A few weeks ago we went to a village church in Kamuli District about 150 kilometres north East of Kampala, past the source of the Nile, a beautiful sight at any time. The 150k’s took 4 hours to drive each way with half of it on a good quality road but the other half!, groans, sighs, grumbles!, was on a road that was built during Idi Amin’s time. We felt like we were driving on, (weaving really), through deep, dark and dangerous moon craters. The road had been patched only to be re patched and re patched again and again. In some places the holes were so wide and deep it was a challenge to the driving skills. On our return journey home, we encountered a very fierce storm/squall and as a consequence these moon craters were filled with water and in the dark of night……..what a nightmare that drive was, how the suspension survived the trip was a miracle.
The church we visited was deep in the village, hidden between trees, made from mud bricks and a tin roof that was so low the blazing sun was literally cooking us below it. The humidity was not too bad but, we still felt like we were being cooked on a rotisserie. The building was unfinished, the back wall was only partly completed and there were no windows yet installed, (but there was NO BREEZE ALSO), and because it was too small accommodate everyone, there were people standing in the hot blazing sun for nearly 4 hours at these windows and at the back past the incomplete section. There were over 300 people crammed (literally) into this church. During preaching, I had to be so very, very careful that I did not accidentally step back onto the little children sitting on the floor all around the pulpit.
BUT, this place is alive spiritually. The worship was of an amazing standard in comparison to many churches we have been to before in Uganda. The singing and praising lifted ones heart up before God. The hunger for God and the Holy Spirit was very evident. The presence of God was tangible. Most had a Bible and a notebook! Wow, that was an eye opener. No wonder God moves in power there.
The church is growing too fast for it to house all the latest converts and so they have planted 9 churches closeby within the last couple of years.
Apart from encouraging the church with an inspirational message, we ministered the prophetic and we praise God because many testified afterwards….”this is from God”, or, “God has spoken this to me before!”. That is God, and personally was very encouraging.
Also over 200 people of all ages, male and female were baptised in the Holy Spirit – Hallelujah, that was so exciting, to hear them worshipping and praising God passionately in new tongues, some with tears of joy freely flowing down their cheeks.
Following the morning service, we ministered to over 25 local pastors and leaders, encouraging them to continue in the ministry, in power and under leadership of the Holy Spirit, expecting and demonstrating miracles.
We cannot wait to return to this area and minister amongst them for a longer period.
This is our Uganda. This is our home. These are our people.
