Day 8 - Update from the Jungle

The past three days have been gruelling for the team!

Hand-delivering Family Kits in the village sounds like easy work, but I had forgotten how physically exhausting it can be. I can't describe how hot it is working in the heat of the afternoon. As we walk for miles deep in the jungles of Uganda the sun beats on our faces and necks like the lash of a cane. After a full day of delivering the kits our team is tired, sweaty, very dirty and emotionally drained. We are grateful for many of our Ugandan guides and translators who are helping us make the deliveries. We finished the distribution this afternoon and are pleased to have been able to deliver 50 Family Kits to some of the most destitute widows, widowers, orphans and families in the region.

Yesterday evening as we reflected on the value of Family Kits we were encouraged by Pastor Robert and our beloved Damali who continue to affirm this important part of the project. Pastor Robert (who is also the Head Master of a local school) has this to say:

"You are helping us build the church of Uganda through the distribution of Family Kits. Almost 80% of my my village is represented by the Muslim faith and without the presence of Mazungus (what the Africans call "roaming" White people) we would be unable to share Christ with them. If we were to try and share the Gospel with them as Ugandans they would come after our heads with a machete! So we are so thankful for Grandview Church and the opportunities that Family Kits are giving us as Pastors to share the Gospel."

We continue to be amazed by the incredible stories of conversion the village Pastors are experiencing. The Pastors are employing the teaching that they have received from Ian, Bob and John and when they preach hundreds of Ugandans are giving their lives to Christ - even 200 rebel soldiers walked out of the forest and surrendered their weapons to Pastor Robert and Cedric as they preached in the open air of Rwanda. Incredible. God is doing miracles through these men and the Kingdom is growing exponentially as a result of Grandview's investment here in Wakisi! I dare say that revival is afoot and we are celebrating alongside our Ugandan partners for the pleantiful harvest.

We are all looking forward to tomorrow's service at the newly renovated Gospel Messengers Church. Pastor Simon Peter is ready to welcome us into his new church and Ian and Brad will both preach - we suspect it will be a long service! Construction is about 90% complete and only pictures can fully translate the changes.

This will be the last blog as we head out of town tomorrow afternoon and start to make our way back to Canada. Thanks for following us along the way - we have many more stories to share with you when we return.

Best,
t.