July 4 - I just never get tired of watching the prisoners make good choices for their lives.

Ministry Partners,

I am so thankful for the air conditioning in my room, I can’t explain how smothering hot it is here.

Breakfast was good today with beans, potato wedges, pineapple and the lady chef agreed to make me French toast instead of an omelet. I have a scarf I will give her tomorrow as a thank you.

We went to the women’s prison first today because this afternoon most of the staff will be gone to attend a funeral of the child of one of the officers. 65 women with 14 babies was a small group but that allowed us to be in a room and not outside in the heat. The O.C. was a very nice young woman and she stayed with us the entire time which was great, she said her baby was due the end of Aug. but she looked like as if she could give birth at any time. At testimony time one woman said how she had caught her husband with another woman and she ended up with a broken arm. She said her 6 children fought him too but ran away so they would not be arrested. But she was arrested for fighting her husband!!!!! Something seems wrong with that picture.

When we got to the men’s side it was called sit and wait and wait move to another room and wait. It seems they were missing a prisoner and they kept calling for a head count. Watching the inmates obediently get in their row and crouch down time after time was had to watch but I know it was necessary. Then I watched as inmates walked past us carrying big rocks on their heads, they disappeared around a building so not sure what they were used for. We were finally released to do our crusade and were able to complete it without being interrupted again for a count. It NEVER gets old and I just never get tired of watching the prisoners make good choices for their lives. It seems the same as men and women weep when we teach through the “Forgiveness” message. Perhaps in heaven I will get a chance to sit and chat with each one!      One inmate said that he forgave the inmate he had had issues and then called that inmate up to identify him.

  

Everyone carries water

When we arrived back at our hotel I worked on my computer and sat by the pool as Alfred swam. I remember teaching him to swim a few years ago. I was so sick when I arrived in Uganda that I did not think I would want to be swimming even if we found somewhere that had a pool, they are few and far in-between, so I left my suit in Kampala. They are having some kind of a conference here so lots of people are around.

It is hard to believe we have only 3 weeks of ministry left as tomorrow will be our last two crusades in Uganda before heading to Kenya where we will meet with our partners Bishop Moses and Chaplain Edward.

Thank you for taking the time to hold the prisoners and us up in prayer.

That none would be lost,

Arlene

 

July 3 - A wonderful Sunday service at Kumi Prison

Ministry Partners,

Well, breakfast this morning was quite interesting.

The “spinach” the guys normally like they said it was bitter today but there were chapattis and chicken wings along with seasoned potatoes which I tried a few and they were good. Instead of bringing me the French toast Alfred ordered for me they brought me plain toast and said they were out of eggs for French toast but sometime later they appeared with omelets for Aaron and Alfred. I decided I needed to eat something so I made myself a PP&J sandwich which I had just about finished eating when they appeared with my French toast! I asked them to wrap it and I would eat it for lunch. Alfred and Aaron never got the coffee they ordered but decided we had best set off for Kumi Prison. Every breakfast is comped and it is a guess as to what there will be so I have learned to just make due with what I can and appreciate whatever there is.

Imagine my surprise when we arrived at the prison and the O.C. was outside with some of the prisoners having them sweep and spruce up the road for our arrival. I was happy when they said they would bring the 7 women, and 1 baby, over to the men’s area so I would only need to have one crusade today. It actually was nice to have a short day.

The prison faces are different for sure but so very much is the same with sadness, hopelessness and ever so many young faces. I never want to know but I can’t help but wonder at times what their crime was. They spoke yet another language so a very bold prisoner translated for me but he was stopped at one point by Pastor Aaron who said he was NOT translating correctly. Aaron picked up on a word the prisoner was wrongly translating saying “They COULD work to pay their way to heaven” when what I was actually saying was “They COULD NOT work to pay their way to heaven”. It was evidence of the Holy Spirit revealing to Aaron that the translating was not correct even though Aaron does not speak that particular prison language.

I was so pleased with the response the prisoners gave to the Gospel and the Forgiveness message and then as they apologized to each other some even apologized to the O.C.. We were able to give each lady a bible and booklet as well as a scarf and the one baby received a new crochet cap. The following testimonies brought tears and then the prisoners homemade band and choir sang a couple of songs for us as a thank you. Before leaving the O.C. gave me a handwritten letter of appreciation. What a wonderful Sunday morning! 

 

Anyone need a room?

Then it was off to travel to the next town where we will have 2 more crusades to do tomorrow. We had difficulty finding a place as one was far to expensive and another had no screens on the windows and it is far too hot to be in a closed room with no air-conditioning. So the third try was where we settled although the Wi-Fi seemed only good at the reception area and not my room. But I was thankful that I was able to get my posts from the last few days forwarded to fb.

We only have 4 Uganda crusades to do and then we are off to Kenya.

Please pray for:

·       The hearts of the prisoners and prison officials

·       A fresh Holy Spirit anointing and health for the team

·       Safety as we travel

·       Nights would bring the sweet sleep we need to be rested

That none would be lost,

Arlene

July 2 - What an exceptional day today was

 Ministry Partners,

Today we did not need to leave early as the  two Soroti prisons are within a few minutes of where we are staying. 8:30 found us having breakfast and I had some very good french toast and pineapple.

 

 Anyone need fabric?

How do I ever explain acutely what we saw the Holy Spirit do today.

When we arrived at the men's prison they were already waiting for us and Anne had arrived to translate for me. About 1,200 were there. Hearing that many men respond to the gospel and forgiveness messages was more powerful than I have words for. The prisoners seem to get younger and younger. When we finished and a few prisoners gave their testimony a group of prisoners with home made instruments played and sang a couple of songs for us. What a special time it was to watch them play, sing and dance.

It was nice not to have to travel but to just walk across the courtyard to the women's ares where there were about 70 women. The ladies responded to each  invitation but when we got to the section where I encouraged them to tell each other they were sorry for a past argument it was as if we watched the Holy Spirit actually speak into each head and heart. Some women hugged each other and knelt together and cried. As a few of the women testified one woman called out her Aunt that was also there and they forgave each other. A number of the prisoners surrounded one of the staff to apologize.

Then because of my story one prisoner confessed that she had tried to abort her baby two times but the baby survived. The baby was brought to me, such a cute chubby child, and I was asked to pray for her which I did. The team and I were brought to tears today!

I really wish I could actually express what today was like and all we watched the Holy Spirit do. Even Pastor Aaron said today was like no other on this trip so far. It is such a joy to watch the O.C.'s and staff made decisions for salvation and forgiveness.

I said before I came that we would watch the Holy Spirit pour out his power like never before on this trip and so it has been. 

Tonight's dinner was pretty bad with the beef, they tried to say it was the pork we ordered, being so tough all of us could not chew it. Yet, God always provides something and the veggie's were great!

It is hard to believe that we only have 6 prison crusades left to do in Uganda and then it is on to Kenya.

Day by day I am a bit better but still weak at times, thank you so much for the prayers.

Just so you know, I have been locked out of fb for three days so I have not been able to forward my posts to there. 

Please pray for:

• Continued open hearts for the Gospel
• A fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit for each team member
• Health and strength for each team member
  
• Travel safety

That none would be lost,

Arlene

 

July 1 - He meant to get revenge

Ministry Partners,

Breakfast was good again today with French toast, bacon, beans and tea for me but the guys had coffee, bacon, omelets, juice and chapattis which they kept and had with jelly for lunch.

The drive to the farm prison was about 1 ½ hours and when we arrived we found the about half of the guys were out. Again there was a difficult time trying to find someone to translate. In the beginning I spoke, Aaron translated into Swahili and then an inmate translated that into --------. Talk about awkward! Finally, the inmate tried translating just for me. It was a time, like so often the last few days that we just plain trusted the Holy Spirit to cause the prisoners to hear what they needed to hear.

There were 7 women there and I was so pleased that the O.C. allowed us to give them and 3 men that were scheduled to be released the next day bibles and booklets. We were also able to give the women scarves.

 

Anyone for roast pig for dinner?

Then it was off to Nakitunya Prison. I’m not sure how long it took to get there as I put my set back and fell asleep. I’m not sure how long that the had been waiting for us but they were all assembled and ready with a lovely lady named Anne ready to translate for me and she did a wonderful job. When we finished she told me that because of the teaching on forgiveness that she forgave her husband. We just never know the lives we touch.

As the prisoners gave testimony, they were hard ones about taking revenge by killing but forgiving, about burning the house down with people in it but choosing today to forgive. I truly am blessed to be able to hear these stories of changed lives. The 6 of the inmates sang two songs for us s a thank you.

Then we were off to find lodging and we did at a place we had stayed a number of years ago. I am disappointed that the guys are not next door, as the AC did not work there, but are upstairs. Alfred ordered our dinner for 7 but was unable to order any of our first 4 choices!!! We asked if they would have our 1^st choice available tomorrow night and they said yes………..we will see!

They the guys took off to get our long power cord repaired and to purchase batteries for the sound system since we have already used the 3 pkg of 18 ea AA batteries I brought for the microphones from America.

It will be great to get to be early tonight and the two prisons tomorrow are close in this town of Soroti. It is hard to believe that we only have 8 more prisons here in Uganda and then we will be off to Kenya.

Continue to pray as God is doing GREAT things.

Thank you for your partnership with us.

That none would be lost,

Arlene