The final night of the Luzira festival was glorious! In just one week we recorded 1,550 responses to Jesus Christ!
With slow Internet it's impossible to post video yet. But we've got a ton to share in the next few weeks!
Pray as we go to Soroti and reach more with the Gospel!
And enjoy these reports...
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It is Sunday now and we are wrapping up the week in Luzira with the final night of the festival. Tomorrow we take the show on the road to Soroti.
My new friends have become like family to me this week. It has been a joy to serve with them and hear everyone's story. It happens that two of the team are from Mennonite backgrounds which has provided a fair amount of amusement. Being with the team has also been a picture of the kingdom of heaven for me. "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am also."
When Jesus first met his disciples he said to them, "Come and see.". He invited them to experience and share in his ministry by participating. Teaching about Jesus and visiting the poor and the sick has helped me understand God's love for his kingdom in a way that I never would have gotten just sitting in church or going to a bible study. Not to mention being stretched and having my heart broken every day.
I will sign off with a verse pointed out to me by my Mennonite brother Gil, who has each day pointed out the exact scripture describing our experience or addressing a challenge we faced. From the book of Philemon (who has ever studied Philemon?) verse 6: "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."
~David K.
Uganda! Uganda is such a beautiful place! The people here are even more beautiful and are very kind and compassionate. So far, the harvest has been plentiful thanks to the pastors and friends preparation and planning of our week. I had the privilege to walkthrough downtown Luzira to invite people to our festival andinvite thm to have a personal relationship with Jesus. A few of us decided to go out to these streets of poverty. We were told the area was not a nice area. There were many drunks and prostitutes here. Each of us went out with a Ugandan friend of the church or pastor. I went on the streets with Peter,a very compassionate man of God. We didn't make it very far before a number of people asked what we were doing and what our festival was about. The hearts of many Ugandans are open, and in search of something to save them. One young man was vey interested when I told him the festival is to share the news that Jesus loves all of us. He could only speak so much English, so Peter took ove. I stood there and watched Peter share the gospel with this man,and also told his personal experience of the power of God. When Peter was sharing this, I was amazed at the intensity and passion he had. I stood there trying not to let my jaw drop. You could tell that he was full of the love of Jesus and it was overflowing abundantly from his words. The thing that made this so impressive, was the fact that he was seaking in the Ugandan language and I had no idea what words he was saying. Peter had a personal experienbce of dealing with demons, and when he cried out to God, the denmonbs immediately stopped terrorizing him. The best part was when I told him that was an amazing story, he responded with "All the glory goes to God!" Like I said, the landscape is beautiful, and the people are even more so. God is doing great things here!
~Jenny
This week has been amazing in so many ways. We have started this trip strong -- pray it will continue. Before we even stepped out on the battle field while still preparing for our first attempts at saving souls for the kingdom; the enemy put a spirit of discouragement on the drama team. No one wanted to do it. God answers our prayers, He let us rest that night and we have performed it several times. We prayed for help and God helped us immediatly. We had faught hard and are winning souls in Luzira. Our God is great and he has been our stength. I have been able to overcome fear, sickness, discouragement, in-expierence, and exhaustion in Jesus's name! I specifically remember prayer for boldness and confidence before leaving. We have stood up several times, at the Spirit's prompting, were unprepared and questioning. It is in these moments that I notice God moving. I am praying fr God to continue to work through me, and for a willingness and an ear for the Lord's calling.
Thank you to those who have helped me get here! God is using this team... we were placed so well! PHILIPPIANS 2:1-5 GOD SPEED!
~Tim
Hi Friends and Family! I send my love to you all. Christ is doing a mighty work, as we have seen many people come to know him as Lord and Savior. Our God is awesome and bigger than I have ever imagined. Know that I love and pray for you. Believe that God is changing Africa.
In Christ! I LOVE YOU Orlena, Nan, Jake, Beth, Josh, Mom, Lynn, Skip, Troy, Ron and Judy, and freinds!
~Scott
The team divided up inot teams of 1 or 2 to minister in the local churches this Lord's Day! Many preached for the very 1st time and were thrilled to see people come to Christ. The harvest is ripe and we are honored to serve together with the fellow believers in Uganda. Tonight is the final night of the first festival and we are expecting scores of people to respond again, as we have seen each evening!
Last night we prayed with hundred's who wanted release from demons, healing from Malaria, Typhoid, school fees, peace in their homes, and wisdom to know and do God's will.
~Randy
Today, September 20, 2009~Sunday, The Lord's Day in Luzira
After reaping a harvest of souls this morning at the Truth Foundation Church, our mission team photographer David U. said to me "could we go find Francis, the shop keeper in the market who is close to The Kingdom?" So we left the "99" at the church and found this one lost sheep in the market. David led this lost sheep into the fold with tears of joy and gladness. Now their are 100 in the fold in Luzira. The people living in darkness here are coming to the light. Luzira means "light"!!! Hallelujah and Praise God for Jose Zayas Ministries!
~Gil