A JOKE THAT ENDS IN TEN PEOPLE COMING TO CHRIST

I finally got connected to the web today and worked here while the first session of the conference was happening. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to load stuff onto my blog page and what I am writing now will probably only be read by those wonderful people who are willing to keep clicking down the page.

Jaemin and I were in the conference together this morning and saw something really amazing. It happened when the Bishop Patrick was speaking at the start of the second session. He was talking about the fact that Christian believers were the ones who had the privilege of having discovered the way, the truth and the life (ref. John 14). He was half joking but making the point that some people had discovered the church but not the way, the Bible but not the truth and fellowship but not the life. While he was speaking a woman came out and stood to confess that she had not made that discovery and when a rather surprised Bishop realized what was going on he simply referred the people to what was happening and nine more people came to receive Christ. On our way back from the session we warned the Bishop that he might well be developing another method of evangelism. We have had power evangelism and prayer evangelism and friendship evangelism. And now out of Africa comes: joke evangelism. What do you think?

We continue to be amazed at the godly perseverence and joyful expression of these wonderful Ugandans. Jaemin made the observation to me that there was a much greater sense of depth and maturity in the core leaders of the church and in many of the people we meet and talk with. I am sure it is true. But the people who show up to the prayer times at 8:00 in the morning are still there at 8:00 in the evening dancing and worshipping the Lord. Whichever way you interpret that it comes out way ahead of much of what we experience in our complex heavily compartmentalized western lifestyles.

We have also been overjoyed as many of the people who came to Christ last year make themselves known to different members of the team. Just a strong reassurance that there is not only fruit from the ministry but fruit that lasts. This is wonderful.

We are getting into a bit of a routine now with Conference sessions beginning at 9:00 and then the rest of the team going off to the schools etc. Yesterday they did some work at the largest primary school in Uganda. There are 4,000 students. And they rate among the highest achievement levels in the nation as well. What an accomplishement. It is a state run school but has a strong representation of Christian teachers and other staff. There are classes in the school that are as large as 120. They work on a peer mentoring system and very strong discipline.

They also went to the orphanage run by Impact Ministries. There are 700 orphans here and they sleep in rooms where there may be even 50 or 60 crammed into bunks and sleeping on the floor. On the one hand the guys from the team were amazed at the poor conditions but incredibly heartened by the fact that the wonderful mothers and supervisors who ran the institution could offer these young people good food, a loving environment and a full education, therefore a chance at achieving something with their lives. When you think that these are kids off the streets, this is a major work. And with all of that they are led to Christ, filled with the Spirit and discipled in the Word of God.

Some of the team members went to the markets today and saw all the things you can buy for twenty cents (AU). They were suitablly impressed and managed to come back with some African shirts and various other items. The consumer bug hasn’t been satisfied with one visit and they are planning to attack it again before we leave for Soroti.

At the crusade tonight we saw the grace of God in action once again. I was having trouble with my voice again but manage to pump out a message based on the demonized man from Geraza. When I gave people to opportunity to respond about forty or so people came forward vowing to leave their witchcraft and other ways that bring darkness. I then handed over to Patrick and he continue very powerfully and by the time we had finished more than a hundred people had responded. All of them were counselled and had their details taken down for follow up.

By the end of the day I was very much run out of energy. Bed and immediate sleep were both welcome experiences.