February 2018

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FARMING GOD'S WAY

Last week, I was able to attend a great conference in Gulu called Farming God’s Way. This program provides training that is being taught throughout many countries in Africa. It flips many farming practices upside down and produces some amazing results.  However, the best part is that it is based on Biblical principles. It teaches out how to take care of the land God has given us.  As well as how to use the tools and materials he has given us rather than wish we had something bigger or better. It also encourages trust in God to provide rather than being dependent on others.

We’re looking forward to including this program as a part of the
discipleship program.  It does a great job of incorporating Biblical principles into the daily lives of farmers who comprise a big chunk of Uganda’s population. Their techniques have seen crops produce from two to ten times as much as traditional farming methods. Because the significantly larger yields it gives amazing opportunities to share about God’s provision to neighbors who see the results. If you’d like to see more about their methods, check out their website: Farming God's Way.

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THE MARKETPLACE: RUTH

The Marketplace Discipleship group has started up again since our return and we've finished our study of Ruth and will be moving onto the book of Esther in the weeks to come. In our discipleship group, we discussed how God had his hand on Ruth by leading her to a certain field that belonged to a certain man. God had his hand on Boaz, softening his heart towards a foreign woman and welcoming her into his care. God also had his hand on Naomi, revealing through provision that he still had a plan in the midst of suffering.

What we found incredible was that Ruth's story seemed hopeless but it sure didn't end there. Not that Ruth or Naomi knew it, but God was actually setting the stage for an epic story of redemption. And the redemption of Ruth's story continued down the family line to King David and ultimately to Jesus Christ. If God can do that in Ruth and Naomi's life, surely he can do that in ours. This incredible story that offers so much hope, despite the circumstances that enter our lives. And like Boaz redeemed what was lost in Ruth and Naomi's lives, Christ redeems what's lost in ours. 

For more thoughts on our study on Ruth,
check out The Marketplace: Home Is Where You Are.

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THE SEARCH CONTINUES...

This past month we’ve been very busy looking for the right land to buy so we can build the discipleship center.  And by “we’ve been busy”  I mean two pastors working with us, Pastor Thomas and Pastor Alex. Unfortunately, when a foreigner shows up looking for land, the price seems to increase quite a bit. One place Pastor Alex was looking at, found out that the land was for an organization and the price instantly doubled.  So for me (Tim) this process can be a little bit frustrating. I’d love to be driving around looking for land and checking different spots out but I can’t. Instead, Pastor Thomas and Pastor Alex do all the hard work, while I wait to hear how things go. 

However, we have found a few possible spots so far, but are still considering more options. Since land here is generally owned but family groups, it adds another wrinkle in the process. Instead of coming to an agreement with one person, you’re dealing with a large group of people.  Some want to sell the land to get money, while others want to hold onto it for the future.  Then, if they do agree on a price they also need to
agree what percent all the different family members will receive. It’s not a simple process, but we know God has the right place prepared for us.  

Last week while Pastor Thomas and Pastor Alex were out looking for land someone came to the office were I was working and asked what the ministry was for.  I shared with him about our vision and our plan to buy land and he told me he knew two places for sale!  In this process I’ve been reminded of Proverbs 21:31,
 “The horse is made ready for the day of battle but the victory belongs to the LORD.”

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PRAYER POINTS

• Please continue to pray that the Lord leads us to the land for the Discipleship Training Center.
• Understanding and patience as we continue to practice our Acholi and make it part of our everyday life. 
• Wisdom as we develop the curriculum for the Discipleship Program.

The Marketplace: Home Is Where You Are

"...Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.

 Your people will be my people and your God will be my God..." - Ruth 1:16

The Marketplace Discipleship group has started up again since our return and we've finished our study of Ruth and will be moving onto the book of Esther in the weeks to come. 

In the first chapter of the book of Ruth, we see a whole lot of suffering. Similarly to Job (our previous study), she knew the loss of family and the devastation of having nothing. Then Ruth chose to leave her family, her home, her gods, her friends and even her sister-in-law to travel to an unfamiliar country with unfamiliar people, resulting in more loss. She chose to trust in an unfamiliar God and follow the only person she had left, her mother-in-law Naomi. 

I can't begin to imagine how displaced she felt to no longer a community to provide comfort in her pain. Naomi bitter with the loss herself, tried to persuade Ruth to remain behind so she could have a chance to find happiness again. 

But Naomi became "home" to her. 

In our discipleship group, we discussed how God had his hand on Ruth by leading her to a certain field that belonged to a certain man. God had his hand on Boaz, softening his heart towards a foreign woman and welcoming her into his care. God also had his hand on Naomi, revealing through provision that he still had a plan in the midst of suffering.

What we found incredible was that Ruth's story seemed hopeless but it sure didn't end there.
Not that Ruth or Naomi knew it, but God was actually setting the stage for an epic story of redemption. And the redemption of Ruth's story continued down the family line to King David and ultimately to Jesus Christ. 

If God can do that in Ruth and Naomi's life, surely he can do that in ours. This incredible story that offers so much hope, despite the circumstances that enter our lives. And like Boaz redeemed what was lost in Ruth and Naomi's lives, Christ redeems what's lost in ours. 

The word "redeem" means to 

rescue

restore

regain 

what was once lost.

He has the ability to do that and more.

He is our redeemer. 

Trust in the one who knows your story from beginning to end. 

He will come through for you too. 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
 who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:28

A Brick of Faith

It’s already been almost two weeks since our strategic time of prayer. Of course, we continue to ask for your prayers as we lean into the plans God has for us this year. One area God really challenged me throughout the week, was having my faith move from comfort to action.

Hebrews 11:1 says it clearly.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

About a week after being back in Gulu, Tim commissioned 14,000 bricks to be built.

Crazy? 

To me.... yes. 

His thought was if we find land this year, it will be too late and too expensive to have bricks made to begin building on it. However, if the bricks are already made, they will be ready to build the first building with. Which in return allows us to begin our discipleship program sooner. 

My instant response was anything but encouraging, but rather a list of all the reasons why we shouldn't bother. We don’t have our NGO process completed, we have no land and we aren't anywhere close to begin the process of building the discipleship center.

And yet, faith is action without having all the answers or seeing the plan laid out before your physical eyes. That's all well and good, but I like a plan. Always have and always will. However, I’ve been challenged by my husband's faith. Faith that God has a plan and to take a step of faith in preparing ourselves for what's coming. After praying throughout the week, I was  feeling I really needed to “get on board,” rather than point out all the reasons why building bricks was a ridiculous idea.

After all,

Noah built an ark to save his family and 2 of every kind of animal from the rains that were going to flood the earth, but had yet to come.

Abraham left his homeland and journeyed towards the promised land, he had yet to know and a family line he had yet to see become a reality.

Joshua and the tribe of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho, not understanding how they would have the victory.

So perhaps, ordering 14,000 bricks doesn’t sound that crazy after all.

We are putting our trust in a God who knows how this plan is going to take place and stepping out in faith as we watch his plan begin to unfold.

Please lift us up in prayer as we continue on in the process of finding and buying land and for all these bricks to be put to good use!