After securing a last minute, fast-track visa, I arrived in Entebbe to be greeted by Fred and travel from Entebbe to Busia on his fortieth birthday (he was born in the middle of the Bush War). My week’s ministry began on the Sunday (after the Feast of Tabernacles) at Discovery Restoration Church, continued at Upendo Church, Buyanga, Grace Mission Church, Makina, ending on Friday teaching the LEMA leaders and assisting with the Bible College library. Teaching subjects (at churches request): Faithfulness, God’s House, Dreams & Visions, Great Commission, Evangelism, Righteousness, Work/Money/Poverty, Unity and (my addition) Uganda/West/Africa in prophecy. You will have seen my pictures and videos which say so much more on this. Let me share some personal thoughts and comments which I hope will complete your understanding of what we achieved in this week.
Monday 9th October was Independence Day in Uganda. It was no coincidence (although Fred and I had not planned this) that I was in Uganda on this day. Uganda is now in its sixty-second year since independence, with just over seven years until its seventieth anniversary. It was a joy and honour to begin my individual Bible ministry with brothers and sisters in Uganda at this time. Also, not a coincidence, my maternal grand-mother died on this day. It was she and my grandfather who gave me the Bible which saved my life when I was twenty-five. Without this I would not have been in Uganda. It was right that as she breathed her last and the Lord took her into His presence, she ‘yet lived’ as I shared with Ugandans how she played a part in my return to Christ that ultimately brought me to be with them that week.
Teaching on Monday and Tuesday was at Upendo Church, Buyanga. ‘Upendo’ means ‘love’. The great story of the church here is how a widow, Nerima Mary, was healed some years ago, after being prayed for by Pastor Egessa Andrew. In overwhelming gratitude, she donated some of her land to the church, where the building was built in which I taught. On arriving at Buyanga, after sitting under a tree to rest in the shade to wait as people arrived, I walked off down a path, picking up a fene (jackfruit) along the way, only to arrive ‘accidentally’ at her home. She was astonished and overjoyed that the first house I should arrive at was her house. We sat in her home and she shared her testimony, which is foundational to the life and ministry of the church.
At some point before Tuesday evening I contracted pleurisy. After a combination of hypothermia and high temperature, I managed to get through Wednesday’s teaching at Grace Mission Church, Makina, before Fred took me to the government hospital in Busia. Who would have thought you could ever feel cold in Uganda! Three days of good treatment – antibiotics and steroids – from Dr Idri helped me recover and get through my programme unaffected.
On the Thursday I had an important meeting with Pastor Enyomu Eugene from Soroti. The purpose of this was to consider a new partnership for teaching church leaders in central Uganda. After this successful meeting, I received my first of two confirmations from the Spirit that week that this was the way – walk in it. I value your prayers as this becomes part of my regular annual programme in Uganda.
Unfortunately, my second shipment of books from OPAL had not yet arrived at LEMA. I was however able to offer some cataloguing advice, for current books and for when the second shipment arrives. This will be an ongoing project each year, as I hope to send two pallets annually. I have agreed with Fred that I will return to Uganda to teach church leaders at least twice each year, for around a fortnight each time. I will be returning in May 2024 to commence an Old Testament teaching programme, aiming at teaching one book on each visit. In May 2024, I will teach on Genesis in five churches (two days for each gathered group of leaders), and then return in October to teach Exodus, and so on…Please pray for me over the coming months, as I review this trip, continue to visit churches and leaders in Scotland, and plan and prepare for my next trip.
Returning to Entebbe on Saturday, as always, involved lunch and communion at Jinja, source of the Nile. This was, as it always is, a special time. Not only to share communion (which independent churches in Africa rarely practise), but to see the joy of my friends as they enjoyed such a banquet in such a place. For me, this was just one stop on my journey and the swipe of a credit card. For them, it was a unique occasion, a highlight of their year which they will always remember and talk about for ever. Such a moment found me unable, for the umpteenth time on my trip, to comprehend His grace and blessing to me that enabled me to make this possible for them. This, along with seeing the many homes in which my Ugandan brothers and sisters live, reminded me yet again that I am a king and I live in a palace. After a busy week, I was rewarded with some solitude at the source of the Nile. Here I received my second confirmation from the Spirit – a reminder of all that Christ has done from there in the last four millennia and all that He will do in East Africa in the next four centuries.
Thank you all for your support in prayer. Special thanks to those of you who supported me financially. As I have said before, when you give to me, you are in fact giving to the church in Africa. You blessed me in this to the extent that my own costs were covered with some extra left over. So, I was able to pass some of your donations to Fred to distribute among church leaders (for personal and church gifts). In their poverty, they were overjoyed to receive this. When they thank you in the videos, they really are thanking you – not just for sending me, but for blessing them spiritually and materially in a way which for us seems so small, yet for them is so great. I pray that you will all receive the spiritual blessing that my Ugandan brothers and sisters wish and pray for all of you.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
[Psalms 23:5 NIV]
At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, [2 Corinthians 8:14 NIV]
I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
[Philippians 4:18 NIV]
If you want to contact Peter McLean, here is his email
and his stewardship page
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