Eastern Skies

I have been home for almost a week and have had time to reflect on my time in Uganda. That, along with a host of inquiries about my experience continues to nurture my reflection on the past 8 weeks.

Reflecting on a "trip of a lifetime" is hard but let me try; or at least let me begin. Perhaps in time I will see it differently. For now these are my thoughts.

First, I noticed that while I was in Uganda I slept better than I normally do - I had dreams more often and could remember them. I left rested! That surprises me in light of the fact that I worked long days while I was there. The work was different then pastoring a church but it was nonetheless a lot of work. I am thinking that the change of pace, the change of demands on me and the change of environment gave my inner core time to be restored. I have never thought of life in ministry as debilitating but perhaps the past 32 years have slowly depleted my inner core and this trip restored me within. I think it did! PTL!

Second, in Kodiak I work with people of all ages and levels of commitment but in Uganda I worked with young men all of whom are committed in ways that sometimes put me to shame. I have taken some time to just think about my level of commitment and am challenged to make some subtle but important changes. I did like working with men; I thoroughly enjoyed working with the staff at the school and I was prepared to just "unload" what I had learned over the last 3 decades in ministry. The effort was tiring but meaningful for me. I think I came away rejuvenated to continue growing and learning so I could perhaps go at it again with more wisdom and effectiveness.

Third, I preached 6 times while I was there; three times to the students and three times in village churches. The students didn't need a translator, the village churches did. The interesting thing is that all 6 messages were about the same length. Lesson: It can be said with less words - it just takes more concentration and effort. One thing that happened after my last effort in a village church was the Pastor opened the floor for questions and answers. That was enlightening and I think I will try that sometime after a message.

Fourth, the West does not have a corner on understanding the Word of God; we certainly have resources to unravel it but making universal application is truly a local effort. I faced questions that never come up in the West and I faced challenges that only a Ugandan bush Pastor could speak to. Thank you men, your questions and insights were valuable and while I was the teacher you taught me.

Fifth, as the Gospel "sun sets" in the West the Eastern skies of Africa are lighting up. God is at work in Africa as people are being saved; churches are being planted and laborers are being trained for a harvest that will stun the world. Thank you for letting me be part of your training; you remain in my thoughts and prayers as you serve the Lord where the Eastern skies announce the coming light.

Loving Life where God planted me . . . .

I have returned from Uganda - the trip/travel was nothing to envy - yet I am caught between "loves". I am blessed to be home with Susan and the family but truly miss the new family that adopted me and the brotherhood of seminarians that attended my lectures, endured my exams and invited me to their churches.

It hardly seems real; passing from the West and its luxurious consumerism into the third world of drought and a lack of essentials; and then to return to an office filled with great books and air free of mosquitoes that could infect me with malaria.

How could I love both and write with such an ambivalent mind? The answer is people; it will always be about people. The environment is thin and in the end meaningless. I prefer cool over steamy; partly cloudy over blinding sun; pavement over rutted clay; white boards over concrete covered in black paint and church buildings with windows and sound systems. Yet the people are what it will always be about.

Elwatu Joseph told me on my last Saturday that Uganda is the friendliest country in Africa. I don't know if he is right but I can't bet against him. Loving the Ugandan people was easy; not to mention the wonderful family I stayed with. I wanted to transport them all to Kodiak; and now that I am home to take my Kodiak family to Uganda.

In the end we, Ugandan "born agains" and Kodiak believers, will have the eternal pleasure of sharing "heaven" together. For that I will always be grateful and for that I will live in anticipation. I am invited back and I would enjoy the opportunity to do it better the second time; to not only see my brothers but to meet their children who will be the new generation of "born agains" carrying the good news of Jesus Christ to the streets and villages of Uganda.

While we are apart you do your part and we, here in the states, will do ours.

You are loved and missed,
Brother Mark in Kodiak

Final Pictures from Uganda

It is 9:30 PM on Sunday and you are likely at Church. This is my last email from Uganda so I am sending a couple of last minute pictures.

John and I are off to Entebbe tomorrow morning at 7:45. We have to call the American Embassy so John can know if he needs to bring Benjamin to have his passport renewed. Once he determines that, we will be off and we are expecting traffic and all the stuff that goes along with road conditions and getting through Campola. It should be another adventure.

Today we attended John's home church, Victoria Baptist Church. I ran into some of the instructors at the seminary as well as a helper that we picked up every day. He assisted me in finding a pair of cuff links like the students wear.

Anyway this afternoon we headed to the Seminary to see what the students who have stayed behind have accomplished in applying stone to the base of the buildings. It was remarkable what they had gotten done since the close of school on Thursday. Aaron & Benjamin assisted in improving the picture. The final picture is of a flower whose simple but unique beauty reflects the simple but precious beauty of the Ugandan Students at GTS. For and from the two students that we visited with while we were at the seminary: "Thanks for sending your pastor to be our teacher; God will bless you for your gift to us".

Debbie's Kids

We returned to Good Shepherd's Fold last night for a gathering of Global Outreach missionaries. They do it periodically. We had dinner and they asked me to bring devotions. It was nice out there and cooler than it has been. I met little Anna - Debbie's special little girl and saw some of the other kids that I met the first time.

I am including two pictures: first of the kids on the playground jungle gym waving and saying: "Hi Debbie - Hurry Back!" The second picture is of night life in Jinga. I asked John to drive through down town on our way back so I could see the night life that I have heard so much about. It was fascinating.

I leave in less than 24 hours and fly to Nairobi; then Cairo and then off to New York. I will call on my cell once I am in New York and through customs. I have a few things that people are sending with me to the Gardners and a missionary here who asked me to mail a small package to their son in North Carolina.

Love ya - can't wait to get home, I am ready!
Mark in Jinga

It is Saturday morning and the carpenter is coming to work on the project for Johnny's room. I am not doing much of the work - I occasionally go out and hold something for him and maybe even give him a tip on how to do something better but he is used to his methods and they are crude by comparison to the West. Nonetheless they work.

Last night I met a man who is a part time missionary who comes here from time to time to invest in ministries and disciple people. He is a retired postmaster from Georgia but also was the foreman at a large cabinet shop and has a personal shop that is twice the size of my building. We talked about my table saw problems and he gave me some ideas. Funny where you meet the solutions to some of your problems. Roger and I talked a lot last night.

The picture is of a typical moment on a Jinga street. Notice the few cars and the large number of bicycles. This is life here - few cars and a large number of other types of transportation. That is not to say that there are no cars - there are, but they don't own the streets or highways. The thoroughfares of commerce are owned by pedestrians, bicycles and mopeds/motorcycles. Cars slow down and maneuver around the people, the bikes and the mopeds. Very few helmets, and when there is an accident - we have seen at least three very serious ones - there is almost always loss of life; and you can see why. Of course everyone drives on the "other side of the road" and that would not be hard to get used to but the presence of people on the streets is still strange to me.

Tonight John and I will head into town for some night pictures. He tells me: "If you think there are a lot of people on the road during the day, wait until you see it at night". The Ugandans are night people. I will see for myself soon.

Things are well, I am relaxing for the last 48 hours and then travelling and all that stuff.

Woodworking in Uganda

It is Friday and I am woodworking a bit. The carpenter is by and he is showing me how they build things in Uganda. By American standards they are primitive and includes a great deal of handwork. My first picture is of Gilbert planing lumber that we cut with an old skill saw.

The second picture is of a "bodaboda" which is a bike being used as a simple but very common taxi. It costs 25 cents for a ride and they have to work to get up the inclines. It is the bike owners livelihood. People learn to balance riding side-saddle. I have not ridden on one of them; rather I have taken a motorcyle/moped which is faster and costs a bit more (50 cents).

It is warm today; and very slow, but another missionary came by to ask me to take a package back to America and mail it for her. It is being shipped to North Carolina; she was surprised and blessed to know that I would be there for 2 days.

Heading Home

We just arrived home after a happy/sad day. I hugged many and waved goodbye as a large truck of men left without me. John and I and a few others took his van back to town. We saw the truck along the way as men were dropped home and taken to the bus depot. Many of them have long journeys ahead of them and when they arrive home will be facing food shortages and crop failures. Some took food so their families could eat.

The most common comment was; please return. It would be wonderful but right now I cannot see the Lord opening that door for some time. It is not evil to hope so I hope and they earnestly pray.

I made several friends; Paul, Mawa John & Dominic - all are precious and passionate about serving the Lord. Perhaps in God's amazing plans I will see them again; until then we must serve apart.

We are hoping the carpenter will arrive so we can work on the shelving unit that I would like to begin. John believes the man is coming today. We will see.

I am attaching two pictures of closing day - they will be eternal memories!