Here are the big things you can pray about for me. It is always so huge when I hear a family or a friend email in to tell me they have been praying for these things or they have a picture on their fridge or some kind of a reminder for them to pray. Prayer is the fuel for all that we do here and we won’t be having the god moments or the development in the ways we hope for unless God is moving. That also means that sometimes we need to get out his way or realize something stubborn in us is in the way.
1. Praise for the bible studies and student fellowships at Ntare school. A number of the students have been able to articulate the gospel very well recently, not a result of my work I don’t think. Just that all other religions require you to work for your holiness and your salvation and they all incidentally have shrines of their dead leaders. Christianity is the one religion that says God comes down to earth for you instead of you trying to reach god. You don’t work for your salvation or your holiness – God gives it to you. Incidentally, there is no shrine for Christ. Why? Cuz he ain’t dead.
Anyways, pray for more of that in this school, city, region. A lot of church here is extremely worksy and that brand of Pentecostalism where you have to put effort into your holiness and sanctification and push hard until God rewards you with blessing for your striving. I don’t see that practice in scripture, so we do openly rebuke that sort of religion.
2. Pray for more relationships with teachers at the school. The staff room is very friendly and open, for sure. I have made a good number of friends to the point I can talk openly about alcohol or other cultural taboos. But I want to make good friendships so that more teachers will consider coming to the staff fellowship or get involved in discipling their own students. This is a difficult goal since I am younger than all the other teachers, and additionally, they are likely believing they don’t have much to learn from me since this is one of the top schools in the nation. Hopefully I’ve been expressing that I do value and learn from them, and that their end of the relationship can change.
3. Pray for our unity as a team of mzungus coming from all parts of the US, UK and Africa. Not that it’s bad by any means, I think we are really lucky and have a team full of all-stars. But we can always use more unity, which will come from more intentional time spent together. Pray for the guys trips – we are trying to do one trip out for adventure (ATVs or hiking) per month or two months.
4. Pray for vision for my remaining 7 months. The following projects are in development at the moment:
- Movie nights and discussion. Playing good movies and discussing the themes at the end – as a means to draw non-christians and develop already-christians
- Teaching undergrad education classes. Not sure what this will entail, but could be a good opportunity
- SEAL team Uganda. more details to follow, but if it’s going to happen, I’m going to need God on my side to bring some people out who want to get their butt kicked. Ha, the real purpose would be to use it as a fitness ministry.