The boys are doing amazing in bible study. They are growing more and more each week, and asking so many questions. We always have wonderful discussions, and even when we go down rabbit holes, they always lead back to Jesus. This past week I had a team here from my home church and we had 15 more boys give their lives to Christ and we were able to baptize 25 in Lake Victoria! Praise GOD!!! There are 9 more who want to be baptized, but they were unable to make it to the lake in time this week, so we will baptize those 9 next week. God is moving in mighty ways in these boys and being a witness to it all is so humbling and beautiful. I thank God every day for all he is doing here, and I remind the boys each week that this is ALL from God, not from me. I am just a vessel trying to be obedient. I have no doubt why I'm here and what God is using me for and I can't wait to see the continued growth and change in the boys and in the community. Many of the boys chose to share testimonies with my team this week, and they brought me to tears. I see the change daily, but hearing the extent of the change is so powerful. Hearing them share about how they were on drugs or dirty and unloved but now they are clean, both spiritually and physically just shows the mighty power of God. Many of them testified about coming to me for medical issues because they heard about me helping and how they ended up staying for bible study and allowing God to change their lives, then giving all the glory to Him alone. I'm up to about 60 boys in bible study now, and even just 3 months ago there were only 10. God is moving, friends. He is moving in MIGHTY ways here! I love these boys with my whole heart. I can't even explain how much they mean to me. Do they annoy me sometimes, absolutely. Do they disturb me and perturb me sometimes, absolutely. But friends, if you could only see the mighty hand of God in them, you'd see why none of that even matters. I've got so many letters from boys just giving thanks and telling me how this organization is different. Many of the boys have expressed how they didn't trust at first and now they see the fruit of what I promised. As of now, there are 30 boys who have rooms and are not staying on the street at night. Praise GOD!!!! I have also been taking some of the boys to see their families if they want to go. Some haven't seen their family in months, and some it's been years. So far the parents have said the boys can't stay and they have to leave with me, but God is still moving in them and their parents. God is blowing my mind every day and I'm so very thankful that I get to be here to be in the lives of these boys. And, I'm so thankful that he's given me the life I've had, for such a time as this.
With the team this week, we went to one of the islands and did evangelism and spent the night. One of the proudest moments I had during that trip was being able to do evangelism alongside one of my boys, Joel. Joel has been with me from the moment I got here. God quickly changed everything about his life and he is now one of the 2 who I trust the most to help me. Joel stays at the boys house to keep it up and maintain crowd control, as well as will do anything I ask of him without complaint. Every night Joel asks me for scripture to read, and the next day we discuss and talk about what he learned or if he has questions. For a few weeks I had been asking if he wanted to go with me to do evangelism, but he told me he was fearing the lake. The day before we left, Joel came up to me and said, "Auntie, I am ready. I want to go with you and share the Gospel, because the Gospel changed my whole life." Yep, I cried. I am so proud of the young man he's becoming, because of Jesus. We had some difficult moments while on the island, but Joel helped and trusted that no matter what, God was in control. To see this young man, who was still doing drugs when I met him, change into the young man he is today, in just 4 months, is so beautiful. Praise God for the continued sweet reminders of what he's doing here in these boys. On the island we encountered much confusion, and demonic darkness. There was a person claiming to be messiah, with false teaching and even spreading over the loudspeaker that the bibles we were giving out were not truth. A couple of us had a long discussion with a witch doctor, in his hut, with a chicken head on a spear in the center of the room and one hanging from the ceiling. We had a good discussion, and he allowed us to speak, but he wouldn't even let us pray with him when we left. We are just praying that a seed was planted that day with him. Pastor Josh had an amazing encounter with a young man who was in bondage due to alcohol and demonic forces. The young man came to him later in the evening and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and to be prayed for. That young man was released from bondage that night, and the enemy was stomped once again. God is moving, friends. Lives are changing, chains are breaking, and people are being set free, in the name of Jesus! Praise God!
Our Following Jesus class is still on hold due to gathering restrictions, however when my team came this week, they were able to bring me our newly translated Following Jesus books, and they're amazing. My sweet brother Thomas worked so hard to translate these for us, and I can't wait to use them. We also were able to have a small pastors conference while Pastor Josh was here. He lead a 2 day conference in a town about 45 minutes away, and had such amazing feedback and response from the teaching. The pastors here are hungry for truth and need truth to teach their church well. A fire was ignited in them, and they are ready for more teaching.
Another first for me, here in Uganda, happened this week too. One of the boys got arrested, unjustly, and Mary, Mike, and I spent basically 2 days fighting for him. I won't go into details about the issue, but an old street kid project he was in got him arrested and lied about a lot. There's a lot of corruption here, and we had to deal with that on another level this week. Long story short, Semagambo was released yesterday, without bond (if you know anything about corruption in the police here, that is 100% God)! Today Sema came to my door and wanted to talk. He just kept saying thank you to me and to God. He was saying how no one has ever fought for him before and he could never tell us how much it means that we were on his side. He was so humbled that we took time out to care for him and I firmly believe he will never forget what God has done this week with him. Poor kid had to go to the hospital last week for severe belly pain, he got hit by a car Wednesday and had 2 pretty deep lacerations, and was arrested Thursday morning at 5am. But, today he saw and acknowledged God in it all. Praise God for his goodness and grace! He is working, and it's undeniable the power of Christ right here in Jinja!
There is also some big news coming! This week, since my team was all staff from ECC, my home church, we were able to meet with a lawyer to discuss what we needed to register as a CBO. If we are able to get registered and obtain this title, we will have much more ground to stand on when things happen, like they did with Sema. It will also allow us to move forward with the vision God has given me for this ministry. Since before I came to live here, God has given me a vision specifically for the street kids. How one day we will have land and a house for myself and the teams that come to Uganda, as well as housing for some of the boys as they rehab and reintegrate into society. We will have farm land to grow and sell crops, we will have animals for raising, selling, and eating, and we will have skill programs so the boys who have gone to school can train others in certain trade skills such as mechanics, barbering, and even crafts and cooking. It's a vision I have over and over and I know that it comes from God. Once we obtain this registration we will be able to move closer to that step and begin the next journey in this ministry. God revealed to me early on I would be here at least 2 years. Since I have been here, God has clearly revealed to me it will be longer than even the 3 year visa I have. God is moving and this is my earthly home to teach others about him and give them hope that they have never had. I can not wait to see how this ministry continues to grow and blossom in the name of Jesus Christ!
Prayer Requests:
-Prayers for wisdom as we register for the CBO with what we need and how we need to word and organize things
-Prayers that the boys continue to see God in their lives and speak their testimonies to others who are still on the streets.
-Prayers for continued wisdom and discernment with the boys and how best to help them and disciple them
-Prayers for God's voice to be the loudest and boldest in this ministry
God is moving and I'm so blessed to be here in his plans. Praise God!
God bless you my friends.
Tara I love reading your updates. You are doing amazing things there in Uganda!! I just wanted you to know I pray for you and those boys every day. ❤️ Angie
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