Dec. 10 My son Alfred's ordination day

Ministry Partners 

 3 Foursquare Pastors

 

  Bishop John Kamanzi, Pastor Alfred Mupenzi, Bishop Arlene Tatum                                       

 For many years I have hoped and prayed that today would come. Alfred and I met each other on my first trip to Rwanda when he went to a small church with me to translate. He was married with two children and his wife worked at the same school where he was the principle.

Over the next few years he always went to translate for me and we just became friends so in 2007 we adopted each other, I did not have a son and he grew up an orphan. 

I watched his integrity and honesty so he was the perfect person to become the Africa Vice-President when I formed International Reconciliation Ministries in 2008. Alfred has been committed to IRM and the ministry we do sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in prisons and villages since that time.

I am a Foursquare pastor and a few years ago Foursquare Bishop John Kamanzi ordained me as a Bishop and this past year he has worked with Alfred leading to today. Bishop John, who is over 250 Foursquare churches, held Alfred's ordination at his home church and about 1,000 people from 9 African countries were in attendance. I tried hard to not cry as I addressed Alfred with a message I had prepared especially for him but I did not have much luck.

After the ordination a beautiful buffet lunch was served to everyone followed by a 80th year birthday celebration  was held for me including a beautiful 3 tiered birthday cake. And here I thought the day was suppose to center around Alfred.

Seven fellow students from Alfred's International Rotary Award group were also there and two of the women gave a short greeting to me. And I was given a HUGE birthday card that lots of people wrote messages to me on. What a great keepsake.

What a wonderful day for both Alfred and I, goodness I was/am so proud of him as I listened to him say his commitment vows.

Tomorrow ministry starts.

That none would be lost,

Arlene

 

Dec. 9 Graduation Day

 Ministry Partners,

Today was a very different kind of day for me as I spoke at Grace International Bible University. I was one of 3 main speakers, two got 25-30 min and I got about 50. 

The church was a good size and about 500 people were there to watch the 22 graduates get their diplomas. 

I was so out of my element for sure with all the other men on the platform in their fancy regalia. God really has a sense of humor taking someone who has never had the opportunity to have formal training and making her one of the main speakers at a Bible school graduation. One of the other speakers, who was seated next to me, was from Tanzania and as I finished and sat down he leaned over and said,"You were the best." Later he made a third request to Alfred about us/IRM going to Tanzania.

It is a small college and only been running since 2017 and there were a variety of degrees including some with their doctorate. Although our bibles and Discipleship booklets go mainly to the prisons we decided ti give each graduate a set. Interesting that students graduating from a bible school don't have a bible of their own. As I handed them a bible and Discipleship booklet I looked them in the eyes and spoke a blessing over each one. At one point after they got their bibles and there were still activities going on I looked over and most of the students were not paying attention but had their bibles open and going through the pages.

 

THANK YOU to those who contributed so we could purchase 4519 bible sets for Uganda and Kenya.

When we finished they had food prepared for everyone there. It was a short ride home and I was a bit tired for sure sense I had been up since about 4. I hope I sleep better tonight as tomorrow is another BIG day with  Bishop John Kamazi, who is the head of Foursquare in Uganda and me speaking at Alfred ordination to become a Foursquare pastor. 

It's currently 8pm and I am ready for a bath and bed.                                                           

Please continue to pray for us.
Blessing to all of you

That none would be lost, 

Arlene

Dec. 8 Yummy food

 Ministry Partners,

If I have never mentioned it before I must say it now, "IRM/I have the best ministry partners!"

 

Last Sunday as I was in my car about to leave Canby Foursquare Church a gentleman came up to my car door, extended his clinched fist and said, "Here is something for you and Alfred to go have a special meal together." He then opened his fist and $50 fell into my hand. Little did he know what a very special gift that was for us. Today we needed to go to town and pick up some lunch supplies from the grocery for our lunches for our up-coming ministry days and do some other errands. Alfred knew of a VERY nice restaurant next to the University where has been doing work on the International Rotary Award he was given. Rotary had taken the group of 50 there. We ordered a "platter" to share and everything was absolutely DELICIOUS! Salad, BBQ goat and beef ribs, chicken wings, spring rolls, mashed potatoes with meat gravy and potato wedges. We drank lemon water, fresh watermelon juice and a cappuccino. They said the platter was for 2 but we ended up taking half of it in a box for dinner.

With all the traffic jams it was after 5 by the time we returned to the hotel.

It was time then to do this blog, go over the details for the next couple of days and balance the books converting schillings to US dollars.

 

Today God did a personal miracle for me and i will share that after I get home.

It's time for Alfred's pray meeting as he leads a group that meets for an hour (at 10 pm) over the internet, they have been doing this for over a year. I am positive that the reason "things" went so well for him last week was due to the faithfulness of his prayer group and our ministry partners to pray. 

 

Until tomorrow, please pray for me as I speak at the Bible School graduation. 

That none would be lost,

Arlene

Dec. 7 Beautiful Shopkeepers

 Ministry Partners, 

Yesterday was so much fun as I supported the lady shopkeepers with my purchases and then shared a gospel tract with them and other ladies in the area. Such sweet ladies.

Today was a very busy day for Peace and Aaron but a day that started at 4:30 for me as I sorted supplies and worked on the message I will share at the Bible school graduation on Saturday. At about 11am Peace said I needed to rest but with still dealing with jet lag, I was afraid I would fall asleep so I decided I would hem the dresses I purchased yesterday. Peace's comment was , "That's resting?"

Aaron left about 10 to have something done to our leased van and have some copies made of an IRM introduction letter for Peace to deliver with the Bibles, Discipleship Booklets and the supplies the government required us to provide. She will travel with the truck and offload supplies at each of the 36 prisons, covering the same route that the team will travel but in as few days as possible because of the cost.

We were unable to get one of the language bibles we wanted so they delivered that quantity in

Alfred just called and although he is in Uganda he is about 4 hours away. He is as anxious to get here as we are to see him. Alfred arrived at our place after 10pm, he said there were lots of traffic jams on the way here. I was so good to lay eyes on him after a year. The team just isn't complete without him.

Thank you everyone who has been praying for my low back and hips, they are SO much better.

I best be off to bed as it is almost 11:30 but I can, hopefully, sleep in tomorrow as breakfast is not until 9.

That none would be lost,

Arlene

Dec. 6 Meeting the new Ugandan Commissioner of Prisons

 

Ministry Partners

I made it to Entebbe, Uganda.

I am thankful that I know that God’s is in control when plans are changed.

Amsterdam Airport had difficulty getting everyone’s luggage loaded on the plane so my flight departure was delayed 1 ½ hours so instead of arriving here at 10:50 we arrived after 12. By the time we went through Immigration, drove to the hotel and I got into bed it was 3am. I do not sleep well on the plane and had only slept 2 hours in 48 hours so I can tell you the bed was a very welcome site.

I am so thankful for Pastors Peace and Aaron who came to the airport at that late time to pick me up. As soon as they saw me emerge from Immigration, they broke through the welcome line and ran to greet me. Their broad smiles were a welcoming site. Alfred was to arrive on Friday but had a change in itinerary and he will be here tomorrow, it will be so good to see him.

I was blessed on the PDX – Amsterdam flight to have the seat next to me be empty so I had plenty of room.  

In Amsterdam, I met Brenda who had a long layer over to where she was traveling so I had about an hour to share Christ’s love with her and with Charlotte who sat next to me on the Amsterdam – Entebbe leg of flight. I was able to get Comfort seating on that leg, which I was told is held first for Elite passengers.

I set my phone alarm for 7am but I found it never went off when I awoke at 8. Aaron and Peace were not up yet and I felt it would be good to let them sleep in after being up until this morning before they could go to bed.

I am so pleased that Alfred was able to get the same private house at the hotel where we stayed last trip. With enough bedrooms for all of us. It is so much nicer than being in separate hotel rooms. The very nice lady/owner of this HUGE complex came in person today to greet me, it was so good to see her again and she brought her children to also welcome me.

Breakfast was great although mine was different. Aaron and Peace had a huge plate of matooke (banana) with peanut sauce and a fruit plate of watermelon, pineapple, mango, banana and fresh pineapple juice. My breakfast was far too big with sausage, toast, chapatti, fresh pineapple juice and a lovely plate of just pineapple and African tea

Today was filled with errands, one of which was a meeting with the new Commissioner, who I was told is a Christian. I found him to be a wonderful Christian man named Jacob. I walked him through what IRM does sharing what I do in the prisons. We talked and laughed together a lot in the hour we were in his office. Praise Jesus we have found favor with the new prison administration.

For you ladies, someone gave me some personal money so I was able to stop and buy, you guessed it, new dresses, two for the price of one.

We started home which is not far but because of the “traffic jams” on almost every street we took, it took us 3 hours to get home.

They got the Wi-Fi hooked up in the house today so hopefully while we are here I will be able to get the blog posted every evening.

Thanks to everyone who is praying for my low back and sending encouraging comments and texts. Being able to take a hot bath and lay flat to sleep is helpful. I will actually will be in bed by 10 tonight.

The next few days we will be for us to get everything ready to start prison ministry. Dividing all the supplies into 36 bundles.

Thank you again for the prayer covering

That none would be lost,

Arlene

Dec. 4, 2023 Click on the photo to go to the blog

Ministry Partners,

And so it is, I am taking off in a bit so anything I forgot........oh well. I really am no longer in charge of anything and I just get to see what Jesus's next opportunity for me is. Who will sit next to me and who I will be able to share the love of Christ with. I am excited for the journey. 

I have been blessed by everyone who has helped me get this far and Thankful for all those who have been praying and/or financially give to IRM, Pastors Ron & Annette, Mike Gill and Lisa from Canby Foursquare Church as well as the Prime Timers group, the Woodburn Ministerial Assoc., and all those who have given me words of encouragement. Then there is my wonderful African team, Alfred Mupenzi, Pastors Peace and Aaron, Chaplain Edward and Bishop Moses.

It took God's leading and a partnership with all of you to see today come to fruition and I appreciate each one of you.

THANK YOU

That none would be lost,

Arlene  

19th IRM Ministry Trip to Africa Dec. 4, 2023 - Jan. 26, 2024