September 2008
We send you greetings from Carmel, California, where we have been with my mother and daughter
Christine for a few weeks. Christine is now a student at Monterrey Peninsula College and enjoying
herself, while she prepares to go forward to medical school and then specialization. Even though
she is an honors student and did well on the final exams, there was “no room at the inn” in Uganda,
so to speak, so we changed our plans and brought her here.
I have been rather busy since getting here a few weeks ago. Our friends in Uganda think that we
come to the USA for a holiday, but it is not a time of rest but a time of reporting back to our
supporters and friends and trying to encourage them in these very difficult times for the church.
Last weekend, we did a circuit which took us to several towns, preaching on Sunday, a trip to the
Fashion District in Los Angeles (for Phili’s business), and then back to Carmel. I looked at the
odometer when we arrived home and found that we had driven 1000 miles in just four days – not
exactly restful, especially the L.A. traffic! But such is the life of missionaries overseas. In fact, Phili
and I always have at least one bag fully packed now ready to go, for we also live this way in
Uganda. In heaven, I pray that there are no cars.
RETURN TO MASINDI
We will return to many wonderful challenges for the next few months. Phili’s tailoring school is
already underway for the third class of girls. We will have electricity installed in her building, and
connect the water that was generously donated by the ladies of the Diocese of Pittsburg and Rev.
Deb Carr, a dear friend who has a special talent for children’s ministries. I hope that she can come
back next year, and we can continue with ministry out in the villages and neglected parts of our
diocese. Galilee was kind of a backwater, and yet the Lord spent a lot of time there. Philista tells
me that I romance the idea of poverty – (I like wearing my old, ratty clothes and flip-flops in Masindi,
since they are so comfortable) – but I do find that the people in the isolated village churches are so
ready to hear the Gospel and want to grow in their faith.
The second challenge is to open our Diocesan Training Center on the 29th and conduct the last
term for the present group of catechists, who will be commissioned by the bishop in November and
receive their Third Letter Certificate (I have never actually seen this certificate, but it must be like
the holy grail). We have 26 catechists in this class, a truly excellent group of Christian leaders. I
expect to see some of them again, both with the farming projects up north, and then even for future
studies towards ordination.
A third challenge is to put together the organizational structure for the DTC that will enable us to
get to the next level of growth. We need to tie in to the Provincial educational structures and raise
our standards, so that in the future, candidates for Holy Orders as well as catechists can come to
the school and do their training locally. I have set a high standard for the instructors, and they
probably think I have become a little dictator. But now that the diocese has appointed me as
Principal, I intend to show what God’s people can do when they apply themselves to His work and
pray regularly for His harvest.
These 26 catechists, between them, have more Christians under their care than most of the
dioceses in the Episcopal Church. And yet they are laymen and women, who serve for months
without pay and live in difficult conditions. They are the backbone of the Church in Africa, and I
believe that they are demonstrating the way forward for ministry in this new century.
FARMING PROJECTS
A fourth challenge will be to expand some of our farming projects, and then add some others. It
appears that we are close to purchasing a large, four-wheel drive tractor with attachments, which
can be used for opening and clearing land, as well as other tasks. The little walking tractors can
then be used for planting, weeding, and replowing for the next seasons. As an experiment, I want
to take one of the walking tractors up to a group of my catechists in Kiryandongo Archdeaconry and
let them use it for a season. They will help each other at their various churches. The tractor can
move from church to church, and the catechists can oversee the work. I am in the process of
training them how to use the tractor and care for it. Agriculture is a major part of the training that
we give the catechists at the school.
MOYO BOAT
We should be placing the Moyo ferry boat in service this Fall. The boat is completed now. All that
remains is to sort out the logistics of handling the funds, and who will oversee the operations. The
trip up to our old friends in Moyo/Adjumani takes a brutal five hours on the worst major road I have
yet seen in Uganda. But once we are there, all our spirits are lifted, and we know that God is with
us in a special way. You can almost taste the excitement of the priests and catechists when we
arrive and break bread together.
BULIISA PROJECT
Bill and Heidi Sullivan will be returning in January to continue the renovation of the hospital at
Buliisa. Bill has prepared a wonderful movie of the project for January 2008, and he has copies
available, as well as brochures. If you would like one, please contact him at wildbillsullivan@yahoo.
com. Phili and I will be returning to Buliisa in the Fall to lay some of the groundwork for the team
that will come. This is a fascinating project, and has had untold impact in the new District, for which
this hospital is the only facility for 75,000 people!
Philista’s business, E DESIGNS
Some of you have already seen the results of Phili’s garment business, E Designs. She even has a
label now, which I had made for her in Los Angeles. There is so much demand for her work that we
intend to pursue this business aggressively and see where it leads us. Right now, there are three
men that work for her and many others that would like to start. I see this as an excellent way to help
the local people and give them a sense of dignity that they could not otherwise have in a small town
like Masindi.
We will put together a website this Fall, so that you can go directly and see some of her creations.
I have now passed the fifth anniversary of my ministry in Uganda. It has been a wonderful
experience, and I am grateful to all of those who have made it possible. If there is anything that you
would like to know about our work, please email me at yakoboshort@yahoo.com, or else through
the website at www.father-jim.org. Please continue to pray for us also, as we remember you every
day.
Christine for a few weeks. Christine is now a student at Monterrey Peninsula College and enjoying
herself, while she prepares to go forward to medical school and then specialization. Even though
she is an honors student and did well on the final exams, there was “no room at the inn” in Uganda,
so to speak, so we changed our plans and brought her here.
I have been rather busy since getting here a few weeks ago. Our friends in Uganda think that we
come to the USA for a holiday, but it is not a time of rest but a time of reporting back to our
supporters and friends and trying to encourage them in these very difficult times for the church.
Last weekend, we did a circuit which took us to several towns, preaching on Sunday, a trip to the
Fashion District in Los Angeles (for Phili’s business), and then back to Carmel. I looked at the
odometer when we arrived home and found that we had driven 1000 miles in just four days – not
exactly restful, especially the L.A. traffic! But such is the life of missionaries overseas. In fact, Phili
and I always have at least one bag fully packed now ready to go, for we also live this way in
Uganda. In heaven, I pray that there are no cars.
RETURN TO MASINDI
We will return to many wonderful challenges for the next few months. Phili’s tailoring school is
already underway for the third class of girls. We will have electricity installed in her building, and
connect the water that was generously donated by the ladies of the Diocese of Pittsburg and Rev.
Deb Carr, a dear friend who has a special talent for children’s ministries. I hope that she can come
back next year, and we can continue with ministry out in the villages and neglected parts of our
diocese. Galilee was kind of a backwater, and yet the Lord spent a lot of time there. Philista tells
me that I romance the idea of poverty – (I like wearing my old, ratty clothes and flip-flops in Masindi,
since they are so comfortable) – but I do find that the people in the isolated village churches are so
ready to hear the Gospel and want to grow in their faith.
The second challenge is to open our Diocesan Training Center on the 29th and conduct the last
term for the present group of catechists, who will be commissioned by the bishop in November and
receive their Third Letter Certificate (I have never actually seen this certificate, but it must be like
the holy grail). We have 26 catechists in this class, a truly excellent group of Christian leaders. I
expect to see some of them again, both with the farming projects up north, and then even for future
studies towards ordination.
A third challenge is to put together the organizational structure for the DTC that will enable us to
get to the next level of growth. We need to tie in to the Provincial educational structures and raise
our standards, so that in the future, candidates for Holy Orders as well as catechists can come to
the school and do their training locally. I have set a high standard for the instructors, and they
probably think I have become a little dictator. But now that the diocese has appointed me as
Principal, I intend to show what God’s people can do when they apply themselves to His work and
pray regularly for His harvest.
These 26 catechists, between them, have more Christians under their care than most of the
dioceses in the Episcopal Church. And yet they are laymen and women, who serve for months
without pay and live in difficult conditions. They are the backbone of the Church in Africa, and I
believe that they are demonstrating the way forward for ministry in this new century.
FARMING PROJECTS
A fourth challenge will be to expand some of our farming projects, and then add some others. It
appears that we are close to purchasing a large, four-wheel drive tractor with attachments, which
can be used for opening and clearing land, as well as other tasks. The little walking tractors can
then be used for planting, weeding, and replowing for the next seasons. As an experiment, I want
to take one of the walking tractors up to a group of my catechists in Kiryandongo Archdeaconry and
let them use it for a season. They will help each other at their various churches. The tractor can
move from church to church, and the catechists can oversee the work. I am in the process of
training them how to use the tractor and care for it. Agriculture is a major part of the training that
we give the catechists at the school.
MOYO BOAT
We should be placing the Moyo ferry boat in service this Fall. The boat is completed now. All that
remains is to sort out the logistics of handling the funds, and who will oversee the operations. The
trip up to our old friends in Moyo/Adjumani takes a brutal five hours on the worst major road I have
yet seen in Uganda. But once we are there, all our spirits are lifted, and we know that God is with
us in a special way. You can almost taste the excitement of the priests and catechists when we
arrive and break bread together.
BULIISA PROJECT
Bill and Heidi Sullivan will be returning in January to continue the renovation of the hospital at
Buliisa. Bill has prepared a wonderful movie of the project for January 2008, and he has copies
available, as well as brochures. If you would like one, please contact him at wildbillsullivan@yahoo.
com. Phili and I will be returning to Buliisa in the Fall to lay some of the groundwork for the team
that will come. This is a fascinating project, and has had untold impact in the new District, for which
this hospital is the only facility for 75,000 people!
Philista’s business, E DESIGNS
Some of you have already seen the results of Phili’s garment business, E Designs. She even has a
label now, which I had made for her in Los Angeles. There is so much demand for her work that we
intend to pursue this business aggressively and see where it leads us. Right now, there are three
men that work for her and many others that would like to start. I see this as an excellent way to help
the local people and give them a sense of dignity that they could not otherwise have in a small town
like Masindi.
We will put together a website this Fall, so that you can go directly and see some of her creations.
I have now passed the fifth anniversary of my ministry in Uganda. It has been a wonderful
experience, and I am grateful to all of those who have made it possible. If there is anything that you
would like to know about our work, please email me at yakoboshort@yahoo.com, or else through
the website at www.father-jim.org. Please continue to pray for us also, as we remember you every
day.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |