October 2017

Dear Friends and Family,

Please watch this video and check out our October update…

We are excited as always to share our hearts with you all. Around 17 months ago God led my family into the pursuit of overseas missions with our good friend Luke Buescher. After confirming our calling, we met regularly to pray for about 6-7 months before God gave us clear direction: We were to join Terebinth Ministries and minister to the physical and spiritual health of the Acholi people in Uganda, Africa.

Northern Uganda, where the Acholi tribe resides, has been the focal point of war and civil unrest for many, many years, the most recent of which was the unconventional war of Joseph Kony, against human life. Under Kony’s rebellion, countless children were forced to brutally kill their families and join his military ranks to wipe out anyone who did not suit his purposes. Uganda as a whole also suffers greatly from widespread witchcraft that even penetrates the church and has resulted in deep syncretism. For the past 10 years there has finally come a time of peace from war, but they are still in the midst of spiritual confusion and twisted beliefs. From a broad survey, Uganda’s population is more than 80% Christian. However, more than 80% of their pastors have no Biblical training, and the visible Ugandan church is overrun with cultural animistic witchcraft, syncretism, prosperity cult, and the like. The leaders of the true Ugandan church are in total agreement that the deepest need in Uganda is for a depth of Biblical understanding and knowledge to combat these deep-rooted lies. They describe Uganda’s spiritual state as “a river a kilometer wide and an inch deep”. There is a serious deficit of discipleship.

Terebinth Ministries works as a partner with the Acholi church, not as a leader with typical Western goals and mindsets, but under Ugandan church leadership. They have started a pastoral school of discipleship to address the deep spiritual needs, and have been blessed to oversee a medical clinic and farming area to assist in the community’s stability and growth. We will be serving with them as teachers in the pastoral school, and as managers of some upcoming agricultural projects. To see more up-close what the ministry is doing, watch their new video posted above.

As you are probably aware, we are currently living in Uganda as missionaries-in-training. We have been attending the Institute For Gospel Transformation, at New Hope Uganda, for the last 4 months and will soon be graduating! During our time here we have gained countless insights about ourselves, the Gospel, and the African mindsets. God has blessed us with friends and teachers who help us prepare for life here in understanding culture, language, lifestyle, and the common local beliefs. God has really worked in us during our time in training, and has also opened the door for us to partner with Saving Grace World Missions as our sending team. We praise God for His provision! And we are excited to have a way to facilitate funds and make donations tax-deductible.

We would be honored to have you join us in prayer over: gospel penetration and understanding in Uganda, the equipping of the church, our stability as a family, and our continued growth.

In Christ, with love, Matt, Noelle, Emma, & Madeline

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