Hello! We apologize for not posting a blog since last Monday! I will try my best to catch you up to speed. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Ryan (the youth pastor of Calvary Jinja) blessed us by taking our team on a “road trip” to the other side of Uganda (the Western side bordering Congo), to go on a big-game safari drive in the National Park. It was such a wonderful two-day break from intensive ministry, and for me it was the fulfillment of a dream I have had since I was a little boy to go on an African safari. The eight-hour drive to the game park was an adventure in and of itself, bumping up and down on African dirt roads with pot holes and speed bumps even on the highways—not to mention, the way that most Ugandans drive is enough to get your blood flowing!

On the safari we were able to see so much of God’s beautiful creation and creatures during our boat ride of the Nile and drive through the Savannah. Elephants, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, water buffalo, warthogs, baboons, and many others—all in their natural environment. Being the animal-lover that I am, my eyes were as wide as a little kid on Christmas. The trip was such a blessing to our team.

We hit it hard coming back to Jinja, putting on our last all-day youth conference for the village of Lumuli. Ryan, Lee, and myself taught the sessions and Erin taught classes for the smaller children. The conference was out of Ephesians 4 and 5, about walking in a way that is worthy of your calling and being imitators of God. We spent all afternoon playing soccer with some of the older boys/young men of the village. They were all very serious and skilled at the game, so they were practically running circles around Lee and I on the field. It was a fun game, but also proved to be a lesson in atheletic humility : )

On Friday we were able to get some good shopping done in the markets and then we greeted some missionaries who were returning from their furlough in the states. Friday afternoon we went with Pastor JB (the native Acholie pastor I wrote about in an earlier blog) to be a part of a ministry that Calvary Jinja has in one of the neighborhoods/slums. We played with countless children in tattered dirty clothes, trying to control their violently joyful attempts to pop the bubbles we were blowing as a form of entertainment. A woman from the church sang with the children and taught them a lesson from the life of Sampson. After the children left, Lee and I shared from the scriptures for an adult Bible study in that neighborhood. As Lee and I taught, it felt as if we were speaking to family members who cherished our every word. As we all sat huddled in the dirt rode of a slum, I explained through an interpreter that God does not dwell in a building made with hands, but in the hearts of His people—and I went on to give examples from scripture of God using ordinary every-day people for extraordinary things. Lee shared on the power of our words to build or break a brother, and an encouragement to build up the body of Christ. I really felt the Lord’s presence and the power of the Holy Spirit during the whole time in that slum.

Today (Saturday morning) we are preparing for youth group this afternoon and practicing the worship set for tomorrow morning’s services. Erin spent the morning volunteering again at the orphanage. After church tomorrow we will begin packing and getting ready to leave on Monday morning.

Prayer Requests:
Please pray for any last-minute divine opportunities to encourage the missionaries/pastors here.
Please pray for the Sunday services.
Please pray for safe travels as we head home.
Also, I sprained my ankle right before the trip and I have not given it enough time to rest and recover. The last few days it has been very painful.

Thank you all so much,

Ian