Fort Portal, Uganda
It was another amazing journey to the land of Uganda. The Lord never ceases to amaze me with His plan and purposes to reach the world with His hope and love which are found in His Son Jesus. This was my 10th trip to Uganda and it was an honor for me to have my friend Greg Miller travel with me on this journey. As always my dear friend and co-laborer Pastor Fred Muyimba, met us at the airport late that November evening and the next morning we were off on a six hour drive from the capital city of Kampala to the city of Fort Portal, in northwest Uganda. Over the years we have planted a number of churches in the villages where there has never been a church before. This trip would be like many of the others. We invited all of the pastors and their leaders to join us in Fort Portal for five days of leadership training and ministry. Pastor Solomon is the pastor of Harvest Church in Fort Portal. He and his church would host us and all the other leaders for an amazing week together.
This was going to be a wonderful opportunity to see old friends and to make many new ones. We would spend each day worshipping God and opening His word to the many incredible promises He has for those who believe. It would be a time to allow the Holy Spirit to speak into the hearts of the people and then watch Him heal and set the captives free. Pastor Solomon is a young pastor with a big vision. They had been renting the land where their current church building is. They have been praying and trusting God that one day He would provide their own land for their church. One day we opened God’s word and were sharing about the principal of sowing and reaping. The Word says as you give generously you will reap generously. The next day a young lady at the conference said the Holy Spirit really convicted her heart about being a better giver. She had received some land through a family inheritance and felt like the Holy Spirit told her to give the land to the church!!! When Pastor Solomon and the church heard this they went wild! What an amazing God we serve!
Jesus made it very clear in the book of Matthew when He gave us the Great Commission. He told us to, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” One day during the conference we found ourselves heading out about 4 miles from the church. There we would spend a few hours at an African river. As I write these words to you now, it is like I am reliving it all over again. There were people everywhere. They were standing alongside the road looking down at us as we prepared to do something amazing. We were about to have a real life water baptism. About 120 people, young and old alike were about to do something you read about in the Bible. Each person represented a real story and their lives were about to change forever. To be a part of such an event is truly a gift from God. One after another they entered the water, down and up they came, with shouts of joy and praise to God! What an incredible sight it was!
As our time in Fort Portal came to a close, we couldn’t help but give God great thanks for all He had done that week. The church in Fort Portal will never be the same. When the power of God invades your world you really are forever changed. Another life changing story happened that week. There was a young orphan boy about 5 years old; we gave him the name Simon Peter. He has been taken in by a 14 year old girl and she is now raising him. During our times of worship each day young Simon would dance his life away, and boy could he dance. One day I got this crazy idea from the Holy Spirit. I placed a chair in the center of the church and placed Simon on it and we all danced with him! It was at this point I felt like I needed to wash his feet, symbolic of what Jesus did with His disciples. It was a moment on my spiritual journey that I will never forget!!! Oh, one last thing on young Simon Peter, it was then that he gave his life to Jesus.
As we left Fort Portal to head back to the capital where Pastor Fred lives, our plan was to stop at two village churches where we have done previous outreach conferences. Both pastors, Pastor Joseph and Pastor Julius are dear friends. They are amazing men of God, with hearts as big as their country. Their churches have grown so much that they both have started building bigger churches. As we spent time with each of them and their leaders, I felt like ETM needed to help in some way. We prayed together and trusted that the Holy Spirit would provide $1,000 for each church within one month to help them finish the roofs. I am happy to report that a few weeks ago we were able to send that money to both Pastor Joseph and Pastor Julius. The churches are on their way to being finished. As I close I want to thank all those who gave so generously and prayed for this trip. It should be a reminder for all of us that God can take simple, ordinary people and empower them to do extraordinary things for the Kingdom of God.
Merry Christmas!
For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6