Widows, Church, Prison, Schools.....

This past Saturday was amazing.  We had church with about 275 widows.  We sang and danced - wow! Was that ever fun - listening to a crowd of women singing praises to God is ...is...is... I can't even think of an adjective that would adequately express how totally awesome that is.  Their voices and their dancing and their smiles all mingled with such great need for more of God.  I guess the best way to say it is that it was like being with a bunch of friends I didn't know I had and all of us TOGETHER blessing our Father God with our love for all He has done and will ever do for us.  I'm asking God to give me the capacity to carry such an anointing with me wherever I go.  We truly experienced the presence of Almighty God in these meetings.  We ministered the word of God, several widows received Jesus as Lord,  and then the Say Yes Team prayed for all!  The needs ran the gamut - head pain, chest pain, back pain, swollen leg & foot, burned foot, neck pain, sorrow, arthritis, etc.  Many women showed that their pain left after prayer by demonstrating they could do what they were unable to do before.  It was a great time and very tiring, we were all dripping wet with sweat before it was over.  Then the widows received gifts and were fed.  It was a very satisfying day for all!

Sunday was a five hour church service - intercessory prayer, worship, dancing, mini-sermons, greeting, salvations, and then it was Virgil's turn to preach.  He gave a wonderful message on Luke 10 - The Hidden Story of the Good Samaritan.  The people were blessed and many came forward for prayer.  Afterward, we went to see Moses & Betty's house they are building.  It is going to be so nice - they are very excited about getting it finished and moving into the very first home they have ever owned.  Moses says they need just $7000 to finish it.  We're a bit sceptical about that as it looks like it will take much more.....but this is Africa - what do we know?  ALL things are possible with God!

Monday the Team split up - Ashley, Mark and Kevin went to a school; Sandy, Joy & Betty went back to the hospital to check on some of the people we prayed for; and Virg, Jessica, & Shailynn went shopping for a blanket and some other stuff.  The most cool thing happened - we got the blanket and a mattress for Daniel Male's mom (Priscilla), who lives in a mud hut.  There are several families living in a little community of mud huts in this area.  So when we took the blanket and mattress to Priscilla the whole community turned out to watch!  Wow!  One woman was so moved by the demonstration of love she said she wanted to live for Jesus, too!  We hadn't even spoken to her - she was just watching and listening!  So she was introduced to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord.  Way cool!  (Did I mention that we led Daniel's mom and brother to the Lord just a few days earlier?)  Don't ya just love the way God does things?  THEN we found out that Moses knows Daniel's mom from years past but neither Moses or Daniel knew that!  So now he will be sure to include her in the widow ministry he and Betty sponsor.  WHOOPEE!  God appointments left and right! YES!  WE LOVE YOU GOD!

Later in the day we went to the prison.  Yes - it was a sad thing to observe these men and women in prison, suffering deplorable living conditions, hard work, and lack of proper medical attention - all due to wrong choices of each one.  However, there can be liberty even in prison!  We witnessed this in a few of the men - one young man knows he is free in Christ and also knows he has a call of God on his life to be a minister when we is discharged.  We prayed for some very sick men - some looked as if they would not live another day.  We are trusting God for their healing - both soul and body.  Then we ministered in the women's part of the prison - about 15 women are there and 4 have babies/toddlers with them, which isn't the best of situations, to say the least.  We invited them to receive Jesus as Lord and many did just that!  We gave them gifts, sang with them, and prayed for them.  After the thunder, lightening, and rain we went to the Wodilas for an outstanding African meal - wooooow!  There's nothing like it.  From prison to freedom to great food and fellowship.  What a day - only God can do this.

There are many stories I have not included - if I did I'd never get this blog posted!  We are back in Kampala now - Betty & Moses came with us so they could see their daughters in boarding school in Iganga and Mokono, and then they stayed the night in the same hotel as the Team.  We got to meet their older children - Faith & Sam - that was a great treat.  Moses & Betty will return to Tororo this morning,  But Betty was sooooooo excited to get to see her children, get away from the pressures of ministry for a little bit, AND to have time with Moses - which just doesn't happen!  She is one happy African Mama!

I will post a picture blog soon.  I hope.

Thanks for your prayer support. Can't wait to share our many stories!  (We leave for Daniel Male's home town of Wobulenzi tomorrow (our Thursday).