December 19, 2020

          Merry Christmas from the Culps! 

          We’ve had a somewhat eventful couple of weeks. Vehicle issues, finding a place to move, planning travel, and what in the world do we plan for Christmas? We had planned a small get-together with some family for Thanksgiving, but that was cancelled because everyone was nervous about Covid numbers and stuff. We talked about whether we should travel for Christmas, but all of this exhausting uncertainty just leads to a lot of sitting around! 

          I booked tickets to go back to Uganda and Lohutok next year. We’re moving in mid-January and then I get on an airplane at the end of the month and will be gone for six weeks. Since I’ve been doing extra work to earn the extra rent money and counseling fees that aren’t in our budget, trying to plan for six weeks away was fun. Basically we are praying for a few extra year-end gifts to cover some of that gap and take some of that burden off of my hundred-hour work week. 

          A couple of Sundays ago we were at church and the pastor was preaching on one of the Psalms. He was using Aslan from the Narnia books as an illustration of safe strength. He talked about how as a child you know your father is strong, and therefore dangerous, but you feel safe around him. He’s safe for you, but dangerous for anyone who seeks to do you harm. Since then, we’ve had a few issues (it feels like it’s daily…or hourly, am I right?) with Ezekiel and Caleb fighting. Usually those fights start with one kid trying to overpower the other, and the other fighting back. I used the illustrations from Pastor Sam’s sermon to explain to the kids why God gave us strength, so when one kid is bullying the other I can say “What is your strength for? Are you using it to make God happy or sad? 

          The illustration of God’s safety and strength is a comfort because, although we don’t like our circumstances and are not particularly satisfied with the way our lives are going, we know that God is in control of it all and that He has good plans. Those good plans don’t always feel good at the time, but they are good nonetheless. As we get into the Christmas holidays, 2020 style, and grieve the things for which we had hoped, we’re keeping that in mind. He doesn’t give us stones when we ask for bread, He doesn’t give us snakes when we ask for fish, and He is already on the other end of this season with complete understanding and control of the outcome. 

Merry Christmas! 

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb Culp

December 1, 2020

Family Prayer Time....Ezekiel is our creative one.

           It’s always a challenge when I sit down to write a newsletter these days. What do I write about? Our life these days is literally the same from month to month….lots of counselling appointments, lots of work to pay rent and counseling fees, not much sleep. Last month I sat down to write something and literally couldn’t think of anything new to write and today I started looking at what I wrote last month and realized that my last newsletter was September 29th…sorry! 

           Last time I wrote, we had just found out we were going to have to move out of the place we’ve been living since June. We had no idea where we were going to go, or even where to look. We started asking around to see if anybody we knew had any ideas that would work and there were a few options that didn’t seem too promising. A few weeks ago I got a tip that there was a church in a nearby town who had a missionary house, when I looked at my records from past home assignments I saw that I had talked to them before but the house was unavailable. I called the church again and told them about our situation. She told me that she had turned down multiple requests in the past few months, but just the day before I called they were informed that the missionaries in their house would be moving, and that the house would be available about a week before we need to be out of Avant. I said “Umm, can we have it?” We applied and were accepted, which is a huge blessing. This is a rent-free missionary house that we are able to have for the next year! I have been doing grocery deliveries about sixty hours per week since March. We’ve been paying rent and counseling fees that weren’t in our budget, and support-raising has been almost impossible with the ongoing pandemic. After the move that load will be a whole lot lighter! Thank you so much for praying for us, This is a huge answer to prayer.

Mommy can I put some eyes on my chest so I can see out of them?

 

           I am planning a trip back to Lohutok after we move in January. I hope to reconnect with Paul, help Teresa get to school in Uganda, visit some friends, follow up with Michael who has been asking about the gospel, and play with my dogs! Thank you for being so faithful in prayer and financial support during all of these uncertain and difficult times. You are a huge blessing to us! Justin, Amy, Caleb and Ezekiel Culp

September 29, 2020

 

               We’ve been blessed for the last five months to have an apartment in Kansas City.  Avant Ministries, another mission sending agency based in Kansas City, had an available apartment that was in a convenient location for us.  The rent for the apartment wasn’t in our budget, so I (Justin) have been doing grocery deliveries to make up the difference.  It’s been a nice place to stay while we navigate Covid, travel restrictions, counseling processes and joining a new church.  God has really blessed us with new friends, a community group and everything we need for this season.

               When we moved in at Avant, they agreed to let us stay for six months and they said they would re-evaluate.  We don’t know what the verdict will be on staying longer, but we’re praying that God will work out the details.  Our ideal situation would be to find available missionary housing that would allow me to get back to the curriculum development and church-raising activities that I would normally be doing while here.  The timing of our return to Uganda and South Sudan is still uncertain.  We’re getting counseling, we’re in the membership process for a new church, we’re waiting for travel restrictions between Uganda and South Sudan to be lifted so that being there would even be possible, and we’re trusting God with the timing and details…but I’m getting impatient! 

               Thank you for sticking with us and continuing to support and pray for us during this season that is frustrating and stressful for a lot of people, not just us.  God has the outcome already and He’s still good and faithful.  Will you pray for us in these areas?

-        - Housing

-        - Counseling

-        - Return Plans

-        - Uganda/South Sudan travel restrictions

-        - Homeschool stress

-        - Patience and Grace in our relationships and daily outlook

-        - Joining a new sending church

You’re a blessing to us!

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb

Kill Uncle Chris!  That's a bee sting on Caleb's face...

August 30, 2020

 

Caleb, the defender of the living room!

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. – Colossians 2:13- 14

          At our church in Kansas City they have spent the last few weeks preaching through the book of Colossians. In our community group the week after this passage from chapter 2 was preached we had a good discussion about sin in the church and our attitude towards it. We talked a lot about the benefits of “confessing your sins to one another” and what it means to be truly, vulnerably honest with each other and what that contributes to keeping each other accountable. We also talked about the passive and unintended effects of keeping things secret, things like “I’m the only person here struggling with this so I won’t bother them with it.”

             The statement made by one of our pastors that has stuck with me since then was “Don’t despise your neediness.” The starting point of the gospel is that there is something wrong with you that needs fixed, something which you have no power to fix yourself, which is why we need a divine savior. If that is our beginning, why is it so hard to admit later? To admit that I need help with this sin.To admit that I need help with my kids. Help with my bills. Help with my inability to make friends. Help with my loneliness. Help with my anger. Help with my addiction. Our temptation is to say “It’s not that big of a deal” or “They might judge me” or “I won’t bother them with it.” Sometimes we’re tempted by the need to keep up appearances or persona and don’t want to take the risk of showing our faults. That is despising your neediness. The body of Christ shouldn’t be a place where our struggles become harder, it is a place where we can freely bring our struggles, acknowledge our faults, and find help and restoration for the shortcomings which we freely admit because Christ has already accomplished for us the redemption for which we’re striving!

          We’re still here in Kansas City. Still doing the counseling process. Still not hearing much from Lohutok because nobody is around to help us communicate with Paul or Teresa or anyone else. Still waiting forGod’s provision and timing, but we’re far from unique and far from the only people having the same struggle during this season. Thank you for standing with us and praying for us. As always, we love hearing back about how we can be doing the same for you!

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb 

He's actually focused on reading today!

July 31, 2020

 

          We’ve had a somewhat eventful month. We started going to a small group at the church we’re attending, it’s been a huge blessing to make some new friends and be connected with people who live near us. A few weeks ago we met at a park, and while the kids were playing under the playground equipment Ezekiel got stung on the head by a wasp! He complained about it hurting for a while and then seemed fine. Caleb, being who he is, found the rest of the wasps and killed them all… 

          The next morning Ezekiel woke up and told Amy that he couldn’t open his eye and it hurt to take a deep breath. Now we’re an epi-pen family! He went to the hospital to get checked out and then came home, he’s now fully recovered and fine. 

          I got a message yesterday from Robert, one of our team mates in Lopit. He was giving me updates on a bunch of things, but one of those was about Michael. He said “I went to Lohutok briefly and I talked to your watchman, he said they’re continuing with the book and have almost finished.” Many of you may remember that when I was in Lohutok earlier this year, I found out that Michael had been reading a book I gave him called “Following Jesus.” He had finished reading and filling out the book and was ready to talk about it with someone. I encouraged Paul to go to Lohutok and meet with Michael, go through the book, explain the gospel, and encourage Michael to repent and believe in Christ. I wasn’t sure if Paul would actually manage to make it to Lohutok regularly and do this, but apparently he has, and I can’t get a better update than that! 

          Please pray with us that Michael would fully understand his sin and need for Christ and that he would repent and cling to Christ for salvation and growth. Michael is a dear friend of our family, and is also an important member of the Lohutok community, we have been praying for a breakthrough with him for years. 

          Feel free to reach out if you want to talk, get together or if you have any questions about our current plans and situation. We always love hearing from people! 

Thanks! Justin, Amy, Ezekiel,

It's...armour?

June 27, 2020

The kids had fun riding in the neighbor's old car!

               Thanks to everyone who prayed for and communicated with us about possible places to live.  We went through so many different options for counseling and living in a lot of different places, but finally landed right where we already were, in Kansas City!  We had a few options for places to live, but when we considered the location and people who were close, we decided to stay in an apartment at Avant ministries for the time being. 

               There’s not much to report in a newsletter this month.  Communication from Lopit has been limited because nobody is in Lohutok, and we’ve just been plugging along here.  Justin has been doing InstaCart grocery deliveries to make up the extra expenses involved with renting, counseling, babysitters and being in the USA longer than we expected.  Trying to keep up with supporters, do grocery shopping, be available or counseling and the family all at the same time means being extremely busy, but I guess that’s better than sitting around right?

               Ezekiel is reading books to us, Caleb learned to ride his bicycle last week, we have some good friends who live in the cul-de-sac with us…the kids ring our doorbell all day long.  I am remembering a chat I had with a friend a few months ago who was feeling dry with lack of spiritual excitement.  I encouraged him that God is here even in the quiet times, and sometimes His great work in our lives happens through the daily grind of the “ordinary.”  Lately I’ve been preaching that to myself! 

               Thanks to everyone who has been faithfully praying for us and partnering with us financially during this time of so much uncertainty and outright trouble.  Feel free to reach out if you have prayer requests, questions, or would like for Justin to come and speak to a church, group or class. 

They built a house…for the worms they found…and then got mad when the worm wouldn’t go through the door. 

          Cows are an important part of Lopit culture.  Cows are used to settle disputes, pay debts and most importantly, pay dowry.  Bride price is often dependent on the woman’s beauty and her ability to cook, work and especially haul water.  When it’s time for a marriage, there is a huge negotiation process involved in determining a girl’s worth.  Women sometimes marry as young as 16, but normally they’re somewhere between 18 and 22.  The man will sometimes give a “down payment” toward the total bride price for the wedding to take place, and continue paying them as he is able to.  However, if he does not pay them quickly enough, the woman’s family will sometimes take her back, and remarry her to someone else.

Paul, the pastor that Justin has been discipling, wasn’t even in his village when he got married.  He returned to the village, after attending school in Uganda, and found that his family had paid the cows for a wife for him when he was gone.  At the time he was an altar boy in a Catholic church and was told by the priest that he should love his wife, stay committed to her, and not to take anymore wives, so that’s exactly what he did.  After nine years of being married, going to witchdoctors and other local rituals, Paul and Issaye were unable to conceive.  When they heard the gospel and believed on Jesus for salvation, they publicly denounced all tribal rituals and said told the community that they were just going to ask God for a baby.  Two years later, they had a baby!

I don’t think anyone anticipated 6 months ago that the world would be shut down this spring because of a pandemic.  Justin left for South Sudan and Uganda, from the US, on February 12.  I knew, in my heart, that something catastrophic was going to happen.  I certainly didn’t anticipate it being in the US!  I have to say, however, we really have enjoyed our time at home.  Even for this extrovert, it was a relief not to have to go anywhere!  Since Justin’s return, we’ve made weekly nature hikes (normally a part of homeschooling) a tradition for the whole family.  It’s been super fun to do this with the four of us together! 

We’d previously asked, in our newsletter, if anyone had connections to missionary housing.  We are praising the Lord that not only did we find a duplex WITH 4 and 7 yr old boys in the neighborhood (the exact ages of our boys!!), but God also provided someone who paid half of our rent!  So whoever you are, THANK YOU.  We were not asking, nor do we deserve this kind of a blessing, but we are tremendously grateful for it. 

Morning Bible time

We are truly grateful for all of you who are supporting us, both in prayer and financially.  We truly could not do any of this without you.  We pray that God shows you the depth of his mercy, kindness, and great love toward you.  If there is any way we can pray for you, please let us know!

Amy, Justin, Ezekiel and Caleb Culp

April 30, 2020

The boys built a “trap” in their room and then asked Amy to come up.  She walked in, “tripped”, fell into the crate and then they threw blankets and a cushion over her.  

What do people write about in a missionary newsletter update at a time like this?  We’re still in Kansas City.  Our partners in Lohutok had planned to travel out last month, and because of travel restrictions are not even able to go back if they thought they should.  Since I left Uganda a month ago the governments of Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan have stopped all inbound and outbound travel.  In Uganda people aren’t even allowed to drive in their personal vehicles without a special permit!

We spent fourteen days at home with Justin confined to the basement, but the rest of our family also on quarantine because Justin had traveled through Europe.  It’s hard to be at home with the kids, whom I haven’t seen in six weeks already, and not be able to wrestle and snuggle!  Since quarantine ended, we’ve been trying to find little ways to keep busy and keep the kids busy.  We’ve gone out to a few walking trails, have been looking for new ways to do school activities, played with the kids from the missionary family next door…while staying six feet apart, and have had lots of Skype and Zoom calls.

It’s cold…but we’re tired of being in the house…so let’s do school outside!

Normally I have some kind of unique, novel experience or story about which I can write, but this month I feel like we have the same story as everyone else reading this!  When we first found out back in January/February that we were not going back to South Sudan on schedule, a pastor friend gave me some advice.  He said that although I’m grieving and panicking, Jesus isn’t.  He is already on the other side of whatever this is, He knows how it ends, He knows why it’s necessary, He knows how He is going to glorify Himself through it, and He is a way better father, husband, pastor or missionary that I will ever be.  It’s funny how we know these words are true, and yet hearing them still helps.  I don’t know what you’re going through as you sit and read this in our newly-upside-down world.  What I can say as someone who has lived in South Sudan for ten years now, and seen so many potential disasters, so many of my plans dashed on the rocks, and so many situations where God MUST provide because there’s no other way for ME to make it work, is just the same thing.  Jesus is on the other side, He knows the outcome, He knows your faithfulness, He has never panicked or worried or been surprised.

Thank you all for praying that we would get a place to live.  We haven’t yet though, so keep praying! 

In this together with you,

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb

March 28, 2020

On Sunday only children showed up, so Paul altered his program and changed his sermon accordingly.

          I am writing this letter from the basement during day 3 of the 14 day quarantine directed to me by the CDC because of my travel through Europe.  Our whole family is under the 14 day quarantine but I am also supposed to keep distance from them during this time in case I picked something up on one of my connecting flights.

           A few days after I wrote my last letter I was able to find a place to move in Uganda.  God is good, the place is bigger than what we had, which means we can make it available to other missionaries who need more space, and the price is the same as what we were paying before which means it’s actually cheaper!  After a few days of moving, unpacking, getting machines to work and loading, I left and went back to Lohutok.

           Back in Lohutok I was able to finish two Bible classes with Paul.  The day we did his last course was on another trip to Torit.  When we got back from shopping in Torit, Paul stayed over at our place to study for his exam, take it the next morning, and meet with Michael (Our guard who has been asking about the gospel).  The next morning Paul sat with Michael and talked to him about how every person in this world is walking on one of two roads, one leading to death or one leading to life.  You can’t be on both roads at once, and there is only one way to walk the road leading to life – following Christ.  The road leading to death is easy to stay on, and there are many ways to follow it, and it is Satan’s goal to fool and distract people into staying on that road.  At the end of the discussion, Paul asked Michael what he thought about the lesson, and Michael said “I think I need to be on the road that follows Christ.”  

           I told Paul that, although prayers don’t save people, it is a good idea to talk to Michael about what he is understanding and hearing from the Holy Spirit and then hear him pray and tell God about what he wants to do.  Paul said that he would do this with Michael, but first he wanted to spend more time explaining just what it means for a Lopit person to repent.  Michael and Paul agreed that they would start meeting to talk about this every Monday, pray that these meetings continue!  Paul asked me if I would be talking to Michael as well and I told him that I would do a little bit, but I am on my way back to the USA for a few months and Michael will understand it better coming from Paul.  Now Paul gets to take the responsibility for this himself.I was planning to drive back to Uganda on Sunday and leave on my flight back to the USA on Thursday.  With the whole world going crazy over this new virus, all of that changed…frequently…until I finally left and got back to Kansas City three days earlier than planned.  I found out the Wednesday before I was supposed to leave Lohutok that Brussels Airlines had cancelled all of their flights for two months so I called the travel agent to see if I could rebook.  She was able to get me a flight for Monday night (the day I was planning on driving out of Lohutok), so I immediately started packing my stuff and left Lohutok that night to get to Uganda.  On Saturday the Uganda government announced that they were shutting down all incoming and outgoing flights as of midnight Sunday, so I had to look again for different options.

Caleb's birthday is on Monday...He wants a suit of armor

               It seemed for a bit that I wouldn’t be able to leave!  The only flights back to the USA were $8000 flights that left 4 hours later, but eventually I was able to find a flight to Dubai and I asked the travel agent to just get me home from there.  The flight to Dubai got booked, but then I would be there for 48 hours, and another 24 hours in London before flying back to Dallas and then getting to Kansas City Friday night.  So I was to travel from Sunday afternoon until Friday night!  I was waiting in line at the airport on Sunday, and was actually next in line to check in, when I got a message from the travel agent telling me to leave.  She had heard that the Dutch embassy in Kampala negotiated with the Uganda government to let the Monday night flight go, and that meant short connections, getting home sooner, saving a bunch of money, and not taking the risk of getting caught in Dubai or London.

               So as counterintuitive as it seemed, I got out of line, rolled my luggage out of the airport (past all of the hundreds of people in line looking at me like I’m crazy) and went back home!  The next day I was able to get on my flight as planned, and I had even read about more restrictions happening in Dubai AND London, and eventually I got back to my family on Tuesday night.

Pray for us as we do this 14 day quarantine where nobody can leave, but I’m also in the same house as my family who I can’t really touch and have to avoid.  Pray for our counseling process which is delayed in starting because of this whole shut down.  Pray that God would provide us a new house to stay in after June 1^st because the one we currently have is booked (let me know if you have any leads!).  Pray that Michael would hear, understand, be changed by and cling to the gospel.  Pray that we can get back to Lohutok soon, and that we (including the kids who are begging to go) would have patience and joy as we accept God’s timing and care.  Pray that our support is maintained during this time where so many people have financial uncertainty.

Thank you so much for your prayer and support, we could not do this without you!

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb

February 29, 2020

Caleb decided to decorate himself after the Chiefs

won the Super Bowl...in red...with food coloring.

           I came back to East Africa a couple of weeks ago to tie up some loose ends before the extended stay in the USA.  We had a vehicle at a mechanic who was waiting to be instructed and paid, a house that might possibly need to be moved, and Paul was waiting for me to come back and finish some Bible classes with him after he had finished the book work.

           It’s been an adventure, as always.  My first day in Uganda I got a brand new turbocharger for the LandCruiser (a not-free, welcome-back gift!).  The search for a new house to rent has been tough.  I’ve gone from having one possible lead to having six possible leads with one standout, back to having one possible lead who has been delayed in communicating…so I’m writing this from Uganda as I wait, and search, even though I don’t really know where else to look!

           The day after I got back to Lohutok last week, Paul and I planned to go to Torit.  I needed to get some supplies for the house, meet with AIM leadership, and the 5 hour road trip is always a good time for Paul and I to have some of our course discussions.  Paul’s house is always the first stop on the way, but about 15 minutes before I got there I started hearing a funny grinding sound in the wheel of the pickup.  A spring had fallen off the drum brake the day before so I was hoping that the noise I heard was inside the brake drum.  I continued to Paul’s house, then looked under the truck and saw a large puddle of gear oil…it was not the brake drum.  The bearing was shredded.  Scott came and helped me pull the axle and take it back to Lohutok where we could communicate with people about getting spare parts.

           Since Paul was planning to have his course discussions with me, he came behind us on his motorbike.  I was at Scott’s house where I could use internet to communicate with mechanics, and when there was a lull I went up to our compound to tell Paul to come.  We could do class while I waited for messages.  When I got to my house, Paul told me that he couldn’t come now because he was busy.  I was a bit confused but just said okay, got something from inside and left.  As I was leaving I noticed Paul sitting under a tree with Michael, our watchman and my language helper who was asking about the gospel back in August when I left.  Later Paul told me that when he showed up, and I wasn’t around, Michael came and said “Come over here and talk to me about this.”  Paul couldn’t come because he was busy talking about the gospel with Michael.

Sitting in a Fire Truck!  Amy and the boys got to make

a homeschool field trip to the fire station...I guess they had fun!

           The spare part came, the truck got fixed, and God is still at work!  Pray that God would give me a place to move our things to in Uganda, that Michael would believe and be saved, and that the gospel would take root and grow in Lohutok and among the Lopit.

Justin 

January 31, 2020

We went to Westville, a living history museum in Georgia and the kids got to work with the carpenter, leathersmith and blacksmith. 

           A few days ago Amy and the kids were driving somewhere in the van and made a wrong turn.  Amy decided that she needed to go the other direction, so she pulled into a driveway to turn around.  As Amy was shifting the van into reverse, one of the kids said “Mommy, are we going to live in this house now?”  I guess our kids are getting used to the lifestyle!
 
           It’s never a dull moment with our family.  Last month I wrote the newsletter from Georgia where we went to visit Amy’s parents for Christmas.  We spent two weeks with “Damma and Bonka” and then we drove to Tampa.  We spent two weeks in Tampa for some counseling before returning to the field, and by the end of that stay everything had changed!

           If you’ve heard me speak during this home assignment, you’ve heard me talk about spiritual warfare and opposition, and how difficult it has been just trying to be in Lohutok let alone being able to effectively communicate the gospel with her people.  Plans are always fluid and delays happen, but Jesus loves the Lopit more than we do and He is never panicked or surprised.  Because of our unique challenges, we have been doing some kind of regular counseling for most of our marriage.  After meeting with the counselors in Florida they have asked us to spend six months in the USA getting some further help becoming healthy and whole for a lifetime of ministry.  There’s the expected change in plans!

           I am getting on a plane in two weeks to go back to Lohutok to close some things down, keep some commitments, and get ready to be gone for six months longer than planned, and by April will be back to start the process.  Please keep praying for us as we deal with the emotions of changed plans, look for the appropriate counselors, and settle ourselves back down for a longer stay.  When we told the kids we were staying longer, Ezekiel’s response was “What about Ofuul?”  Ofuul is the village landlord for whose salvation we have been praying and he wants to see it through, we are all feeling that urgency while trying to remember that Jesus is already on the other end and has never been panicked or impatient, and he’s a way better missionary than any of us!  Thank you for partnering with us through all of this!

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb Culp

We were having lunch to celebrate Justin’s birthday in Georgia and the kids decided to belly up to the bar…at least they weren’t breaking anything…