Saturday, February 27, 2021

February 27, 2021

Chuck came back for a couple of weeks and helped with the pastor training.  We were all thrilled about the things God had him explain.

 


         Chuck and Shelly Parker were our team leaders when we first came to Lohutok. When we came, the Parkers had already been here for a couple of years as Chuck started Bible studies in at least five Lopit villages, with occasional meetings in a few more. There is a lot of discouraging potential in working here, lots of people will come to your meetings if it might mean gaining something material from the foreigners. Within eight months of Chuck and Shelly leaving, we saw all of those Bible studies dry up, but God left Paul and Issaye. Paul had been coming with us as a translator, there were a few other guys who seemed involved and interested that eventually faded out of the picture, but Paul persevered. Even when we were driving 4 ½ hours to Lacharok every week just to find that nobody wanted to come anymore, Paul was thinking up new plans to evangelize and disciple the few women in his church who were still coming and hungry. Chuck came back with me on this trip. He was hoping to reconnect with and encourage some of the Bible study “leaders” who had stopped coming, but I think what he got was better. Our initial plan was for Robert, our Kenyan team mate who lives about an hour (10 miles) up the road, to bring two pastors with whom he had been working to my place in Lohutok. Paul was set to do a course on pastoring called The Shepherd and His Work and since Chuck is a pastor (I’m not) I asked Chuck to do a short workshop with Paul and two of the other pastors (Thomas and Clement). When we got here we found out that the pastors from up north refused to come. There has been some inter-village fighting that makes people fear driving through that stretch of road, but Paul was immediately willing to drive to Ohilang and have classes there.


          Chuck spent four days talking to six guys (Thomas and Clement brought 2 of their disciples, and Robert was there participating as well) about how to communicate a clear, non-moralistic gospel, and how that gospel affects one’s work as a pastor. He said things like “If, at the end of your sermon, you have not communicated the Gospel, you have not preached a Christian sermon” and “Ask yourself, would this sermon work in a mosque? If it would, you need more Gospel.” The pastors were provoked in some practical ways, and Paul’s fire is noticeably re-lit.

The day we arrived back in Uganda we stopped somewhere to get supper...
Teresa may have been experiencing a bit of culture shock in busy Kampala!



          At the end of Chuck’s stay we went back to Uganda and took Teresa with us so she can start secondary school when it opens. She acted tough, but when we got to the busy city she was noticeably stressed. God made all of the details for her needs in Uganda come together despite my worries, those details will have to come later! Pray that Teresa gets into school without any hassles, and for the rest of my time here with Paul!

Thanks!

 

Justin, Amy, Ezekiel and Caleb 

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for this up-date, Justin. I am praying still for you and the people there and it helps to know how to pray more specifically!
    The work all of you are doing is very humbling to someone like me here back in my comfortable home in the states. The sacrifices you willingly make in order to reach those precious people...well, all I can say is missionaries ae very special people, blessed with a heart for the Lord that is needed to do the work you do and your reward will be commiserate with the work. BUT I KNOW that is NOT why you do it. It is because you have a genuine love for the lost souls of these precious people!
    I pray Theresa soon adjusts to the 'big city' life and enjoys her studies. She looks like a beautiful young lady.
    I am praying for Amy and the boys, too, and hope the boys will be as good for their mama as they can be while daddy is gone. Am I correct in the assumption that both boys have expressed faith in Jesus as their Savior? That is wonderful!!
    Just wanted to touch base. My dear friend Carol Toczko who is also one of your supporters is going downhill in health but that's not too surprising since she will be 88 on July 21st this year, Lord willing. I don't know if you knew she lost her son Greg on 9/30/'20. I try yo visit with her from time to time along with some other ladies from the church, She gets very lonesome. Greg had been living with her for the past 2-3 years. I hope she doesn't mind my sharing this info with you. She is a very private person. I am only relaying this to you so you can pray specifically for her too.
    I am doing well physically; trying to decide if I want to take the vaccine for the Covid-19 virus. Some in my family are not happy because I do not feel I need (nor want) it. (I have only taken the flu shot once at my surgeon's insistence in Jan. '19 when I had knee replacement surgery.) My thought is that if I contract it one of two outcomes would occur; either I would recover or my Lord would take me home...His choice. ( I am going to be 80 after all this July, Lord willing!)I would be fine with either outcome. I am not being fatalistic, just trusting. Am I wrong in my thinking? I would truly appreciate any thoughts you have on that subject. Not sure who will read and respond to this message but hope you will answer, Justin or Amy.
    Amy, I received your invitation to download the MeWe app. but did not join as I had gotten the same invitation from a niece and downloaded it but it did not come with any instructions (that I could find) on how to proceed so I deleted it. I am not your typical senior, I LOVE today's technology...I bank online, I text, e-mail, voicemail, even Zoom 2 bible studies so it wasn't for a lack of interest.
    I know our awesome, loving and gracious Father is watching over all of us. May He grant good health to all of us and a safe return for Justin when it's time for him to return, as well as while he is away! Love to all!
    A sister-in-Christ,
    Barbara Holland

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  2. I miss-spelled commensurate! Oh, well...I'm sure you are probably just happy to have a comment to read!!!
    I was scrolling through and did not see any replies to your blogs. Surely mine is not the first! I am not familiar with this process yet but am willing to learn. When I got back on here to see if I could correct that word I had to click on something to get it back up so maybe others' replies are 'invisible' till they are clicked on, too?!?
    Justin, "happy dog playing" and whatever else you accomplish while you are back home. God bless you!!
    BHoll@USA

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