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Multiplying Loaves & Fishes September 2012 If you’ve missed receiving the NelsonNews lately, it’s because it’s been a crazy couple of months. But I’
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Multiplying Loaves & Fishes
September 2012 |
If you’ve missed receiving the NelsonNews lately, it’s because it’s been a crazy couple of months. But I’m climbing back in the saddle and should be getting the publications out in a more timely manner now.
Over this season that most of my readers will call summer – it’s summer all year long for me here in Uganda – many things have transpired, even though I have been house bound much of the time. |
First of all, in June I was frying up some cassava from my garden when I spilled hot cooking oil right off the stove right onto my foot. For 2 weeks half of my foot looked like raw meat and I could wear nothing on the foot except a sock. That kept me indoors for a few weeks…
As a result of the burn, a scheduled knee surgery was delayed by a few weeks, and since the end of July, I have been recovering from that surgery, and undergoing a lot of physical therapy. |
But even being house bound and at times suffering from cabin fever (yes, we get that in Africa too!), that has not stopped ministry and other obligations. New Life Centre Church is growing by leaps and bounds, straining our limited facilities to the max. As Paul describes the Macedonian church, out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity… they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. (2 Corinthians 8: 2-3) We transport people from 2 remote villages to Sunday services in a battered old Land Cruiser. The people have no money to pay for fuel, but they pray blessings on the pastor for coming for them. They pray for the Land Cruiser to keep it running. They supply the pastor’s piggery with sweet potato leaves from their gardens. And they rebuked him once for not putting out an offering basket for a building fund for our uncompleted church building! Their offerings might only amount to a few dollars a month, but God is multiplying their generosity and our church is being built! For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8: 12) |
 New Life Centre Church being built from handmade bricks and cement - after church member workday |
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 The Thursday church workday |
We have started midweek services at the church and in the 2 other villages as well. The Land Cruiser can only haul so many people on the weekend, and already the Friday village midweek service has more people in attendance than our Sunday morning services! The pastor had been having counseling services at the church on Thursdays, but since starting up the midweek services, people have stopped coming for counseling! And now, per the people’s request, he is transporting them to the church on Thursdays for a workday at the church. Their labors are turning the grounds into a paradise! And God has provided funds with which we are going to be building the prayer room on the end of the church this month, and putting in culverts where the driveway keeps washing out. |
 Water tanks and pipes waiting to be hooked up |
I have also been making arrangements to complete the water system for my house that was almost finished a few months ago. This has been a huge project as it entailed both installing plumbing in my house, and putting in a rainwater catchment system. The plumbing has been a lovely improvement to my living quarters but without running water, there has still been the matter of hauling water. So after this week, the tanks will be installed, the tower put up, and with the help of a little rain (and the fall rains have started) I will soon have running water for the first time in nearly 13 years! |
 Me with Fathers George & Efram |
When I was in the hospital with my knee surgery, I was blessed to meet 2 Greek Orthodox Fathers, one a Ugandan, the other visiting from Greece. My heart was deeply touched when they prayed for me in the original language of the New Testament! The Greek Father shared with me his message from that morning’s Sunday sermon about Jesus feeding the 5000. He pointed out how Jesus didn’t just snap His fingers and perform a miracle in front of all these people. He used humans! He taught and used His disciples, He used the loaves and fishes of a small boy (John 6), and then after all was in place, He multiplied the food and fed the hungry. And even though humans were involved, Jesus got the glory for the miracle. |
Last week I received the identical story and lesson in an email devotional, and I realized that God had given me the same lesson twice. He does not repeat Himself unless something is very important (Genesis 41: 32). I realized that sometimes we pray and ask God to do something and then we sit around waiting for Him to do it. Meanwhile, He waits for us to get up and do something about it. So whether I look to him for a finished church building, a finished house, or a new vehicle, God expects me to step out in faith as if His provision is already there. And indeed it is. He’s just waiting for me to do my part, and when the time is right, it all comes together… *and He gets the glory!* |
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Albuquerque, NM 87153-3640
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Our sister ministry, essentially More is located in northwestern New Mexico. They support our work in Uganda both in practice and in ethic. Have a look! |
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