May 2008
SO MORTALS ATE THE BREAD OF ANGELS
(Psalm 78)
This newsletter begins with Philista and one of the many cocks that we are given when
serving at the local churches. In this case, Bwijanga, she was the guest of honor for Mary’s
Day, when the Mothers Union and women have a big celebration. This Sunday included
Holy Communion, speeches, an auction that lasted for over an hour, a wonderful skit by the
women, and the obligatory sermon with translation. It was standing room only, and lasted
over five hours, which is not uncommon.
It has been a very busy Spring, and a bit overwhelming. In the middle of it, I managed to get
sick, which delayed everything about three weeks. It has not been a good growing season,
for the rains have been erratic. On top of this, the priest that was supposed to help me,
effective Feb. 1st, was not released until two months later – well into the growing season,
which meant that we had to turn down many of the requests for farming projects. In spite of
all this, we have accomplished quite a bit.
FARM PROJECTS
We had requests for thirty projects this season (that I know of), but were only able to handle
about half of them. We purchased two walking tractors, and learned by doing, as it were.
The only walking tractors available in Uganda are Chinese machines, which are poor
quality. I have had to play mechanic many times over the last five months. The local
welders under the shade tree have become good friends, as the two plows (cast iron) were
continually breaking. I intend to have a couple of steel plows fabricated, when time permits,
to replace these wretched cast iron plows.
In one of my previous lives, I “restored” old cars and engines: that knowledge has come in
very useful this season –that, and a box full of mechanic’s tools brought from the U.S.
It has become apparent that the walking tractors are insufficient to handle the amount of
acreage available. One parish church alone has over five hundred acres, although there
are squatters. We need a big tractor, preferably a type that can be serviced locally. This
tractor could go from church to church opening the land, plowing and tilling. The walking
tractors could then follow behind for planting and weeding. They can plow three acres a
day, with an experienced plowman, but the reality is closer to 1 ½ to 2 acres a day, which is
too slow for our needs. Their advantage is cost: they take very little fuel, which is now over
$7.00 a gallon here.
DIOCESAN TRAINING CENTER (DTC)
Some people should be certified insane, and I are one of them. This is a wonderful ministry
in its own right, and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, the current principal of this
school is also preoccupied with a few farming projects, clerical duties, and remodeling an
old house for the new SAMS missionary. In spite of the principal, however, this year’s
group of catechists has done extraordinarily well. We have 25 of them, and they are
extremely committed to our whole program, including the agriculture.
The DTC was bounced out of its previous place of squatting (an old, condemned
administration building), and so we had to find new quarters. I begged my way into another
complex of three school buildings (one condemned, two that should be), and moved the
school there. We have secured one building for storage, and have our classes in there
temporarily. At the same time, we renovated a second classroom building with two offices,
which is where we shall perch until the last building is renovated. Renovation included truss
work, removing and replacing all the cement floors, the outside veranda, the outside wall
plaster, and the inside wall repairs. It also meant new windows, new doors, and new
electrical work throughout. But it has turned out very well, and now we have a permanent
home from which to expand.
After almost five years in Uganda, I have become more than ever convinced of the need for
strong catechesis in the Church. We are training the leaders of the local churches in our
school (the Province of Uganda is lay led, not clergy led), and helping these very humble
servants of God is one way to achieve development quickly. It is essential to the future
welfare of the Church that His leaders have the tools they need to do their work.
Come for a short term mission sometime, you teachers and church leaders, and I will put
you to work. You are most welcome!
RENOVATING THE “JANINE HOUSE”
Janine Legrand is a long term missionary from SAMS/USA, and her house needed a lot of
help. So I took my team of workers, and we “set to” with vigor – new electrical, new
plumbing, ceiling repair, ceiling board replacement, chasing away the bats, new kitchen,
repair the boys quarters, new soak pit, and so forth. I pray that we finish up with this project
in two-three weeks at the outside, for it has turned out to be a large undertaking! Janine will
do medical training in the field, as well as sanitation and nutrition teaching. Having a good
base to work from should enhance her ministry. There are very few foreign missionaries
here, so we try to help each other.
DAUGHTER CHRISTINE
Christine is in California right now with my mother, enjoying herself and discovering
America, before heading back here in August to begin her medical training, hopefully in
Gulu University. We are planning to come to California in July, and spend a little time with
her before she heads back. Maybe you will have an opportunity to meet her during one of
our church visits.
CONCLUSION
This is a time of widespread complaining in the Church, which is reminiscent of the people
in the wilderness: “would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full”. “We remember the fish we ate in
Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now
our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at”(Num. 11).
Well, this “manna” is the bread of angels! Our Lord provides for us food enough, as the
Psalmist says. Instead of cursing the darkness which is all around us (which we cannot
see), we should be grateful for the light that we can see. Foreign mission work is certainly
a challenge, but we continue to be grateful for the manna that He provides us, through your
kindness and generosity. It is certainly “food enough” for the work, if we keep faith in God
and put our trust in His saving power”(Ps. 78.22)
May the good Lord bless you richly this season of Pentecost, and give you a new sense of
His Forgivingness.
(Psalm 78)
This newsletter begins with Philista and one of the many cocks that we are given when
serving at the local churches. In this case, Bwijanga, she was the guest of honor for Mary’s
Day, when the Mothers Union and women have a big celebration. This Sunday included
Holy Communion, speeches, an auction that lasted for over an hour, a wonderful skit by the
women, and the obligatory sermon with translation. It was standing room only, and lasted
over five hours, which is not uncommon.
It has been a very busy Spring, and a bit overwhelming. In the middle of it, I managed to get
sick, which delayed everything about three weeks. It has not been a good growing season,
for the rains have been erratic. On top of this, the priest that was supposed to help me,
effective Feb. 1st, was not released until two months later – well into the growing season,
which meant that we had to turn down many of the requests for farming projects. In spite of
all this, we have accomplished quite a bit.
FARM PROJECTS
We had requests for thirty projects this season (that I know of), but were only able to handle
about half of them. We purchased two walking tractors, and learned by doing, as it were.
The only walking tractors available in Uganda are Chinese machines, which are poor
quality. I have had to play mechanic many times over the last five months. The local
welders under the shade tree have become good friends, as the two plows (cast iron) were
continually breaking. I intend to have a couple of steel plows fabricated, when time permits,
to replace these wretched cast iron plows.
In one of my previous lives, I “restored” old cars and engines: that knowledge has come in
very useful this season –that, and a box full of mechanic’s tools brought from the U.S.
It has become apparent that the walking tractors are insufficient to handle the amount of
acreage available. One parish church alone has over five hundred acres, although there
are squatters. We need a big tractor, preferably a type that can be serviced locally. This
tractor could go from church to church opening the land, plowing and tilling. The walking
tractors could then follow behind for planting and weeding. They can plow three acres a
day, with an experienced plowman, but the reality is closer to 1 ½ to 2 acres a day, which is
too slow for our needs. Their advantage is cost: they take very little fuel, which is now over
$7.00 a gallon here.
DIOCESAN TRAINING CENTER (DTC)
Some people should be certified insane, and I are one of them. This is a wonderful ministry
in its own right, and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, the current principal of this
school is also preoccupied with a few farming projects, clerical duties, and remodeling an
old house for the new SAMS missionary. In spite of the principal, however, this year’s
group of catechists has done extraordinarily well. We have 25 of them, and they are
extremely committed to our whole program, including the agriculture.
The DTC was bounced out of its previous place of squatting (an old, condemned
administration building), and so we had to find new quarters. I begged my way into another
complex of three school buildings (one condemned, two that should be), and moved the
school there. We have secured one building for storage, and have our classes in there
temporarily. At the same time, we renovated a second classroom building with two offices,
which is where we shall perch until the last building is renovated. Renovation included truss
work, removing and replacing all the cement floors, the outside veranda, the outside wall
plaster, and the inside wall repairs. It also meant new windows, new doors, and new
electrical work throughout. But it has turned out very well, and now we have a permanent
home from which to expand.
After almost five years in Uganda, I have become more than ever convinced of the need for
strong catechesis in the Church. We are training the leaders of the local churches in our
school (the Province of Uganda is lay led, not clergy led), and helping these very humble
servants of God is one way to achieve development quickly. It is essential to the future
welfare of the Church that His leaders have the tools they need to do their work.
Come for a short term mission sometime, you teachers and church leaders, and I will put
you to work. You are most welcome!
RENOVATING THE “JANINE HOUSE”
Janine Legrand is a long term missionary from SAMS/USA, and her house needed a lot of
help. So I took my team of workers, and we “set to” with vigor – new electrical, new
plumbing, ceiling repair, ceiling board replacement, chasing away the bats, new kitchen,
repair the boys quarters, new soak pit, and so forth. I pray that we finish up with this project
in two-three weeks at the outside, for it has turned out to be a large undertaking! Janine will
do medical training in the field, as well as sanitation and nutrition teaching. Having a good
base to work from should enhance her ministry. There are very few foreign missionaries
here, so we try to help each other.
DAUGHTER CHRISTINE
Christine is in California right now with my mother, enjoying herself and discovering
America, before heading back here in August to begin her medical training, hopefully in
Gulu University. We are planning to come to California in July, and spend a little time with
her before she heads back. Maybe you will have an opportunity to meet her during one of
our church visits.
CONCLUSION
This is a time of widespread complaining in the Church, which is reminiscent of the people
in the wilderness: “would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full”. “We remember the fish we ate in
Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now
our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at”(Num. 11).
Well, this “manna” is the bread of angels! Our Lord provides for us food enough, as the
Psalmist says. Instead of cursing the darkness which is all around us (which we cannot
see), we should be grateful for the light that we can see. Foreign mission work is certainly
a challenge, but we continue to be grateful for the manna that He provides us, through your
kindness and generosity. It is certainly “food enough” for the work, if we keep faith in God
and put our trust in His saving power”(Ps. 78.22)
May the good Lord bless you richly this season of Pentecost, and give you a new sense of
His Forgivingness.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
