Today was another day of getting errands done so we could start prison ministry tomorrow as we travel south and stay gone from the Kampala area for awhile.
We did paper work, deciding how many Bibles & Booklets would be delivered to each place of ministry and blankets to each prison. And then there was financial bookkeeping (yes, even on a missions trip ...... especially on a missions trip) right after breakfast and the headed into town about noon right after Pastor Aaron brought back the van from getting it washed. I attached the IRM door signs so we look "smart" for ministry.
We went first to the printery to collect enough Discipleship Booklets to be added to the Bibles we are going to distribute the next few days. We will collect the balance after we return. Alfred then purchased our return flight tickets for our return from our tine in Kenya next month.
I had purchased a portable WiFi unit before I left the states to use when there is nothing available when Alfred put the new Sim card in it it would not work so we stopped by the MTM store today to see what the issue was. The guy was dogmatic that is was locked but I knew the best computer guy around, Mike from New Life Church, would have checked all that out before he suggested which one I should buy and Alfred kept insisting that he knew it was not locked. Regardless we left the store and went to an MTM service center where we found the two "Phone Doctors", that really was their company name, techs were in. They configured the unit for $10 and we left happy campers ..... I mean missionaries. Indeed, the pone was not locked.
We headed out of town for the 1 1/2 hour drive to the hotel as Alfred had scheduled an appointment with Peace , who is graduating and the pastor from the university who wanted to talk with me before I spoke for the commencement. He was quite young and I think he wanted to just check me out in person as he asked about my college degrees and I burst out laughed out loud and responded that I want to the most prestigious university there was......... the school of hard knocks and trained personally by the Holy Spirit, to which he burst out laughing as did everyone else. Alfred had me share my story with him and what we do for ministry and how God called me. He told me it would not need to be translated and it goes from 9 in the morning until the middle of the afternoon and that I would have 10 - 15 minutes. For sure he doesn't know me!
I told him my concern with "head knowledge" that makes many think they have a personal relationship with Christ and that from prior experience I felt that there would be those there that did not know Christ as Savior and in my heart I could not send them out into the world without sharing the Gospel message through my personal story and giving an invitation. Then Alfred added that the part on "Forgiving" that I share is also important. As I was sharing my story with then I noticed that Peace covered her face and was crying so I got up from my seat and went and hugged her.
So we said I would really need 30 minutes and asked that he and Peace pray about it for a few days as we would but whether or not I spoke at the commencement I still wanted to give a Discipleship Booklet and another booklet as a set to each graduating student.
Pastor Geoffrey arrived with the authorization to do prison ministry in hand. So as he and Alfred worked on some logistics Pastor Aaron & I went into the storeroom and split some of the bundles of blankets to go to the smaller prisons. At 9 Alfred found us and asked if we were going to come and eat as he had ordered dimmer for all of us. After dinner The young pastor, I'm too tired to remember his name at it's 1am, called and said they had already made their decision ............ I would have at least 30 min.!!!!!
I have been packing my things and ministry things to take tomorrow so I will not take time to post photos and we have another early morning as the hired pick-up will be here at 7 to load up Bibles and blankets. We all need strength from the Lord for sure as our schedule as been full and long each day.
But I must close by asking you to pray especially for Pastor Geoffrey and his small church. An old woman and dear friend from his church died earlier today.
That none would be lost,
Arlene
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