My first trip to Isiro Pygmies camp

  

Story of my first tripe to isiro!


The tripe was  very long tripe, stopped at the DGM for the rest of the team to sort out their visa's, just in a while five as us (Mario, Sharon, Dan, I and our driver Yolam) set off for 21 hours’ drive. I kept picturing myself in this place that I have been longing to visit.

I loved the feel of the wind blowing across my ears as I watch the terrain of Congo. Loved the beautiful scenery of the magnificent smoky mountains and the green vegetation.

After 12 hours of drive one of our tyer got flat, we had to stop and remove it and place the spare that we had. Took us less than 30min and we were back on the road.

Our driver was aiming for us to cross the Gobari bridge and rest for the night at the other side of the river nevertheless  our bodies were so tired that we couldn’t proceed anymore and also we needed to mend the tyer that went flat  previous so we Stopped at a local near church by the road side, without calling or informing the pastors family that we are coming, I was so socked with their hospitality. In just a little while the wife of pastor made warm water for us to take a bath meanwhile the kids set a campfire .They also shared the little dinner that they had prepared for themselves. After wards we had some time by the fire playing games, and telling stories. They had 2 small grass thatched huts that wasn’t enough to accommodate us, so we set our tents and went to sleep.

Later early in the morning, after taking a warm cup of coffee we wished farewell to the family and where back on the road. From time to time we could stop by the road blocks and get registered., by around 5pm we finally arrived at our distantion. Warmly welcomed by the team on ground Dorothy a wife to Yolam, Mary and two other workers. And even the little puppy was excited to see us.

After having a moment of short prayers to thank God, we then had a meal together .

Mary then rode me on her bike to the base where I will be residing, the town has a nice view, and those memories never fade on my mind.

The following day we had devotions, then Mary also took me on ride to tour the town, she could also take me to the local market to buy food.



Mario, Dan and David during moments at Pastors conference 



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MINISTRIES.


Mario did a great joy taking us from church to church introducing us and our purpose of visit. We visited CITIBA Oral bible translation urgency, the President of the church affairs in Utuwelu region. Different denominations, medical center etc. The people warmly welcomed us.

The following week we started Pygmies ministry and church Seminar. There is a lot I can say about this.

But what I could write in summary is that it was very nice, connecting with the people and hearing from them and how they were responding to our message.

I really can’t wait to be back in this place and continue with what God has placed in my heart for DR. CONGO

CATCHING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS


it was a nice moment after 7 years meeting my friend Benjamin, Benjamin is a Congolese national, I met his family while they were staffing at Ywam Arua and we had very wonderful moment with them, meeting him again in the place where we used to talk with them while they were still in Arua base was very great moment.
He had moments to reflect on the topics of our prayers while in Arua, in the end we came to understand that it was an answered prayers 


OUR SOURCE OF WATER AND FOOD

We ate local foods, I loved eating "Pondu" and "Makenba", guess what others food I am hoping to try, Bizo, and posse (Caterpillar) I am raising my appetitte to try this out and can't wait for it.
However other foods such as rice, Phoso and other food are available  though very expensive.


I and Mary preparing Pondu for Lunch

The whole village Survives on this water, so are we, the water needs to be renovated, it has very steep cliff during rainy season the muddy ground becomes too slippery, it becomes too hard to go down there to fetch the water . We Trusting God for the Finances to repair it and atlist place concrete cement steps on that cliff



OUTREACH 2019

Ministry in Karamonja 2019

 Our mini bus arrived late, we had to off load the car, cleaning the place to lay  down our bed, everyone was so tired after 12 hours of drive on rough road, we were all ready just to lay and sleep and yet still need to catch up with everyone and update them about the next day's schedule then followed by short time for devotion and then everyone was ready to go to bed. 

This was a marvelous season of my life, its my first time to lead students who have been in class for 3 months learning discipleship and how to look win the world for Jesus.  we went to three outreach locations, Soroti, Kotido, and Agweng village in Lira.



How this  missions Changed my life

From this mission trip I learned how to lead other people with different personalities, cultural beliefs, different age groups who were all  In my outreach team, I had elders who were bishops in South Sudan, people who grew up in a culture in which they ought to receive maximum respect, young people have no voice over elders, women role is to serve the men just like slave. for the first few weeks of the outreach, I struggled a lot to be heard, so I ended up doing almost all things. until they begun to learn and follow my lead


THE BAPTISM 
 

According to Jesus final words to His disciples and a timeless truth of all times in  Matt 28:19-2, He said ''Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you [i]always, to the end of the age.”
I experienced the power of God in that scripture, can't really express in written how I felt knowing that Jesus was right there with me, talking with him everyday, moving with him and working with him was my best experience which will last forever. 
sorry, this photos have poor contrast, but the scene of that season reminds in my heart like it happened yesterday
After having several bible studies and sharing God's word with the youths, our last day marked a remarking moment in which none of them wanted to leave without being baptized. 


God is really indeed God
''If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me''. Luke 14: 27



The Joy of the Lord will be your strength.
         I decided to leave everything behind and follow Christ, I heard the word of God, read it, several times and said to myself if REALLY Jesus story is true, then I am leaving everything behind and follow him. 
while at high school, I loved Geography and math was studying heard to become a pilot, little did I know that Jesus was preparing me not to fly people from one destination to another but to prepare the way to fly people to heaven. 


NATURE SPEAKS OF GOD'S GLORY
     

I loved spending time by myself in the woods either playing guitar, reading the bible or praying.  My soul feels so strengthened, an outstanding peace and joy fills me up after those moments. coming back from there I feel so much different. the way I began to see and treat people completely changed.


MAN SAVED FROM PRSION AND PROPHECY CAME TO PASS


 it was late afternoon when we went for prison ministry. when we entered the room we got several prisoners sitting on the ground waiting for us to deliver a message. others on their faces looked like they were being forced to listen to the word of God, among them was this man named Simon.
Simon used to be a pastor however He was jailed after being accused of Adultery, He was so angry to the people of the church who accused him and framed him of charges he was guilt of. this man him to hate God and the church and sworn never again to serve God.
How ever after sharing the word of God in the prison, a word of knowledge came to one of the students and when We spoke it to Simon. He begun to weep, we didn't know why He was crying though we wanted to ask but time was against us, as we were concluding I just prophesied to him " I told him I see a picture of him walking in the market and doing shopping and Told him God said its not going to take long for he will be freed from here and restored back to his service.
A week late we went to purchase food items for our lunch, was a big surprise to meet Simon in the market also doing shopping, our eyes caught each other With smile on his face He run and embraced me after chatting for few minutes he invited me and the rest to his home to tell us the full story of his life 
it was just a great moment, right now Simon is back pastoring and serving in the church. 

 


DISCIPLSHIP TRAINING 2020


March 2020 was another Year where the epidemic  broke lose yet nothing can stop us

with 12 sudents from DRC, Kenya, south Sudan and Uganda.  We started the 3 months training with lots of energy and excitiment not knowing what lies ahead of us.
I had 8 volunteer staffs who were ready and committed  to support me. among them was my dad. He was more like an adviser to me.
All togther we seek God's preseence and purpose, what I loved about this dts is that it takes you deeper in intimancy with God. it was a beutiful moment of connecting with eachother as we reflect on Gods characters  later in the afternoon after having the class session we could meet in small groups to discuss how the teaching has impacted our life and what area of life we need to change. The staffs played a big role in leading the small group.

 THE GENERAL BASE WORSHIP 
The monday worship was our culture, every morning we could meet as staff team and start our day with devotions before having clasese. 
As food gives strength or the body so is prayers for the spirit.   
   THE LOCKDOWN
 This was a real challenge for us, as the world locks down, we have to figure out what to do with our coarse, the Government Lockdown and passing a degree of no gathering. not more than 5 people are allowed to gather together.  This was a heavy blow on our side especially to me who was leading the coarse. students filled with fear and waiting for decsion from me, I entered in moment of worship and seek for Gods direction . at the end of this Ideas pooped up in my mind of what is to be done. so i gave freedom for each student to choose either to go back home or to remain and we figure out how to run the training. half of the students decided to go back to join their families meanwhile half stayed.

God was so faithful to me, and with the few we were able to figure a way to run the coarse without disobeying any goverment oders
HIT WITH FINANCIAL CRISIS 

As the world locks down completely and the death toll goes higher day after day, I realized my pocket was running empty each day as I have to spent funds to make sure the school run, and my parents back home also needed my support. How hard is for someone who is a volunteer and committed to full time service without any payment suffer. to be honest if you are not called for missions never push yourself because you will definitely die of stress and other factors. 
I knew deep inside me I could do nothing; I came to a point where it only needs God to show up, but I was so patience waiting on the lord. 

HOW GOD SHOWED UP
I made several news letters and vidoes and send them out to friends, none of them responded, i waited day after day unitl I gave up, then finnally started focuing on God and Him alone to statisfy my ego. until it came to a point where I found my self in unadant joy that filled my heart.Day after day it felt like I aren't lacking anything. One saturday afternoon my heart was stired up to go and check my account, I felt it was from God that I should that, Going to the back to find my account still at negative, I laughed at myself, but that same voice keeps telling me to go back day after day, I never gave up, when I was about to give up after 3 days of going to the bank to check my account, was when I got a donation of 
$ 1000 unitl now I dont know who sent that money, But what I still remember is that its God's Miracle and its just the start. 
in summary, being faithful to Gods voice is very important even when He asks you to do wired thngs which make no sense to any man.

STUDENTS AFTER CLASSES 

 The atmosphere feels like Heaven on earth when different nationalities, Cultures treat each other with Love and Respect. seeing each other as Jesus sees us.
 Class times and having teachers who are gifted to rightly teach the word of God leads to growth of students lives as they apply it in to their daily living life.



Students in pair dig deeper in to the word of God discovering what it means to each of them and how to apply it before telling others about it.

  I loved this moment's, to be honest the word of God is real, and alive only if you Belief.

  staffs help to interepret for  those who don't speak english 
 (Mama Miriam and Martin)

Martin helping Jolie and Nadge 




Empower African Children




 "this is Koling, He was thought by his uncle and brother to do cattle graszing. He loves it. some times they go for weeks away from home just to graze their cattle. He loved hearing storys. His favorite bible story is David & Goliath.
His Story...
 I grew up with my uncle, my dad died when I was 3 years.  I was told cattle restlers came to raid our cattle,  in the process of protecting them,  my dad was fired using a rifle and was killed.  All our cattle were taken. Houses were burnt and people killed I only survived because my uncle hide me in the bush.
Later I grew up and still didn't forget what that tribe   did to our family,  I said to myself I will work hard to revenge my father's death and the cattle we lost.  But today when I met this people,  we played games and they thought us stories in the Bible,  I am to realize there is no need to revenge cause my father is in heaven  but I have to work hard to be in heaven with him someday.



  SOME OF THEIR STRUGGLE
  • Many are out of school cause the parents couldn't afford to pay them.
  • lak of clean water making many to suffer from water born diseases.




Meeting and sharing Bible Stories
Kids love to play  through that they begun to be creative .  After telling them stories, they also begun to re-tell it 



Their favorite game was Bat Bat- Moth
this Game creates team bonding and love among them

 The Kids learn from the Bible stories and demanded for more of it. it was very interesting to see them run to their parents and re-tell the story 
I loved this kids created in the image of God.  
There is nothing broken that God can not remark,  and if you  look for Hope when you are afraid just look at the birds.  They even know that God holds tomorrow . 


 OUT-COME  OF THE OUTREACH
All this family accepted Jesus as lord and saviour and demanded a church.


The Bible gives us as believers a command to go all in to the world and preach the good news baptising those who believe in the name of the father, the son and the Holy spirit and teaching them to obey everything He commanded us.
You are welcome to visit or partner with me to see his kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven 

Thank you so much !

Arua DTS September 2019- February 2020



Teaching on journaling,book report and giving life testimony about my DTS and my friend  late Bryson.  
This was the  day when I staffed my first  DTs at Ywam  Arua, together with  Dts students we rejoiced over victory of the power of forgiveness.
I will leave to remember this day