Hi Everyone,
Here’s the latest news from Uganda.
Have a great Christmas this year and enjoy the time with family and friends.

December 2017 Newsletter

It’s been a while since the last newsletter, but there’s been lots of good things happening!
Check out our latest newsletter -> September 2017

Hello again from Uganda,

On the ministry front: We have been traveling around the Kampala region over the last few months, with a trip or two added in to head north to Luweero, about 60K’s from the city, and about 40K’s from our village home.  We are finding more pastors in that area who are interested in our vision and we are praying to create a group of churches in that region so we can develop something more substantial there for that group. An idea we have been aiming for is to gather a smaller group of pastors from different regions and then minister to them one day every month on a regular basis.

May 30, 1981 at Veale Gardens, Adelaide, Australia

On the local news front, the house has almost been completed. Shirley and I were quietly planning to be in by May 30, the day of our 34th wedding anniversary, but the painting is not quite finished and there is the need of the Health Inspector approving the habitability of the residence. So, while the delay is happening, we have started to prepare the gardens and lawn areas around the new house, and fix up a little issue or two….or three!!!
I do thank Shirley from the bottom of my heart for all the effort she has injected into the house project while allowing me to continue on ministering away from home, and  we are looking forward to owning our own house here and not to have the burden of paying rent.

Butera Village Palace

On the other good news front, we have finally secured our second title from the Waikiso Lands Office. The process only took just under 4 years to complete and ONLY occurred because Shirley, after much bureaucratic frustration of the processing of the title, (they wanted bribes to complete the paperwork), decided to visit the office and find out why the constant delay. Needless to say, the title was in her hands about 2 hours later. Juliet, our interpreter, who was with Shirley, was chastised by the office staff for ‘bringing a mzungu here to cause chaos’. Well, praise God, all we can say is, causing the ‘chaos’ was worthwhile!
A few days later we celebrated the occasion with a toasting of a cup of tea and the last packet of TIM TAMs that had been preserved for almost a year for this very moment. YUM YUM….TIM TAMs!!!!
Shirley also managed to talk to the district surveyor about the boundary/surveying issues we have been having. So, far we have had 5 surveyors trying to define the boundaries of the 21 acres and not one of them has managed to get it correct. Now the senior district surveyor has started the ‘clean up’ process and we are very confident that within a week or two everything will be resolved properly regarding this issue, once and for all.

East Africa Missions – the name we are running under here is in the process of having a website developed for our use…..more on that later.

Motor bike project – I am very excited that the purchasing of the motor bike for the ministry is getting closer. Thanks to a number of donations EAM has now received almost 3/4’s of the $1750 target and someone has graciously donated a new helmet as well. last week, the brakes and power steering on the car failed, so the bike will ease the pressure on the old car usage.

This month – June, we will be commencing our ‘PROJECTS for PASTORS’ mission, by commencing rabbit and chicken breeding. A local pastor in our village has graciously allowed me to use his large shed for these projects until one can be eventually constructed on our land.  The aim is to breed rabbits for pastoral families, which they can buy  cheaper than anywhere else, train them in the processes, and help them to sell the produce into the local markets. The chickens projects will involve breeding the birds for both the sale of eggs and meat consumption. Funds raised from the eggs and meat sales will help support the ministry and eventually I hope, church plantings. Our personal funding has been decreasing as supporters have stopped since we returned to Uganda over 5 years ago, so we need to do these things very quickly, to allow our continuing here and then expanding our sphere of influence in this region.

In a new developments,
We are attempting to support a ministry, the SACRED LOVE DELIGHT FOUNDATION, from Kenya on a regular basis, which is supporting aged people from around the Thikka, north of Nairobi. It is run by Sacred Njoroge who is the daughter of Bishop Gerishon Njoroge, Wings of Life Kenya, who we are linked with. For more information, visit this address, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacred-Love-Delight-Foundation/.  Please, open your heart to give some help to the lovely old people. Most of them have no family help or support except from the monthly gifts they receive. There is much suffering and abuse given to the very old here in these parts and we appreciate the work being done for these wonderful aged and frail people.

Helping the Aged

At Thikka, Kenya

 

Also, over the last 6 months or more I have been meeting with some pastors on a regular basis who have been seeking to join our organisation, CRC Churches International. I have been praying for this sort of thing for 15 years now and I am excited to see where it all is going.

 

 

Also, you can follow Pastor Mike Tyrrell at facebook.com/mike.tyrrell.777,

or by clicking the subscribe button on the home page of this blog.

To support East Africa Missions financially – In Australia

Bendigo Bank
BSB 633 000
A/c 145059143—(please add your name)

Many blessings

Mike and Shirley Tyrrell

 

Hello everyone,
It has been a great time for us here in Uganda since our last newsletter. Recently, we returned to our Ugandan ‘local’ home church in Kawempe/Kazinga, after being all over the country. This is the church we have our visa through.
Our last visit to Kingdom Harvest was in August, and it was a delight to return and witness the continuing growth of the church. The 10am service has been overflowing so they have recently commenced a second, earlier service. For the last 12 months I have been teaching the church on using the gifts of the Holy Spirit in evangelism. In response, the Kingdom Harvest leadership have been conducting outreaches not only in the vicinity of their church, and seeing many people being saved but they going and doing crusades for other churches to help them also grow. How exciting that is. Part of the flow on effect is, other churches are now wanting to know more about the Holy Spirit.
During this year, we will be doing between 8 to 10 Tuesday to Thursday nights with the church concentrating on ‘Intercession for evangelism’ and developing a better shepherding/follow up ministry.
In December we held discussions with 2 other pastors who had many churches in their fold….to take a week each month to teach and train them but as at the time of this newsletter we have not been able to move that plan any further forward. Sometimes, not all things go as one desires, but we will persist because that is a significant part of what we want to do here….’help the pastors’.
Over the last few months I have been meeting with some pastors who are keen to belong to a Pastoral Care group who will watch over them and care for them. The group started with 1 young Pastor who contacted Australia and now we have 10 pastors meeting for fellowship and discussions with the desire to build a strong self-caring network. This always been part of my dream since first coming to Uganda in 2000. The Scriptures declare ‘through faith and patience inherit the promises’…..those deep desires of your hearts! Hebrews 6:12. I am enjoying traveling here and there to the churches of these Pastors, to encourage them and see them grow in their calling. It is almost becoming a ‘circuit ministry’.
In December, Juliet, our interpreter was married to Matthias in a lovely ceremony, that almost did not take place. The young couple had a 2 hour time limit to conduct the service and photos etc. The church was conducting multiple weddings that day.
Unfortunately, the groom’s car was involved in not one, but two accidents on the way to the church that necessitated the police being present to ‘administrate’ the events. As a result, the groom was very late and the bride being a little concerned, (was highly stressed, for you know what she was thinking…..IS HE COMING???), for he had his phone switched off and was therefore uncontactable. When Matthias finally arrived the service was conducted with much relief on the Brides part.
On Australia Day, January 26, a few of us gathered together at the Protea Hotel in Kampala, at the invitation of the Honourary Consul to Uganda for a lovely get together. There were about 20 Australians there and a few Ugandans who have lived in Australia. It was great to meet a few people from ‘home’ and forge links with those who are new here. Many Australians here are living in isolated places, so to have a few hours together in like-minded company was very refreshing.
About 10 Australians from the day are here in Uganda serving Christ, mostly helping schools or children and orphanages. A few are in business. Shirley and I were the only Pastoral family that we could identify living here at the moment. The remaining Aussies are those who have married a Ugandan and are residing here permanently
Personal news now.
Over the last few months our car been suffering rather badly. Besides the fact it is over 20 years old, we travel on roads that are not tarmacked. The dusty and dirt roads are roads 4 wheel enthusiasts would delight to travel on….but for us, they are our normal every day roads we must use. Even the roads that are tarmacked have multiple speed humps every 500 metres or so. As a consequence our little ancient vehicle is in desperate need of major surgery which we just cannot afford at the moment.
Sometimes, I simply have to leave home rather early and start walking towards the nearest town, about 6 kilometres away, in order to catch a series of taxi’s to get to the place of ministry. Then do it again for the return trip. It can take 3 to 4 hours to travel 25 kilometres this way. As a footnote….the taxis do not leave until they have their 14 passengers…so waiting is a normal part of life here.
What we would really like is to have a motor bike…cost is about $1500…..this will help us move about and save on expenses.
Is there anyone who could help us buy the motor bike…we would be very grateful!
Finally, please continue to pray for us….it is not always the easiest living far from home serving Jesus and His people. There are always many challenges that confront us. Over recent months the Australian dollar has suffered about a 25% drop. That has hurt us in a real and practical way.
We have had to make some changes in our lifestyle and where we can travel to do ministry in order to continue here.
Finally…..
Follow us at: musubamike.wordpress.com—there I share from time to time on things happening with our ministry and our lives in our East African adventures.
Also….for anyone willing, I am on FaceBook as Mike Tyrrell.
We would love to hear from people whom we both know and don’t know.
Be blessed!
Mike and Shirley Tyrrell

Yes, it’s that time again! I’ve done a newsletter and you can find a link to it below.

October 2014 Newsletter

Its time for a testimony

As some of our close friends are aware, we have been going through a difficult time over the past 2 years trying to make ends meet while seeking to continue to fulfil our missionary calling to East Africa.

Over the last 18 months, Shirley and I have spent 14 of those months apart. She has been in Australia visiting our children and their families and I have been on missions trips and I was also banished from Uganda for 6 months in a drawn out visa saga. The strain of being in 2 places at once over such a long period of time and trying to continue in our missionary endeavours has depleted our personal resources to nothing.

About 6 weeks ago, I was clearing some overgrown vegetation from around some of the banana trees on our land. Feeling very tired from the days labour, the heat and humidity, I sat down under one of the banana trees and pulled out my Bible, feeling nothing spiritually, nor excited, but as I had made a commitment to myself to read the Bible through twice from cover to cover in this calendar year, I needed to keep reading it to fulfil my personal goal.

I turned to Psalm 37 and began to read. It was verses 3 and 4, but especially the words, ‘DWELL IN THE LAND and feed on His faithfulness’ in verse 3 that really caught my hearts attention. We were at the point of decision time, as we had no where or no one to turn to, to ask privately, to help us in continuing our ministry here in East Africa. I was facing the very real prospect of having to return home, back to Australia and surrender uncompleted the dream God gave to me in both July, 1996 and September, 2000.
Since that day, the words in verse 3, ‘DO GOOD’, have been growing stronger consciously each day. So I began to deliberately look for more opportunities to give away, that is, to ‘DO GOOD’ and over here it is not hard to find such opportunities…..they even regularly come knocking on our door, or we trip over them every 50 metres or so when we go into Kampala central to do shopping…..beggars are so abundant here!

Almost immediately, someone who owes us money from a few years ago contacted us saying they are going to pay it off…..Praise God! We have been praying about these people who owe us money for a few years now, now this happened. Finances have also since that day come from other unexpected places. God is seriously good!

Specifically, with the money that is being paid back, I have invested it into our land, by buying more coffee plants, and today we are now planting about 2 acres of maize and hopefully when that is finished next week, I can then put in about 2 acres of vegetables. After that I will expand our coffee plantation even further, add more Pawpaw’s, Passion fruits and yellow bananas. All income from our farming activities will go to assisting us in having more consistent, regular missionary activities. Lack of finances is our only hindrance to the Gospel promotion. The will is strong but the pocket is empty!

Last week I was part of the ministry team to a church in Busia, Kenya. The Pastor who invited me to participate even challenged my attending when I said to him I do not have the provisions to go. He said, ‘are you a man of faith?’ What could I say to that? So I looked around again for another opportunity to give something to someone who had nothing. On the day after the conference had finished, God provided all the conference needs.

Even today, when my wife has been diagnosed with a cancer, provision had been graciously given for all those associated needs before prayer had been made.

In the end, all I can say 2 things.
1. God is so seriously good and generous beyond human understanding. When He speaks a Living Word into our hearts it always bears fruit. It never fails, if we act in faith on it. Hebrews 4:2, ‘the Word which they heard did profit them, being mixed with faith by those who heard it’ To Him be glory for ever and ever and ever!
2. If I have to be a farmer as well as a missionary preacher, so be it! Paul, the greatest missionary ever, also suffered from the situation of having only 1 regular contributor to his missionary activities. If Paul had to be a tent maker to live financially, then I can willingly be a farmer. Personally, I do not want to emulate Paul in his….‘in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness’, 2 Corinthians 11:27

A few weeks ago it was looking very much like the end of being a missionary to East Africa, but NOW, we can continue on with hope in our hearts and the ability to serve Jesus and His Kingdom further.
I give Jesus my heart, my soul, my strength and my praise…He is so worthy to follow and serve!

April 2014 Newsletter

Hello everyone
It has been an interesting last 6 or 7 months with the two of us mostly in different countries. Am pleased to say we are together again and looking forward to moving on with things here again.
Here’s my latest newsletter. Hope you enjoy it, and yes, I really should try and post a bit more about life over here. Anyway. Our blessings to you all and thank you for sharing life with us.

Feb 2014 Newsletter

Novemeber’s newsletter, all the way from Kenya.

November 2013 Newsletter

Hi Everyone,
I’ve been reasonably busy recently, but have managed to put together a bit of an update. Hope you enjoy it!

July 2013 Newsletter