Update Melissa

John Chapter 3

Tuesday 20th November 

Today we had our last village bible studies with 2 villages they call Okutoot and Napana. Okutoot have had a relationship with KACHEP for about 2 years now but with Napana we have only just started visiting and getting to know them since the beginning of October this year. One of their biggest struggles is the distance they are from a church. They are about 20 km give or take from the closest two towns which is quite a long way to walk every Sunday! So one day when they saw us driving from Okutoot and asked us what we were doing, they asked us if we could come lead a Bible study in their village so they could have church every week too. At the beginning of our time with them, we found that there was only three strong Christians in Napana, but the majority of the people had no idea what Jesus was all about, especially the men. After the first couple of weeks as we told Bible stories, the men sadly stopped coming. A large group of women, teenagers and children kept coming however.

We took them through what is called chronological Bible storying, telling Bible stories from Creation and the Fall in Genesis, to the birth of Jesus and the gospel message of life through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection. This spans most of the Bible, leaving them with a good understanding of what Christians believe and the Good news that we are not, nor were we ever, alone here. 

So this week, our last week, I told the story of a man called Nicodemus and his interaction with Jesus, back around 30 AD, found in John Chapter 3. By God's grace, after the story and some discussion about the story and talking through what being a Christian means, 20 plus people gave their lives to Christ today. I was so grateful for Joshua, our translator and his heart for evangelism and wanting his people to understand the truth of Jesus. He translated, but interactively, making sure everyone understood what we were saying to them.

In this story it talks of 'the Kingdom of God' which is another way of saying Heaven, the place where we will be with God and where there is only his love. All sorrow and pain are wiped away. According to the Son of God, there is only one way to enter this kingdom, to be 'born again', through believing in Him and what He has done for the whole world on the cross. To Nicodemus, this was as confusing as it is to the next person when they hear such a concept for the first time. "How can we be born again? Can we jump back into our Mother's womb?" Nicodemus asks. Jesus means that to be his followers, there has to be a life change, we cannot keep living the way we are naturally inclined to and we cannot worship the things we did before. It has to be like we are literally starting over, hence the 'born again'. Anyone can say they will follow Jesus yet continue to live their life as if they don't. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, "If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new." We are to turn our back on things like selfishness, greed & anger, and strive for those of love, kindness, generosity, etc. For the human race, you and I, this is easier said than done, and it takes a daily commitment and re-commitment as we live our lives, born again as new creations.

Mercy triumphs over judgement = "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He (Jesus Christ) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his Word is not in us. I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world."         1 John 1:8-2:1-2

The people of Napana decided to make this informed choice today after meeting with them for 7 weeks now. They were told that it is a relationship, not an obligatory religion and something to fall out of because it is too hard. It is grace. We will do wrong things, Jesus knows that, that is why He, and not us,  had to pay the price for our sins, and he forgives us when we truly want to change.

Pray for them that they would continue on this narrow road of salvation, confessing where they stumble, rejoicing in the knowledge that they are forgiven, submitting their actions and decisions to Christ and trusting in him for everything.

Praise God for his awesomeness!!!!!!!

Melissa

Who am I?

Who I am, aka - my identity, has been so much tied into ‘what I do’ - God wants that to change. Who ‘I am’ is ‘who I am in Him’ –what He has done, not what I have done. I’ve aimed to allow my work to also be worship; all the while searching (and finding) meaningful work that I enjoy and within it I can make a difference in the lives around me.

I still believe this is good, but –I need to further strive to equate my identity in who I am in Christ –not my identity based on ‘what’ I do.

This is a good lesson for me to revisit –now, while still in my 40’s and not at retirement. As we age, or have debilitating accidents, ‘regular work’ gets forced out of our daily lives, which I imagine the abruptness (of identity) would be even more difficult. Now I have a chance to practice what I’ve been preaching. Leaving the mission field of Uganda, life as I’ve known it for 15 years, is giving me an opportunity to live this out. As an adult, I have had a handful of titles – Doctor –working as a vet in America, Missionary - serving with CVM short term in Haiti & Cameroon and long term in Uganda, Wife –married to Tom in Uganda for 8 years, PhD candidate –studying and defending in Belgium in 2008.

But, now, the question begs –who am I? If I’m not a missionary, who am I? Is there really a box that I need to fill in that asks for my title, my identity? Even though we’ve left ‘front line ministry’ and many roles have changed -

I still am, and remain, a child of God (Jn 1). I stand in Him as I sit in my ashes and grieve over my losses. I am complete in Christ (Col1). Thus, I’m accepted.

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col 3). I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rm 8). Thus, I am secure.

I am God’s workmanship (Eph2) and I can do all things thru Him, who strengthens me.  Thus, I am significant!

I do not discount the work that Tom and I have been able to be a part of overseas.  We are grateful that the seeds we’ve planted and others that we’ve watered will still be tended primarily by the Holy Spirit, but also the hands of KACHEP, Summer Root and the Grubers. Please pray for them!

Today, I’m in Germany to meet Simon and Carina Gruber to help in the handover of our ministry to them. Formerly with Campus Crusade, he’s a theologian and she’s a vet. They’ll move to Karamoja to join Summer and KACHEP in January. I will join them for 3 months in March, and I plan to visit every year for a couple of months. Let me know if you are interested in joining me.

KACHEP - Emmy, Olum, Andreas, James, Joshua, Miriam, Christina, Alyce (visiting sis of Mel), Melissa, Valentina, Nabur and Summer
 

KACHEP got another huge batch of day-old chicks last month for the various communities; next month they’ll train another group of select women how to keep healthy goats as another dozen local goats get new homes. Pray for Melissa as she returns to Australia and Carina steps in.
 

Here's one of the family's that you have been supporting thru our work
-  young Longok and his baby goat
 

Tom has returned from Uganda and is getting settled into Texas and looking for teaching jobs at the seminary level and church work. I was able to spend a month backpacking in California, the last week in snow.  Thanks for your prayers regarding my health. Two days ago in Belgium, my neurosurgeon reassured me that my neck is doing well. We are both searching for jobs.  Please feel free to let us know of any leads. As my health is doing well, I plan to get back into large animal veterinary practice and get involved in a community church. We both have loose ends to tie up, some of them with readers of this note.

We continue to rest in the Lord, in whom we are accepted, secure and significant. This is the last month we will receive support thru CVM, therefore, we again urge you to transfer your financial support to KACHEP through CVM, contact Vicki at vvangorkom@cvmusa.org

Paul Elmhorst (Our Father’s House church, WI) is setting up a non-profit fund for KACHEP to transition away from CVM (mid 2013). Another option is to support Summer and the Grubers (see pic below) through Pioneers Int’l or to support another CVM worker, Emily Arndt, who will also do ethnovet work, as I did and KACHEP continues to do.
 

This year has been a time for me to be humble, honest and wounded. Intense Christian counselling for us has helped us start the healing process; my month in the wilderness was delightful - just me and the Lord, with the Spirit groaning through me. Thanks for your prayers.

Within each of us is a space that only God can fill,
 

 

PS Be blessed thanks for your years of support and prayers; for standing with and by us and in Him. Hoping to visit you this summer with KACHEP’s manager, Mukisa -please contact me to look at dates for a visit jeangrade@yahoo.com

More car trouble

Sunday, 11 November 2012

So the story of the last few days: Get invited to a village, they slaughter a goat for us, car breaks down in village, walk 10 km to nearest town to get help, friendly missionaries tow us back to their place to fix truck. Thursday we realise truck has serious issues. 

Friday we drive in convoy down to Mbale to get parts and fix engine. Get stuck in mud and rear axle falls off said vehicle. Front light gets smashed. Have to drive the rest of the 7 hrs in 2WD. Get properly bogged 10 more times. Get pulled out 10 more times by Jesse VanGorkom (so grateful). Arrive in Mbale. Just. Saturday 9am hitch a ride with rock n roll lovin, rodeo junky Texan missionaries back up to north Karamoja (Kaabong)... Awesome fun.

10 hrs later arrive in one of the most beautiful places, body is sore but God is gracious. Saturday arvo hear that Bob Wright and the OPC team have fixed our engine and are getting the axle fixed now now. Amazing how things work out right?