tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30560218331935070152024-02-19T01:33:40.716-08:00Jess and Bev NewsBev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-11969743167259910502014-08-27T10:36:00.002-07:002014-08-27T10:39:49.510-07:00Great News!<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section" style="background-color: rgb(100.000000%, 100.000000%, 100.000000%);">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<img src="webkit-fake-url://D38E02CE-0C39-4280-B62C-387DEB300880/image.tiff" /><br />
<span style="color: rgb(37.471280%, 37.477270%, 37.469980%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 8.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(37.471280%, 37.477270%, 37.469980%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 8.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(37.471280%, 37.477270%, 37.469980%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 8.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
<img alt="page1image2440" height="0.500000" src="file:///page1image2440" width="492.500000" /><br />
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<br />
<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<img alt="page1image1792" height="0.500000" src="file:///page1image1792" width="492.500000" /></div>
</div>
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(26.511990%, 26.516460%, 26.511030%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 58.000000pt; font-weight: 700;">GREAT NEWS!
</span></div>
</div>
<img alt="page1image2440" height="0.500000" src="file:///page1image2440" width="492.500000" />
<br />
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(88.945890%, 14.201500%, 0.000000%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 18.000000pt; font-weight: 700;">Pastors Growing, Maturing, and Training Others
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(88.945890%, 14.201500%, 0.000000%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 18.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">After many years of working with the young local pastors and with the village pastors, we are
beginning to see fruit of the labor! Jess meets for three to four hours every Wednesday morning
with six of the young pastors here at Calvary Chapel Jinja for intense Bible study, but also for pastor
training. They often go through a book of instruction such as Dangerous Calling by Paul David
Tripp, reading each page and discussing the meaning, and then talking about the changes that need
to be made to their lives to become more Christlike in their leadership roles. Jess has seen these
young men grow tremendously in their maturity in the past year.
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
<img alt="page1image8840" height="0.550000" src="file:///page1image8840" width="90.596000" />
<br />
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Also, the village pastors continue to come for a three day training every three months, and they
pack a lot of learning into those three days! Jess usually picks one theme and then decides on the
teachings to be done under that theme. Then he teaches several of the sessions, but also asks
Moro Steven, J.B. Too-lit, Isaac Wootton, or other Calvary Chapel pastors in Uganda to do much of
the teaching as well. Then di</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">ff</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">erent ones of the village pastors give the morning devotions to all the
men. They have great fellowship as they learn more about God’s Word and about being </span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt; font-style: italic;">teachers </span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">of
that Word and of being godly leaders in their communities. In addition, four of these pastors stay
for two weeks’ extra training each time in a foundations course that they take back to their village
churches and then teach to others that want to learn. One of the pastors is teaching a class of 20
men, most of them village pastors from other churches that want to know the truth of God’s Word
instead of just what they have heard from others! </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="section" style="background-color: rgb(100.000000%, 100.000000%, 100.000000%);">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(37.471280%, 37.477270%, 37.469980%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 8.000000pt; font-weight: 700;">Jess and Bev Rich Calvary Chapel Jinja Uganda August 12, 2014
</span></div>
</div>
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">The next big pastor conference will be in October - the “Calvary Chapel East
Africa Pastor’s Conference” - and it will be held in Nairobi, Kenya. Jess is
hoping to take at least 14 men from the churches associated with us at about
$200 each to this conference. He is also coordinating e</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">ff</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">orts with other
Calvary Chapel missions in Uganda to see if they can send some of their
pastors as well, so that everyone can go together in one big bus. This will be
such a wonderful time of teaching, learning and fellowship, and it will grow the
men in maturity, as well as encourage them in the work they do for the Lord!
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(88.945890%, 14.201500%, 0.000000%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12.000000pt;">UPDATE ON JESS’S HEALTH AND FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(88.945890%, 14.201500%, 0.000000%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 12.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Jess and Bev recently did a quick trip to the U.S. to take care of a little business, both personal and
ministry. First, Jess was able to o</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">ffi</span><span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">ciate at the wedding of his son Jake in beautiful Leadville,
Colorado. Then from there we went to South Carolina to speak to Jess’s doctors about possible
surgery to eliminate some of the more severe symptoms of his Parkinson’s Disease. It seems that
there is a possibility of Jess having surgery even before the end of the year or early next year,
depending on things like getting insurance and/or financing for the surgery and aftercare! We are
waiting now for an exact amount of funds that we will need to raise to be able to pay for the surgery,
but if this procedure is done, it would probably “reset” Jess’s physical abilities back 7 or 8 years.
This would be more than a blessing, and would enable us to stay in the field for a longer period of
time. We will let you know when we hear more details.
</span></div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">**This is my first attempt at a small newsletter, and I know that my graphics
are not great, but please bear with me while I learn, and next time I will try to
have more pictures!
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Prayer Requests: Pray that Jess’s surgery will happen and be wildly
successful and that God will make financial provision for it.
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Pray that God continues to provide financially for the mission in Uganda.
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 52.407830%, 74.455240%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 9.000000pt; font-weight: 700;">Pray for the pastors
as they grow and
mature in their lives
and godly leadership
abilities!
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(0.000000%, 52.407830%, 74.455240%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 9.000000pt; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
<img alt="page2image21584" height="0.500000" src="file:///page2image21584" width="97.187500" />
<br />
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Pray that the men and women of Calvary Chapel Jinja and all our outreaches continue to grow and
mature in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord!
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">For giving to the mission and its ministries, please contact Calvary Albuquerque online for
directions, or mail a check to Calvary Missions, 4001 Osuna, NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Jesse’s email: jinjajesse@yahoo.com Bev’s email: calchrjja@yahoo.com
</span><br />
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: rgb(13.534450%, 13.537100%, 13.533870%); font-family: 'HelveticaNeue'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">Eph 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, our glorious Father, may give you the
spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.” </span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-53104788487201951152014-03-20T00:57:00.000-07:002014-03-20T00:57:07.958-07:00A day in the life of.....<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Many people have asked us what our days are like here. It's been a few years since I have blogged because I quit when Jesse got so good at it. :-) But I decided to write this out for some friends one day, and thought I would post it here in case anyone felt like reading it. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and settle in for a bit!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">As for a day in the life of - I can sort
of give you an idea - but today is a slow day. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f"
stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
style='width:18pt;height:18pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/Jesse/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image001.gif"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img height="20" src="file://localhost/Users/Jesse/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image002.gif" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1" width="20" /><!--[endif]--></span> Right now we have two people
renting our two apartments, and they come to dinner every night. Last
night they brought another missionary that is working with them because he
lives in a different place and hasn't had anything to eat but bananas since he
has been here (two weeks). He came last night for a "home cooked
meal" and couldn't stop eating. He will be eating with us Tues - Fri
nights of each week for the next month till his wife gets here. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">
We also had three people stay the night with us in our house. They work
in Karamoja and were on their way to Kampala and then Entebbe today, but we are
about the limit of their driving range, so they came to supper and stayed the
night. Just as they ALL arrived for supper last night, the dog trainer
arrived (an hour late) to work with the two new dogs that we just got
yesterday. AND we had no water all day because there was a break in one of the
main lines in town. Water came back last night at 8pm. And I was up
this morning at 6:00 to let the guard out, and then make everyone (except the
dog trainer) breakfast before they all headed off to their respective areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Jesse got up this morning at 3am because
the power went out and it woke him up, so he just got up an hour before his
alarm went off. He gets up at 4 am on Wednesdays so he has peace and
quiet in which to prepare his Wednesday evening Bible study message. Then
as I get up at 6:00 to let the guard out, he goes back to bed till 7:00.
I get him up at 7:00, and then at 7:30 he goes out to meet our 6 young
pastors for prayer, Bible study, study of a current Christian book (right now
is Dangerous Calling), and tea or coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">At 8am the staff shows up for daily assignments,
money, etc. In the night, our worship leader's wife gave birth to a baby
boy, so I gave Mary 100,000 shillings ($40) to help with her medical and she
went to see the new mother and baby. I gave Martin the key to the new van
and he left for prison to go pick up the inmates and take them to the hospital.
I gave Steven money to reimburse him for the 2 new shock absorbers he put
on one of our vehicles yesterday. I made out a meal list for Irege (the
cook) for today and gave him money for shopping. I stripped the three
beds the visitors stayed in and turned on the generator so I could wash them
and so Jesse could make copies for his men's group. (Power was still
out.) Then Jess went outside with the guys and I finished making his copies and
took them to him, and Rodah used the opportunity of electricity from the
generator to iron some of our clothes. I took turns introducing our staff
and the boys that we sponsor (that work for us in holidays) to the new dogs.
The big one jumped on me (not well trained yet) and I had to go bathe and
change. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">At 9:00 Mary came back and I gave her
money to go and pay the electric bills and go buy a box of paper for the copy
machine. Jess came in and made tea and coffee for the guys and went back
outside. Rodah and I put the first load of laundry on the line. I
called the electric company and asked about our power and they said they would
send someone to fix it. I tried to check my email, and received a message
that our next door neighbors were leaving by the end of the month and had
decided to leave their dogs with us after all and how happy they were about
that. We thought they had decided the dogs would be going somewhere else, so we had gotten other dogs. Now we have eight dogs and should be safe from thieves at night! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; mso-no-proof: yes; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">At 9:30 Jess is still meeting, and our
visitors are ready to leave, so I escort them outside, help them pack up, pray
for them, and send them on their way. Then I go back in to read emails
and see if there is anything I need to attend to. Rodah's son Innocent
needs to go to the Children's Hospital today for his checkup for his epilepsy,
but he doesn't want his mother to go since he has begun to idolize one of the
boys we support who works with us right now. So I get Innocent's medical
book, tell them to finish watering the new hedge that they have just put in day
before yesterday, give them money to take boda-bodas (motorcycle transport),
and tell them to go to the hospital after the plants are watered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Then I go next door to where we have two
men chopping firewood for the School of Ministry cooking, and I pay for their
tea to the lady who cooks and makes chapattis, I give the two men money for
lunch, and I pay them for their work for the day because I will probably be
busy when they leave at 2pm. I come back and put the second load of laundry
on the line, turn off the generator, and call the electric company again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Then Willy and Martin come and we look
at the area we need to put up a shade for the new dogs, measure the area and
decide what we want to put there, and then I give Martin money to go buy
eucalyptus poles and paint and nails and screen wire. I have a cup of
coffee!!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Jess finishes with the young men and
goes to work on the white van that he needs to get running so we can sell it so
we can pay to get this land changed from Leasehold to Freehold so that Called
Christians will own it instead of leasing it from the City Council. (Nice
run-on sentence, yes?) He has been working on it for almost two weeks and
has taken it completely apart and is putting it back together again now that he
has it running (sort of). He comes in for a few minutes and I talk to him
about the neighbors and their dogs. He says tell them "no way"
but in gentle terms. Sigh. If they had only written one day earlier!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I go find John, Paul, and (not Ringo!)
Willy to help Jesse put the seats back in the van. Another missionary
woman calls that she can't come over to tell me all her problems as planned
because one of the children in her orphanage has acute pneumonia and she needs
to keep him in her house with her for a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">After the seats are in the van, Jess
comes in for lunch and we eat lunch together. Then we go to lie down for
30 minutes, and just as we shut our eyes, the electric company calls and they
are at the gate. I get up and go let them in and take them to the
transformer that is on our property because that way we can protect it from
thieves stealing the transformer oil out of it at night (which would cause it
to burn up and us do without electricity for a month or so). They work on
the pole for a while and electricity comes back and I give them $2.00 each to
buy lunch and they take off (after I check to make sure the power really is
on!). I come inside and Jess has just gotten up and is going back outside
to work on the van. I lie down and read for 15 minutes and then get up
and try to answer some emails. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I get a call from a Calvary Chapel
pastor in Fort Portal that the man we have sent his way has arrived. The man
had spent 24 years in prison under sentence of death, but his sentence had been
commuted to life and he was released, but had no way to get started again.
He had traveled all the way here for several hours to get assistance from
us. So we kept him here for three days and then paid for his transport
and some food to go back to Fort Portal. When he arrived there, we were
going to send money (you can do it pretty instantly here by phone) to the
pastor who would help the man (John Baptist) to buy farming tools like a hoe, a
machete (panga), a shovel, a watering can, and a sprayer. After they
bought those things, then there was also extra money to help feed John for
about a month. I gave Irege the money and sent him downtown to send the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I throw the bedspread in the wash because
Jesse accidentally got his shoes on it when he took his short rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I come back to the computer and start to
answer some emails. Irege comes and says that I have to check the Avocado
tree that is hanging over the fence because that is how thieves got into Johnny
Long's yard, and they could easily get into ours. I go outside and find
out he is right and ask that he and Willy cut off the offending limbs.
Then we start a search for the bow-saw which is always in the tool hut
but is not there today. Thirty minutes later we ascertain that it is out
at the prison where Martin and Andrew took it on Monday to build an extra room
on their pig house, and they would need it again this week so they left it with
one of the guards. I gave Andrew the money to take a motorcycle taxi out
to the prison and bring the saw back, and Willy and Irege hacked the limbs off
with a machete panga) before Andrew got back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Jesse came back inside and right now
(4:30) we have a staff meeting. And then tonight is Bible study from 5:45
to 7:00pm. (I have to remember to take out the keys to the gate to give to the
night guard when he comes to Bible study, and also the key to the new van so
that after the service, Pastor Steven can take home all the people that come
from Danida, a slum area about ten miles away.) And then we have our two paying
guests and our extra visitor over for supper. After supper, Jess will go
into our room (the office) and Skype with a woman who wants to bring a team out
in June and have us host it. I will sit on the couch with my computer,
hoping to answer an email or two and entertaining our guests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">During the meeting we decided that we CAN take the two other dogs and have them
patrol a certain area of the compound with the night guard, but we will have to
build an extra pen to keep them in during the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">And just as I was sitting here finishing
this email, Steven came back and said we have a "situation." As
he arrived in Danida, where he teaches a Bible study, one of the Bible study
women's three year old son pulled a pot of boiling water onto himself and all
his skin is peeling off and he is terribly burned. So they took him to
three different hospitals until finally Main Hospital admitted him and gave him
a bed in the surgery ward. But the father has no money to buy any drugs
or needed materials, so Steven came here and we gave him money and medicines
that they will need and he has gone back to the hospital to give those things
to the father.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style>
<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>1548</o:Words>
<o:Characters>8827</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Called Christians</o:Company>
<o:Lines>73</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>20</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>10355</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Now Jess and I are sitting on the couch
with our two visitors, and we're hoping it's the end to a long but good day.
Hope this wasn't too long and tedious, but it is certainly a picture of a
“real” day around here! <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape
id="Picture_x0020_5" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:18pt;
height:18pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'>
<v:imagedata src="file://localhost/Users/Jesse/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image003.gif"
o:title=""/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img height="20" src="file://localhost/Users/Jesse/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip/0clip_image004.gif" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_5" width="20" /><!--[endif]--></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-56270363024366939642011-01-07T05:59:00.000-08:002011-01-07T06:43:57.810-08:00Crazy Day and Abandoned ChildrenWell, I've said many times that our lives in Uganda are far from dull, and this one has certainly fit that description! It started early for me with things like these:<br />1. Helping a former prisoner (woman) start a business,<br />2. Meeting with the woman who is taking care of one of our sponsored children and giving her money for food and care,<br />3. Dealing with the local councillors about a part of the government that has been stealing from us for 4 years (they are going to lose their "tender" for the business they do for the council, plus if they don't pay us back, we will take them to police),<br />4. Making sure to put the money in the bank for one of our young men who is in school in Kampala,<br />5. Getting one of our Sunday School teachers (who is HIV+) in the hospital for severe malaria,<br />6. Sending one of our staff ladies to the clinic to get treatment for a chronic abscess that she has and then giving her medicine for it,<br />7. Getting J.B. ready to go to the North tomorrow to do the Introduction/Traditional Marriage of his nephew,<br />8. Talking to the young man that we have raised since he was in the 7th grade about his graduation from University in two weeks, and about the big party that we as the "parents" must throw for him, :-)<br />9. Sending out several mandatory emails,<br />10. Sending money to one of our village pastors whose children are sick and whose wife is in the hospital after having a miscarriage,<br />11. Making sure the volleyball court has all the weeds dug out of it before the youth conference next week, and also getting a huge hole dug to find the queens of "the termite mound that refuses to die" (beside the volleyball court),<br />12. And then all the "everyday" things like planning the daily menu with Irege, having Julie go and pay the water bills, getting Davis to repair our only bicycle, feeding the cat, and giving thyroid medicine to the dog.<br /><br />BUT the MOST interesting part of the day happened between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Two children were abandoned at our gate. Their story is this: they have been living here in Jinja with their mother - their father died several years ago in Busia, their home. The girl, Grace, is 16 and was stricken with polio when she was 13. Over time, she has lost the ability to walk, and her hands are also affected. She weighs probably 50 pounds and seems to be very intelligent. Her younger brother Bosco is 7 and is all boy. Our staff describes him as "a bit stubborn." Their mother died in the hospital two weeks ago, and the hospital turned the children over to the police. They have lived at the police station for two weeks, but today the police decided they couldn't do anything with them and so went and "dumped" them at a local ministry for the handicapped. This ministry gets a large amount of funding from the U.S., but it only goes into the pockets and stomach of the Director of the ministry. Anyway, those people paid a boda-boda (person who provides transport on a bicycle), put the children on his bike, and told him to take them to Calvary Chapel and just drop them at the gate - not to bring them inside, but just to drop them. The boda-boda man did just that, so Grace and Bosco came to us for help. They have nowhere to go and do not have any relatives that they know of.<br />J.B. and I spent some time trying to find an orphanage or charitable organization that would take them in, but we were unable to contact anyone that could help them. The staff woman that was at the clinic came back to give me her results and get medicine, and she had great sympathy for them, so she is taking them home with her for the night and will feed them and give them a place to sleep. I will continue to call around and see if I can find a place for these children to go. I do pray that we can get some help for them. I am just not sure what to do with them at this time, but I know that the Lord will provide what is best for them. (Will you please also pray!)<br />And it is only 5:30 - with several more hours to go in the day. I wonder what else will happen before the day ends!<br />I posted on Facebook a couple of days ago that sometimes I am so very tired.... Now I am beginning to suspect the reason why!!<br />And this is only MY day! Jesse's was equally busy! We always have way too much fun!!<br />Blessings and love to you!<br />BevBev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-6370622847768228532010-02-09T23:16:00.000-08:002010-02-10T00:19:58.999-08:00Update from last NewsletterDear All,<br />Well, it's time for a newsletter again, and I know that because some kind person has just asked about the results of the things he was praying about from the LAST newsletter. Since I still don't quite have time to do an entire newsletter, I WILL respond to some of his questions (thanks Brian!) so you can all "catch up" a little bit!<br />His list and my responses:<br />1. NGO Application<br />Jess started getting the local paperwork for our application last September and we finally got the last signatures and stamps from local officials the week before Christmas. Then all the government offices shut down until after the holidays. We took a short one week break as well, and when we came back I locked myself in my office for two weeks from 10:00 to 5:00 every day and didn't even teach my usual Bible studies, just worked on all the paperwork we needed from the past five years so we could get recertification for 5 more years. The NGO office in Kampala almost NEVER accepts the application the first time you try to turn it in, as evidenced by two other NGO's that were sent back from there for "more information" at the same time I was about to turn mine in. But I went prepared with everything I could think of including three copies of the reports I was going to turn in, extra file folders, NGO stamp, NGO seal, inkpad, staples, hole puncher, paperclips, and extra recommendations, all of this covered with your prayers! The man was very difficult, but I humbly and meekly (NO JOKE!) kept my head a bit bowed and said "Yes, Sir" a lot, and he sent me back outside to do "one more thing," or get other information three times, but he finally couldn't find anything else wrong with it and ACCEPTED the application. Then he surprised me by smiling and telling me that I might get lucky and he would turn the application in to the board that week instead of waiting the usual two months. He told me to check back in two weeks. I almost broke into a "Happy Dance" in the parking lot, but was afraid he would think I was crazy and run out and give me my papers back! And then I went back in two weeks and we have been approved!! I have to go back again in two weeks to get the new certificates! Last time we did this it took us 8 MONTHS! God is good and we are blessed! Thank you for your prayers!<br /><br />2. Women's Ministry<br />I think I told you that we had our very first Pastors' Wives conference in December, and although a few of the village wives did not come, the rest of us were incredibly blessed!! It was a great time of learning and fellowship, and all the ladies who came were SO glad that they had taken the time and the trouble to join us. Kelli and I were the teachers, and we based some of the teaching on Proverbs 31, and two of the wives said they did not realize how important they were to their families and their husband's ministries, and that they were to DO so much. They were so used to expecting the husband to just provide everything. And one wife even admitted that she realized she was totally destroying her husband's church and ministry and that she needed to change. And I was as blessed and learned as much as these ladies did, and God was just so present through the whole conference!<br />As for other parts of the Women's Ministry, the group at the village of Iguluibi is great and they are growing so much! The Wise Women's Bible study here at Calvary Jinja has gotten smaller but the ladies who come don't want to discontinue the study because they are so interested in what they are learning, so we each gave a verbal invitation to all the ladies in our church last Sunday to see if we can spark interest again.<br />And the two Bible studies in the Women's Prisons are going really well also. Danielle, who teaches in the Main women's prison has had some health struggles lately and is even in Kenya today to see a doctor, so Mary (one of our Ugandan ladies) has been teaching in her place. And Kelli is in the States on furlough, so her Tuesday teaching in Condemned Women's Section has been covered by Julie, another of our Ugandan ladies. And I am still in Condemned on Sundays and loving being with them and helping them to learn through the power of the Holy Spirit more and more of God through His Son, The Word, Jesus.<br /><br />3. Pastor's Conference<br />The Pastor's Conference that was held in December was GREAT, with Calvary Chapel pastors from all over Uganda attending, and the teaching done by our Jinja staff, both missionary and Ugandan, and by some of the missionaries from other areas as well. I took some of the men to the taxi park after the conference and they were all still talking about it, and one asked me, "Why weren't we taught these things years ago?" And I told him it's because they weren't mature enough then, but they have been growing so much in the Lord that now was the time. He said I was right, but that they were so blessed by the conference. There is another scheduled for next week, and men from other Calvary Chapels will again be teaching. The theme is<br />Phil 3:17 "Join with others in following my example...." and the men will be teaching by using an example of one of the godly men from the Bible. <br /><br />4. School of Ministry<br />Jess weeds through the students during the year and usually ends up with the ones who are serious about learning who Jesus is and how to share His Gospel. If they are in the class for money or prestige or a certificate to hang on the wall, they usually drop out or are asked to leave before the year is over. This year there are only four men remaining with one and a half months to go, but they are solid and strong in the Word, and each will face persecution in his home church when he returns there because of the false doctrine that so many of the churches teach here. So please continue to pray for the guys in the School of Ministry as they prepare to go out and MINISTER!<br /><br />5. Small business loans to pastors<br />Not always a winning situation. This is the month to find out about the man who makes bread and sells it. We loaned him one of our motorcycles to help increase his business. From his projections he should have earned enough by next month to purchase one on his own. We will continue to pray for this. One chicken business has failed and the pastor sold off all his hens (they were supposed to be laying eggs and he was selling the eggs but they didn't lay enough), and we do not know where it will go from there. The other who failed couldn't sell his chickens for enough to start over, so he followed advice from others (and from me) about different food, medicine for a certain disease, and leaving a couple of eggs or a light bulb or two in the nests so the hens lay better. His business is increasing again through God's grace. The guys who are selling shirts will report in during next week's pastor conference. And Apollo, who is raising sugar cane to support his family, plus fund other pastors' projects, has had a terrible time getting the sugarworks to accept everything properly and then pay him! First the men who had the sugar cane loaded onto their lorries and took it to the factory stole 10 tons and Apollo couldn't prove it, so had to buy another piece of sugar cane to go along with his because you have to turn in a certain amount. Then after it was all turned in, he had to go back between 15 and 20 times to try to get all the paperwork cleared and the money in his account. Each time he went, his file was "lost" until he came up with a bribe. He soon got tired of that, so each time his file "went missing," he would call Jess and Jess would have to go out to Kakira and see the manager and the file would be miraculously "found" on someone's desk. FINALLY they approved all the papers and told Apollo the money would be in his account in a month to six weeks. That should be at the end of February or the middle of March.<br /><br />6. Healing for three children<br />Innocent with epilepsy, age 10, still has seizures daily in spite of prayers and seizure medication. Please continue to pray.<br />Jesca - 9 years old with abdominal cancer, was doing well on her chemotherapy, but her brother took her to the village to see her mother, she contracted malaria and died. But before she started her chemotherapy, we prayed with her to receive Christ, so she is in heaven with Jesus today, and that makes her completely healed.<br />Apollo's son Jessy - 2 years old with Sickle Cell Anemia. Jessy almost died in December and we spent two days searching the country for blood for him. Uganda was out of blood over the holidays. J.B. finally drove 2 hours away to a place that had blood, and Jessy was transfused. His blood level was below the line that sustains life. Please keep praying for Jessy.<br /><br />There are other things that we asked you to pray for, but I need to close now and finish preparing for the Proverbs 31 study that the Calvary Chapel staff ladies and I have been doing for the last 16 months. It is one of the best times of the week, and we ALL are so glad we are doing this study. We agree that we have ALL changed greatly! A real blessing from the Lord!<br /><br />So I guess I shall close here. I will try to answer some of the other questions later. I DO want to say that Brian reminded us that Jess and I need to take "together time" with each other or things in our marriage, and consequently in every part of our lives, will not do well. We did take a week off after Christmas, and we DO take time for each other. We are so blessed that we work well together - Jess doing his part to lead and guide spiritually (and to fix everything that breaks), and I doing my part to lead the women, but to get the day to day work details of the compound taken care of through our staff. Our love for each other grows stronger every day, and we are so blessed that God put us together as man and wife. Please continue to pray for his health as the Parkinson's Disease continues to progress, but please also know that we will continue to serve God here as long as He wants us to do so. We love each other, our lives in Uganda, our ministries, and especially our God. May He bless all of YOU in every way!<br />With love in Christ,<br />BevBev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-31171329360250537942009-12-16T22:31:00.000-08:002009-12-16T22:45:16.876-08:00<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-size: inherit; line-height: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-stretch: inherit;" valign="top">Greetings from Uganda!<br />We pray all is well with ALL of you!<br />Here's our update for the month - we have certainly not been idle! <br />I'll try to hit the high points and not bore you with the details, but you know how hard that is for me! There are many praises here, and many things that we ask you to pray about. Blessings to you all!<br /><br />1. PRAISE - We had a pastor's conference in November on "The Word of the Pastor" and it was EXCELLENT and had pastors from <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_5">Entebbe</span> and <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_6">Fort Portal</span> as well as our own guys, plus Pastor Mohan from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_7">Kampala</span> came. <br /><br />2. PRAISE - We had a pastor's WIVES conference in December on "A <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_8">Beautiful Woman of God</span> - The Pastor's Wife," and IT was also EXCELLENT! We had five languages represented, but among our staff, we actually had translators for everyone!<br /><br />3. PRAYER - Just before the wives' conference, Pastor Apollo and wife Betty's two year old son Jesse had to be admitted in hospital and they did not know if he would live. He was given two units of blood and diagnosed with <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_9">sickle cell anemia</span>. Betty is devastated because she has lost so many children to this disease. She has delivered 11 living children and has 5 who are still living. We will help with the best care that we can, but there isn't a lot you can do except fluids and vitamins.<br /><br />4. PRAISE AND PRAYER - Pastor Apollo has been harvesting the sugar cane that we started for him as an income generating project. He is doing GREAT, but the driver and the asst manager assigned to him are trying to steal 10 tons of the sugar cane from him. He is in talks with the manager.<br /><br />5. PRAYER - We have had to close one of our churches and remove the pastor - Simba James from Osia (near Tororo). PRAISE - But we have another pastor there - Michael Sande - who is starting a church in Tororo Town itself, and he already has as many members in his church as James did after 6 years. Michael is a good and godly man, and we pray God uses him greatly! PRAYER - After we closed and locked the church in Osia, James broke the locks off and still held services there so we had to involve the local government. We will see what happens now. We will be selling that land and church in March.<br /><br />6. PRAISE - Three weeks ago Jess ran in the MTN half-marathon in Kampala. He did really well, and finished in a little better time than last year - 2 hours and 15 minutes. For a man with Parkinsons, that is an accomplishment (and I, Beverly, am really proud of him). He was happy to have done so well, and has started running in the mornings again when it's not pouring down rain.<br /><br />7.PRAISE - Speaking of rain - the prayers of the Saints are working in this area this rainy season! It is probably the best rainy season Uganda has had in 5 or 6 years and it seems that almost everywhere in Uganda crops are growing this year! Maybe we will have a season without quite so much hunger!<br /><br />8.PRAISE - Jess and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary on <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_11">December 7th</span>! Hurray! Two thirds of our married life has been spent in Uganda!<br /><br />9. PRAYER AND PRAISE - Don and Danielle Pierce, the couple who works with us, have had a difficult two months. Danielle has been having what appears to be seizures, and this has never happened to her before. She went for treatment in Kampala, but there isn't an MRI machine or even a proper EEG machine in Kampala, so she was referred to Nairobi. They traveled there and after extensive testing, the neurologist says Danielle is not having seizures but has some sort of nerve problem/disorder. She is in the process of changing medicines, is growing stronger and not having so many seizure-like episodes. PLEASE keep her in prayer.<br /><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_12"></span><br />10. PRAYER - We had to fire a man who had worked for us for almost 5 years because of excessive drunkenness. It was a difficult thing to do because he has a wife and four children, one of whom is just a month old. But there were many problems because of his drinking, not the least of which is that he works for a church and a pastor, and that was damaging the reputation of the church badly. So we paid him 6 months salary and transported him and his family and possessions back to his home area of Kitgum in the North. Please pray that God changes him and that his family does not suffer.<br /><br />11. PRAYER - We are in the process of getting ready for our <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_13">Christmas</span> Prisons Program that our kids will perform in 6 prisons in three days the week before Christmas. Then they also do the performance at our <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_14">Christmas Day service</span> as well. It's a lot of work, but it's an incredible blessing for the men and women that are ministered to in prison by this program.<br /><br />12. PRAISE AND PRAYER - There was a court ruling that affected many of the men and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1261031097_15">women on Death Row</span> - the Condemned Section of the prison. The ruling states that if you have not been executed within three years of finishing your final appeal, it is cruel and unusual punishment and your sentence is commuted to "Life." "Life" under the Commonwealth law is 20 years. So 110 men - mostly the members of our church in the prison - had their sentences commuted to life and were moved from the "Condemned" to the "Convicted" section of the prison and are now serving what is basically a 20 year sentence, starting from the date of their conviction. We are thrilled about some who will eventually be released, but also realize that there are some men in this group who should never, under any circumstances, be released from prison. Pray that God touches their hearts and they realize it is only through His grace that they will be free, and that they come to Him completely.<br /><br />13. PRAISE AND PRAYER - Kelli has gone back to the States for two months. We are all missing her terribly, but hope she has the BEST furlough possible.<br /><br />14. PRAISE AND PRAYER - Jess and I will be taking furlough from April through June. We haven't made a schedule yet, but will be doing that VERY soon.<br /><br />15. PRAYER (for School of Ministry Students on holiday) - This is the final week for School of Ministry until after Christmas, and our guys will be going back to their villages for the holiday. Jess had to dismiss one student for immorality, and the man's pastor was adamant that he was being framed, but in truth, he was guilty, so he isn't here any longer.<br /><br />16. PRAYER FOR STRENGTH (AND WISDOM) - Last Saturday, Jess had to conduct and wedding and a burial on the same day. The bride and groom got here 2 hours late, and then it was a 2 hour drive to the village after the wedding, so the burial also started late. At the same time, there were at least a dozen other things going on here at the compound, including the new "Street Kids" ministry, and it was quite a zoo. I usually would be around coordinating, but I had to take an elderly woman to Kampala for some things she needed there - she is a widow and her husband is the one who is buried here on our property. So it was a fairly "normal" day here - absolutely crazy!<br /><br />So after all that, please keep us daily in prayer! And we will never take your prayers for granted! They cover us with God's grace!<br /><br />Bless you and keep you always!<br />With love in Christ,<br />Bev and Jess<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-34700993949161606232009-11-16T11:17:00.000-08:002009-11-16T11:31:26.135-08:00Ugandan BurialToday Jess, Ryan, Kelli, and myself, along with ALL of our Ugandan staff members went to the burial of the son of a very good friend of ours. Mama Agnes has been in our church as long as it has been in existence, I think. She is in her early 50's, which is old for Uganda. And one of her sons just died of complications from AIDS. He's only about 30 years old. Agnes was inconsolable. Our Ugandan guys did most of the visiting and planning with her yesterday, and we helped pay for a lot of the food that was served. J.B. and Martin went and bought the coffin this morning, and J.B. drove Agnes and some of her family out to the village, while the rest of us took various family members plus friends and church members as well. And on top of that, three "Coaster" buses were hired to take friends and relatives to the burial. Customs here are very different than in America. The body was on display at Agnes's home, and when you come to do "visitation," when a woman steps into the yard, she throws her arms on top of her head and starts wailing. This unites you with the mother and/or family in grief. And no one is ever buried in town. You take the "dead body" back out to the village that your family comes from, some young men - friends or family - dig the grave and then either brick it in, or make a cement floor and walls, and then the ceremony is held in the front yard of the family. There is usually a quarrel over who will do the ceremony since the family members come from different faiths and churches. Today the mother, Agnes, had asked Calvary Chapel and Jess in particular to do the service. J.B. made sure that this happened. Jess spoke beautiful words of salvation, and several gave their lives to Christ today. Then we went up the road a ways to where the grave had been dug, and the coffin was lowered into the grave with ropes. Then people threw dirt into the grave, and an iron sheet and a steel mesh was put over the top. Then a thick layer of cement was put over that, and everyone went back home, trecking through someone's sweet potatoe field on the way.<br />There were several times today when my heart was really touched for Agnes and I grieved with her, but the moment that I will remember forever is when I had my turn to give my condolences in her house as she sat by the coffin, and when I walked in, she had the other women unwrap Eric's face in his coffin (they wrap the body in several bedsheets) and she touched his face and said, "Mama Bev, this is my son. This is my son." And then we cried and cried together.<br />Eric had prayed with Jess to receive Christ two months ago when he realized that he had little time left. We do believe it was a true decision for Christ, and this gave Agnes some comfort. Please pray for her - she is a widow and lost her husband a few years ago. When we arrived today, she found that because the family doesn't want her and her family buried there, all the cement had been broken off her husband's grave - a great insult and dishonor - and that was almost as hard on her as burying her son.Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-1378689355978841512009-11-13T09:49:00.000-08:002009-11-13T10:06:42.549-08:00News From Condemned Prison!!Today an incredible thing happened! <br />I have written in a couple of our newsletters that the Death Penalty laws in the country of Uganda were changed about a year ago. The Uganda Supreme Court upheld the Death Penalty and said that men and women could still be condemned to die under the law. But they also ruled that once a person had exhausted all his or her appeals, if they were not executed (execution is by hanging in Uganda) within three years of the end of their appeals, their death sentences were to be commuted to life in prison. <br />The problem with this is that there is no such thing under Ugandan law as a "Life Sentence." A life sentence actually means 20 years, with an actual possibility of being released after about 14 years because of "good time." This caused a big question within the prison system because about half of all the Condemned Prisoners have finished all their appeals but have not been executed within the next three years. And since there is no "life sentence" actually on the books here, the prison system did not know what to do with them. <br />It seems that the ruling came today, and Jess got a call that 110 Condemned men were transferred today from the Condemned section to the Convicts section instead, and now they just have to serve out the remaining years of a "life" sentence! <br />Most of these men were members of the "church" that Calvary Chapel leads in the Condemned Section in Kirinya Prison - in fact, all of the church leaders were a part of this group! And three men had been in prison so long that they were actually released! <br />The Bible does support the death penalty, but we are so happy for most of these men because they truly show changed hearts through the fruit in their lives. Now there is a HUGE chance that in the next few years many of them will be released to go back to their villages and give testimony to what God has done in their hearts and lives - they will go back as completely changed men! <br />Of course, Jess, J.B. and Steven have been with these men for so many years now that they have made good friends among them, and it was hard to think of those men with whom they had a relationship being hanged to death.<br />Now there will be a big task ahead of Calvary Chapel Jinja as our pastors see who will possibly be released next and then will need to find a way to go ahead of those men to prepare the families and villages for the homecoming of people that personified "evil" when they went away to prison.<br />But it was an exciting day full of joy and prayers and worship. Jess went and spent the afternoon at the prison, rejoicing with those who got the good news, and sharing God's Word and praying and praising the Lord! It was an amazing day!<br />There is one woman in the prison where we minister who is also possibly eligible for this release. Her name is Charity, and her heart has changed completely from the nineteen year old girl who murdered two people in jealousy to a woman who helps lead the prison church and the other women to stand firm for the Lord. Please pray that God would grant her mercy. She is a friend to Kelli and I and to our Ugandan staff women, and we would be very happy to see HER be given a news chance at life as a witness for Christ!Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-90160729500099154932009-11-13T09:25:00.000-08:002009-11-13T09:49:26.682-08:00Pastor ConferenceOn the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of November, Jess and Calvary Chapel Jinja hosted a Calvary Chapel pastors' conference. The theme was "The Words of a Pastor." <br />Sometimes we think that the only words of a pastor that count are the ones he speaks from the pulpit. And these are, of course, EXTREMELY important, but there are so many other words that a pastor speaks that affect the lives of so many other people. <br />So 40 Calvary Chapel pastors and lay pastors from different areas of Uganda met at CCJinja for a three day seminar. The pastors from Jinja - Jess, Ryan, J.B. and Steven - taught several of the sessions, and the Senior and Asst. pastors from CC Fort Portal also taught. <br />Some of the subjects were: gossip by the pastor, words spoken to people on the streets, words spoken to the congregation outside of church, keeping confidences from counseling, words spoken to children, and words spoken at home to wife and family. <br />For the first time, many of the pastors were visibly convicted by the Holy Spirit and had to stand up before the others and confess that they were guilty of many offenses when speaking to others. <br />In the discussions, the men actively participated and talked about personal subjects that they had never discussed before. The men also said that the fellowship this time was incredible and they spent a lot of time encouraging each other in their various ministries. <br />After it was over, in the van on the way to the taxi park, the men were talking about how this was the best conference they had ever attended and how they all needed to change so much about the way they lived and the way they spoke.<br />We pray that there is going to be MUCH fruit from this conference! There already is some fruit here at CCJinja as WE all try very hard to watch our words and "tame our tongues."Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-6436387988769705092009-09-19T11:41:00.000-07:002009-09-19T11:45:06.981-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJGXF1w2BakgJeQTsOf_epb8hrydFcc1Cr4V-yCPNPR8fUWoTI4prAQadSUVIZ6N6RU16Jln74ZI3WhbB03lPfc2yPzhXbvQ0i5Kb-Z_WtBUxhQDI8EFOXmNT6fTYsZYcp9x15HXfa-I/s1600-h/Iguluibi-Village+005.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJGXF1w2BakgJeQTsOf_epb8hrydFcc1Cr4V-yCPNPR8fUWoTI4prAQadSUVIZ6N6RU16Jln74ZI3WhbB03lPfc2yPzhXbvQ0i5Kb-Z_WtBUxhQDI8EFOXmNT6fTYsZYcp9x15HXfa-I/s320/Iguluibi-Village+005.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383251221630365618" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedRT54ffQQJgBEaWIvH6MdeusGbCNCmTPDiRzGvcFCmQ3Qg2p7Ignozmlt1-RXRci15DYeB_aRBlA4nj3Ytp7nwr6DT8-FTM_KehKywxsabSXDLTCGoTpC93sO4bKnjxSiqC5HNs76bE/s1600-h/Iguluibi-Village+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedRT54ffQQJgBEaWIvH6MdeusGbCNCmTPDiRzGvcFCmQ3Qg2p7Ignozmlt1-RXRci15DYeB_aRBlA4nj3Ytp7nwr6DT8-FTM_KehKywxsabSXDLTCGoTpC93sO4bKnjxSiqC5HNs76bE/s320/Iguluibi-Village+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383251215515394530" border="0" /></a><br />Also, while we are in the middle of our Women's study inside the church, Lilian is teaching Bible stories to the children outside underneath the Sunday School hut!Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-78182985938206383132009-09-19T11:22:00.000-07:002009-09-19T11:41:51.353-07:00Women Learning the Bible!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3puJrw8JVMMfCmoHo9qaOWRHAk3kJoQeXxhLSUcJe710xBsJacPOYFSBfP_88MwWFFeFVx3rEF8ZM3n1C4Sm-WnFU9q0UivqIYlYgBU4QkwLTXf8aOwWsyg1LOku8Gr2-uTQp4sh5ds/s1600-h/Iguluibi-Village+002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3puJrw8JVMMfCmoHo9qaOWRHAk3kJoQeXxhLSUcJe710xBsJacPOYFSBfP_88MwWFFeFVx3rEF8ZM3n1C4Sm-WnFU9q0UivqIYlYgBU4QkwLTXf8aOwWsyg1LOku8Gr2-uTQp4sh5ds/s320/Iguluibi-Village+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383250543598409810" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBFoCyHmOmmNWCm5MEZ7jHwMJoJ0NZWUjv0pGg-1zT7nt57PLpFprPNXHrCj4jUVSo6jBQWLXrN7ghvetIVnEwGWwXtP-1TbHkpersrAaklw0Z6MmOknZM1jKOAu-V2Auf-9U_loBCSA/s1600-h/Iguluibi-Village+008.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBFoCyHmOmmNWCm5MEZ7jHwMJoJ0NZWUjv0pGg-1zT7nt57PLpFprPNXHrCj4jUVSo6jBQWLXrN7ghvetIVnEwGWwXtP-1TbHkpersrAaklw0Z6MmOknZM1jKOAu-V2Auf-9U_loBCSA/s320/Iguluibi-Village+008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383250304717438562" border="0" /></a><br />I started to write on Thursday about what a great time we had at the ladies' Bible study in Iguluibi (where there is a Calvary Chapel) and I was just so tired I couldn't stay up even one minute later to write. But just a quickie about it tonight: One of the things that most women here in Uganda cannot do is read or hear the Scriptures and understand what it means. There are several reasons. One of the main ones is that very few women here can read - whether it be English or their own language. Especially in the villages, most women went only a few years to school and they never learned to read. Another reason is that they have not been taught and have not practiced hearing a passage and understanding it. So most people here learn "what they believe" about Jesus, salvation, and Bible from listening to someone else read (or not) the Bible and then telling them what it says and means. Many "Bible teachers" here will just pick one verse of the Bible and read it and then "teach" for one or two hours on whatever they want to teach about, whether it pertains to that Scripture or not. So people can so easily be led astray by false teaching because they have no way to refute what is being taught. We have a bit of an advantage in teaching the Gospel because Calvary Chapel believes in teaching through a book of the Bible expositorially, verse by verse, so that people can hear the actual Word for themselves and cover virtually every subject God speaks about instead of just touching on favorite topics. When we teach through a book, people can hear the continuous Word of God for themselves and that is so important! But the schools here do not teach you to read something and then understand it, so for the last few years the Bible studies I teach do something a little bit different. We do teach through a book of the Bible - and I do read it aloud - and one of the wonderful Ugandan women who work with me translates (sometimes three different translations in three different languages all at the same time), and then I teach on the passage. But I don't teach for the full Bible study time. I prepare in advance a question sheet about the Scripture we are studying that day, and then the women break into small groups led by our Ugandan staff women to answer those questions. This was incredibly "foreign" and difficult for them at first and the questions had to be incredibly simple and specific. For example, the Scripture that says "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," would be followed by questions like "When were the heavens and the earth created?" and "Who created the heavens and the earth?" Now when I ask questions, there can actually be some thought and discussion about the answers. The women LOVE learning the Scriptures this way! And just the last three months, I not only have been asking questions, but also am starting to list verses that deal with our topic and without my teaching that verse, they read it and discuss it among themselves, again with our Ugandan staff ladies leading the groups. This way the Ugandans teach as much as I do, and the ladies learn in their own languages. And they really are learning! And last Thursday, they were understanding so well that they could actually point out specific examples that they had seen in their lives and the lives of others and they were LAUGHING about these things together! This may sound really strange to our "Western" ears where we have a totally different way of learning and this is fairly commonplace to us, but here in Uganda it is SO DIFFERENT and I am so excited about two things: One, that our Ugandan staff (Julie, Mary, Lilian, Rodah, and Grace) are leading the groups and doing the teaching themselves, and Two, that the women in the groups are learning, enjoying the study, and applying it to their lives! This last Thursday in particular just gave me such joy, watching them discuss and laugh and work together to learn God's Word! I just can't really describe it, but I hope you understand a little of what I am talking about!<br />God bless you, and please pray for these ladies!!Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3056021833193507015.post-80522904894436003182009-09-15T06:27:00.000-07:002009-09-15T06:37:17.096-07:00Food for the Hungry<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgIdf8u51UvxSUw_UjUxG3nGUId9qoUm8TD7Pjo5O_GOEJqtBWA52t3ZuFQhFovmGL58Z_kM8SHnU_DQaCsUPeiA_bkNMs_c1k75YTBJfM9HShGDxwxV2qxvtJiQjU0kirv5Z8quhyphenhyphenLA/s1600-h/Food+to+Soroti+130.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgIdf8u51UvxSUw_UjUxG3nGUId9qoUm8TD7Pjo5O_GOEJqtBWA52t3ZuFQhFovmGL58Z_kM8SHnU_DQaCsUPeiA_bkNMs_c1k75YTBJfM9HShGDxwxV2qxvtJiQjU0kirv5Z8quhyphenhyphenLA/s320/Food+to+Soroti+130.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381687638213816082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuqoINhHyI3pXRy0LC55q6nwDMcFR4YJsANnx8sbTL0c3jiDUQHo3dwXGfyNAruAbv2Poke4JkxZJnSGE6utK8AEgCeV9w5UiXgoFgPC5Q-ZS-zqrRkMefUD5QdrsT_GIeeueROFSRGU/s1600-h/Food+to+Soroti+045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuqoINhHyI3pXRy0LC55q6nwDMcFR4YJsANnx8sbTL0c3jiDUQHo3dwXGfyNAruAbv2Poke4JkxZJnSGE6utK8AEgCeV9w5UiXgoFgPC5Q-ZS-zqrRkMefUD5QdrsT_GIeeueROFSRGU/s320/Food+to+Soroti+045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381687629440048706" border="0" /></a><br />J.B. just returned to Jinja from a trip to two of our northern churches, CC Ogongora and CC Olele.<br />The people in the area of these churches have been experiencing famine for the last several months. Crosspoint Community Church in Reno, Nevada, had given us a gift of $4,000 to use for some special ministry. This turned out to be the exact amount needed to give to each of the 150 households contained in those two churches a 50 kilo bag (110 lbs) of maize meal, the staple food for all of East Africa. Several people there are on the verge of starvation and a few have died already. This maize meal (posho) is enough to sustain life for each of these families for about a month. It has just started raining and so in about a month crops should be grown enough to eat. It's amazing to me how God can provide exactly what we need when we depend completely on Him. And truly, the money was the EXACT amount we needed. God is good and we are so grateful.Bev Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18147317059467859975noreply@blogger.com2