causes for the riots have been brought forth in the media but the main reasons seem to be confusion regarding the roles of tribal kingdoms and the national government and tribalism. Most of the rioters appear to belong to the Buganda kingdom and tribe, the most powerful tribe in the country and the tribe which is located in our part of the country, and rioted because of what they saw was an oppression forced upon the Buganda by the national government. It’s a complicated issue but we pray that the wisdom from above will prevail in Uganda’s church and influence the country as a whole. Kappy and I are challenged to be peacemakers in a culture and country known for its excesses of violence and war. Please continue to pray for us. We got a phone call during the riots in which the caller asked us to pray for him as he knew that he must then get his life right with God. 
   Auto  To change gears, so to speak (I couldn’t resist that! Jim writing)...our 1990 Toyota Van which has served us well for over 5 years of very difficult driving conditions has just about had it! The vehicle is pictured below left with Jim and Salim. We need to get another vehicle very soon—we’ve patched the existing one together for as long as possible. Our mechanic keeps telling us, “Get another vehicle!”  Jim checked the car lots last week and we can get a suitable 4WD vehicle for about $7000 or so. Please prayerfully consider helping us with this real need that we have at this time. As God leads you, please give to this vehicle purchase and mark the Response Form accordingly. As you can understand, a reliable vehicle is so necessary for our primary ministries in our city of  6 million people. Thanks so much for praying about and giving to this need for a reliable vehicle! May God bless you, friends!
   Bible Studies for Children and Youth  Pictured to the right below is our good friend Christopher Byamugisha who has led the group of young children of a village school in an evangelistic Bible study. The kids are waving the Bible studies they completed in about 5 hours of instruction time at their school. These and Discipleship Bible studies are key Outreaches in our Children’s Ministry Component. This year we hope to complete about 5000 of these Bible studies in over 50 schools and churches. Please pray for the children and youth to come to the Lord and to be well discipled through the studies. Each child or youth receives a New Testament or Bible and a certificate upon completion of the Bible study. The Bible studies are such a blessing, thanks for making this possible through your prayers and gifts!
  Christmas Outreach 2009  Doug Nichols, ACTION’s founder, has shared with us ACTION’s goal to reach the poor with Christ’s gospel this Christmas: “This Christmas the ACTION Team worldwide will be having special Christmas outreach, evangelistic parties to the extremely poor, needy children, and prisoners.  The average budget worldwide is only $3.50 per person which helps provide a gift, a large meal, and ministry outreach of the Gospel.  This Christmas the goal is to reach over 12,000 with the Gospel and compassionate care.  Please pray that God will bring many to himself as the Gospel of Christ and salvation in Him is presented!” We hope to reach 2000 poor children, street kids and youth prisoners this year again as God enables us to. We will need at least $5000 to do this to bless the kids here in our region of Uganda. Please prayerfully consider giving to this wonderful ministry opportunity in which we meet for a day with the kids sharing the gospel, music, games and fun, friendship, a good meal, and a present with them. So many kids and families have been touched by this traditional and blessed outreach in the past. Thanks again for your kindness and love to bless the kids this Christmas! Please designate your gift for Christmas Outreach 2009 on the Response Form.

KAPPY’S CORNER —Meanwhile...

            Jim’s voice on the phone was racing with adrenaline. He was calling from the Bible college near Kampala’s city center where he had been teaching that morning. He said he was waiting for the shooting to stop so he could head for home. He told me to pray. During the elections several years ago he’d called more than once with a similar message. We saw the Lord’s faithfulness and mercy then. During the elections we received prior warning. There was no warning given before the three days of rioting that began in the city and spread to some of the suburbs recently. I was surprised but calm (at least outwardly) as I told our friend Harriet what Jim had said. She and two of her sons live in the small house about five feet behind ours within the compound walls. The boys were home due to a school break.

            Jim phoned again to let us know he was on the road. At home, the four of us immediately assumed jobs. Individually we prayed. Harriet took a position on the front porch just outside the dining room window. I sat inside the open window relaying the texts sent by Jim to let us know his status. Haward and Derek were listening to their radio in the back house and running to give us updates, sometimes in Luganda, sometimes in Luo and sometimes in English. Harriet interpreted for me and shared some of what she had experienced in previous violence in Uganda. What some of our friends have gone through...and yet, she spoke of the goodness of God and how He has protected her and increased her faith.

            Three hours after Jim hit the road our night guard came on duty. By this time it was getting dark and Jim was still stuck in “panic” traffic. Harriet mobilized an impromptu prayer time in the garage with Francis and the boys. I tried to join them but I am mosquito bait and the mosquitoes were out in full force. I went back inside and went online to the American Embassy to see if they had issued an advisory. It was comforting to hear our friends singing to the Lord from the garage as I waited for the embassy to answer.   

            When the embassy sent the advisory I relayed the information to Jim in a text. God’s timing is always perfect. One of the places the embassy warned us to stay away from was a short cut Jim was contemplating taking just as I sent the text. Finally, a full five hours after he began the ten mile drive home, Harriet, her sons and I were standing beside the car, welcoming Jim home. The Lord is good!

Adversity can either drive us apart or pull us together.

For the Prince of Peace, your friends, Jim and Kappy

The Face of  Ugandan Poverty

   Friends: It’s difficult to try to describe and bring before you in a few photos the reality and hardness of the extreme poverty that is all around us in Uganda. Recently as Jim drove through Nakawa slum after meeting with a pastor there the usual conditions and scenes of slum life seemed especially oppressive. Imagine if you will for a moment, living in the neighborhood pictured here. At the top left is a photo of your living area, one-room that measures about 8 feet by 8 feet square which is in a dilapidated and corroding  building that you share with perhaps up to 5 families and 50 people. Your building was previously a barracks and it was legally condemned as unfit for habitation well over 20 years ago. You, like the 2 schoolboys pictured at left, use the communal toilets numbered 1, 2, 3 and 6 as seen in the photo. Garbage is strewn throughout your yard and open sewers run past your window and in the walkways and streets. If you live in Nakawa slum you are likely a squatter, a refugee from the Kony war of the north in which your people were literally butchered, very likely to be HIV+ and probably unemployed, older and drink heavily. The bars in Nakawa are the liveliest businesses around. Your children like those pictured in the bottom photo might not go to public school because of a lack of school fees and they are often sick. Your roof leaks and the heavy floods that come in the rainy season cause your place to become a mud jungle. Life expectancy in the slum will be lower than the average for the country which is now about 51 years. Many feel that if they live to be 35 they have been given a long life. Malaria and malnutrition and ‘sleeping hungry’, that is, not having food, will take its toll on you. And perhaps in the gracious plan of a compassionate God your heart will be opened to the love of a suffering, dying Savior who was, like you, a poor man who was familiar with sorrows and acquainted with grief and who preached a gospel of peace to the poor and the impoverished in spirit. Surely that must be the poor man’s hope, the love of God that saves those who are utterly undone.

Mugabi Geoffrey, The Former Rasta 

   “One day I was staying with 2 brothers in Kazo after the death of my parents, who passed away in the year 1993 (my Father) and 2006-that is my Mom.  Then the money got lost in our house without knowing who stole the money. So they suspected me to be the thief and yet I wasn’t the one. There and then they chased me out of their house. I tried to look for the place where to go, I found no any place to go-then the situation forced me to go on to the street in the year 2008, May. The life was hard on the street, no shelter for resting, to get food, to wash and have bath and to sleep as well. Some of my friends on the street knew the shelter in Nsambya-its at Miracle of Faith Church led by Pastor Jim and other Christian people. I went with my friends and we were welcomed. They treated us good, counseled us and preached to me the Word of God, Jesus our Salvation. So I was convicted in my heart because of my sins to get saved there and then. I confessed to receive salvation in Kawala. Then I began changing in my heart. I cut my hair.”

   Geoffrey was a Rastafarian (a syncretistic, Abrahamic religion based in Jamaica and which advocates usage of marijuana) when we met him (see the top picture) and wore his uncut hair in dread locks. After his profession of faith in Christ he cut his hair (lower photo), a real transition point for him as he turned away from Rastafarianism. After a short time in prison Geoffrey recently returned to his village area where he is now living with and helping his Grandmother.
 

Geoffrey is one of the street kids that we are blessed to serve. Please pray today for him and for the many others that God brings to us. They have different stories but the common need of salvation in Christ and for someone to care for them, love them, and help them along their way in life. Thanks for your part in touching the lives of the kids with Christ’s gospel and compassionate care.

September 2009 Prayer Letter

“But David encouraged himself in the Lord.”
1 Samuel 30:6 KJV.   

   Friends: Greetings in the Lord to you all! May He encourage you in His grace today! Jim recently visited Rwanda and Principal Michael Gasare and his family (pictured at left) and taught at New Hope Bible College there. The Lord had put it upon Jim’s heart to share with Rwandese pastors about ‘The Solemn Assembly’ which is a worship service in which, as appropriate, public confession of sin and repentance is made. Many Rwandese struggle with the unresolved issues of the 1994 Genocide and worship in a ‘Solemn Assembly’ may be a useful help towards their repentance and reconciliation. We’re grateful to Richard Owen Roberts from whom we borrowed heavily in the ‘Solemn Assembly’ teaching. Please email us at: jkrobin@actionitl.org for more information about ‘The Solemn Assembly’. While serving in Rwanda Jim was very encouraged! In this Prayer Letter we want to share this recent encouragement that we have received which we hope will also be an encouragement to you. Pastor Michael’s church is pictured below and students at New Hope Bible College in the bottom photo. These students are mostly pastors who lead congregations numbering almost 6000 members. It was a joy to be with them and serve them! Michael sent the following encouragement to us:  

Dr Jim Robinette.

Greetings to you and Kappy and  let her know that  we pray for both of you in your mission in Africa.

Greetings and thanks to Christopher. Your presence at Hope Bible College was a big step and has marked very important teaching session we ever had. The quality of teaching were so practical, touching our spirit and mind, especially when it came to Solemn Assembly, Nurturing new life. Especially for the country like Rwanda that is undergoing the consequences of the genocide needs the proper repentance, peace with God, and be counted  righteous people. Myself was much blessed, and after deciding to organize the Solemn Assembly now four pastors among our students are ready to be helping and be part of the organizers and have requested me to think to pray with them they are willing to plan for the Solemn assembly in their churches, we are committed and therefore stand with us in prayers  as the November will be the exact month to implement the plan that will cause the revival in our churches here in Rwanda.

"I have discovered  the true way for the repentance and have seen it as the true way to be reconciled with my God again and will share it with my prayer team members" Said Gaspard.

"When it came to Solemn Assembly my heart got broken and had to review my relationship with Christ and decided to go and have true repentance of my sins. May God bless Jim" Said Boniface.

"The Nurturing of new Life will help me to give the orientation to my church members to have the organized steps of their salvation starting from myself . Thank you to Missionary Robinette" Said Egide.

"Women of this country Rwanda need to know the true repentance and proper forgiveness, not because simply to they have to do so, but hold it as truth Bible and of Jesus Christ." Said Winni. 

"Repentance and forgiveness has to be our daily custom as true Christians especially here in Rwanda, as we all suffer the consequences of the Genocide, and one of the way to heal the wounded hearts, and broken sprits is to mobilize all our people for Solemn Assembly as the results, the revival, hope and truth will reign in this country, as the blessing from God" said Emmanuel.

KAPPY’S CORNER —Mentoring Erin

          I made a list. In the first column was a list of con’s. In the second column was a list of pro’s. I had just been asked to mentor a Canadian Bible College student who had applied to intern with us for eight months. I started with the negatives because I was overwhelmingly negative about the whole idea. Without going into specifics, the list of reasons not to mentor added up to three things: me, myself and I. The list of positives added up to four things: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and Erin Rachel Spring. Jim said he believed in me. He knew I could do it. I wasn’t so sure.  I prayed. The Lord answered.

            I am having a very difficult time trying to put into words what eight months with Erin was like. First, I had a preconceived idea of the role of mentor. My definition involved teaching, counseling, evaluating, guiding, and coaching. It was a very clinical, detached picture I had in mind. I didn’t want that. Jim said, “Just be a friend to Erin.” “But look at this list of the mentor’s responsibilities and requirements!” I squeaked. “Kap, just trust the Lord”, my husband admonished. “He will guide you.”

            I gave the whole thing into the Lord’s hands. For starters, He had me begin praying for Erin immediately. I prayed as she was faced with challenges and took care of last-minute details in Canada. I prayed as she flew across two continents and the Atlantic Ocean. I prayed at the airport when it looked like everyone was off the plane and not one redhead with emerald green eyes had come through the door. (Erin is a blond with hazel eyes. Cyberspace apparently did something to the color of her photo.) 

            Luke Rienstra was serving with us at the time. The three of us spent some time just getting to know Erin. She was eager and excited to dig in and serve, with a focus on fitting into what we were doing. It was clear that this was going to be an enjoyable eight months. And it was from beginning to end.

            As for mentoring, according to my definition, I was to do all the teaching and Erin was to do all the learning. By my definition, I was to do all the giving and Erin was to do all the receiving. I was to do all the listening and Erin was to do all the talking. But that wasn’t God’s plan. He had things to teach both of us and He used a friendship full of give and take to do it. Again, I’m at a loss for words to describe what happened in my heart during those eight months. There was heart-warming and heart-rending. There was laughter and tears. We walked together. We shared meals. We shared a book. We shared time. We shared frustrations and joys. We prayed for each other...we still do.

            The best illustration I can give is that the Lord is writing a story of each of our lives as we live it. He wrote a chapter of Erin’s life while she was here and I became a part of her story. At the same time He wrote a chapter of my life while she was here and she became a part of my story. Those particular chapters ended when she flew back to Canada, but, as it is with chapters, one  usually leads to and connects with the next. Because Erin and I are Christian sisters we’re a part of God’s story and He’s not through writing yet. I’m looking forward to the chapters in Eternity! And, Erin, if you’re reading this, I want you to know I love you and I always will. I’m grateful God wrote me into your story and you into mine. And I’m forever grateful that we’re both a part of His story. 

   Friends, thanks very much for your part in this good work. We ask the Lord to encourage you as you serve Him. Let us find strength in the Lord’s Presence and therefore be encouraged in every aspect of our lives. Surely the worthy Lord will encourage us today as we draw near Him.

Love always in our Jesus, Jim and Kappy

   Friends: May the Lord of the Kingdom bless you today! The verse cited above communicates so well the truth that we are called to share the truth with others freely and widely as a man would scatter seed on the ground and that somehow in His mighty power the Lord causes the seed of the Word to grow and sinners are saved, though we don’t know exactly how God brings eternal life through His word to us needy people. Surely this process is a mystery to us but we rejoice to see God’s fruitful work through the sharing of His truth.  

   In June I visited friends that we met in Zambia in 2004. The family pictured above blessed us in many ways. Their compassion for needy children and young people has brought them to take in about 10 orphans into their home. The husband is also the pastor of a fervent and growing church in Emmasdale, their women’s choir is pictured in the photo to the direct right.

   We were told that God blessed the ministry that we did with this church in Zambia’s Eastern province in 2004 and that new churches were planted and that hundreds of baptisms occurred in these churches as a result of the work. We are encouraged to continue to bring the Word to many! May the Lord of the Kingdom produce a glorious and large harvest for His honor!!! The pastor and his wife adopted a street boy who had professed faith in Christ and their new son, Clement, continues to be a blessing to them and to the church. Please see Clement’s story in this Prayer Letter. Please pray for our caring and unselfish friends who daily seek to glorify the King!

   We are encouraged by the following comment made by Mukiibi, a condemned prisoner in Jinja prison: I would wish to express my inner appreciation for the Bible Reading Guide that you sent to me in March to read the Bible in a year. Please it is helping me so much and I say thank you very, very much and may God reward you for it.” Pray for Mukiibi and the imprisoned youth we serve weekly. Pictured to the immediate right are some of the tens of thousands of books that we received courtesy of Christian Salvage Mission and ACTION. We are distributing the Christian books to pastors and churches and are forming regional libraries now. Pray for God to impact lives as He touched Kappy through the blessing of a very old Christian book.  Please pray for Harriett and Carolyn who are ministering to prostitutes on Sunday afternoons in Kabalagala, a nearby area that has a prominent red-light district. Their work is challenging but they are quite determined and we feel that some of the women will be changed by the transforming Word. We were blessed by Erin Spring’s work with us in Kampala. She especially blessed the street kid ministry. Erin was with us for 8 months and has now returned home to Canada. She’s pictured to the right with some of her friends. Ask God for His grace for Erin and that He will send more workers into the abundant harvest here in Uganda.  

 
KAPPY’S CORNER —The Yellow Book

            The shipment of books from Christian Salvage Mission, canada, had arrived. in the open banana carton in front of me was a book with ragged pages and a frayed yellow cloth binding.  The feel of the book in my hand told it was very old. The black type on the spine reads, The Light of Japan, by A. Arnold. A history book with a history, it’s an account of the Christian Church missions to the islands of Japan between 1859 and 1905. The book was published by Church Missions Publishing Company in 1906 in Hartford, Connecticut, and was loaned in 1966 by its owner, Joseph Cannon of Okinawa, to the Great Lakes Christian College Library. The book was eventually donated to CSM, loaded into a container in Canada, and transported by sea and land to Kampala, Uganda. I just finished reading this book, cutting uncut pages as I went. This book has existed for 103 years but I’m the first one to read it from cover to cover.

                        On these brittle pages are printed the accounts of men and women of Great Britain, Canada and America who took the gospel to Japan, started churches, established orphanages and boys’ and girls’ schools, and provided medical care and love to lepers. They worked under heavy restrictions from the government. An atmosphere of suspicion of foreigners hung in the air. Failing health and the Civil War in America turned some back to their homelands. But there was fruit.

                        The illustration on the cover is of the Cape Inuboe Lighthouse and was chosen for the story behind it. The head lighthouse keeper was a Japanese believer who faithfully brought the gospel to the men who were stationed at the lighthouse. His assistants were changed frequently, so the headman had many new opportunities. When people came to tour the lighthouse during the summer months he presented the gospel to the groups who waited for their turn to climb the steps to the top. There are other accounts of Japanese believers. When, in the late 1800’s, the missionaries arrived in Nagasaki, they were encouraged to find believers there, two hundred years after the initial missions were established. The few believers had passed their faith in Christ down through the generations, even though the persecution in the 17th century was severe. A work was resumed there. The war with China (1894-1895) provided an opportunity as well to minister to injured Japanese soldiers. Hiroshima had been made a  base of military operations. The injured were brought there but moved elsewhere when they were sufficiently healed.

                       It was while I was reading of the ministries in Nagasaki and Hiroshima that I was hit with a shock. When the book was written in 1905 no one could have known of the devastation that would result to those two cities when the bombs would fall just forty years later. I thought of the Japanese people I had met in the pages of this book. I studied their faces in the black and white photographs. Some of them would have been alive at the time of the bombing. No doubt there were some who had been prepared for death by receiving the gospel given by the faithful witness of missionaries God had sent for that purpose—missionaries, like us, who had no idea what the future held. God’s plan is unfolding day by day, minute by minute, but we don’t see the big picture. We can’t. But we can trust the One who sees the beginning from the end. He is in control. What peace this brings to a believing heart. Christ is the future.  ~Thank you, CSM and ACTION, for the books.

I will write about my experience with Erin Spring next month. Stay tuned. 

   Friends, thanks so much for your faithful prayers and gifts. We are weathering the recession well as your giving to this work hasn’t diminished. May God bless you, dear friends, for your faithfulness.

   Action International has  requested that we mention to you about giving opportunities for Christmas 2009. While it is yet very early, please prayerfully consider how you can help needy Africans as we celebrate the Lord’s incarnation.

  With sincere love and thanks and because of the Truth,

Jim and Kappy

‘LET US GO UP AT ONCE AND POSSESS IT’

“C.T. Studd launched ‘the New Crusade’ to unevangelized lands. A year after his death in 1931, in face of mountainous difficulties, the vanguard of a new army began marching out to many fields. A cartoon of the first ten was drawn by Nr. Charlton Smith, which he has superimposed on the last photo of the old warrior.”*
 

*From Norman Grubb’s After C.T. Studd; Sequel to the life of the famous Pioneer-Missionary  

   Pictured here is another blessing that we found in a donated book from Canada. It’s an encouragement about the zealous and determined Missionary C.T. Studd who served and died in Africa in his last years. May the Lord also make us committed and fervent in spirit in the King’s service in the face of the many challenges of our times.

“God be merciful to us and bless us,” Psalm 67:1 NKJV

    Greetings to you all in the Lord’s mercies today! One mercy from the Lord that we have recently enjoyed is that Kappy is back home in Uganda!!!  She arrived June 17th after about 5 weeks of visiting family and friends in the USA. We both saw that God blessed us and used us both during her journey but we are very glad that she is home now!!! On June 18th we celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and then on June 22nd Jim flew to Lusaka, Zambia to meet with the Action Zambia team to observe the operation of their ACTION Bible Institute. Jim was blessed by the hospitality of friends Tracy and Karen Singleton and thoroughly enjoyed the time in Lusaka—more about that next month as God wills. We both felt that God stretched, taught, blessed and enabled us during our time apart—we are refreshed by our visits and thank God for His merciful plan for us.

  On June 20th we enjoyed a day with about 150 street kids in downtown Kampala. It was a good day of ministry and sharing. Pictured in the top photo are some of the boys playing football with the city skyline visible in the background. The boys ranged in age from probably about 8 to 25 years and they enjoyed a gospel time with sermon by Pastor Kenneth, a time of watching films about Jesus in Luganda, rest, football, conversations, a good meal, encouragement and hope. There were professions of faith made. One of the boys, Farouk, came to our Day Shelter and recently professed faith in the merciful Lord. Please pray for Farouk. It was a good time of meeting new kids and inviting them to our on-going work of mercy with street kids with our partner Miracle of Faith Church of Nsambya. We all had a great time together! Because the Lord has shown mercy to us we must show mercy to the kids. We called the day a mini-camp. Thanks so much for your prayers and gifts which enable us to serve the needy kids, love them and bring them the Word of Truth!

   On June 3rd we met with Sunday School teachers who had led their students in the evangelistic Bible study that we use called ‘Steps To Victory’. Some of the teachers and their leader/pastor Sunday Kafeero are pictured below at Glad Tidings Bible College in Kampala. By the Lord’s mercies we completed 1,152 of these Bible studies in June. We also awarded the students New Testaments upon comphe booksletion of the studies. About 25 teachers worked in churches and public schools, both primary and secondary level schools, and Jim led a group of about 300 youth in the study at one meeting. We are so pleased with this work as the participants clearly receive the gospel and are encouraged to trust Christ in the teaching times (3 to 9 hours of instruction generally). The participants then receive their New Testament and are encouraged to share what they have learned with their families and friends, to attend a church and to learn more about Jesus. We also try to encourage Christian school teachers to begin Bible Clubs in the school where we conduct the study. There have been studies completed and Bible Clubs started in schools in various parts of Uganda. Please pray that we can reach many more young people through these studies.
 

KAPPY’S CORNER —What am I?

I had just deplaned at the airport in Entebbe, Uganda. “What am I?” I asked the nearest uniformed airport employee. I had three choices: 1) Resident; 2) Visitor; 3) Other/Visa. I stood in all three lines before I had the answer.

An absentee ballot sat on my desk in Kampala. “What am I?” I asked my husband. “I have three choices: 1) a member of the United States Service or Spouse/Dependent; 2) a citizen of the United States temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the United States; 3) a non-resident civilian citizen.” Jim assured me I was a number three. I marked my “x” and sealed the envelope for delivery to the American Embassy.

 
Jim and I were at the Immigration Service in Uganda. We had come to check on the status of my work permit renewal. After visiting several offices that day we left without it. What am I? I’m an alien.

I was strapped into my seat on a flight to America with a customs form on the tray table in front of me. The form required me to state my occupation. There were no multiple choices. It was an essay question. “What am I?” I asked myself. I started a mental list: wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, missionary, mentor, writer, part-time secretary, mailing clerk…. I settled on missionary; it fit into the space.

 
Some years ago, Jesus set me apart as His own. Still, there have been times when I’ve asked, “Lord, what am I? If I’m really yours why do I do some of the things I do and think some of the things I think?” Be that as it may, He is working every moment of every day to make me more like Himself. Of all the things I am, the Great I Am gave me an identity that will never change. Other occupations and categories will some day end but I will always be His child, the bride of Christ, His chosen one, co-heir of His inheritance, the object of His love. This will never be  taken away from me. What a wonder...that the Lord of lords would want me with Him for all eternity, but it’s true.

 
A sign in the airport reads, ”Do you have anything to declare?” Yes, I declare that Jesus is my Savior and I love Him!

By the Lord’s mercy, Jim and Kappy

June 2009 Prayer Letter

“The little children were brought to Him…”
Matthew 19:13 NKJV

  Greetings to you all this June, friends! We trust this finds you well! At the time of this writing Kappy is visiting family and friends in the USA-she should be home in Uganda about June 16 as God wills. Jim is very ready for her return home!! We both plan to return to the West for furlough in 2011 as God intends. Please pray for our sister Carole and brother Brad in the USA that God will grant them His healing mercies.  

  Ministry continues by His mercy. In this issue we’ll talk about a recent 1-Day Mini-Camp for Children which was held May 20th in Zirobwe village. Perhaps as many as 1200 or more children attended. Our goal was to love the kids and tell them about Jesus Christ who receives children and calls out to them to entrust their lives to Him. Pictured to the left above is a lorry that we hired to bring in kids from a neighboring village about 5 kms away. And below that kids that jammed the meeting hall are pictured; many remained outside during the almost rainless and mostly sunny day-that was an answer to prayer as we are in the midst of a rainy season. The day ended with a ‘sweetie’, that’s candy, which was shared with the kids. The gospel ministry time began with singing and guitar music and then Sister Kristin who stands about 5’0” tall preached the gospel to the kids-she’s pictured to the right. Kristin is able to raise her voice loudly so that everyone heard the Good News and Bible Teaching. She has great zeal for the Lord and she connected with the kids so well! To the left below is Brother Vincent Sebitosi, a school-teacher, who blessed us all with his ministry to the kids-his own kids also received that blessing! And pictured to the right bottom is Sister Harriett who with her volunteer helpers fixed a good meal of potatoes, beef and soup, that’s sauce, and rice for the many kids. The kids also saw a film entitled “The Story of JESUS for Children” in Luganda, their heart-language. The day was a blessing! All went well until the end, when as is customary, the kids mobbed us for the remaining food and candy. The Ugandans don’t seem to mind this. In fact, it seems to be almost a required part of an Outreach like this! Pray for His grace for us that we won’t mind the mobbing so much! Many of the kids and those parents who attended actually were laughing and enjoying the ‘usual mobbing’-perhaps it’s something cultural!? But all in all, God gave us His grace to serve the gospel and compassionate care to the children. Our next Mini-Camp will be to Street Kids in Kampala we think; ask the Lord to grace us for that soon-upcoming service!

  Jim visits Action Zambia and friends there for 1 week at the end of June-please pray that time will be useful as we want to learn about ACTION’s Bible Institute there; it may be God’s will that we begin such an Institute in Kampala. Please pray. We recently returned Street Kid Denis to his home. Denis writes: “Am Denis Kimanje, 17 years old. I thank God for the Day Shelter at Miracle of Faith Church. They have been helpful to me after being a Street Kid for 2 years. They preached to me the Word of God and I got saved. I was also baptized. And now I have decided to go back to my relatives, Uncle and my Auntie. May God bless Pastor Jim, Uncle David and all the staff members who have been feeding me and teaching me. Am Denis.” Friends, thanks sincerely for your heartfelt prayer and gifts by which we are reaching the Children and Youth! May God abundantly bless you!!!! 

  Thanks to all who prayed and gave toward our 2009 Book and Literature Distribution. The Shipping Container with about 30,000 volumes of books should arrive in Kampala in mid-June. Please continue to pray that God will bring much good to His church through the books, literature and materials that we should soon receive. Pray for an easy, inexpensive clearance of the Container through customs. Please mark the enclosed Response Form and include your gift toward this work as God leads you to friends. We thank the Lord for you!

KAPPY’S CORNER —Out of Place

 
We were driving down a  narrow corridor cut through the equatorial forest. I was breathing in the freshness of the cool moist air, peering into the lush green depths, marveling at the silence, overwhelmed by the sense of antiquity, when a Ugandan friend said, “Many people died here.” This beautiful place of peace is filled with the skulls of people who were the victims of an attempted genocide. My anger flashed. How dare they? How dare they murder those created in God’s image. How could they corrupt the beauty God created? Another thought comes on its tail. How dare I? Who am I? A sinner saved by grace. Am I better than the killers? Doesn’t God condemn all sin?

 
God calls me to love friend and enemy alike. Even those who have committed terrible atrocities can be saved by God’s grace and forgiven of their sins. Jesus knows what I was, up to the moment He saved my soul. He knows what I am now. He knows the thoughts and intents of my heart. He tells me in His word that if I am angry with my brother I will be liable to judgment, just as any murderer. How can I tell someone about God’s mercy if I am unmerciful? Anger and hatred are as out of place in a heart saved by grace as is mass murder in a lush tropical forest.

 
Forgive me, Lord. Help me to speak the truth in love with a sincere and pure heart. Give me grace to show mercy to the unmerciful, to live at peace where there is no peace, to preach your gospel to the lost at any cost. Give me boldness to spread the Good News to those who haven’t heard. Amen.  

For the Children and Youth, Jim and Kappy

May 2009 Prayer Letter

“the pillar and ground of the truth.”
1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV.

Friends: It’s our pleasure to share with you again this month. May 11th marks Kappy’s 60th birthday. We thank the Lord for His kind providence which enables us to share her birthday and these days of joyful ministry in Africa! We share with friends here that we would be glad to serve the Lord in Africa for many more years, if He wills. May He fulfill His good plan regarding that.
 
We finished up our Life Application Study Bible Conferences by completing conferences and distributions of the LASB at Westminster Theological College, African Bible University and All Nations Bible College. At All Nations Jim’s former students Christopher and Isaac helped with the teaching. We taught and distributed Bibles to a total of 1200 pastors, church leaders and Bible college students and staff since we began the conferences on March 17. Thanks much to all who prayed and gave for this work. Please continue to make supplication that the Bibles will be very helpful and useful and will certainly result in conversions and better doctrine for the churches and ministries who have received one. We must again thank Bonnie Cain of Tyndale House Publishers, Doug Nichols, Randy Alcorn, Rod Pence and Bruce Ingram who especially blessed us by their special contributions to the LASB Conferences.

Now we are enjoying the good work of assisting churches in church planting! Puritan William Jenkyn writes about the origin of the Church: “The church comes out of Christ’s side in the sleep of His death.” Pictured above is Pastor Salim Kakooza, a longtime friend of ours, next to a shelter which is near the building where the church meets. We worked together with Salim’s church, Friends of Christ Church, to plant a church in Mytiana District on what until recently was his father’s land. His father had passed on and the land became Salim’s. The land is in Kito village and there isn’t another Bible church for some miles. Kito means ‘young’ or ‘to grow up’ in Luganda. We hope and pray that this church will grow up to be a lighthouse for the village and area. Salim’s land has the potential to produce maize and other crops and will benefit the church in many ways. Salim says: ‘The land is good. The growth potential is good.’ He sees that the church is ‘a good investment in the Kingdom’ that he hopes ‘will live after him and will bring eternal reward’. We hope to assist Salim in planting another church in Zirobwe village soon. Pray that God will bless these efforts to bring the gospel to areas in need of Bible churches.  Pictured below are (from left to right) Pastor Bosco, Obadiah, and Pastor Jolly Joe Opio of Reconciliation Community Church of Nakawa, a church we helped plant in 2005. Pastor Jolly Joe saw that there is a need for a Bible church in his home village in Amalotar District. So we went there recently and strengthened the church through teaching and evangelism. We crossed Lake Kyoga (pictured on Page 2) in a local ‘engine boat.’ In Amalotar we visited people in their homes and businesses, passed out Gospel Tracts to hundreds of people, taught in an evangelism seminar, and preached in the open air to hundreds. We hope to further assist a 14 year old boy who has epilepsy and who has suffered brain damage. His family says he acts like a ‘piglet’. Epilepsy is a common disease here and it’s not often treated; it’s confused with demon possession usually. There were professions of faith in Christ made in Mytiana and Amalotar. There are about 60 people attending these new churches now. Pray for God’s guidance and blessing for the pastors and churches, please. We hope to assist Pastor Jolly Joe in another church planting effort soon. We hope to assist in the planting of 7 churches in 2009 if our Father wills. Your prayers and gifts are so vitally necessary in this work; thanks sincerely for your part in this ministry!

KAPPY’S KORNER —Markers

A highway stretches from the city of Kampala to the international airport in Entebbe, Uganda. At intervals along the highway there are concrete posts marking the number of kilometers still to be traveled before reaching the airport. It’s helpful, isn’t it, to know how far you’ve come and how far you have left to go?

The month of May is a marker for me in several ways. First, it’s my birthday...and a big one this year. Second, it’s the first anniversary of the theft here at this house. The theft brought about changes. We have had guards day and night for the past year. And we had security bars installed in the windows and doors. Other changes aren’t as readily visible. The theft started me on a muddy road of mixed emotions. I was fearful. I grieved the losses. One heirloom piece that was stolen had belonged to my grandfather, then to my father and finally to me, when my father gave it to me in memory of my son. Although I’ve accepted the losses, I still grieve. Next, I was angry, suspicious of the neighbors, bitter and resentful. I read a book on self-defense and in my heart I almost dared the thief to return, imagining what I would do to defend myself and property. At the same time, I knew more than ever before that the Lord wanted us right here to do His work. Although I daydreamed about going to a special place that always seemed to quiet my heart from childhood, I knew leaving at that time was not an option. All the while the Lord was working gently and quietly in my heart.

Shortly after the break-in the Lord directed my attention to the Book of Jonah. I was not unfamiliar with the book. I enjoyed telling the adventure of Jonah and the Big Fish numerous times to my wide-eyed preschool Sunday school classes many years ago. But until this last year I hadn’t taken a serious look at what the book actually says about the heart. The Book of Jonah isn’t so much about a mission as it is about a missionary and God’s determination to use that missionary for His glory. In short, God tells Jonah to go. Jonah goes...in the opposite direction. God stops Jonah with a storm, then sends a big fish to swallow him, saving him from drowning. Inside the fish Jonah prays a prayer of thanksgiving to God for saving him. God has the fish vomit Jonah onto dry land. Again God tells Jonah to go. Jonah obeys with his feet and his mouth but not with his heart. God’s mission is accomplished, even though Jonah didn’t want it to be, and the people of Nineveh repent. God has compassion and doesn’t destroy them after all. Jonah leaves the road, stomps up the hill, builds a lean-to and sits in it waiting for what God said He wouldn’t do. And here’s what spoke to my heart. God could have left Jonah in that condition, but because He loves him and has compassion on him He begins to ask questions that lead Jonah (and me) to a deeper understanding of what God is about. Is it right to be angry, Jonah? You had compassion for a plant, Jonah. Shouldn’t I have compassion on those made in My own image? 

What’s more important, plants or people? What’s more important, the things that were stolen or the soul of the thief, a man made in God’s own image? God, in His compassion, didn’t leave Jonah where he was and He didn’t leave me where I was, either. And so we travel on, counting the markers on the Lord’s highway to Glory, sharing His love and compassion with those along the way.

“For I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” (Jonah 4:2 ESV)

Joyful in the church, Jim and Kappy

“Your word is truth.”
John 17:17 NKJV.

Friends: Greetings once again in the Lord’s wonderful name! We’re especially rejoicing in His mercies and grace these days as we have just enjoyed a marvelous blessing from our Lord in our recent Life Application Bible Conferences. The brother from African Bible University pictured at the top left expresses well the overwhelming response to the Bible Conferences. Joy, grace, thankfulness and blessing describe the times the Lord gave us! There’s so much to share but we hope to write more next month as we have two remaining Bible Conferences scheduled. Pray that His blessing continues as we serve with: Westminster Theological College and All Nations Bible College and Theological Seminary. We’ve distributed about 1000 Life Application Study Bibles to pastors, church leaders and Bible college students in 6 Conferences thus far. The largest (pictured to the immediate left) was in Bwaise for about 420 pastors. Pastors and missionaries Bruce Ingram and Rod Pence joined us from Seattle, WA and taught during the day-long Conferences. These brothers also traveled over 300km to Gulu, Uganda and shared in teaching times with pastors from that area and distributed the LASB there. Bruce and Rod edified and encouraged us with their teaching, preaching, support and fellowship! Pray for Bruce and his family as his 94-year old Mother went to be with our Lord while he served with us in Uganda. A particularly timely Bible Conference was held at Reformed Theological College (pictured at the immediate left) where fellow missionaries from Korea and attendees from 11 countries blessed us and we all enjoyed the delightful atmosphere of joy and encouragement. The missionaries there had been praying for years for the exact Bible that we gave them as their curriculum requires the LASB. They had been unable to acquire the LASB until the Lord connected us all. (Bruce is pictured teaching at RTC on page 2.)  Study Bibles are so beneficial to pastors and leaders in Africa because the people have very few books, often with little hope of acquiring what we would consider a minimal and basic ministerial library in the West—books are very expensive and difficult to obtain here. To have a Bible dictionary, concordance, commentary and study helps in one book, a Study Bible, is to have a rare treasure. At the Church of God Conference we shared the LASB with top military leaders (a colonel and general) in the Ugandan Army who had gathered for a Chaplaincy course there. Pray that the Christians who were trained there will form an effective chaplaincy corps—a first for Uganda. The National Overseer and District Overseers of the Church of God Uganda and the Superintendent for East Africa for the Churches of God also received the LASB. One pastor at Bwaise said that the LASB he received was the second Bible he has owned; 24 years ago an American missionary gave him his first Bible (he later became a pastor) and then another American missionary gave him his second Bible, the LASB. He expects this one to last him the remainder of his life. One pastor sent us this message on our cell phone: “Rev. Jim, praise Jesus. Thanks for the Study Bible. It’s now my precious gift and I treasure it so much.”

At the bottom of this page we’ve included an email that we sent to Doug Nichols, ACTION’s founder. An American pastor and author blessed us with a large gift that covered all of the expenses for the conferences. We thank the Lord that He so graciously provided and ACTION had the funds to purchase the 1200 LASB Bibles. Much thanks to you all who prayed and gave for this gracious work!

KAPPY’S KORNER —The Plate

Many years ago, my mother taught me never to return a plate empty. Today I’m remembering something I said about a plate when this missionary adventure began. I don’t remember my exact words, even though I said them whenever the opportunity arose, but the gist of it was this: “I am a housewife. I have always wanted to be a housewife. To stay at home, wherever that home may be, to take care of my husband, to keep our home in order and  to open our home to others is the ministry the Lord has given me. However, I will receive whatever else the Lord puts on my plate.”  Doesn’t that sound brave?

In the last two years the Lord has been putting interesting things on my plate.  In fact, the Lord presented me with something new late last year. My first response was to stare at my plate for a bit, reluctant to take the first bite, but with a little encouragement I took a nibble. I found the Lord’s fare absolutely delicious. I’m happily mentoring Erin, a godly Bible college student from Canada. One of my responsibilities as her mentor is to serve with her and observe her. In order to do this I must leave the comfort of our nest. And so I found myself at a Life Application Study Bible Conference helping with the registration of around two hundred people. I must admit, an all day event like that is a physical challenge for me, but I looked at those the Lord called me to serve with that day, people with limitations more demanding than my own who had come a long way and made big sacrifices to be there. There is such joy in serving the Lord alongside others who love Him. The Lord of Love was present in that unfinished building. His glory was shining in the faces of the pastors and the others in attendance. And at the end, when the pastors received their Bibles, the sense of blessing was overwhelming.

All of this brings me to this thought: How can we not serve and love our Creator when we see how much He loves us? How can we not love and serve those made in His image? Our obedience comes from a glimpse of His glory. And now I realize, not only does He put things on my plate, He gives me the plate to begin with. As my mother taught me, I will not return this plate empty.

Lord, You have my thanks; You have my love; I give You the glory...and next time please bring me a platter full!

“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.” 

(Psalm 81:10 LASB)

At the bottom of this page we’ve included an email that we sent to Doug Nichols, ACTION’s founder. An American pastor and author blessed us with a large gift that covered all of the expenses for the conferences. We thank the Lord that He so graciously provided and ACTION had the funds to purchase the 1200 LASB Bibles. Much thanks to you all who prayed and gave for this gracious work!

Rejoicing in the truth,
Jim and Kappy

“Your word is truth.”
John 17:17 NKJV

Friends: Greetings in the Lord’s kindness to you all today! By His mercies we are glad to share with you in this issue about our upcoming Bible conferences for pastors and Bible college students which will begin in March and continue through April. A friend at Tyndale House Publishers told us about these available Bibles in 2007 and about another ministry that we could partner with to bring the Bibles to Uganda. The Bibles, 1200 of them, were shipped to Uganda in early 2008. We had originally planned to have large Bible conferences and distribute the Bibles later in 2008 but we were delayed as the partner ministry was not able to come to Uganda to conduct the conferences. But recently a break-through occurred in which ACTION purchased the Bibles and so we are now free to distribute the needed resource of the Study Bibles. We are focusing on pastors and Bible college students who can read English well and are generally better disciplined. At the time of this writing we are mobilizing the attendees and the response is very good! Our first conference is planned for possibly up to 500 pastors in Bwaise, a large and heavily-populated area of Kampala. The next day we will have a conference at Reformed Theological Seminary for possibly 120 students. The principal there told me that the week before I spoke to him about the conference that his staff had decided to use the very Bible that we are distributing for all their classes if possible. They had a problem, however, as the Life Application Study Bible, the Bible they chose and the one we are distributing, was way, way out of their budget. We saw the Lord’s timing and provision as the principal and I talked and he was quite excited that his students would receive this particular Bible, what he thought of as ‘a wonderful resource’. We will also bless that Bible college and 2 others with commentary sets based on the Life Application Study Bible.  The Bible has been called ‘a Bible college in a book.’ We are excited about this outreach! And our friends here are very excited that they will be blessed by such a wonderful resource. We have 2 pastors, and possibly others, who will travel to Uganda to assist with the teaching and distribution of the Bibles in day-long conferences. The day will start about 9 AM with a light breakfast and then the teaching and discussion sessions will begin. We will focus on how to use the Study Bible. We plan to cover topics like: Some Challenges in Understanding and Applying Scripture, The Importance of Scripture, God’s Orders to Pastors, The Holy Spirit and Bible Study and Interpretation Guidelines and the Life Application Study Bible Can Help. Pastor Bruce Ingram who personally uses the LASB has blessed us with these teaching topics and material and Bruce will be our first visiting pastor to arrive in Kampala. A good lunch will be provided followed by more teaching and discussion sessions, fellowship, praise and then the actual handover of the Bibles. We should finish up the conferences about 5 PM. Please pray with us that this large effort will abundantly bless the Ugandan pastors and students and through them the Bible-believing church of Uganda in a significant way. We will have attendees from throughout Uganda and so we hope for far-reaching, good effect also. As God wills you can give to this outreach by indicating on the Response Form that your gift is to be used for this work.

We are excited that we can be used of the Lord to bring the Scripture to the pastors, students and churches in this way. Because the Lord’s Word is the truth, we are blessed to deliver the precious truth which saves and sanctifies God’s people. Pray that the Spirit will bless and guide and powerfully touch all as we bring His blessed Word to the churches.

“Compare Scripture with Scripture. False doctrines, like false witnesses, 
agree not among themselves.”
Puritan William Gurnall

We’ve learned that our friend Rosemary Amony who we thought to be HIV+ some years ago had false HIV test results. We’ve discovered that she was in reality HIV free though she had repeated positive tests and was treated for HIV for years. Praise God for His mercy! She continues to witness effectively to the HIV infected as she remembers how she felt when she was convinced that she had the disease.

KAPPY’S KORNER —Snickerdoodles

The morning I found my bookcase under siege things began to change. First, my plans for the day were drastically altered. Every book had to be pulled from the bookcase. The first one I grabbed was a small hardbound volume, a honeymoon gift from Jim. It was crusty with red-brown termite stuff and the enemies were still crawling around inside the cover. “This is war!” I declared. After I swept and sprayed the bookcase and the corner it was in, I searched each book for anything that moved. I shined a flash light into the spine of each hardbound book, thanked the Lord for the paperbacks and turned every page of each book. The battle raged until noon—but the victory was won.

An interesting thing happened while I was fighting the termites. While turning pages, I started reading books I’d forgotten I had. I’ve again read the volume Jim gave me. The edges of the pages are lacey with tiny bite-marks and corners of the cover are missing—gives it a kind of an antiqued look—but the words are all there. It means more to me now, having nearly lost it. I’ve started reading a great book given to me by a friend a while back, a book I had previously judged by its cover (and we all know you can’t do that). And, hey! We’re enjoying “snickerdoodles” around here because of a Christmas book I’d forgotten about. Enjoy!

SNICKERDOODLES

1/2 CUP SHORTENING OR BUTTER, SOFTENED

3/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR

1 EGG

1 1/4 CUPS FLOUR

1/4 TEASPOON SALT

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

1 TEASPOON CREAM OF TARTAR [BAKING POWDER ALSO WORKS]

CINNAMON AND SUGAR, MIXED

Cream together shortening (or butter) and sugar. Beat in egg. Sift together all dry ingredients except cinnamon/sugar mixture and stir into creamed mixture. Refrigerate for one hour. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in cinnamon and sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 400 F (200 C) for 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet. Makes 2 dozen.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (ESV)

Trusting in the truth,

Jim and Kappy

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed,”
Matthew 13:31 NKJV

Friends: Greetings once again, by the Lord’s grace, to you all! February 28th marks our 5th year in Africa and 4.5 years in Kampala, Uganda. We thank God for the rich opportunity he has given us to serve in Africa. We have many wonderful memories of how God has blessed us in His grace. One such memory is a recent trip to Jinja, Uganda and the Source of the Nile River. Kappy and I are pictured there in the photo to the left. Friends from our church in Chicago, Grace Community Bible Church, arrived for a visit in early January. Pastor David Sunday and his son Nate and Larry LaBorn from GCBC and Luke and Erin, our short-term missionaries, and Kappy and I enjoyed an outing at the Source of the Nile-we are all pictured at the bottom right. Pastor David preached at a large church in Kampala and that blessed us also-see below, upper photo to the right.
 

We are encouraged by recent testimonies of Ugandan friends about how the Lord is working in their lives. Like a mustard seed which is the least of all seeds but which when planted grows and becomes a large tree, we’re seeing God’s multiplying work in our friends’ lives. Miriam, who professed faith after listening to our radio sermons, shared with us recently that her mother, sister and brother have professed faith in the Lord and are attending worship services. We were able to witness to Miriam’s mother last year as she was hospitalized; please pray for her as she is still ill. Miriam’s family recently shared with me that her witness has touched them deeply . So the gospel comes to an individual and as God wills, He works through His word and by His Spirit He brings His chosen people to faith and repentance. And the exciting thing is that the gospel doesn't just stop at that point but God works through His new converts and blesses their witness and as He wills their family and friends come to Christ. We are very excited to consider the great work God is constantly doing as we simply walk with Him by faith, show His lovingkindness, and tell about His saving love to all who will believe in Him! And the kingdom must grow, one by one God is saving His people and He is enlarging His kingdom of grace. What may appear small in the world has great results! Praise the Lord!!! We are so blessed to sow, reap and harvest with you dear friends! God is working through us all as we pray, give, serve, encourage and minister! Glory to His name! Several other friends have seen their family members come to Christ. See “Ruth’s Witness”. We thank the Lord!

Pray, friends, that God will bring salvation and growth as we continue in ministry to: Children and Youth in Bible Clubs in public schools and  

                         Sunday schools
                         Street Kids
                         Church Planting
                         HIV/AIDS Outreach
                         Prison Ministry and Youth Prison Ministry
                         Pastoral Leadership Development
                         Radio Ministry
                         Itinerant Preaching and Teaching

Pray, too about large Pastor Training Conferences for 1200 pastors to be held in April or May as God wills. Please mark the included Response Form if you would like to give to this outreach. Each attendee will receive a Life Application Study Bible which will be of significant help to them and their ministries. Pray, too, as we hope to enlarge our Street Boy Outreach as another church soon begins a Day Shelter for Street Kids as God wills. Continue to pray about our hope to establish a Ministry Center and Center for the Homeless in Kampala. 

 “Grace is not native but donative.” Puritan William Jenkyns

KAPPY’S KORNER —The Education

Following the burglary last May, it has been necessary for us to have guards day and night. For some weeks it fell to me to buy and cook the food for our guards. It was a joyous day for me when our friend Harriet moved into the “Outback” in our compound to take over that responsibility. With her came the two youngest of her three sons, Howard (13) and Derek (9). On January first,  Pastor David Sunday, his thirteen-year-old son Nate and our friend Larry LaBorn were in the air. They were on their way from the State of Illinois in America to encourage their missionaries in Uganda (the McFarlands and the Robinettes). Nate would stay with me at times when his dad, Larry and Jim were involved elsewhere. As I prayed for our friends a plan hatched in my brain. I decided to make Nate’s visit a memorable, educational experience for all—Nate, Howard and Derek.

The moment arrived when the three young guys sat in the shade in front of our house. They had been playing some serious football/soccer and it was time for a break and a cold drink. Seizing the opportunity, I took a book about the cultures and traditions of Uganda and sat down with them. Harriet and her sons are of the Alur tribe by ancestry, so I opened the book to the chapter about their tribe. “We are here,” I said pointing to a spot on the map about one hundred miles east of our actual location. Then I pointed to the shaded area (the only markings on the map) in northwestern Uganda that the Alur call their traditional home. We talked about some of the traditions of the tribe and shared the legend of the split between the two brothers, Nyapir and Labongo, resulting in the formation of the Alur and Acholi tribes, divided by the Nile River. It’s a fascinating story that took Harriet about fifteen minutes to tell me one day. I told the Reader’s Digest version. Howard helped me with details and pronunciation of names. Then it was back to football for the guys.

A few days later, the team (Jim, Kappy, Luke and Erin) accompanied our visitors to the Source of the Nile near Jinja (the very spot I had mistakenly pointed to on the map several days earlier). I was eager to show everyone where the Equator could be seen in Lake Victoria from our tour boat. Four years ago we had a guide who showed us a clearly demarcated “line” crossing the water. Our new guide informed us that the Equator crosses the lake about eighty miles south of the spot where we were bobbing and we couldn’t possibly see it from there. Never-the-less we had a wonderful day with a drive through the forest (both ways) and many great photos of birds, fishermen, bats and ourselves, among other things.

Pastor David, Nate and Larry are back in America now. We know their mission was successful. We were encouraged by them and we remain encouraged. And my mission? I believe it was accomplished in spite of me. God has a way of doing that. It was His plan after all. Howard still talks about Nate’s visit. Nate’s mother Kate has written that she can tell he enjoyed the trip and the people and was stretched in a good way. Still, I’m not sure who got the most education, the boys or me. 

In His living and growing kingdom of grace,

Jim and Kappy

“And there are diversities of activities,
but it is the same God who works all in all.”
1 Corinthians 12:6 NKJV.

Friends: A blessed 2009 to you all! May our God pour out His abundant grace and blessings on us all this new year. How good the Lord has been to work through us in 2008! It’s our joy to share with you in this edition about God’s work through us in our Christmas Outreaches 2008. In all of the activities it was the Lord who worked all in all! And glory is His alone!!! He is lifted up as our Lord of compassion, mercy and salvation! He is the Lord who calls the little children to Himself! We had major Outreaches to about 2000 children in: Kamwokya (the best ever there, according to Pastor Salim Kakooza!); in Nakawa; at new locations in Bunga with Savior Worship Center and in Bombo, Uganda (a town about 1 hour from Kampala) where 3 churches teamed up to bless about 400 children. Children at these Outreaches received an enjoyable party including preaching and presentations of the gospel, a filling meal (as the little guy to the right is receiving), a wonderful children’s program including the singing of the children (as that at the Bunga Outreach, pictured to the right in the 2 lower pictures), music, and a Christmas gift-bag composed of colors, a pen, pencils, a notebook, coloring pages or a coloring book about Jesus, a tract, candy (that’s called SWEETIES! here in Uganda), a toothbrush, toothpaste, a portion of scripture or Christian literature and other small goodies! 100 Street Boys enjoyed a day-long Outreach at our Day Shelter for Street Boys with the same goodies and gifts. We also were able to give presents to 4 churches including a Congolese church composed of refugees from troubled neighbor Congo. We assisted Wells of Hope Ministries which once again this year had a party for the Children of Prisoners and we worked with them in a good Outreach to about 400 Condemned Prisoners at the Main Prison. Food there is being delivered in the photo to the left. Highlights of the Outreaches include: the giving of gifts and the gospel to the children of a witch doctor, the attendance of about 12 Muslim children which one Christian sister brought to the Nakawa Outreach, and the contributions of our short-term missionaries—Erin cooked Ugandan style almost all day with Harriett and loved it, despite the sunburn! And Luke blessed us with photos and a video of the Kamwokya Outreach. Harriett and I were blessed to buy food (much food!) for the various Outreaches which presented many witnessing opportunities. Being with children was a big blessing for Kappy and me! There were numerous professions of faith and we encouraged all the children to attend Sunday School at a nearby church. Pray that many children will trust God and begin to attend Sunday School. Pray that their parents will also be affected by the gospel which has blessed their children.

Please pray for God’s grace for Kappy and me as another busy year of ministry begins for us in Uganda. We thought again today about the blessing and privilege we have to serve the Lord and love the people here. Glory to the Lord’s loving and wonderful name! Sincere thanks to you all who prayed and gave generously to this work in 2008. Surely the Lord of glory and grace will use us all faithfully in 2009 as we trust Him. How wonderful!

KAPPY’S KORNER —Go, Team!

Christmas 2008 is in the past by a few hours as I write. I can’t begin to describe the fullness in my heart today. This morning, after a joyfully busy season, I am happily doing ordinary things. Into our South African washing machine goes the tablecloth. We had Christmas dinner at our house in Kampala last night. Around the table were five Ugandans, two Canadians and two Americans. As I looked around the table, not only did I see friends of different tribes and countries enjoying food and conversation, I saw teammates who put their backs and prayers into this year’s Christmas outreaches. And the preparation of the food God provided for our dinner was also a team effort. We wouldn’t have had a dinner if it weren’t for the various contributions of each one present. Thank you, everyone!

Into the machine goes the bandana I used to dry the eyes and wipe the nose of the little guy who fell asleep on my lap at the Nakawa Christmas outreach. The outreaches were a blessing as always, but this year my heart was encouraged more than usual by the Ugandan churches we worked with. The programs were especially insightful. The Gospel was clearly preached. The Sunday school children’s dancing and singing presentations to celebrate Christ’s birth were more joyful. And watching the children enjoy the food and the gift bags the Lord provided, I forgot the push and the effort it took just to get there. There’s a special joy in sharing Christmas with children who may not have any other Christmas dinner or gifts. We pray that the seeds planted in the hearts of boys and girls, even parents, through the preaching of the Word of God will grow. Many of you made it possible through your gifts and prayers. I wish you could have been there. Thank you!

And now we’re looking at the new year coming in like a freight train. What cargo will we find when the doors of the box cars open in 2009? What will we do with the contents? I’m reminded that all things come from the hand of God and that He plans only good for His children, sometimes through the severest of difficulties, but always with love (Romans 8:28). I want with all my heart to glorify God in all that He hands me this year and learn what He wants me to know. All in all we have tremendous hope, peace and joy as we look to the future. As Hudson Taylor (missionary to China) did, we are learning to think of God as: “The One Great Circumstance of Life, and of all lesser, external circumstances as necessarily the kindest, wisest, best, because either ordered or permitted by Him.” *

On January 20^th, America will have a new president. I hear of prayer groups being formed in various places with the express purpose of praying for President Obama. He needs the prayer support of Christians. Here in Uganda there is prayer being offered up for him. I’m joining the prayer team. How about you?

*(Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret, by Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor; Moody Press, printed in 1990; page 78)

For the Lord who works all in all,

Jim and Kappy

Return to the Top of the Page