Hello to all my friends, brothers, and sisters at New Life Center.
I'm currently in the USA for 3 months of leave, from May 18 to August 6. I'll be spending 3 days in June with Foursquare Missions International, attending part of the Missions conference, and being a speaker for an MTS training. I welcome your prayers that my financial support will remain steady while I'm home, and will be adequate for the traveling, speaking, etc. that I will be doing. You can inquire about my schedule by calling New Life Center.
When I return to Uganda in August, I plan to start 2 new endeavors. I will be doing health/evangelism training in Bakuli, a slum in Kampala (the capitol city of 1.5 million people) where our Foursquare parent church is being built. It is a place of great darkness, broken families and lives, poverty, prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse, and filth of every kind. Across the street from our church is one of the most powerful witchdoctors in Uganda.
In addition, in northwestern Uganda, about 200 miles north of where I live, there is a tribe that for two years has wanted me to come and teach them medically and spiritually. The doors have only recently opened for me to be able to go there. Travel is difficult in Uganda, so a 200 mile trip will take me 2 days. I will stay up there for a week at a time. Just before I came to the USA, God provided for new tires and shock absorbers for my truck which will enable my truck to withstand these trips. On subsequest trips, I will save considerable time and wear and tear, by flying into a nearby town. With the cost of gas at about $4 a gallon, it may actually be cheaper for me to fly. However, initially, I need to go up there with my own wheels.
Here's another idea I have. Last time I was home, I had an opportunity to speak at Northwest College, to their brand new nursing class. I hope I get the chance to do that again. If God wills it, eventually people from this class could visit me in Uganda for a summer practicum -- a short term mission thing. I hope it works out!
Finally I would like to share a story with you. Recently, when having breakfast in a Kampala restaurant, I met a Muslim Ugandan man when he dropped some money and it rolled under my chair (God has a sense of humor!). He ended up joining me for breakfast. Turns out he works for the American Embassy, for USAID, and has been to the USA numerous times, even to Seattle. He took the ferry to Vancouver Island and has toured Everett's Boeing plant. Small world huh? I could tell this man has a real heart after God. In fact he shared with me many things God has done in his life. His mom is a born again Christian and he's living with her because she's sick with TB. We ended up talking for 2 hours. He was intrigued with my work and lifestyle, because Embassy people don't usually involve themselves personally with Ugandans. When I told him how last time Becky and I flew home, the villagers I work with went together and rented a bus, and nearly 100 of them saw us off at the airport, the man began to cry! He had to keep wiping his eyes and said, "this just touches my heart so much!"
This was just a casual contact, but I feel I will have future connection with him. I am coveting his soul for Jesus, and believe God is working in him! In the mission field, every day opens new opportunities to serve the Lord.
Hope to see you all soon.
Margaret