Good As I Been To You

It’s been dark over here at the news desk for some time, we admit. And though the dry season is upon us, we haven’te been neglecting to update you because we’ve been passed out on the floor from the near triple-digit temperatures every day (Seriously, we visited the Knoxes recently and cozied up with a cup of jalepeño hot chocolate to keep ourselves warm. The temperature in the room—82). Nor has it been because we’re out fighting rampant brush fires. It’s mostly just because life has been busy and God has been faithful to us in small ways, answering our small prayers and keeping the work of the mission going, glamorous or not. What follows are just a few snapshots of our lives in the past few weeks.

The Times They Are a’Changin

Several weeks ago, we put in a borehole at a nearby village, Naturukan. We finished installing the casings and were ready to pour the foundation and put the pump on. While we generally have a “don’t give stuff away for free” policy, the Mission has decided that clean water is a worthy exception to the rule (and kittens, apparently). After all, what good are rules without exceptions? In any case, we still want the people we are drilling for to take an interest in the project at hand and so we decided to tell our neighbors that before we would pour the foundation, they needed to provide the rocks and sand, these two things being readily available when you live in a place that is wedged between an old volcanic formation and a wide, shallow river. And while we were anxious that they would just wait us out, knowing that we would eventually come and finish the project, several weeks and several reminders later, I rode my bike up on a reconnaissance mission and found a pile of sand and a pile of stones waiting for our use. The next borehole we are supposed to drill was across a drainage channel cut during the rainy season. We told the people of that village that before we could drill they needed to fill in a bridge across that channel so we could move the equipment in. This also has been accomplished. It’s a joy to see our neighbors taking these things seriously and being willing to work together with us to achieve these good ends.

World Gone Wrong

I’ve written about Thomas and the hand of frowning providences he’s been dealt of late. Suffering from much sickness in his family, from theft, and recently from his nephew breaking his leg and having to stay in the hospital for maybe a month before his leg can be set and cast. In the midst of all of this, he seems to be looking to Christ as his salvation and his hope, giving the missionaries here both encouragement and a renewed vigor in prayer as we seek to plead with God on his behalf.

Oh Mercy

This past Sunday, we had a baptism for the new son of Dengel Joyce, one of our members. It was wonderful to see God’s grace in the sacrament. We pray that she would be faithful to raise Segal Emmanuel according to the promises of God and that he would continue to do his saving work in the families of Nakaale. The same day, I watched our friend Cosmas instructing his child on how to sit in worship. Families attending worship together and parents giving instruction to their children is like spotting a snow leopard in the wild, so this was a tremendous sight.

Modern Times

The road between Mbale and Karamoja, the rainy-season perils of which are well-documented has been largely repaired and the trip is clocking in at around two hours now (it was taking anywhere between five and seven just a handful of weeks ago). Extensive work coupled with dry weather has allowed for this burden to be lifted from us for the time being.

Bringing it all Back Home

The Tricaricos have finished their furlough and have taken up their station with a vengeance. This will allow our ministry of the Word to again expand as the pastors are able not only to preach, but to plan for the future of the ministry as well as creating study materials and extend their work of discipling the local congregation. Yes, I’ve just committed them to doing all of these things in a public forum. Please pray that God would bless the arduous work that they do.