Baptismal Service

This past Sunday, our House Churches baptized 37 new believers. Baptism is always fun. You never know what is going to happen. Sunday, one lady changed her clothes in public and then took off her hair and put it on a rock. You just never know! 

Packed House

Sunday was a day of celebration as our House Churches came together for Worship and Baptism . After two and half hours of singing, dancing, giving, preaching... we headed for the Lake. Baptismal Service was another two hours. It was great! 

The Mighty Nile

Never in all my life have I been as terrorized as I was rafting class 4 and 5 rapids on the Nile River. When you get thrown out it is just like being in a washing machine. You have no idea where up is! I'm in the front to the left! You can't see me for the water.... 

Friends from Arua

This is Gordon and Bonnie who serve among the Lugbana people in the North. We just finished our AGM and they cane to Kampala to restock. They have to buy food, and other essential because there is no source in the North. 

Tom- my – toes (Cherry Tomatoes)

If you know me, you know that I do not turn a loose of money quickly…even when I really want something. But this week I walked in a market and saw a pint of tommytoes, which we called them in Mississippi when I was a girl, but they are now called cherry tomatoes. I spied them immediately…I went to ask the cost : 6,500 shillings and I said to myself, «They HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING… I just can not spend $3.75 for a pint of tommytoes « …..BUT, I looked back at them and said…I have been here a year !!!!!!!!!!! And I bought them. I have savored everyone of them I have eaten….and still have a few. We do get very good small tomatoes here and I buy them every week but I had not seen tommytoes and I just had to consider the encouragement they would be to my spirit. Danny said, « What….why not a candy bar? » I thought, « There is no way to make him understand….and I just went to the kitchen and began to eat !!!!! » And I am going to go get another one right now…..goodnight.

March 16 – Arrival Anniversary

Yes, a year…and what a year. We kept saying we had not made it a month, or 4 months or 9 months !!!! But we did it…12 months…...we arrived in Kampala March 16, 2005. Truly it is hard to believe. It has been such a year of challenges and joys and culture and language learning but it did not kill us. We are grateful for this opportunity and count it an honor to serve our Lord here. He was gracious to us to bring us to such warm and loving people and we have learned so much from them…especially their attitudes in the midst of poverty and lack of the things we think it takes to make you happy. They are the happiest people I know and their love and worship of God blesses and challenges us each day. Thank you for your perpetual love and support of us in this and we are ever so grateful to those who lift us up to the Father daily.

BLOOD ON THE WALLS

What do a flashlight and a wet bathcloth have to do with a day in Uganda. NOTHING…it has to do with a night. Mosquito Killing !!!!!!!!! For whatever reason our bedroom has been filled with mosquitos at night. I look for them before I go to bed but of course they can not be found UNTIL we lie down and are just about to go to sleep. Then the buzzin’ and divin’ start for the inside of our ears. Try as we will, sleep will not come because they manage to get under the covers or fly so near your ear even with the sheet pulled over your head you can still hear them. So the war begins at 11 :00, 1 :00, 2 :00, 3 :30, 5 :00 and now it is 5 :30 and time to get up and there has been no sleep. But the war has been fought……….thankfully, they do land on the wall behind our bed and I spot them with the flashlight and SMASH them with a wet bathcloth….and yes, the blood flows. Several nights I killed 25 – 30 throughout the night. No, Danny did not help…he kept saying that »the light is in my eyes »…and then after I would kill 9-11 and get back under the sheet, he would say, « Claudia, they are buzzin’ again !!!! » And of course I would have to start the one-woman war again. We don’t know why we have had so many…but several nights have been awful and we must not forget the serenade of the dogs, which goes on all night also. We have lost about 2 years more of life from living awake day and night. And the bad part also is that the paint in Uganda is like chalk water so when you attempt to wipe the blood, you only remove the paint and a brown streak is STILL on the wall. Pray for the murderer…she is about to lose her mind and Danny says « it is a short trip. » HA. Yes, we have sprayed and having some success but do I want to die by inhaling Baygon or should I choose the war and seek to survive ?

Christy's Birthday

Christy didn't like her other picture, so here's another! 

T4T Discipleship Group

This is the Monday night group with whom we are trying to share church planting principles. We meet at 5pm and they usually begin to go home about 7pm. Pray that this group will catch the vision and feel empowered to reach Kampala for Christ. 

Christy turns 34

Saturday night was party time. Christy, one of our missionaries turned 34 and we got to help her celebrate. Christy is the principal for Heritage International School in Kampala. She also helps with church plants and T4T . Plus, she is a good friend to everyone and keeps us laughing. She hails from Ky. and Tn . We hear about it all the time.

He's My Weenie Man

Friends from our home church sent us a box... a large box... that included this Oscar Mayer Pillow Weiner Mobile...you really have to know about Claudine to appreciate it!!!!! But to those of you who know... a song broke out to the surprise of those in the Baptist office...no purse... no hat... no falling stockings... but there was a song waiting to get out.... and "get out" it did!

My Canon 20D

Since Saturday, I've already taken over 200 pictures. I'm glad to have my camera back. Last year I took over 5,000 pictures. 

Little is much when God is in it.

Giving in Sweto. I am always challenged by my Ugandan friends who give out of necessity. They express such a spirit of gratitude to the Father. Please pray for our House Churches. 

House Church in Sweto

Kevin and I went to one of our house churches after language today. This is where the poorest of the poor live. And God is here! We have about 70 who attend. They take up an offering of about three U.S. dollars. And they love God and enjoy worship.  

A Good Night Rest

We had power last night. After 24 hours without power, all batteries dead within 3 hours, it was our turn. PTL It was cool and the fan ran all night.

For the past serval night, Claudia has been Sherlock Holmes. She has been up during the night (5 and 6 times) with her trusty flash light, hunting down mosquitos and killing them. We have bloodspots all over the wall. One night she killed 20. The next night 23. She keeping a record. I really don't mind if she wouldn't shine the light in my eyes while I'm trying to sleep.

Do pray for the power problem. It is a real problem for many of our missionaries. Some have been without power for 4 days. They do have generators but fuel is so costly, they cannot afford to run them very long at a time.

Friday was spent is Jinja at the Board of Governors for the Baptist Seminary of Ugada. Godfrey went with me. While I was in the board meeting, he sat in on some classes. I always enjoy his company and it seemed he enjoyed the seminary.

Today is Sunday and I have been invited to preached at Lifeway Baptist Church, Comas is the pastor.

New House Church

Most of our House Churches meet outdoors. While we need the rains, it makes it difficult for the people to move around. This is Nsombya's second time to meet. It is a 3rd or 4th generation. It is exciting to see churches planting churches.

Busy Day in East Africa

After language all morning... I headed for two of our twenty-six house churches. I thought I was to preach at Katwe I but Benon (our Pastor) preached and at Nsambya II, I thought Benon was going to preach but guess what? That's right I became the "preacher of the day". What fun!! There was a band practicing right behind where we met. But God is good. This was the second time for this House Church to meet. About twenty adults and 10,000,000 kids ( well, not that many, but kids everywhere about 50+). One young man in his twenty's trusted Christ. PTL.

I left Claudia with the discipleship group that meets at our house every Monday. She had 15.

Sunday in Kampala

After a night without eletricity, the batteries fail after about 4 hours, we were ready for a very long day. Off to Celebration Point, where our house churches come together for Sunday worship and Danny preached.

Without lunch, Danny and Kevin went to meet a young Muslim man interested in knowing more about Christ. Kevin had spent serveral hours before with him and his brother. Today, after Kevin had shared he became a follower of Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!

Then to a special called meeting by our SF that lasted for about 2+ hours, BUT the electrcity is back on the this night. It has been a great full day!

A Day When Camera Was Held Hostage

This morning we drove 1 hour to the airport to get Danny's camera which was held in customs awaiting us to come and pay taxes...duty. It was sent back to America in January, and he sent it to Canon. It was repaired and mailed to Timothy and he in turn sent to our FedEX friend, Paul in Lakeland to mail to us. We were called by FedEx yesterday and told that we must go to airport because they could not deliver. Plus, we had to go into Kampala and find their office, which was quite harried, and get paperwork. We left about 8:30 a.m. today and got there at 9:30 and began the vigil. Danny was told that he should have not sent it out of the country without paperwork and they continued to tell him that it was new and it would cost 1,200,000 Ush, which is about $600 in U.S. dollars. We were shocked and sick....we did not have the money and certainly did not feel we should pay it. Danny was sent to 3 different offices and to two of those twice and we spent a lot of time in coffee shop waiting. After 3 hours we were finally given the camera which we had to pay 90,000 Ush, about $55. We felt still scathed but what can you do...you are at their mercy and just so grateful to get it and get out of there. We had prayed hard because we would have just had to let it be returned by Fed EX to Timothy. That would have been expensive but not $600. So God was good to us. Then we traveled an hour back home. So our day was consumed with this one project. Danny is so happy to have it back...he has missed it so much.

We have no power now...it was to have been off today and I was wanting to do my hair tonight...but it went out a bit ago and my battery is low on computer so must shut down.

Danny gets to preach tomorrow and he is looking forward to that. He has to get up at 5:00 a.m. to go back to airport to take our strategy leader, John, and his family to fly to Nairobi for testing on their little 4 year old girl. Pray for them. Then we have a planning meeting about our Annual General Meeting at the end of this month after church with the rest of the team. He then goes with one of our missionary men to share gospel with a Catholic and Muslim. Kevin met them a couple of weeks ago and they are asking alot of questions. Then tomorrow night we have a meeting about the Heritage International School, which has some issues that need to be resolved and I am on the Board. So tomorrow is a busy day....and 3 hour worship service. Sounds like to me we are in America. But God is moving and we are being blessed.

Had breakthrough yesterday with the tenses of verbs in Luganda...trust me I needed a breakthrough. Danny and I had met on Thursday by ourselves with teacher and he and Danny worked with me and then Danny worked with me some more and the lights began to come on. Does not mean we are speaking it but at least I can see how the words are formed.....WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE EXCEPTIONS.........

Thursday in Old Kampala

After two hours of language study, which went better than yesterday, we got a bite of lunch and went with Godfrey to Old Kampala. Danny and Godfrey went prayer walking for almost two hours and I went to visit a "new sister" whom we had met when volunteers were prayer walking with us. Rebekah was the one who really had the privilege of sharing MORE with her and led her to a commitment. She is a precious and hospitable lady. We shared food, and more food. and hot tea. I also learned more about what to expect about our trip to India. It was a wonderful time.

Danny returned very hot and sweaty with Godfrey by his side who was cool and calm. They were so excited because they had led 7 people to the Lord and were asked to come back to start a Bible study. Now that has caused some rejoicing. We still did not have a person from our focus group but we are in a very good area for that.

South Asia in Kampala

Today I visited with a "new sister." We met her several weeks ago while prayer walking with volunteers. She speaks broken English but wanted so much to learn more. So Rebekah had the privilege of sharing MORE with her. 

Sarah's Birthday

We celebrated with Sarah as she turned two. It was a wonderful evening for all the KUT family here in Kampala. Please pray for Sarah's big sister Rachel who is four. She will be going to Nairobi with her family Sunday morning for medical test. 

Reading like a 1 year old

Danny and Rebekah reading and translating the Bible Story of Mary. 

LANGUAGE

Claudia and Lynn reading and translating the Bible story of Mary  

Language Today

Today....what a shock...almost a stroke...we had to read a Bible story OUTLOUD IN FRONT OF OUR OTHER TEAM MEMBERS about the Angel speaking to Mary and telling her that she would be the mother of our Lord. I had thought I was getting a little handle on Luganda...but today my handle cracked...then broke off. My team saw a side of me that they did not know was deep, down within me. I have an involuntary laugh...not a quiet giggle...and that LAUGH...came out today from deep within as I sat there and could not control this "hearty strangle." The laugh was inside my throat...and I would get it cleared out and then I would think about myself sitting there having to get up before the group and READ these words that I could not understand like "yeeraliikirira" which means "Mary worried herself." Where was Mary? I wanted to get hold of her. Anyway, I would think, "if my friends could see me NOW!!!!!!!!!!" And the laughing would start again and the class would STOP again and wait for me to get control. Even our teacher was tickled...and I would gain my composure and think, "Oh, dear Jesus, how can I EVER get this?" And you can imagine what would happen....I would laugh out loud again.

Now, this was complicated by trying very hard to hold in the laughter while Danny read like a two year old....truly...or maybe a 1 year old. Can you imagine south Georgian saying "tebuliggwaawo." It was not a pretty thing to hear. Monday night at the discipleship class, our translator, Godfry, had to interpret for Danny even though all were English speakers. Does that tell you anything about us?????????? But keep remembering that we are soon to be 62 this year.

I must say that the laughing has not stopped...even as I washed up the dishes and Danny and I began to converse and I told him how extremely nervous I had been.....the laughing started over again. I got no sympathy...he said he could not read but he was not nervous....trust me, HE SHOULD BE. So we got to laughing and my throat is raspy from this laugh. His comment was that he was so glad to hear me laughing....I think that means he really thought I might have a stroke today from all of this and he would have to be here in this mess alone.

Can you believe that we need prayer, or prayers, or lots of prayers, continual prayers...never ceasing pray?????????? We DO.