Posse

I have been asked many times what my days are like. Working in Uganda brings unique opportunities to help people and share Christ ... today was no exception.
I was driving down the dirt road by the swamp near the Rwenzori View Guest house when Carol frantically waved me down from her Suzuki. She was carrying a British man named Peter who had been beaten and robbed just seconds before. He told me that he was walking back to the Guest House and there was a man walking in front of him and there was another a little ways behind him. The man in front quickly circled behind him and threatened him and told him to stay quiet. He yelled. One man jumped and kicked him in the chest with both feet and knocked him to the ground.
The men kicked and beat him as they fought him and then tore his backpack off his back. Carol was driving towards them and saw this man being beaten up. The thieves took his bag and ran into the bushes. She told Peter to jump in her car. They had only gone a few feet when Dick and I showed up from the other way.
We jumped out and got people to help. Within minutes I found myself running through the swamp with a pose of armed men with Ak47s. I was carrying a machete, fillet knife and some handcuffs that I keep in the center console of the truck.
We tried to surround the swamp and then search from all directions. Several times I was up to my knees in mud as we tracked them through the bush. We broke up into groups and I was with a policeman and two other men with their ak47s. (I thought to myself, with all of these guns I'm glad that Dick Cheney is not with us!)
We found a bag of clothes that had been there for a while. Someone else had been robbed. We pulled up some marijuana plants that we came across. We tracked these guys and even found where one of them pulled off his socks to run bare foot through the mud. We had just missed these guys according to an old man who saw two men covered in mud running through his farm. We searched for two and half hours but our man-hunt turned up empty. I took Peter to the police station to help him file a police report. It can be a scary procedure for a foreigner so I stayed to help him. The police took about an hour and a half. Then I drove him to his guest house.
Before leaving I thanked the policeman for his help and he said "what you have done is real Christianity. The way you helped this man That is what Christians do. Even though we did not catch the thieves, we tried our best and God sees that. God bless you, Jeff
That was a response that I did not expect.
On the way to the guest house Peter told me that he felt so bad that he had wasted my entire evening.
"You didn't waste my evening. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt. Peter, I'm a Christian missionary... I'm here to help people and share the love of Jesus. If you need money, clothes, food anything just let me know. I've been robbed, beaten up or attacked several times and it is scary especially when you are in a foreign country. At least you'll have a good story to tell."
"Jeff, you have done so much for me tonight. I'm ok now. Thank you for helping me."
"Have a good night, Peter"

Words from a monk

In 1399 Thomas a Kempis became a simple monk. While living in the monastary he edited a work called "The Imitation of Christ", that many believe was written by Gerhard Groote.
Here is an excerpt.
Finally, I want to teach you the way of peace and true liberty. There are four things you must do. First, strive to do another's will rather than your own. Second, choose always to have less than more. Third, seek the lower place in life, dying to the need to be recognized and important. Fourth, always and in everything desire that the will of God may be completely fulfilled in you. The person who tries this will be treading the frontiers of peace and rest. (by Thomas a Kempis, Dealing with Temptation,Devotional Classics)

I have been challenged. What do you think?

disciplines

I picked up a book while I was sitting in the old brown lazy boy. The book was Dallas Willard's "The Spirit of the Disciplines"
Alex waved his hands in front of my eyes and said "I don't want you to read that book!"
"Why?" I asked.
"That book will teach you how to spank me!" He blurted.
"What?" I asked
"Discipline! You are going to learn how to discipline me! I don't like books about discipline!" he said.
"Even Daddys need discipline some times. This book is about prayer and fasting and things like that." I told him

"Oh good. I thought you were trying to learn new ways to spank me!" Alex said

Balance

Sometimes life can get so busy. Do you ever feel that way?
It is so easy to have more to do then your PDA will allow. This month I have been studying the spiritual discipline of meditation. The very discipline of slowing down and focusing has trouble fitting in my schedule.
In the book Celebration of Disciplines, Foster writes about "Otium Sanctum" holy leisure. This is the idea of gaining balance in your life and maintaining peace even though the world swirls by. It has to do with a slower pace that results in enjoying what is around us. resting. drinking in the beauty.. enjoying God
Henri Nowen wrote "I have to keep a careful eye on the difference between urgent things and important things. If I allow the urgent things to dominate my day, I will never do what is truly important and will always feel dissatisfied...the issue is not where you are, but how you live wherever you are. For you that means a constant choosing of what is important and a willingness to accept that the urgent things can wait or be left undone." (The Road to Daybreak)

Medical Campaign

We held a two day medical campaign at the Kipepe church of Christ in Kyenjojo. A team of about twenty people from Texas were brought by Darla and Ellen to help the sick in the village.




It was great to be with Dr. Mark Hall. He used to be a missionary in Uganda but now he works in Lubbock.


Dr. Ellen Little


The Fort Portal church of Christ sent a number of volunteers to help be translators.


Darla


Kinley helped write down people's blood pressure and read the malaria tests.




This little boy is getting a malaria test.

The village church leaders, the church, the village and the district security officer all thanked the church for their caring effort of helping the sick. I too want to thank the medical team, the christian volunteers and especially Ronald who help make all the arrangements. Great work guys!

Enjoying

Homeschool by lamplight
One of the challenges of living in a developing country is the breakdown or lack of infrustructure. Power is off and on several times each day. Roads are nonexistant or in need of repair. There are fuel shortages even though it cost $5.85 a gallon. I waited in a long line to fill the car and get one can for the generator. Sometimes we just have to make due with what we have.
I did hook up an inverter with two truck batteries that will give us several hours of light. When the power is off for an extended period of time we go to the old fashioned way....kerosene lamps.
We do have a propane fridge and stove so we are ok as long as there is propane. Keeping everything going can be a constant juggling act.
We have learned to appreciate the small things like running water, electricity and stretches of pavement.
Our kids cheer everytime the power comes on. I like that they appreciate these things and don't take them for granted.
Lord, thank you for the electricity so I can post this blog!

If the power goes off the kids can enjoy playing "little house on the prairie."

Kinley goes to the village with me

I went to the Ihani village church in Kyenjojo and spoke for several hours. I love to teach Jesus and try to communicate His message in a cultrually relevant way. So many are steeped in animism and African traditional thought. They believe that Ruhanga (the Tooro name for the creator God) is primarily the god of abundance. He is so much more! It is so much fun to see people gain a deeper grasp of the love of God. Kinley spent the day in the village with me and helped as I taught. She answered questions that I would ask the church that no one else could answer. She helped teach them the names of the books of the Bible, the names of the judges, the layout of the tabernacle, the names of the apostles and many other things.
I asked people to share Bible verses that they know from memory. When the church had exhausted all of the verses they knew Kinley began to share God's word with them from her memory verses.
She started with the birth of Jesus that she had memorized word for word then we played a game with her and she quoted probably 30 more verses. The church encouraged her to share more and more.
The church clapped and cheered for her.
They asked her how she knows so much and she told them, "My mom and Dad teach us everyday, I learn some in School and I am trying to read my Bible every night before I go to bed. I want to read the whole Bible."
I talked with them some more and several men took Kinley's words as a real challenge to them. They committed to reading their Bibles.
I made a deal with them that if one of them would read his or her entire Bible before Kinley finishes hers, I would take that person out to lunch. If Kinley finishes before all of them they will take her out to lunch at a local restaurant. We'll see who gets to eat out.
Kinley is amazing! I am so proud of her.

The beauty of God's creation

Derrick

Khanyoro Derrick
There were a number of the church leaders praying around a table outside at Gardens Restaurant. I asked the Lord to bring people to us who were truly seeking Him.
I had no sooner ended the prayer "In Jesus name A-men" then a young man walked up and asked "Are you Jeff Cash? I've been looking for you."
Derrick had been apart of the WEI campaign years earlier but he never finished it. He recalled being encouraged by my Dad when he was reading his Bible.
Derrick had been in Entebbe for several years and had tried to find the church of christ but instead found the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints.
Since that day that the Lord answered our prayer Derrick has been seeking the Lord. He has an infectious zeal.
As we fast forward to today we find Derrick leading our life care group ministry. He also sets up our big curtain each Sunday. He has a good heart.
Derrick has become my language coach so we are teaching each other. Pray for Derrick
He has a strong desire to study Biblical languages. What a blessing that would be to the ministry.

All about Jesus

At Faith Quest each of the youth wrote what was on their heart that they wanted to nail to cross. They laid their burdens at the feet of Jesus. some wrote past sin and pain, as others confessed. It was moving to hear them nailing these sins and pains to the cross.

Samuel Balinda laid his burdens down and was burried with Christ. It was a wonderful. Samuel calls me his father. He has become like a son to me. I am so very proud of him. We can now travel God's trail together!




Charles was also baptized the same day as Sam.


(This is a cross that the children made)

The fantastic four

As I have been reflecting over the last couple of months I couldn't help but think of how much fun my kids have been. They are such wonderful kids. I thank God for each one of them. One of my favorite memories is a campfire in the lower yard with the kids. I love you guys.

Sunday is baptized

Sunday Rogers was baptized in Lake Saaka. What a wonderful day this was!
HIs father was one that I used to enjoy visiting. He was a funny man. The last time I visited him he told me "Jeff, you will never be able to convert me because I love drinking too much!" He was saying it as a joke. His words were almost prophetic.
After drinking one night he fell in the river and drowned. I remembered my friends words as I searched and swam the river looking for his body.
He was so proud of what Sunday and Bright were learning from our time together. He asked me to keep sharing Christ with them.
I'm proud of Sunday. I know his father was too.

I'm back!

OK Ben Wall
You called me out. I'm back.
Ever since you were here our internet has been terrible. Cheryl will spend hours just posting one picture.
I am at the American club where we have internet access so I'll see if this works.