We were grateful this spring to have spent a few days in Oregon with the sweetest of friends who partner together in the work in Nepal. They are the real deal and it has been a joy to see the Lord use them to hike to the highest mountain tops and help facilitate those opportunities. It was a joy to hear the testimonies of just a portion of what the Lord is doing as we partner together, pray and take steps of faith to reach people on the highest mountain tops for Jesus! It was a joy to spend time together praying with the church and sharing stories of the great things God has done and is doing in Nepal and around the world. We share culture with them and they surely shared cowboy culture with us as Breanna got to ride a horse and we all learned how to brand a calf. It was a beautiful and perfectly timed visit in a season where we needed it most!
Heather also was able to travel to Washington state last month to teach a women’s retreat with the theme of Fulfilling the Great Commission. The theme was from Acts 1:8 where the disciples received power to be witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. It was a stretching time to bring the Word many times throughout the weekend, but the ladies were so receptive, challenged and stirred to be used by the Lord.
It was 15 years ago, that we made our first trip to Africa. At that time, we didn’t have a blog, email newsletter or social media. Back then, we printed up a prayer letter on card stock that we gave out to a handful of people to pray day by day as we were away for the various ministries we would be apart of and the missionaries we would be working with. At the bottom of the letter we wrote, “once in a lifetime….never going back!” Wow – were we wrong!
It was on that first trip to Uganda and Tanzania that our eyes were open to the great need for the gospel in the world and for churches to be planted in remote regions. We returned from that trip burdened and with a greater passion to be a part of fulfilling the Great Commission in our home country, but also to the ends of the earth.
We will spend the remainder of July / August in Uganda, Africa serving in a 95% Muslim community alongside CC Midigo where we have lived and ministered in for many summers. In addition to the church, there is also a bible college, elementary school with 700 kids, hospital, community center, soccer outreach and many other ministries. We will also visit the capital and spend time with faithful missionary friends that are serving there as well. We are humbled to get to be a small part of what the Lord has planned in these upcoming weeks.
As we prepared for our time in Africa, the Lord continued to remind us of 1 Corinthians 15:58 that says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Would you please join us in praying over our time in Uganda, Africa for the next few weeks?
Pray for good health, protection from sickness and strength for the full days
Pray for the women’s leadership seminar, men’s conference, bible college, services, youth discipleship, school outreach, eye clinic, vacation bible school and the various opportunities we have to love on ministry workers and missionaries.
Pray for a fruitful time and that we would take all the Lord has taught us in this season to encourage and equip the saints to be used in greater ways for God’s glory.
Thank you for reading our update, praying for our family and ministries we get to be a part of and for your partnership in reaching Africa & Asia with the good news! We thank God for you! In addition to prayer, if you would like to financially partnership in the missions work the Lord has called us to, please click the “Become a Financial Partner” button below and together we will impact the world for Jesus!
With Love from Uganda Africa,
Bond, Heather and Breanna Gaona