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There are schools everywhere here. Boys and girls are separated somewhat. Each school has it's own sound. 

Their sound is everywhere. Children sounds. Joy. Excitement. Learning, discovery sounds. Pleasant sounds playing melodies to the soul of happy people.

It is hard to describe the whole of what we see. The sounds and sights, so different from what we are used to, absorb in our senses.  And the dust; The talcum like red dust is 4-6 inches thick on the hard clay  roadway. It paints everything it finds, especially our shoes and feet. It falls on everything, coating even the air we breath. Yet, the air is cool; we sweat less, otherwise we would be red men instead of white, mazunga. 

Tuesday, July 14, Hoima: The Open-air Revival, using Alpha as topics, went rather well. It's hard to say how effective it was. Many come just to see and hear the white man. Nevertheless, for three days, through the down pours and  sweltering sun we were able to introduce Christ through the Alpha concept to many of the people and the leaders who were there. 

The children here are extremely eager to learn, asking us often to pray with them.  Of all Uganda, their beautiful young smiles and exuberance was the most impressive. You could see the future  resurgence of the "Pearl of Africa" in their almond eyes. They, their families, the country has taken such abuse from so many and remained faithful even unto death.  I have no doubt that God will restore what the ravages have eaten, with much abundance and blessings.

The Hesse Team is going to Bulindi the 16th & 17th; Kiziamfumbi the 18 & 19. 

An Archdeacon here is over three parish priests who are over six parishes and lay leaders. 

We are warned to hold back enough money to make the trip to Murchison Falls. Need about 1,000 shillings for the boat and 10,000 for the falls.  It is sad to think that we could build several churches for what we are spending on the one day of pleasure.  Some of the clergy will go with us.  To them it is a treat of a lifetime; never have they seen such things.  We are ashamed, yet pleased that we can supply their needs. 

Wednesday, July 15: Hoima  Drums and xylophone sounds are almost constant from the nearby schools, especially the teachers school ~1/10 mile away.  They are practicing for a music competition. 

A "Coo coo coo coo cow cow cow" sound comes from a tall fir tree next to Bishop Wilson's house.  Sounds we previously only heard in movies are all  around us now.  How foreign it all is.  We are new again, yet,  the sounds so old.

We wait patiently in the sitting room, quietly reading, studying,  journaling, or gathering our thoughts concerning the days scheduled events, or simply praying for guidance for the unknown we all know we will be presented with.

Ian Wardle presently is staying with the Bunyoro Kitara Diocese in Hoima.  He has been very helpful here. He taught Alpha to the teens in England.  He is working to set up youth programs. They have very little in the way of youth programs.  What a great thing it would be, to send our youth over to see what we have seen.  What a change it would make on their life.

Thursday, July 16: Hoima Waiting for transport to Belindi. Left at 9:45 drove a hot and dusty two hours to get ten miles to Belindi. Always there were, to us, many near misses with bicycles, vans, motorcycles, trucks, and people, not to mentions the various live stock that freely roams about.

There we stayed at the home of the Bishop of Rwanda. They brought us washing basins every time we turned around, and bathing materials each night.  One night a considerable excitement was caused by a uninvited guest snake found lurking in the hallway. 

Some walked 15-17 miles to come hear God's fresh word from America.  We walked only a mile.  Many people spent the night in a visitor's room in the church, banana leaves as a bed. 

Each church also has a school on the grounds, about ten acres in all.  The sounds of the children playing ring throughout the churches during the week.  

If it rains they allow the kids to play in it.  Mostly they play kick ball with a vine ball, a little bigger than a softball, wrapped with a blue or pink plastic bag.

We heard the phrase which sounded like "Onatokawapee" used often.  It  means, "where are you coming from?"  Of course our spelling of their words are from hearing and most probably wrong, a big laugh on us for those in Uganda. Most children do not have toys to play with nor do they have much time for play.  As such, toys are scarce and usually made from common items such as a truck made from a discarded oil can with wheels carve from an old rubber sandal; or wire bent in the shape of a vehicle and bottle caps as wheels.

Executive level people of the area churches are here.  Mike speaks first, followed by interpretations in their native tongue. "It's a privilege to be here with church leaders. God builds upon leaders, the foundation of the church today. We come, not as experts, but fellow travelers on God's road.  Bishop Wilson asked us to speak of what we know most of, Baptism, healing, and inner healing."

Claudia speaks: "With Innerhealing especially, and in our lives, God doesn't waste anything. God established laws. When you drop a banana it falls to the ground. There are laws in God's way.... 

Our teaching concepts concerning church renewal used small group discussions, something they are totally unfamiliar with. Then we asked for their reports and answered their questions, they were amazed that white men wanted to know what they thought and felt and that we would actually respond to their questions. 

It saddened me to think of the wrong teachings they have endured from self-serving missionaries who pushed agendas rather than salvation. They remain confused in several areas, according to our beliefs, such as losing salvation if you smoke a cigarette or drink a beer, and various other acts.  However, their great faith and living the life Christ taught is surpassed by none.

Mike Teaches: "Though the outer man decays, the inner man may be renewed daily.  Look to the things unseen, Holy Spirit. The part of God that is doing a work inside you. Set a fire for love the of God inside you.  Holy Spirit is like Jesus continuing in our midst. Seek new ways to express love to God, Holy Spirit makes it possible.  Holy Spirit was always a part of God.  Can't always see Him but you can often see the effects; like the wind is shown as it moves over the water, but you can't see the wind; you see the effects of it.... 

A much beloved man next door to the Bishop has died. The singing, weeping, and praying goes on throughout the night and day, as did the drums.  

Many people are sleeping on the grounds, those who live within 10 miles must go home and return the next day (this accounts for many arriving late, they have no clocks or watches).

There are fires burning all around.  We are as curious about those who watch us as they are about us.  

Everywhere we go we are well taken care of.  They are so polite and courteous.  Apparently all visitors are treated this way. 

Friday, July 17  Belindi: Margaret began her talk, speaking about the sudden storms of life.  A deluge of  rain came down and we stopped teaching and praised God for the rain for the parched earth.

We left Alpha books in all of the districts that we were sent, eight in all. The main problem I see is, they have NO money, little electricity and some cannot read English. I suggested they do the talks and hand out paper for them to take notes on.  

Back to Hoima at 6pm and bed tired at 9:00.  Sleeping is hot.  We were advised to keep our shutters closed at nights.  Bandits as they call them are on the  loose.  We hear gun shots that night.  Those bandits are the rebels that rob and steal the young men and women, dragging them off to their camps.  We have talked with some of the ones who managed to get away.  They are quiet and changed.  What a terrible thing.  There are so many deep hurts here along with the physical scares.  Most of the inner ones never heal, even the one we too suffered.  Only Jesus is the answer.

Saturday, July 18 Hoima to Kizramfumbi   The ride was many hours late in coming.  It is expected because they have so little transportation and the roads are only good after a slight rain, which also settles the dust.  The slight rain fall was the case most of the time while we were there, a most unusual occurrence.  

In some places though, the roads never dry out.  In such roads we traveled the ruts, banging from side to side on the steep embankments when another vehicle was coming.  

Once we were wedged in after slamming into the embankment, bending the bumper while an oncoming truck careened toward us at breakneck speeds.  Our driver got us straightened out just in time

We were very late getting to Kizramfumbi.  When we arrived, as usual, they drove us right up to the front door.  This is done regardless. Even in the soccer field of the revival where people had to get out of the way.  It is to show honor for their guests.  As soon as we arrived singing broke out in the church.  Fresh banana stalks were lashed to places at the entrances and near the road.  This tells any person, an important visitor is expected.  Inside beautiful flower and trinket garlands stretch across the room.

While Mike and Margaret taught, Claudia and I walked Four miles to pray for an elderly man's son.  It was a beautiful walk, with many of the villagers trailing behind.  People were going to and fro about their business, carrying great loads, of chickens, pigs, charcoal, water, whatever they needed.

The small farms along the countryside were only as big as they needed, no more than an acre cleared, usually made from mud bricks or by packing mud into a sort of bamboo rigging to create walls.  

Only God can heal, and as we walked, each step we took made us realize how much we depend on Him.  We walked knowing God CAN heal the man, not allowing any doubt to creep in, only faith.  

The man's son had seizures every 28 days that lasted 4 days. We made sure everyone there professed the name of Jesus, asking the son himself to say a profession of faith, then we laid hands on him and prayed while Rev Joshua too prayed in their own language.  

We left after anointing the whole house with oil, giving instructions to the family members that they must remain faithful to God and abandon any form of witchcraft. Then we prayed each step of the way back that God would complete what was begun that day.  

This is our only hope in all of Uganda.  It made me sad.  I wished I had not come to Africa; others could have done much better. Yet I knew God had sent us, and it was not up to our ability, but God's.  We are so useless without Him.  

We are happy to get back to the church in Kizramfumbi and the joyful singing of the congregation.  We joyfully join in.