February Update

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MINISTRY UPDATE

Since we’ve been back in Uganda, we have had plenty of opportunities for ministry. Tim had the opportunity to join up with Terebinth, a group focusing on training pastors, for the first month. They focused on teaching the Joshua, Judges and Ruth.  Since then, Tim has been teaching three small discipleship groups he meets with weekly.  Two of the groups are comprised of pastors from Gulu and the other of young adults.
Janessa has recently started a discipleship group in the market with a group of tailors. They are studying Jesus’ interactions with women in the book of Luke. Within the next few weeks, Janessa will also be starting up another ladies discipleship group inside our compound with the ladies who work in our neighbor’s homes.
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                                     MINISTRY UPDATE

Acoli lessons are going well, as mentioned in our recent blog post. We are already a month into lessons and have learned so much. We are trying to devote 15-20 hours a week to studying on top of our three weekly lessons. Using flash cards and tests has helped us grasp the language and encourages us to use it every day. We're also been practicing Acoli by translating simple songs and books that we read to Silas.  Who knew that Dr Seuss can help you learn a new language!

Janessa has been using the Acholi Bible in her marketplace Bible study since the ladies are more comfortable reading and sharing in Acoli even though they are able to speak english. It’s a great opportunity to listen and understand what is being said through immersion. It’s amazing how much we know and already how useful it has been in ministry
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PRAISE REPORT

We are extremely thankful for God’s provision since we’ve returned to Uganda.  We were able purchased a two-year old washing machine from a missionary family transitioning back to the US for a quarter of what it would have been if we bought it new. We also bought solar panels so we can have partial power (internet, fans, & lights), which is an incredible blessing and will be extremely helpful when we are with power for days at a time.

Last week we also found an office to rent in the main market. It’s a small room on the third floor facing out across town. It’s a quiet place to meet with our discipleship groups and provided more privacy than meeting in a restaurant. Another small, yet significant praise report is for all the cooking and baking we have been able to do. It’s becoming easier to figure out our gas stove and adapt ingredient list to what we have. I (Janessa), felt overwhelmed when we first arrived in June last year with the amount of time cooking/baking took. But the more I’ve been trying, the more I’ve begun to enjoy it! We’ve managed to figure out how to make naan, tortillas, chocolate cookies, cinnamon scones, etc.

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PRAYER POINTS

• The mosquitoes have been really bad since we’ve returned. Pray we find the source of where they are entering our apartment and protection from getting malaria.
• For the past two weeks electricty in Gulu has only been on 2-4 most days and some parts of Gulu are without city water as we approach the end of the dry season and the city resoviour is running dry.  Pray that rainy season comes soon and whatever issues are going on with the electric are resolved soon.
• We'll be beginning the process for our long-term work permit soon.  Pray that this process, and a few other pieces of paperwork that accompany it, will go smoothly.  
• We're hoping to importing a vehicle from Japan for personal and ministry use.  This is generally how cars are brought into most of Africa.  Pray that we find a good deal on a great car!

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We would love to hear from you!
E-mail us at:
cyphersinuganda@gmail.com

CANADA:
Attn: The Cyphers
Heartstrings World Mission
430 Lakewood Blvd
Winnipeg, MB R2J 4B6

USA:
Attn: The Cyphers
Harvest Alliance International
3620 Ocean Ranch Blvd
Oceanside, CA 92056