GOD's Bar

Sunday evening on the way back to the guesthouse three of our group (one Ugandan and two Mzungu) decided to go into a bar and share. A table of three men invited them over to visit. They come to that bar nightly and had been there for a while already that night. The Word of God was shared. They told the men they could have eternal joy instead of temporary happiness from their drink. The men said they don't get any happiness from their drink, they just numb themselves from their hopelessness. The four men invited our three men to come back the next night.
Monday night our men returned and did not find the four so they went door to door sharing. Apparently the barmaid went and told the men that our guys had come and they hurried to the bar. When our men returned to the bar they were greeted eagerly. The men said GOD had given them new birth and they were now followers of Christ. They wanted prayer so that they would have additional peace. The four men from the bar shared with the barmaids and asked if they could meet again the following night.
Tuesday night the four men were there along with six friends they were sharing with. Those six wanted to follow Christ. The next night eight more. One of the men owns some properties and is making them available for three house churches that are being started for these men and others they are reaching. A special baptism ceremony has been arranged for them this weekend. We serve a mighty GOD!

Eric

Day Something-er-other - Meghan

Africa continues to be the most amazing place. The Lord has been doing amazing things and these people have blessed me more than I can say. These people, even those who are in the slums, or the teenagers in a school we were at (they had been through more than I can imagine) have such JOY in their Savior. It's gotten to the point where I kind of see their poverty as a blessing. That may sound strange but in the U.S. we have so much. So much stuff. We may not always realize it but we rely on our stuff. We never have to worry about if we'll have another meal, if we'll have enough money for our rent in the slums, if we'll be able to get medicine for all the diseases and illnesses. We have the assurance of a roof over our head, clothes on our back and food in our belly. It's easy to forget that all of that comes from God. We are blessed by Him and we are blessed by Him so that we can bless others. These people know that it is the Lord who provides. They know that HE is enough. His grace is enough. Having so little makes it easy to see that we are nothinhg on our own, that without Christ we are hopeless.

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes from Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith- that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of you who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imatating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself."

-Philipians 3:7-21

This is what the Lord is showing me through these precious people.

MeghanBooth

Today

What an amazing day the Lord has made!! This morning i was mistaked for a movie star! I got the honor of leading my adoring fan to Christ! And a woman offered to marry me!! :) As the day progressed it got even better!! After we went to eat lunch we went to a sex slave rehab center. I had the privilege of sharing my story with 13 victims today! It was so awesome to talk to somebody who could relate to me and what iv been threw. After we shared we played sports.. They got skill.. Tomorrow we see orphans!

Follower of christ,
Adam

Day 4 - Adam

Today was the hardest day for me so far. My translator (Universe) has to ship back out on a UN Peace keeping mission. All though iv only known him for a few days i feel as i have known him my whole life. Its a bond that cant be broken. Please keep this man in your prayers. My heart breaks for the children here. There life is full of witchery and witchcraft and Muslims and false idol worship. One child stood out from the rest to me today though. She was a Born Again (Christian) and so i asked her if i could pray for her and she said she would love that. I asked her what her needs are and she said " All i want is wisdom so i can serve my God" This broke my heart. She was by far one of the poorest people iv seen here and out of everything she could have asked for she asked for wisdom. I know many people who live in the United States ( including my self) that would have asked for Money, Power, or Physical health or a bright future, ect. We who call our self Christian' in the United States have more money than these people could ever wish to have yet we ask for more. We have better health than almost any other country yet we ask to be better. We have more Power than any other country in the whole world. Yet we want more. Is there not something wrong with this logic? Of course there is! I witnessed to a man today and he was also bed ridden from malaria. He said he had no hope. Till we showed up at his front door. He gave his life to Christ today and now has hope. Some men were in a bar and some members of the team witnessed to them the other day.. The holy spirit convicted them early on.. As soon as they heard the message. The translators phone rang off the hook all night from these men. They had so many questions. So today the same people went back to meet with them. Before they could even get any words out the men said they wanted to give there life to Christ. And that they wanted to go to OTHER bars and tell OTHERS about Christ. The slums broke my heart today. We talked to a group of women who smoked pipe to get rid of the pain. As we explained to them that this god that they worship will not last forever they began to listen. Then Satan fogged all there eyes.. All except one. She gave her life to christ right there! :). Im seeing how Jealous my God truly is. He doesn't just want the wealthy and and physically healthy. But he wants the poor and physically sick, the drunks, the naked and homeless. My God is a beautifully jealous God. I don't know how many people really read this but if you are then tomorrow or on the day that you read this just open your eyes to the poverty that all around us. It may not be physical poverty. But look at all the spiritual poverty that we have in our "Christian" country. The United States is a lot like Uganda in a way. EVERYBODY here is a Christian. But only a few are Born Again. I feel that this is exactly the way the United States is. I feel that we have forgotten who really provides EVERYTHING in our life. And because of this we are Lazy in our walk with Christ.



In Love,
Adam Patterson


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Gayaza -Kampala Rd,Kampala,Uganda

Day 3/Day 4

Day 2 and 3 have been such a whirlwind. Yesterday we were going to go to a prison in the Katanga Slum. It rained so heavily that morning that we had to skip out on that part. So went ahead and went to the Garden City Mall. Callie and I were set on chicken and mushroom pizza but the pizza place was closed. So ordered chicken fried rice from The Woc. Not 5 minutes after we ordered, the pizza place opened. We were all a little disappointed. From there we went to the most fun gathering I have ever been to. A Ugandan baptism. Very very different from a baptism back home. First of all, it took place in Lake Victoria. That's only the biggest lake in Africa. Africa is a rather large place if you haven't already heard. Second of all, there were close to 40 Africans singing in Lugandan and dancing as their brothers and sisters in Christ came walking out of the water. The people coming out of the water were even dancing! The last reason I had so much fun is because I met my new best friend. He didn't say much. He was three years old and his name is Musa. I will definitely be showing everyone pictures. One of the ladies getting baptized passed him off to me so she could get in the water. He rode on my shoulders the whole time as we sang, danced, and watched the people be dunked. I never actually saw him smile. But someone said he had a grin on his face while we were bouncing to the song. That put a smile on my face. I'll never forget those eyes, there was so much pain and sorrow, but at the same time they could switch to pure joy in one second. After the baptism I didn't want to let go, but his sister came to me and said "We must leave now.". Those words cut like a knife. When she took his hand to walk away he looked back as they climbed in the van, smiled, and waved. I thought I was going to lose it.

After the baptism we went to a local ice cream place and it was amazing. I had orange ice cream and the bottle of sprite. Part of the sprite ended up on Kenneth(one of our translators). A group of us wound up ministering to two men in the ice cream shop. After that we came back to the hotel, ate dinner, and crashed.

The next morning we visited another slum. Would you believe that we converted a Muslim missionary by telling the story of the woman at the well, AT the well!?! Well believe it. Because it happened. More on that later.

In the afternoon we visited another slum. I got to share the gospel with a catholic witch doctor. I was terrified. But Benon helped me through it. She didn't accept Jesus, but it was clear on her face that a seed was planted.

That's all for now.

One love
Tucker

My God is an awsome God

Today was the hardest day for me so far. My translator (Universe) has to ship back out on a UN Peace keeping mission. All though iv only known him for a few days i feel as i have known him my whole life. Its a bond that cant be broken. Please keep this man in your prayers. My heart breaks for the children here. There life is full of witchery and witchcraft and Muslims and false idol worship. One child stood out from the rest to me today though. She was a Born Again (Christian) and so i asked her if i could pray for her and she said she would love that. I asked her what her needs are and she said " All i want is wisdom so i can serve my God" This broke my heart. She was by far one of the poorest people iv seen here and out of everything she could have asked for she asked for wisdom. I know many people who live in the United States ( including my self) that would have asked for Money, Power, or Physical health or a bright future, ect. We who call our self Christian' in the United States have more money than these people could every wish to have yet we ask for more. We have better health than almost any other country yet we ask to be better. We have more Power than any other country in the whole world. Yet we want more. Is there not something wrong with this logic? Of course there is! I witnessed to a man today and he was also bed ridden from malaria. He said he had no hope. Till we showed up at his front door. He gave his life to Christ today and now has hope. Some men were in a bar and some members of the team witnessed to them the other day.. The holy spirit convicted them early on.. As soon as they heard the message. The translators phone rang off the hook all night from these men. They had so many questions. So today the same people went back to meet with them. Before they could even get any words out the men said they wanted to give there life to Christ. And that they wanted to go to OTHER bars and tell OTHERS about Christ. The slums broke my heart today. We talked to a group of women who smoked pipe to get rid of the pain. As we explained to them that this god that they worship will not last forever they began to listen. Then Satin fogged all there eyes.. All except one. She gave her life to christ right there! :). Im seeing how Jealous my God truly is. He doesn't just want the wealthy and and physically healthy. But he wants the poor and physically sick, the drunks, the naked and homeless. My God is a beautifully jealous God. I don't know how many people really read this but if you are then tomorrow or on the day that you read this just open your eyes to the poverty that all around us. It may not be physical poverty. But look at all the spiritual poverty that we have in our "Christian" country. The United States is a lot like Uganda in a way. EVERYBODY here is a Christian. But only a few are Born Again. I feel that this is exactly the way the United States is. I feel that we have forgotten who really provides EVERYTHING in our life. And because of this we are Lazy in our walk with Christ.



In Love,
Adam Patterson

Day 3 - Adam

Yesterday some people told us that "if only i lived in america i would be able to sin no more" i find this interesting because i was under the impression that if only i lived in the slums.. if only i didn't have the distractions that america has.. But Jesus saves from the American dream. today has been different than the others. it started slow on about on rain. so we were not able to go to the prison. We ate lunch at the normal place (garden city mall) I GOT PIZZA!! :) Next it was to the baptism. before the baptism Eric bet me 20,000 euro's the i couldn't catch a pelican.. i took that bet.. i lost..Then came the baptism! It was so amazing to witness and be apart of this experience! It was in a lake (one of the largest in the world) they baptized so many people . I took a lot of pics. Soon after i got the chance of a life time to witness to a witch doctor! It was so compelling! i could feel God completely speaking threw me! this has never happened to me before.. i loved it.. Its amazing what you can do when you put your self in situations where God is all you have to fall back on. His name is Tom. Please pray for him.



I'm a mzungu,
Adam

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Location:Gayaza -Kampala Rd,Kampala,Uganda

House Church - Eric

This is us on our way to Church. It seemed a bit too distracting to take a picture once we were gathered to worship - so, sorry you don't get to see the best part.


Our group (19) split in half (well not exactly in half, that would be bad) and went to two different house churches yesterday afternoon. There were about 30 adults plus children in the one we attended. All 30 were women - that was a bit disturbing to me. Several we had seen earlier during the Manna distribution. Probably none had been believers more than 4 months. We met outside in front of a house.

We were asked to share. Adam and Rachel (Ft. Smith) gave their testimonies. The response was astonishing. The Ugandan believers were struck that we would be unhappy or hopeless before Christ. They imagine that if they were Mzungu and lived in America it would be heaven on earth and they would always be happy. I am struck. These believers seem so much more authentic, enthusiastic and dedicated than their rich counterparts. Unquestionably, their circumstances are tragic, but spiritually speaking I am convinced their pysical circumstances are less of a hinderance than ours. Open our Eyes LORD.

After testimonies, they insisted that the Mzungos sing. Somehow they failed to reciprocate. At that point several people took the kids (maybe 50) around the corner where they sang and heard Bible passages. I know they heard about Noah because we could hear everything they did.

We read Genesis 12. Then they always follow the same pattern: SOT. Study - people tell what they heard in the story. This is what the scripture explicitly said. Obey - what will obedience to this specific passage look like in their lives. Tell - what will they go tell others about this passage. A couple of church planters oversee the gathering and work with an identified leader in the group. Everything is about a sustainable, reproducable body.

It was a great and humbling opportunity. Sorry you couldn't all be there.

Eric

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Gayaza -Kampala Rd,Kampala,Uganda

Thanks you for this amazing Oportunity!

Day 2: Wow!! The glory of Christ is all around me!!! Today we distributed food for manna. We got to connect with some amazing people and families. We connected with a few unbelievers and had two salvations today! :) Praise God!! Oh ya!? The pizza here is amazing!! Better then anything iv ever had. Ok so back to africa... (i got off track) the people here are so real in there faith! They truly understand what a commitment it is to give your life to Christ. More so than i ever understood till i saw the understanding these people had. They have helped me understand what it means to truly be real!! I love it!!! Sadly though now every time it rains my heart is saddened and my stomach turns inside out because when it rains here the swamps flood up to 6ft. I cant imagine living like this every day of my life. The faith that these people have is amazing. It literally could move mountains. I see little Jobs running around everywhere i look. I could only hope to one day have faith like the these people. Imagine having no doors or windows, having no air condition, no anything... and you would only scratch the surface of how these people live on a daily basis. i truly wish you could all see this the way i have. You see bible stories in action here. Its truly amazing.. Eric has a patience problem.. He is rushing me. So i feel i must go for now..

With love,
Adam

Day 2 - Tucker

Wow. I must say I was afraid that it would not set in that I was in Africa until I left. I was mistaken. Seeing the faces of the men, women, and children in the slums last night and and today made it real. I burned through my first camera card in two days if that tells you anything. I just want everyone back home to see what I have seen and am getting to see. Uganda has been the most welcoming place I have ever visited. Someone in our group was actually offered to bottles of Mountain Dew from a family in one of the slums today. Someone who literally has nothing, gave away two prized possessions. Another woman my group talked with today was taking care of her 4 mentally ill brothers, and had been for nearly six years after her parents died. She was 24. That means she was taking care of them at my age. MY AGE. I couldn't even take care of my one sister. And she is not even mentally ill. Sometimes. That is all I could write so far, even though I've experienced so many things. Oh and I am a mzungu!

One love
Tucker

Hey! We're at the end of day 2 here in Africa and I cannot tell you how full of joy I am :) It's so amazing.
Yesterday we went to a slum called Kimbasa. We went door to door sharing about Christ and just talking and praying with the people. BEfore we left all these kids gethered around us and they sang us some songs. It was the sweetest thing. I definitely cried a few times and I hated leaving.
I LOVE these people. Especially the kids. And tehy are so sweet. White people apparently never really go to the slums here and so they get so excited when they see you. When you walk down a street ( Which is really a muddy path between the houses ) a little kid might see you and yell "Mzungu! Mzungu!" and pretty soon they and all their friends will be rushing toward you to hold your hand, rub your arm (They seem facinated by my freckles ) bear hug you and be held. And they adore having they're pictures taken and then seeing them. You should here their giggles when they do.
Today we went to another slum called Sebena. This one was full of kids and we all played with them for a long time. They climbed in our laps and held our hands. There was sone little girl who would run up to every mzungu and just bear hug them with a huge grin on her sweet little face. They found a tree with flowers on it and picked all the ones they could reach so they could give them to us.
Tonight we went to a house church back in Sebena. Afterwards we bought lots of beaded necklaces and braceletes from this lady who makes them for a living. She was so happy that we were buying them.
Well, I miss everybody back in the states but I'm having the best 2 weeks of my life. I've never been so joyful or loved so much. Have a blessed day :)

-MeghanBooth

First Day in Uganda - Elliott

We are here!!!!! :) Africa is great! Today we went to the mall and let's say it's not like the mall back home. We made it a blast anyway! We ate at the food court and as soon as we sat down all the fast food restaurants were throwing menus at us left and right. They wanted us to buy "their food", we found that pretty humorous :) After that we came back to our little hotel and met our translators and hit the slums. The slums was an eye opener! When we first started to witness I was so nervous! But one of the translators told us to never fear, because God is with you! Can I just say WOW!!! God was with me there the whole time :) He was there when I was telling about his word, or even holding a little boys hand. He is doing some awesome things already, and guess what??? This is only day ONE!! Meghan and I met the sweetest girl, Catherine, who is about our age. She was telling us about her walk with Christ and it just blew our minds. We also sang songs with the little kids and just had a blast! We aren't the only ones teaching, they are teaching us too! Tomorrow we go and distribute food to people:) And I can't wait!! Well let's just say I love AFRICA!!!

Elliott

The "Ride" to Uganda

For starters, I'm typing this up while sitting in a stuffy van with six of my traveling buddies while it is hailing on us.

So back to our trip here... We left XNA on time and arrived in Dallas on time and without event. After a late lunch and a 4 hr layover we departed for London. Everyone was pretty excited; nobody really slept on that flight. Again, everything was pleasantly uneventful and on time. In London we waited on the Atlanta group for about 3 hrs. They were supposed to be 30 minutes behind us, but had a rain delay getting out of Atlanta.

Once we were all in London, we still had seven hours so we bought rail tickets and went to the city. We walked through the Royal Park and listened to the girls squeal about every place some princess stood for such and such an event. Kelly, Adam, Tucker and I almost held strong, but were finally moved to tears as we stood outside Westminster Abbey where Kate recently walked. So I'm standing there in front of the Abbey taking pictures of each of the possible combinations of our girls together. Observations: women- as I'm taking pics of the girls there are women to my left and to my right dabbing their eyes with tissue because of weddings past. Men- at the same time two men come up to me and say "hey, is that an IPad? Can I see it?".

Side-note: as I type we are driving down a busy sidewalk because the storm that brought the afore mentioned hail has washed out the road. All in a days work I suppose.

We flew to Uganda; no problems. This time all slept, and slept hard. I think at most some had gotten 2 hours in the past 36. I think all got between 4 & 6 on that flight. They looked much better except for unavoidable casualties to hair.

We are healthy and well! Oh, I forgot... We almost lost Elliott as she fell in slow motion down an escalator almost saving herself no less than four times as she tried to gain footing or grab Adam as she flailed past. No harm except pride and the humor it provided Adam and I fully compensated for that!

Later,
Eric

Testing pics

Just making sure we know how to post pics to blog. Pic is from Chanley's trip last year.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Randall Dr,Searcy,United States

Rescue the Perishing

Just wanted to say a special Thank You to Adam Hambrick (not the Adam going to Africa) for picking out the chords to a cool song for us so Adam Patterson (yes the Adam going to Africa) can strum it for us while we are away.

If you haven't heard Jackie Castro's Rescue the Perishing (this is not the hymn) you should really check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ImgFnsgONU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I'm having a little trouble posting the youtube link...

Plus, if you get really close to the screen, you can pretend you are in Africa with us:)

Praying for us

If the LORD wills it (and it seems like He does since I wasn't hurt by the 18-wheeler that rear-ended me yesterday - thank you LORD) we begin departing Searcy at 2:00 today. That's when Eric, Adam and Meghan leave the FBC parking lot (that's First Baptist not Fellowship Bible this time - both are participating in this trip). What better time to start praying for us if you haven't already.

Pray that we would put away all malice, deceipt, hypocrisy, envy and slander. Pray that like newborn infants, we would long for pure spiritual milk and that drinking deeply of it we would grow into our salvation. Pray that we would represent Christ well and share Him faithfully and that many would taste and see that the LORD is good! Pray that those we are going to would come to Christ, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious. That we ourselves will be built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." Pray that those who are rejecting Him will fall before Him, that those who today do not believe, in the next two weeks will believe. Pray that Christ will be their cornerstone, not their stumbling block. Pray that they not be destined to continue in disobedience. Pray that GOD will raise up among them a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession. And that we would proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Pray that these to whom we are being sent, who presently are not a people, will soon be God's people; that those who have not tasted mercy, WILL NOW RECEIVE MERCY.

In HIM,
Eric

Location:Randall Dr,Searcy,United States

Hello from Tucker

Yes indeed I am the one who missed the group picture and was shunned out, but I still get to go to Uganda! So that's good news. This is my first missiom trip out of the country. I am frequently asked if I'm nervous about the trip. Yes. I am. Not fearful, but nervous that I may not be capabale of doing what God needs me to do. But then I just remember Moses! It's not me doing anything anyway. It's God doing it through me. That takes care of the nerves. I'm crazy excited for our trip! I'm so ready to see up close the faces I've seen only seen in pictures. Get me on the plane!!! See ya in a couple weeks America.

Much love
Tucker

HEY YALL!! Im Adam Patterson

Hey Everybody,

       My name is Adam Patterson and i'm so excited about the amazing opportunity God has presented to me in going to Africa!! I have been on an overseas mission trip to Nicaragua and had the time of my life. Its so amazing to see God work in and threw people. I honestly feel like God does more of a work in my soul than in the exact people we are on the mission field trying to reach. Please pray for the members of the team and for the hearts of the wonderful people we will encounter. 

Hi From Elliott Scarbrough :)

Wow can I just say we are leaving in ONE week!!! I can't wait :) I have always wanted to go on a mission trip to Africa, but I never knew anyone that went to Africa. Until I found out this year that a group from my church was going and then the cards fell right into play! People ask me a lot if I am nervous, but honestly, I am not nervous at all. Knowing that God will be right beside me helping me witness to the broken is enough to jump for joy and to take the nervousness all away! I am really excited to go to the the orphanages in Jinja :) those sweet faces are so precious. I can't wait!! And if you see me and I have this ridiculous smile on my face...it's because I am just so excited I can't hide it :)   

Hello From MeghanBooth :)

Hey :) This is Meghan Booth. Words just cannot express how excited I am about this trip to Uganda. If you don't know already, I'm in love with Africa. Especially with the kids. A few years ago, I first felt the Lord calling me to the mission field and one day I hope to live in Africa and care for orphans. So this is really a good starting point for me. What I am most excited about is our spending time at an orphanage in Jinja :) I cannot wait to meet all the kids. Be prepared for an enormous amount of pictures...mostly of those sweet little faces :)
Just ONE WEEK!
Love
MeghanBooth

Welcome to our Blog

Post numero uno.  We Go to Africa in just 9 days!

First of all, "We" includes me (Eric- fearless leader extraordinaire), my daughter Meghan, Elliott, Tucker and Adam.  This will be my second trip to Africa; everyone else's first.  More about that later.  Lord willing, we will have frequent enough and reliable enough internet service to keep everyone (Moms first and foremost) updated on everything the Lord is doing on our trip.  Please follow us.  Please Pray for us.  Please pray for the people God puts before us.  Please comment on our blog - it helps shrink the miles while we are gone.

I'll post more later.  For now I'm going to pass the login info for our blog to each of the other travelers and let them begin introducing themselves and telling you what GOD is doing so far in their lives getting them ready.

You can also track us on Facebook (proclaiminghiminuganda).  You can also email us: proclaiminghiminuganda@gmail.com (it's almost like there's a pattern).

Glorify GOD and Enjoy Him Forever!
Eric