I am ever more overwhelmed by the amazing grace, mercy and kindness of our Lord that carries us through each and every stage of our life. This however will remain one of the toughest trips I have ever done as I strive to balance family and ministry coupled with economic savoir-faire.
I travelled from home on the 13th of November and returned on the 7th of Dec. It was a most compact trip with hardly a day to let. It took me from boat rides, flights, cabs, country buses, ferries and car hires as I sought to maximize every opportunity in 11 Cities and towns in 4 countries of East Africa.
It was a trip I would have wished to put aside especially due to the logistical realities and challenges that came with it. Having done it, I am glad I am dared. It was to be an oversight trip to meet some of our partners in East Africa and the Horn that we haven’t been able to see in a while and set plans for the following years. With it also came an opportunity to train Facilitators for New Schools in one of the countries with much thanks to Anja of Builders Foundation, Alfonso and Adri of Harvest Church, PE.
It was with shock that I realized from the 13th of November to the 7th of Dec 2015 I had slept in 13 different beds in; not to mention the different cuisine that comes with the different cultures through which the trip took me.
I was down with extreme cold and flu while in Zanzibar, but God came through for me.
In Uganda in one of the Accommodation Points in the North, I lost some of my clothing, which I had submitted for Laundry Services and had to leave before they could retrieve it, but every meeting and visit to the Live School Centres ministered back to me more than my hope to encourage the various teams. It was surely the Lords doing and it was marvelous in our sight.
Every centre had a testimony of lives that had been personally impacted by the Live School while others had gone on to start up new Churches in villages where there were no Churches.
I managed on the trip to get one of the Centres to coordinate the much-needed translation of the New Training Workbook and Module into Swahili which we hope to be done in February.
It saw the beginnings of a possible partnership with one of the bigger denominations out of one of the countries who really felt that Live School will be able to provide their people with the much needed preparation to fulfill their missional mandate.
We visited and prayed with each other through the different challenges of facilitating the trainings and reaching out, visited some Schools in progress and met with current trainees whom all had an amazing testimony.
I was not however prepared for what one such visits would do to me. Arriving in Apac, a remote little town in North Uganda, the group of peasant students and Pastors from the farming community had shelved their farms for the visit. Among them was a mother whose son lay on the cold cement floor covered in a shawl. Upon inquiry I realized that the boy was sick with Malaria, but the mother had opted to avail herself before heading off to the Doctor. I felt prompted that we pray for the boy’s healing and we did before heading out to Kampala.
A 27 year old Ugandan girl giving a testimony of her experience confessed that she no longer has any fear and concluded with an appeal that we be willing to die for this Gospel- should that be the price required of us.
In my heart, I was deeply moved as I grappled with God- wondering who am I that He should entrust unto me such people that will stop at nothing to see His glory revealed. I truly need His help and wisdom.
Finally getting to the Jomo Kenyatta airport at 04h20 to check in on my return leg to Libreville via Ethiopia and Cameroun saw me land in Libreville at 13h20 luggage less. My checked in Baggage didn’t arrive with all the my stuff as well as the gifts I had purchased ahead of my sons 2nd birthday on the 9th of Dec followed by our anniversary on the 10th of Dec.
Yes, it is 13 beds and a prayer:
- That the Lord will cause the fruit of the trip to materialize.
- For the safe arrival of my misplaced luggage.
- For financial breakthrough to offset some of the pending repayments
- That the Live School will grow exponentially in the region
- God’s blessings upon all our partners and friends.
- That God will greatly increase our network, reach and support for the work in the region.
- The Church will rise to counter the spread of other faiths with the Gospel.