Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man. Luke 21:36
Dear Friends and Family,
This has been a very interesting time in Uganda, our family and the world. It seems only fitting that recently Brian started the book of Revelation. He did not start it because of the events taking place in the world but it is literally where he is teaching by going book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse through the Bible. It has been a interesting study for the church as many of them have ever done more than skim through the pages and decide it was too difficult to understand or too scary to read. I believe now through hearing teaching on it, instead they are now expectant and excited.
Every week after church there are deep conversations about the Book of Revelations but also world events and how they all relate. I know even at home with the children the conversation and questions continue. One Sunday after church Luke said, “These things would make a great movie”. That inspired us to restart our movie night at church, which had been shut down since covid. We are currently showing the Left Behind series. While it is fiction, many of the events seem similar to some of the events happening in the world today and it has been eye opening for people that Jesus really is coming back soon for His church and they need to be ready. Before the movie we share a bit what is going to happen and review for newcomers what has already taken place. After the movie the Gospel is given. So far we have had one young man named Wilson ask to get saved. We are praying that many more will make the decision to not be left behind.
On Sundays, if someone has a testimony we often will let them share. This past Sunday Luke out of the blue said he had something to share. I was a bit of a testimony of how he shared Christ with a friend who doesn’t believe in God but really turned into an evangelistic message on the realities of hell and how it is our unbelief, not God, that sends us there. I know the Book of Revelation and the subsequent conversations and movie have made these truths so real to him. It was a proud mommy moment to hear him share these truth with the church.
If learning about tribulations has not been enough then seeing and hearing about them has really shown us they are all around us. I wrote a while back that FRM had held a refresher course for the chaplains. After that we learned of about 15 who had various sicknesses and injuries. They were sent down on the bus to us in Uganda to receive proper treatment. The night they arrived you would not have know the seriousness of some of the ailments. They were happy, social and almost immediately upon arrival broke into praise and worship. It turned out many of them were very ill with Hepatitis. Thankfully the type they had is very treatable and we expect a full recovery.
One of the chaplains was suffering from 2 old bullet wounds where the bullets had remained in, one in his head and one in his leg. The doctors were able to operate to remove the bullet in his head but they said they could not remove the one in his leg but they cleaned the area very well. One of the chaplains has been suffering from the effects of chemical warfare for years. He was here being treated for some new symptoms. Another of the chaplains had an injury to his eye that required a lens transplant. He was very blessed because the doctor who performs that surgery is only in the country 3 days a month and happened to be here just at that time. Another chaplain thought he had a slipped disc or some sort of back problem and it turned out he had a small benign tumor pressing on his back. Praise God they were able to remove it without any complications. The last chaplain came a bit later when Wes Bentley saw an injury on his leg that looked very infected. It turned out that he came just in time as it was tetanus. We are so blessed to be here at the guest house not just ministering to the lost of Uganda but to the heroes of the faith serving God on the front lines of both spiritual and physical battles.
At Arise Christian Fellowship one of our members, Robert, had his own trial recently. His home is in the slums near the market place where people live very crowded together. Someone nearby left their iron on and it caused a fire. We praise the Lord that Robert and his family were not home when it happened so no one was hurt but everything was burned. When things had cooled down and he and his wife were walking around they found their Bible scorched but not destroyed. It reminded me of in 2 Cor. 4:8-9 “We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” He was very thankful when we were able to give him a new unscorched Bible, though he says he will always keep the other one as a reminder of God’s faithfulness.
Thank you for praying for us and the people we are blessed to serve.
In Him,
Brian, Jill, Luke, Laylee and Liana
Prayer Requests
- We thank the Lord for everyone who supports us and the ministry in Uganda.
- Pray for Arise Christian fellowship as they go through the book of Revelation. Pray that they would truly be ready for Christs return. Pray that the staff and church would be stirred up to share Christ with others.
- Please pray for the many chaplains who have been treated for sickness and injury recently.
- Pray for Jill and the children as they have all had a bacterial stomach infection.
- Pray for Robert and his family, as well as any other who were affected by the fire in the slums near the marketplace.
- Pray for Brian as he pastors and leads the ministry team at Arise Christian Fellowship.
- Please prayerfully consider becoming part of the Kanyike Family support team
