Summer Root Update

Updates and happenings:

We have just completed a training in Nairobi on
Church Planting Movements (CPM). This came at an
opportune time for us as a team as we struggled with knowing
what our next steps are. We brought one of our national partners, Joshua Sagal with us and together we felt encouraged and enabled to fulfill the calling that God has placed on our hearts for Karamoja.

In the next couple of weeks we have some practical living things we have to take care of. We have been asked to switch houses with KACHEP. We have been staying in the rock houses that Tom and Jean built, while KACHEP has rented a local building for their office. Now we will be taking over the rented building as our residence and they will be taking the rock houses as their offices. This means that we have some work ahead of us as we clean, paint, build a pit latrine, shower shelter, a more secure fence, and move our possessions.

In the months of July through August we hope to continue to
work closely with KACHEP in their projects on animal health. We also hope to focus on trainings and producing some literature materials in relation to those trainings. We desire to empower the KACHEP staff as much as we can. In addition to this we will continue to do Bible Storying and Discipleship Bible Studies in the communities, putting into practice the things that we learned during the CPM training. As part of this, we are praying to find individuals who show a particular interest in spiritual things. We hope to disciples them into roles of leadership and empower them in being able to story to their people.

Plans for coming home!

In September I am coming home for five weeks!!! I leave Uganda September 8 and I hope to spend a lot of time the first two weeks visiting many of you and speaking at churches. Then I go to my friend’s wedding on the East coast and the last two weeks will be for rest and family. This visit wasn't on my original plan, but I think this visit timely as the last year and a half have been full of challenges. During this time Simon and Carina will take a couple of weeks for a vacation and then will head up to Kaabong for three weeks of intensive language study with our Baptist friends.

I will send out a schedule of my speaking engagements, in case you would like to come and listen.

My time home is rather tight, but if you would like me to come and speak to your church or Bible study group, please contact me and we will try to work something out.

Future plans:
I return to Uganda Oct. 15. In the months of October through January, we hope to be based in Nabilatuk and continue to participate in some of KACHEPs projects and the CPM work, but we will begin to take exploration trips into the greater Karamoja area. As I have expressed before, I believe that God made be moving us out of Nabilatuk into a new area. We want to find the pockets of Karamoja where the Gospel has not yet reached.

It is our hope that by February or March we would know what steps God wants us to take. If He tells us to stay in Nabilatuk, we will stay, but if He tells us to move we want to move as He directs. We are earnestly seeking Him.

Praises: 

• Team unity, I really love Simon and Carina Gruber and praise God that He sent them my way
• Continued support for KACHEP- when Tom and Jean left last year, there was a great question as to whether or not KACHEP would survive. In June, Christian Veterinarian Mission officially withdrew their support for KACHEP since Dr Jean was no longer serving with them. In May God provided another ministry partner called Uttermost Ministries. This will allow KACHEP to continue to work and to receive donations through Uttermost Ministries. It also continues to give us an umbrella of support so that we can live and work in Karamoja. 
• Pioneers International has been registered as an NGO in Uganda. This has been a two and a half year process. This is a blessing for us because now team members can receive their work permits through Pioneers. Simon and Carina are currently in the process of getting their work permits. 
• For the doors God is opening through Bible storying and discipleship.

Prayer Requests

• That God would give us grace and strength as we move compounds. 
• That God will direct us to people who want to be disciple
• We have started storying in a new village called Napoingae and though we have only been there a few weeks, there seems to be a great spiritual interest. This interest is not limited to women and children (as in most of our other Bible study areas), but also includes the youth, warriors and elders. Pray that the seeds of truth will bear good fruit in this village. Pray that individuals will become leaders for their people and will take the Word to heart. 
• Pray that God will enable us to train the staff at KACHEP well, so that when we leave, they will remain empowered to continue the work. 
• That God will show us where to go and what to do every single day of our ministry, and that we would have humble, listening ears to hear and obey His voice. 
• For health and safety for our team
• For more workers to work alongside us