Uganda again

Well, I am still working through my journal typing it up and it's been two months since I've been back. This is much more labor intensive than I thought it would be. Anyway, we are all doing well and getting ready for a full weekend with family in town, people over, preaching on Sunday, and Hillary leading a counseling team meeting.

1/23
Early start to Mbale. Alarms didn’t go off for Al or I so Henry came in at 4:15 with a torch (flashlight) and roused us. The electricity had gone off sometime that evening. This happens intermittently. It took us till ~9am till we arrived at Mbale. I missed seeing Kampal and a big forest because it was still dark, but as the sun came up it was really neat to see Uganda. We had good conversation about universal principles and redemptive historical preaching which I need to think through. It was a good and challenging conversation to think through.
Outside of the ride here, it was an amazing and crazy day. We spent time with former Muslims who had converted to Christianity as they told us about their faith and persecution. There was an amazing sense of joy and life among them. When these former Muslims converted they changed their names, taking Christian names and are generally ostracized from their families. Here are some of their stories:
Rachel had a dream in which smoke formed the name of Jesus three times. She tells the man she is living with, and her family but they all dissuade her and tell her not to think of it. She tries to put it out of her mind over the next two months but is increasingly troubled. One day she passes by a church, goes insides, hears the gospel, and is converted. In response her brothers come to her home and burn all of her possessions. Her home has mud walls, a tin roof, dirt floors and three small rooms. You can still see some of the scorch marks from when her brothers burned her things. Despite her poverty and persecution she is full of joy and continues to speak about Christ to her Muslim neighbors.

Beatrice didn’t speak of how she came to Christ, but focused on the trials which have come because of her faith. She was a business women until her brothers came and stole the money she had recently borrowed from the bank for her business’ use. They said that since she is no longer a Muslim she should not have any money from Muslims (or something like that – we heard this all through an interpreter). They took her money, and all of her possessions. She was unable to make payments on her loan so the bank came and foreclosed her home. For about a year she would sleep in the church and cry out to God for his mercy. She prayed that the bank would be unable to sell her home and that he would provide her, somehow, with the money to payback the loan. There was no buyer for her home during the year the bank possessed it and a Christian who heard of her situation gave the money so she could payback the bank. As she is telling us this story she is praising God and speaking of her continued commitment to tell her Muslim neighbors of God’s provision for her.

Tom used to work at a Mosque in a position similar to a janitor. He spoke of the selfishness he observed among some of the leaders who had received some sort of gift for the Mosque (I think it was food), but used it for themselves instead of sharing. He didn’t say how he became a Christian, but spoke primarily of what happened afterward. Some men from the Mosque assaulted him, stripping him naked and beating him. In Uganda, many people only have one set of clothing, so after he was stripped naked he ran to the home of a church member who was able to give him some clothes. Those who beat Tom up also destroyed his crops, and continue to do so when he plants for the next season. He has nine children and struggles to provide for them.

The stories went on and many spoke of their love for Christ despite the difficulties they experience. Not all Christians converting from Islam experience persecution, but in this community that seemed to be the regular experience. One man, who was a sheik even talked about his life being threatened and his need to watch his back as he walks to church. It was an amazing experience to hear these stories and to encourage these fellow Christians in their endurance. Their joy and willingness to suffer – wow. Trying to process the time at the church today: God, keep me from unbelief. You are real and you are the one who has done this. Seeing individuals, then their families, then their extended families converted to Christianity, serving, evangelizing – it puts me to shame.

As we rode into this mountain village to this church service, there were eleven of us in this SUV: two in the front, four in the back seat, and five on these fold down seats in the trunk. There was a vine with about 60 bananas in the back with the five people! There are few people who own cars in Uganda, so transportation is prized. Whenever someone can catch a ride, instead of walking, they do it.

While we were in the mountains we also saw a wedding procession and hung out at the church before the wedding. There was a group of people singing and dancing as they processed about a mile to the church. Many were dressed in traditional garb, and the singing was beautiful. I don’t even know if the wedding had an official start time. Things happen in Uganda when everyone gets there. We joke about things running on Ugandan time which can mean almost anything.

Tonight we’re staying at the Anglican guest house in Mbale. We have our own rooms and there is a shower, which is pretty awesome. My room, and the guest house.