Jan. 12

Ministry Partners,

I do not believe it, although I got up a few times during the night I slept until 7 o'clock this morning. There were a few sprinkles on the ground as I went for breakfast and I was glad that today I will be speaking in a church and not outside at a prison.

We thought as we sat down at breakfast with the same breakfast items that was going to be our usual breakfast time but as we sat there a white man entered the restaurant with two, 6 foot 4 or so tall, nice-looking police officers. There were a number of Africans in the restaurant and I cannot tell you how quiet it got all of a sudden. They stood in one doorway then exited and came around to the other doorway where we was seated and walked over and started to get breakfast. Strange how at that point the other people in the restaurant resumed their chatting and eating. One of them, although he was very nice looking, was also extremely stern looking that I can tell you I would not have wanted him angry at me.

Aaron and I saved some of the breakfast items as usual for lunch and then we were off to meet Pastor Peace who was taking us to the church she had arranged for me to speak at.As we were driving along all of a sudden both Aaron and myself could hear a noise coming from the engine which in our van is right under our seats. He put his flashers on and pulled over and we both got out so that he could pull the seats up and take a look at what was going on. Not sure what you call it but there was a plastic looking wide ring that was over the fan that had come loose and the fan was hitting it as it went around. Aaron found a way to secure it so at least we could go on to the church.

We picked up Pastor Peace and drove just a short distance on paved a road and then up some typical rutted, narrow, winding neighborhood paths.

I was all set to see a tiny little village church but when we rounded the corner there was this beautiful large church. Peace said it was a church of about 150 and they were fasting and praying for 40 day. The pastor greeted us and took us up to the front of the church where were seated and we waited while two of the members finished giving their testimonies.

My heart is so sad when I know many only head knowledge about religious and are depending on their good works to get them to heaven, even fasting and praying will not pay the price to get them to heaven. But 5 had Holy Spirit courage as they stood and prayed the "sinner's prayer", while everyone stood to pray forgiveness over someone else or themselves and only 12 or so apologized.

I prayed for them as I finished and the pastor came forward and challenged them to heed the message I had spoken especially during their time of prayer. They were getting ready to take their offering and he talked to them about leaving their offering and going and making it right with a family member or friend like Scripture says.

In finishing, I told the pastor we had brought the gift of a box of Bibles and booklets for them as well as a small gift for him and his wife, who was unable to be there this morning.We had the five people that accepted Christ come forward and gave them each a Bible and booklet.

Imagine my surprise when a young man told Aaron that he had heard me speak at a prison last year where he was a inmate but today he had received Christ. I asked him if he now had a job to which she responded no so I could not help but pray for him about that. Aaron did not get his name so I do not know it but God does so please pray for that young man that he would get a good job.

We left the church, dropped off Pastor Peace and made it back to our hotel in record time. There was so much to do this afternoon with cleaning out the van and taking everything to my room, then sorting everything in preparation for leaving in the morning. The hotel is been very nice and said we can store a few things here at no cost which means we do not have to take everything with us to Kenya.

While I was sorting Aaron made another trip back to the shop for them to adequately secure that plastic ring that is around the motor fan. I will tell you we have had more issues with the van this year, please pray that we will not have any issues with it in Kenya. The company did not have another van for us to trade with so we are trusting God will keep his hand on this one.

Although we are heading towards Kenya tomorrow, we will do one of the two remaining prisons here in Uganda that is on our schedule. It is hard to believe that this trip is over half over.


Please continue to pray for us as we will be traveling over a long distance between Kampala and Nairobi, Kenya as well as continuing to pray for:

• Open hearts for the gospel
• Favor with everyone we meet
• A fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit for Aaron and myself
• Energy and health for the team

Thank you again for partnering with us with your prayers and financial support. If you are not a monthly supporter of this ministry would you consider doing so?

That none would be lost,
Arlene