Uganda Report

NEW BLOGSITE

2008-05-18T16:52:00.002+03:00

We have just updated our website www.danny-claudia.org .

Please check out our new blogsite www.hoodsinvirginia.blogspot.com

FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER

2008-02-20T11:40:00.002+03:00

February, 2008, Kampala, Uganda, Africa

The days seem to be melting away now as we have many tasks to complete before our departure by mid April. We leave for Johannesburg, South Africa, Feb. 24 for a meeting and Danny returns here on the 29th but I remain there to most probably have knee surgery. I have a torn meniscus and will be seeing a doctor March 3 and possible surgery. I might be there 3 weeks before surgery can be scheduled and then some recuperation and return. I have had a problem for 4 months, and not sure how it started, but this was unexpected so it has hastened our need to begin closing out the furnishings in our apt so that when I return we can have most of that behind us and can spend the latter days here visiting with our Uganda brothers and sisters.

We do keep wondering where these 3 years have gone? We can hardly imagine leaving Uganda and the dear friends we have made here. WE will sorely miss them. It has been a busy and challenging ministry and one for which we are so grateful.

We still are not completely sure about the next step in our journey but will continue on in the process with IMB to return to some job, perhaps still in Africa, if not Uganda. We are just open to where God leads us. WE are getting very anxious to see sweet Isaac, and of course our other family. He is growing quickly and beginning to crawl and has bottom teeth.

We went to Nairobi for a week of medical testing before some other training was to begin. We got good medical checkups overall and were so grateful that Danny’s prostate biopsy (6 of them) came back negative. We were to be in Nairobi for 3 weeks for Strategy Leader training but on the second day we were all advised that we must return to our countries because of the continuing conflicts in Kenya. There were riots, fighting and displacements very near the place where we were staying. Though we did not feel we were in any immediate danger, those in charge felt it was best to cancel the meeting and send us home. We do appreciate the care and concern that the IMB has for its people. We were disappointed to return but the leaders there also had much to deal with in their city. Things continue to be very critical in Kenya and they do need our continued prayers that peace may come. Please PRAY for the conflicts in Kenya and also for our many missionaries there.

We have had a wonderful team from Mount Zion Baptist Church, Alexandria, AL, working with us these past two weeks. They have been such a joy and have done a wonderful job. They were involved in some new work about 3 hours west of here, near Ft. Portal, and in their 3 days there, 150 folks gave their lives to Christ. Also, there were 3 new house churches born. PRAY for these new house groups. This is Mount Zion’s third year to come to Kampala and they have added so much to the ministry here and we appreciate them and their church for sending them. We have been so blessed with many wonderful volunteers who have come these past three years. They are such great helpers to reach out into the city and beyond and share Jesus with love and enthusiasm.

Manna Ministry, the food distribution program, started a new 6 month program in two areas this month and we are looking forward to seeing house churches born in these areas. We have been so blessed to be able to partner with them as they share food and we share the gospel at the distributions and see house churches and celebration points come to be. WE are blessed by Jimmy Barry and the men he represents who meet physical needs for about 400+ folks per month. Many folks are being saved through this program and that is their goal along with feeding hungry and dying people.

Thank you to so many who shared love and concern for Rose, our helper, whose house burned. She is doing well and is so grateful to God for the way that He has helped her and sustained her. She was so devastated with the loss but He has multiplied her blessings and she is doing well. And her faith has been a perpetual testimony of His grace and love.

In January, we welcomed Stephen (pronounced Stef-en) and Kaye Carson, Longview Point Baptist Church, Hernando, MS, to our team. And what can I say?????….Mississippians are just great folks!!!!! They are a young couple and had been to Uganda before as volunteers and felt God leading them to serve here at least 2 years. They are quickly becoming acclimated to the culture and are doing a great job loving the Ugandans. PRAY for Stephen and Kaye that they will adjust well and have the privilege to share Jesus with many people.

Thanks again for all your wonderful love and encouragement to us and we are looking forward to soon being able to see many of you when we return to the US. We will be hiding out some with Isaac so that his parents can’t find him but we will also be traveling some and look forward to crossing paths with many of you. We just are so grateful for the joy to have had you on this journey with us in prayer, love, financial support, love gifts, visits, emails and the list goes on. You are dear and precious to us.

Remember… it is your faithfulness to the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions that keeps folks like us and 5,000+ other missionaries in 130+ countries around the world, preaching the Gospel and sharing Jesus Christ with a lost world. Thank you.

Danny and Claudia

Our Visit to Kaabong

2008-01-24T08:51:00.000+03:00

In northeastern Uganda lives a nomadic tribe, the Karamojong, who place greater value on cattle than on anything else. Carrying guns and fighting between sub-tribes mainly over their animals makes the region dangerous for missionaries, likeGeorgia and Jacob Reed. Oral Bible stories penetrate the hearts of the Karamojong and groups are forming. Ask God for Karamojong leaders who will leave their dependence on witch doctors and trust in God alone.

Claudia and I had the privilege of spending about 5 days with the Reeds. Kaabong is in the northeastern part of Uganda…. very dry and hot. Many times the Reeds leave in the early morning walking to a storying center some 10 to 15 miles away to teach and train others to tell the stories of the Bible. Kaabong is a very hard place to live… no electricity (except a windmill and batteries) … no water (expect from the bore hole)… no meat … no fresh fruit …no vegetables … But there is rice and beans…

Jacob and Georgia will be leaving Uganda in May to return to the states. Pray that God will raise up other to carry the gospel to this difficult area. Pray that the leaders they have trained will remain faithful.

Kaabong

2008-01-24T08:46:00.000+03:00

For Christy

2008-01-20T16:32:00.000+03:00

I had the opportunity to preach at Kalerwe this morning. It was a wonderful experience. I rode on back of the boda with Pastor Benin. The church was full. And God's Spirit filled the place.

Also "Little Christy" was there...

UPDATE POSTED

2008-01-20T16:26:00.000+03:00

We've posted our January update at www.danny-claudia.org. The pictures are there. Sorry about the earlier problem. Claudia's Newsletter and changes on the first page. Enjoy.

Hope to blog about our trip to Kaabong in the Northeast later, but for now, check the website. Thanks.

If you are not on our mailing list and would like to be notified when we update, please send me an email at dannyh@pobox.com.

CHRISTMAS DAY

2007-12-26T10:17:00.000+03:00

Pastor Benon and I were hit by a car as we were riding the BodaBoda last Friday, so Claudia and I didn't make it to church on Sunday. After being "stove-up" for a few days, we decided to go to church on Christmas Day. All the churches have church on Christmas Day. There were no carols or Christmas music BUT there was worship and thanksgiving for the coming of the Christ-child. Pastor Deo preached about the coming of Jesus. As we worshipped, I could not help but notice the guy in front of me. Baseball cap and all, he stood and ever humbly worshipped the living God. He wouldn't know all our "right" words, but I believe his heart was so pure before the Father. I just watched. He never grew weary. He never sat down. He never dropped his hands. His lips moved but I could hear no sound. He was just loving God! What a gift to the Father --Merry Christmas!

THE INDESCRIBABLE GIFT –

2007-12-19T20:52:00.000+03:00

THE INDESCRIBABLE GIFT –
II Corinthians 9:15 – “Thanks be unto God for His indescribable GIFT.

At the age of 60, we left the pastorate of 40 years and moved to Kampala, Uganda, to share the gift of God’s love, Jesus Christ. Though our white skin was very obvious among millions of blacks and many cultural changes were confronted, we found a loving, welcoming, wonderful people as we walked streets seeking to start house churches under trees, in small courtyards, or in someone’s tiny room.

We felt Christmas would be celebrated differently and we would miss our family, our church and the traditions we loved so we tried to prepare ourselves for that. We had given up heavy gift exchanges 35 years ago and celebrated His birth by mostly giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for foreign missions. So it wasn’t the lack of gift exchanges that shocked us but it was the almost non-existent traditions of Christmas music, carols, cantatas and worship celebrations as we had known for so many years.

Christmas Sunday worship was just like the other 51 Sundays of the year. They sang the same Ugandan praise songs, with many repeated verses, shared testimonies, had lively drumming and dancing, clapping, greetings and preaching of the Word; all with no mention of the Advent of Christ. Wow, we did not like that!!!! How could they celebrate Christmas without singing “Silent Night” and preaching from Luke 2, or hanging red and green decorations? But they did!! Mamas with babies on their backs, mamas with suckling child and men and children all worshipped God with eyes closed, swaying with hands raised in praise and faces tilted upward with sweet smiles of adoration for their God.

“But Lord,” I asked, “How could they not sing carols? Why hasn’t somebody taught them the carols? They have MISSED so much by not knowing the music of Christmas!” I complained for several weeks. But each week the Ugandans continued to worship with just as much joy, exuberance, and praise as the week before. God revealed to me it was the Ugandans who were REALLY celebrating the birth of Christ. They celebrated it EVERY Sunday. Christmas wasn’t a time of pageants, huge Christmas gift exchanges or even cherished traditions but it was their focused joy in Christ. The ravages of war, HIV/AIDS, life in refugee camps for over 20 years and a short life span had taught them the True Meaning of Christmas. They knew that Life Everlasting is exactly what they had to celebrate and celebrate they were doing; both daily and weekly…not just one day a year. They knew the Inexpressible Gift that had been given to them through Jesus Christ, their Savior and Lord.

My wish is that all believers would worship with the pathos, sincerity and joy I have seen expressed in our dear precious Ugandan brothers and sisters for God’s Indescribable Gift. It is His Gift….not just a wish. Praise be unto God!!

Danny and Claudia Hood, Kampala, Uganda, Africa

Isaac's First Christmas

2007-12-19T14:04:00.000+03:00

Neteete - It's wet!

2007-12-19T09:26:00.001+03:00

I don't think I have ever been into Neteete when it wasn't wet! But the people turn out, not just those receiving food. They come... Muslims come... unbelievers come... they all come! And we have a good time. They hear the Gospel of Jesus. I love the children. We are doing animal sounds together. We have a fun time together. Come on over and join us.

Neteete Food Distribution

2007-12-19T09:16:00.000+03:00

We partner with IMFC (International Missionaries for Christ), an NGO that seeks to meet the physical as well as the spiritual needs of our Ugandan friends. They distribute food and allow us to preach and plant churches along side of them. The young and the old hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christmas for them will NOT include any gifts... there's no tree... no decorations... just another day. But they are so grateful to be alive. Pray that they will receive the greatest gift -- JESUS! Eternal life.

I want to tell you a story.

2007-12-19T08:58:00.000+03:00

This story is from a book called the Bible. Men did not make up the Bible. It is the word of the Most High God. These stories are true and reliable because they are the words of the Most High God.

There is only one God, and He is the Most High God. The Most High God is more powerful than men and kingdoms. The Most High God is more powerful than other gods such as the money god, success god, or popularity god. He is also more powerful than idols made by men. The Most High God is the most powerful.

In the beginning the Most High God existed. The Most High God is the Creator. He created everything on earth and in heaven and is all-powerful over everything. His name is God.
When God began to create things, He just used His words. He spoke and everything came to being. He created angels to worship and serve Him. They were very beautiful.

God created everything in 6 days. [He created the sky, land, water, mountains, oceans, sun, moon, stars, all plant and animals. He created everything.] Finally, He created man according to His image. God created man to enjoy all that He has created. God created everything and saw that it was good.

God placed the man and woman in a beautiful garden to live. They had a very good relationship. He told them to take care of the garden and enjoy everything. He gave them a special command: they could eat from every tree in the garden except one. If they ate from that one tree, they would die. Man and woman listened to God and had a wonderful relationship with Him in the garden.

However, do you remember the angels God created? One of the angels was very smart and beautiful. This angel became very proud. He wanted to be like God and to have the other angels to worship him instead of God. Only God deserves all the worship and service. Therefore God cast the bad angel, Satan, and the other angels who listened to him out of heaven. These bad angels are known as demons.

One day, Satan tempted woman, named Eve, to eat the food from the tree that was forbidden. [Satan lied to the woman. He told Eve that if she ate of the tree, she would be just like the Most High God.] Eve listened to Satan and ate the fruit. Then she gave it to her husband, Adam, to eat. Both of them disobeyed God’s command. Disobeying God’s command is sin. God is righteous and holy. He must punish sin. God cast the man and the woman out of the garden, and their relationship with God was broken. Man and God were now separated forever.
Like Adam and Eve, all people since then have sinned by not listening to God’s commands and are separated from God. The result of sin is eternal death. We cannot live with God forever.

Over time, the number of people on earth multiplied. God loved them very much and wanted them to have a relationship with Him. He gave them 10 commandments to follow. Remember God is perfect and holy, so we must be perfect and holy to live with him. [The 10 commandments teach man how to relate to God and how to relate to people. Some of the commands were: do not worship other gods or make idols; honor your parents; do not lie, steal, murder or commit adultery.] However, no one was able to obey all of these commands. So, each time they sinned, God allowed them to repent of their sins and offer a blood sacrifice to take the place of their punishment. This sacrifice was shedding the blood of a perfect animal. If they would repent and offer the blood sacrifice, God would forgive them. Only by the shedding of blood can man’s sin be forgiven. However, man kept sinning and the sin sacrifice became a ritual rather than something from their heart. God became tired of the blood of animals. The shedding of animal’s blood was never sufficient to bring men back to God.

Remember that God loves man whom He created very much. He is angry that they disobey Him, and is sad that they cannot come back to Him. Therefore He gave man a perfect way to reconnect to Him.

God sent Jesus to show us the way back to Himself. Who is Jesus? Jesus is God’s son, His one and only son.

Jesus was a wise teacher. [Many people would come to hear Him teach about how they could return to God.]

Jesus was a powerful miracle worker.

Jesus calms the storm. [On one occasion, He was with some of His students crossing a large lake on a boat. It was late at night. While Jesus was sleeping, a powerful storm arose on the lake. Jesus’ students were very afraid. They awakened Jesus and said, “We are about to die!” Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Immediately the wind and rained stopped.] Jesus’ power is greater than natural powers.

Jesus fed over 5,000 people. [On another occasion over 5,000 people came to listen to Jesus teach about God. When evening came they had not eaten and were hungry. Altogether they only had five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus used the five loaves of bread and two fish to feed over 5,000 people.] Jesus’ power is able to satisfy man’s needs.

Jesus cured a demon-possessed man. [Another time, Jesus saw a man with many demons inside him. The man was very powerful and dangerous. Jesus loved the man and cast the demons out of him.] Jesus is more powerful than demons.

Jesus raised the dead. [Jesus’ good friend became sick and died. Jesus was not with him. Four days later Jesus arrived at His friend’s house. Jesus felt very sad. His friend was already in the tomb. Jesus went to the front of the tomb and said, “Friend, come out.” His friend was resurrected. He walked out of the tomb alive!] Jesus’ power is greater than death.

Jesus was the good shepherd. He loves and cares for people.

Jesus was perfect. He never sinned.

Jesus was the Lamb of God.

People loved Jesus. However, some leaders were jealous of Jesus. These men grabbed Jesus and decided to kill Him. They placed Jesus on a cross. A cross is made from two large pieces of wood formed together in the shape of a large cross. They took His hands and His feet and nailed them to the cross. His precious blood flowed from His hands, feet and body. Jesus suffered much pain on the cross.

Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. Jesus was perfect and did not deserve to die. Instead, Jesus died for all mankind. God loves us and allowed Jesus to die on the cross in our place. Only through the shedding of Jesus’ precious blood was God able to forgive our sin. Jesus death demonstrates God’s love towards us. However this story doesn’t end here. On the third day Jesus rose from the dead!

[Before His crucifixion, Jesus told a story to his followers about a father and his sons.]
The father had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the inheritance.” So he divided his property between them. The younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

After he had spent everything, he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'”

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

We are all like the younger son. We all have left God and are forever separated from Him. We all must repent and return to God. Jesus can lead us back to God’s side. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We must go through Jesus to return to God. How can we go through Jesus? You must believe in your heart and with your mouth confess that Jesus is Lord. Do you want to go through Jesus and return to God’s side?

Through Jesus your relationship with God can be restored. Do you want to go through Jesus to return to God’s side?

If you want to, you must believe in your heart and confess, “I have sinned. I have left God. Jesus is the perfect sacrifice for my sin. I believe and trust in Jesus. I want to repent and allow Jesus to lead me back to God.”

Now your relationship with God is restored.

I know you care about your family. God is waiting for your whole family to believe in Him. Go home and tell your family and friends this good news. God loves them too!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-19T08:31:00.000+03:00

Things have been a bit hectic. We have sent Christmas emails. Hope you received yours. If you are not on our mailing list and would like to be, please contact us at dannyh@pobox.com .

We do wish each of you a Merry Christmas. Christmas may not be celebrated the same way year after year but it’s still Christmas – the Birthday of the King. Claudia and I want to take this opportunity to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and to thank you being a part of faithfully giving to our Lord that the ends of the earth may know that Jesus, alone, is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Your giving to missions through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offerings for International Missions keeps more than 5,000 missionaries in over a 130 countries telling the story of Christmas – Immanuel, God with us. Thank you and may you enjoy a blessed Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-11T15:14:00.000+03:00

Isaac surprised Jason at work!
Isaac sleeping with a smile!

Isaac and Tim decorating the tree.
Isaac looks like his mom!

December Newsletter

2007-12-11T11:47:00.000+03:00

December, 2007, Kampala, Uganda, Africa

It is hard to believe that I am writing the word, December. How quickly this year has passed and we are so grateful for the health and challenges we have experienced and look forward to once again celebrating the birth of our Lord. We are even seeing some red and green items of decoration in a few stores. The decorations of Uganda are not quite the American ones so it rings a happy note to see some red and green. I even have a small tree with more lights than tree, but am enjoying it....and it took only 15 minutes to decorate. Ha.

We traveled about 4 hours to Mbarara to celebrate Thanksgiving with the other missionaries serving in Uganda and Rwanda. Many of our missionary family are on stateside but we had 41 folks there and even had turkey and dressing…and someone had come with cranberry sauce with the whole cranberries. We had a wonderful few days of sharing and had extensive prayer times in solitude and with other missionaries. It was a time of rich encouragement and fun. PRAY for the Great Lakes Cluster of missionaries.

Our church, Kathleen Baptist, generously gave money, after hearing a burden that God had laid on the heart of Charlie and Garnett during their visit here, to buy bodas (small motorbikes) for two of our house church pastors. The money flowed in one night and before we knew it, we were able to purchase them. They were not given to the persons individually but to the Manna Ministry project and are then shared by the pastors and other leaders. It makes such a difference in their travel all over the city to various house churches. Travel here is by taxi, which is time consuming and not cheap, or going many miles by foot-which many of our leaders do, or riding a boda which is quite expensive. So this gift for the purchase of 2 bodas is such a blessing to our leaders. Thank you, precious church family, for your generosity. What a blessing you are. PRAY for the safety of our leaders as they travel on them that they may arrive quickly; but also safely. And PRAY that the work may grow stronger because they can go to more areas in a day.

We traveled to Kitgum, in northern Uganda, to help find housing for the transfer of one of our missionaries, Evert Tackett, to work there. Kitgum is a small town situated in the heart of the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps. These camps are many and the huts within them house hundreds of displaced persons. I have shared about this in other updates. Evert became burdened about this area and has not been able to put it to rest though he came to Uganda to do a completely different job with volunteers. We know no one with a more evangelistic heart than Evert. If you stand still, you will hear the gospel. We are so proud of him but we miss him very much. He is a real friend and encourager to us. PRAY for this new direction for him.

Our friends, Jim and Sherry, visited us for 10 short days this month. They served with us in our first years at Kathleen Baptist. They left after about 12 years to work in East Asia. We enjoyed every minute of our visit and were able to share our work with them and also to show them our beautiful game park….giraffes and elephants. We talked for hours and caught up on years of separation. PRAY for Jim and Sherry’s work. It is strategic.

There is an Ebola outbreak in the far western side of Uganda at the Congo border. It has certainly brought concern to Uganda and there have been several deaths. PRAY that these concerns can be handled with wisdom and that the virus can be controlled. At this point we do not feel endangered but with travel throughout Uganda, we, or some of our missionaries, or Ugandans we know could be confronted with it.

We just received word that one of our Newtwork Pastors, Paul died last night. He had AIDS and TB. Please pray for his family and the house churches in Gulu.

Yes, yes we are missing sweet Isaac and the pictures of him grow dearer. It is not so much that it is Christmas that makes us miss him, but just that we want to love and squeeze on him. He looks like a ball of love. And we also miss Jason and Janet/Timothy. We are so proud of them and the love we share and are grateful for computer contact…though often it is sluggish with our dial-up system.

In closing, we are mindful again that this is the season for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions. It would take pages to explain the many ways this Offering is used for so many ministries and needs of missionaries on the field. We are blessed on the field by this Offering and we ask again that you pray about what God would have you give through the Offering to support over 5,000+ international missionaries. We give hundreds of dollars of gifts to others and forget the ONE whose birthday we are really celebrating. The Offering is a tangible way to give unto Him that His kingdom might be enlarged through His work in the lives of these missionaries.

With our love to each of you and our gratitude for your love for us.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

DANNY AND CLAUDIA

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable GIFT, The Lord Jesus Christ.”
II Cor. 9:15

Thankful for Our Grandson

2007-11-19T08:10:00.000+03:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING HOODS IN UGANDA

2007-11-19T08:03:00.000+03:00

Again it is that special time of the year when we hear expressions about having a Happy Thanksgiving and we focus on the blessings that have been bestowed on us. We really do not need to be reminded of the bountiful blessings we have but we do need to be reminded that we oft forget to be thankful and we accept, and even expect, these blessings as if we deserved them. Nothing could be farther from the truth…we deserve nothing but we are blessed day by day beyond measure by our Heavenly Father.

Then Ugandans seldom ever stand up to give praise or testimony in a worship service without first thanking God that they are alive when so many others have died recently. Every day is a special gift from God. And what we do with that day is our gift to God. And gratefulness should be tops as part of our daily lives.

So to each of our family and friends we send our sincere greetings to express our gratitude and love for your love, encouragement and support of us. We are so blessed by your indelible imprint upon our lives.

And to our Heavenly Father we express our utmost thanks for His love and expressed gift to us through Jesus Christ, His Son. What would our lives be like without Him? For sure we would not be blessed and life would be without hope and meaning. Glory back to God!!!

We love you, Danny and Claudia

Evert has a house...

2007-11-17T05:50:00.000+03:00

After traveling 9 hours on some of the worst roads in Uganda we arrived in Kitgum, northern Uganda, in the heart of Acholi land. The Acholi are an unreached people group.

Evert has been led by the Lord to move to the North to lead the nationals in a Church Planting Movement.

Russia- Here we come!

2007-11-09T06:57:00.000+03:00

Isaac - Growing Up

2007-11-09T06:51:00.000+03:00

Isaac went to the Pumpkin Patch with his mom and dad and then packed himself in the luggage for his dad's trip to Russia.

27 Adults - 19 Children - A House Church is Born

2007-11-09T06:37:00.000+03:00

On Wednesday... Douglas, Joseph, Benon, and I went into NETEETE to start a church... we prayed... we found our person of peace... we visited...talked with folks and shared the gospel ... setup a time on Thursday for our first service!

Yesterday (Thursday), Claudia borrowed the drums from one of our house churches. We picked Douglas and headed out to Neteete to meet our Lugandan speaking Pastors. When we arrived our Pastors had been prevented. Douglad said not to worry! The only problem was that Douglas is from the North and doesn't speak a lot of Luganda. And I speak even less. I knew this was going to be a "wash-out". But God...

Don't you just love the "BUT GOD"s in life. There was an English-Luganda speaking lady there to translate the message of God's love. Eight were saved...a church was started...Glory back to God! Please pray for this new church start.

Food Distribution

2007-11-04T08:52:00.000+03:00

Kawempe is known for a stong Muslim presence. The Kampala Christian Church Network and Manna Ministry has invaded Kawempe with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For the last four months Manna Ministry has been distributing food to 50 families in the area. But on distribution day, we have more than 250 people gathering to hear the Word of God. Many have been saved and we have planted a house church. I keep saying "we" but really it is the work of our Ugandan brothers ans sisters ... I just go and take pictures. They have "the vision" for sharing Jesus and planting churches. Manna Ministry is the arm of International Missionaries for Christ, a NGO, that allows us to work with them... they give the food... we plant the churches. The people who receive the food are refugees, HIV positive (as is the man in the picture above), and the very, very poor.

November Newsletter

2007-11-02T17:25:00.000+03:00

November, 2007, Kampala, Uganda, Africa

October has passed quickly and many changes having been going on in Kampala, though the leaves are not one of them. Danny has been busy with some new responsibilities as interim Strategy Facilitator, which is a position dealing with the needs of our fellow missionaries in Uganda and Rwanda. He has been filling in for our SF, who was to be in the states until December but has now extended until July, 08. So he has become more heavily involved with that responsibility. Danny relinquished the role of Strategy Leader for our Kampala Urban Team to Anthony Shelton. We will still be involved with the house churches (we were at 3 yesterday) but his greater responsibility now will be dealing with needs and issues of missionaries, until our return to the states in April, 08. Also, Danny celebrated a HAPPY 63rd BIRTHDAY, on November 3.

While you all are enjoying beautiful fall colors and the touch of autumn in the air, we are still experiencing rain and things are lush and green here. But the rains have brought serious flooding in Northern and Eastern Uganda. Many crops, such as potatoes and cassava, are rotting in the ground, and the results are devastating. Roads and bridges are washed out and it is most difficult to get food into those areas. Thousands have had to flee the area. There is a huge food distribution planned, financed by Southern Baptists and gifts to SBC’s World Hunger promotion, but it will take weeks, perhaps months, for it to happen. PRAY for these displaced people.

Many of these same people have already been displaced for over 22 years in the IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps, due to the ravages of rebel Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army. In 4 districts alone there are over 121 camps with as many as 1,061,842 people displaced from their homes in the villages. And there are many such camps in other districts. The camps are simple round mud huts with thatched roofs within 10 feet of each other and sleep 6-15 persons. Poverty, disease/sickness and starvation are everywhere. Many camps have thousands in them. So you can know that there is nothing of the Lord in Kony’s life. He has brought great destruction to the people of northern Uganda, Southern Sudan and Eastern Congo. Power, greed and money have become a force so strong that havoc is reeked out on these people in the north by their own countrymen. PRAY for Kony’s capture and demise.

I have a few family moments to share.
Please PRAY for Danny’s mom, Margie, who took quite a fall about 3 months ago, was hospitalized with lots of stitches/staples in her head, then rehab, and now at home with some home health care. She remains dizzy and is using a walker. Please PRAY that the dizziness will dissipate.
Also, mom, 84, is the oldest of six children. There were three girls, all in their 80’s and 3 boys in their late 70’s. Recently Jean Crawford, the sister next to mom, attended the Georgia Tech/Army game and experienced a serious fall. Later that day, she went into a coma/stroke and was put on life support. On October 24 she passed from this life to eternal life. She was a Christian and active member of her church, for which we are thankful. But she will be sorely missed by her family. She was the first of the six siblings to die. So PRAY for their sorrow at this time.
Danny’s brother, Charles, had a spot removed that showed melanoma 3 months ago and had to have more of it removed recently. We are happy to report that the area and lymph nodes in that area have come back clean. We rejoice with them for this report and thank our Father for His care.
Our son, Timothy, has been in Russia and Ukraine. You can know that he has missed Janet and Isaac. But PRAY for the focus that the IMB is giving this year to that area of the world and the unreached people there.

Danny traveled north to Gulu and on west to Ft. Portal with Jimmy Berry and Chuck Watson, with International Missionaries for Christ. They are the ones responsible for Manna Ministry, the food distribution program here, which meets humanitarian needs. We get to work alongside their ministry to share the gospel with groups they minister to with food. Some new house churches are developing in Gulu and Ft. Portal because new believers from our Kampala house churches wanted to take the gospel back to their villages, and they have done just that!! It is so exciting to see the nationals begin to do ministry and missions on their own. They see the need to “go and tell” to those who have not heard. Sounds like the Great Commission, doesn’t it?

They left early in the morning for the 200+ mile trip to Gulu and arrived about 6:00 p.m., due to the bad roads of Uganda. But they made it to the house church and the commissioning of some church leaders. Then the next day they traveled another 200 mile all day trip to Ft. Portal and worshipped with that house church at night by the light of little oil lamps. It was a blessed time. You will see pictures of some of the flooding in their travels. PRAY for the new house churches and also for the peril of the devastation caused by the flooding. They can not expect government assistance with the flooding as we would in America.

As November approaches, and soon December, we earnestly ask you to begin praying about giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions that will be promoted in SBC churches during the month of December. This Offering is vital to the work we are able to do here and around the world. Over 5,000+ missionaries receive money for some of the work that is done. It by no means is the only resource that missionaries have but it provides a large amount of the funds we use for ministry. Every cent is needed and appreciated.

Know of our continued love and joy in partnering with you in the work of the Lord here in Uganda. Thank you so very much for each measure of support that you give through prayer, prayers and more prayers. We often say that we would not want to be here without the faithful praying of so many who lift us up day by day. And we are so grateful to serve through the IMB and Southern Baptist Churches who faithfully support international missions around the world.

You are loved so much, Danny and Claudia

To the West

2007-10-27T04:46:00.000+03:00

Leaving Gulu we headed for Kissawa, outside Fort Portal, where a group from the Kampala House Church Network had gone to establish another House Church. The river had flooded the wooden bridge but we crossed it arriving late at night for a service at the HC. Here the new leaders are being commissioned.

Heading North

2007-10-27T04:22:00.000+03:00

A few weeks ago now, Jimmy Barry and Chuck Watson of International Missionaries for Christ made a visit to Uganda. We partner with IMFC, an organization that seeks to meet human needs while sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We traveled north to Gulu where we have a Celebration and 2 house churches. Pastor Paul is HIV positive and in very poor health. Pray for the work there and Pastor Paul.

John "the Barber" gets a Boda

2007-10-26T07:30:00.000+03:00

John foots just about everywhere he goes. John moves all over the city preaching and teaching T4T. Some volunteers, Charlie and Garnett, shared his work with their church, Kathleen Baptist Church, who bought 2 bodas to use in outreach ministry and planting churches. Thank you KBC.

BIBLES... and more Bibles!

2007-09-30T15:58:00.000+03:00

Because of Justin Wyatt, a friend of our son, Tim, and the generosity of North River Baptist Church, Rosewell, Georgia. Claudia went shopping... shopping for Bibles. You can tell, she loves it! Because of the gift she purchased Bibles in Luganda, Ateso, Acholi, Lango, Alur, and English. We have 58 tribes, each with their own language. While we minister to Luganda speakers, we seek to help others who are ministering across Uganda with Bibles. She purchased 17 cases... about 416 Bibles. Thank you North River!

Surprised by God

2007-09-30T15:33:00.000+03:00

Only JESUS!

I went to the Kibuli Celebration for a regular, normal 3 hour worship service. I even wore a white shirt and tie today. As we were singing and dancing (I know Baptist aren't suppose to but I'm not sure what you call what I do.), "Busa" came in. He joined the worship. Then I noticed him walking over to Pastor Deo and giving him a plastic black bag. The service continued. Pastor preached from 2 Samuel 9 about the "Grace of God". At the end of the service, "Busa" waked forward to pray to receive Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. We then find out that "Busa" was a leader in the local Mosque. Today, he declared that he was no longer a follower of Mohammed but is a follower of Jesus Christ.

Where did "Busa" come from? Kibuli, but where. A few weeks back our volunteers were sharing the Gospel with many Muslims in Kibuli. Is he one who heard, even at a distance? I don't know. But one thing I do know... heaven and the Kibuli celebration were really rejoicing...I mean really rejoicing. He will be baptized at the end of the month. Thanks for praying and please continue.

It seems to the norm ... to be SURPRISED BY GOD!

Praise God for Volunteers!

2007-09-27T19:03:00.000+03:00

Another Baptism at the Lake

There are not enough superlatives to express our thanksgiving and praise to God for volunteers who come to serve along side of us (missionaries and Ugandans) in the work. We have just concluded with a team from Georgia (7) and Florida (2). As result of their prayer walking, evangelizing, sharing their testimonies, and preaching, we baptized 16 their first Sunday here and 32, their last Sunday.

Charlie and Garnett were the two from Florida. They are members of Kathleen Baptist Church where we served together for 16 years. What a joy and delight to have them representing our home church in the ministry here.

Johnny,Jerry, Miles, Donna, Melissa, Sandra, and Jessica (NC) representing Mt. Pisgah, from Ringold, Georgia. For Miles and Jerry, this was their second time to work with Kampala Urban Team.

Volunteers help the work so much. With volunteers, we are able, with our Ugandan leaders, to push the work ahead by months. Thank you for coming and giving of yourselves.

One Happy Family

2007-07-29T01:31:00.000+03:00

These 3 pictures are our family....
First - All surrounding Janet's bed
Second - Hulyn and Anne Kight - Timothy's godparents and dear friends for 35 years
Third - Four generations - Danny's 83 year old mother, Margie, was able to come to see her first great grandchild. Thanks to Danny's brother, Charles and family, for bringing her.

Uncle Jason A Proud Grandfather and A Happy Jajja

2007-07-29T01:16:00.000+03:00

Our whole family was able to be present for Isaac's birth and to see him within the hour. We would not have traded being here for his birth for anything. He is already living up to his name, Isaac, which means "laughter" and you can tell by our smiles that laughter is abounding.

Commotion

2007-07-29T01:07:00.000+03:00

Here he is .... the one little "fella" who has caused a BIG COMMOTION in the lives of his family.

"Merkats"

2007-07-29T01:02:00.000+03:00

Tim is with "Raz" taking a picture of us taking a picture of him.

Call Him "Isaac"

2007-07-29T00:50:00.000+03:00

On July 25th, Timothy Isaac Hood, 9 lbs, 9 ozs, 21 inches long was borned at St. Mary Hospital in Richmond, Va., to Timothy and Janet Hood.

The Hood Boys

2007-07-29T00:35:00.000+03:00

Bug -- Moph -- Raz --- Me... Now that's Jason, Timothy, Isaac and me .... we never lack for nicknames.

IWC 2007 KAMPALA

2007-07-11T18:01:00.000+03:00

They are the best!

You Gotta be Blessed

2007-07-11T17:54:00.001+03:00

And they helped one another!

I am always blessed when see the "saved-ones" being obedient to Jesus and following Him in believer's baptism.

Nothing stops them!

IWC Kampala 2007

2007-07-11T07:37:00.001+03:00

Prayer Walking the Mosque

IWC Kampala 2007

2007-07-11T07:32:00.001+03:00

Baptism at the Lake! What would you be willing to do to obey the Lord's Command to be baptized?

Baptism is always a glorious sight. Most Ugandans fear the water. But their love for the Lord is greater than their fear of the water.

IWC Kampala 2007

2007-07-11T07:27:00.001+03:00

On June 24th, 43 International World Changers arrived in Kampala to begin a life changing experience for them and us. They shared in ministry resulting in over 520 people being saved, 9 house churches started, and one celebration point being established.

Baptism was especially meaningful and also painful. Our house church did not have enough money to transport everyone. Not to fear. We will be baptizing again the first of August. Pray for these new believers, new house churches, our pastors, and new leaders.

House Church in the Rain

2007-06-14T09:17:00.001+03:00

It is rainy season and that always hampers the folks getting to the house churches because rains here are BIG ONES. Yesterday, it had been raining off and on and we felt that we should cancel the house church at Kawuku but no one there has a phone for us to call and check on the situation. We hated not to show….but remember that for the most part our groups meet outside. But Dickens, our Ugandan leader for that group, insisted that we go…he said, "they will be waiting….they will!" So we went and about 8 were meeting in Prosse's little 8' x 12' room, which also has 2 single beds for her and 4 children. As we began to sing and worship, 7 more crowded in. Danny could see the doorway and told me many were standing outside in the rain…some with umbrellas and some without. The rain began to lessen so we all went outside to join them and had a great group of 30 folks, plus children. And we had a wonderful worship service. How we wish that you all could experience some of their services.

…and it RAINED and RAINED

2007-06-10T18:43:00.001+03:00

Today Danny and I went to different churches to give support in two places. It started raining and since I had the car I had to go get Danny because he had ridden a boda to church. He called at 1:30 and my service was not over…his was…so I decided I should leave and go get him because we would probably be another 30 minutes …and it would take 30 minutes to get to where he was. My church would probably even go longer than 30 more minutes because it was raining and they really would not want to leave church in the rain. So I slipped out and took different road home so as not to pass the church window and cause a distraction. I travel the Buziga area often but not in this direction. And the very narrow roads were gushing with caverns of red mud and water and I just did not know where my tires were going and there was really no way to turn around. My heart was beating fast and I kept thinking around the next bend would be better. Well, it wasn't. I came to two very narrow road spots and the road was slanting on my side and the ditch was deep and filled with water gushing and I had no choice but to ease along with great prayer that my tires would stay on the little bit of roadway I had. I was fearful….and even if I called Danny he would have no idea where to come to…in the rain…on a boda. I came upon a car in a deep ditch with about 10 men trying to get where they could lift it out…and yet they showed me a way…a scary way…that they assured me I could use to go around them. And thankfully I was able. I finally stopped and decided to go up to a house and see if they could tell me where the main road was and if the road I was on was passable in front of me…all I could see was water. I got out and stepped in water above ankles, flip flop stuck in mud….I took my foot out and instantly it began to float quickly down stream. A 5 year old child happened to be out in the road and she ran and fetched it for me. And then I looked back and a car was approaching me so I precariously walked in mud to him to find out if he had travelled this road today. He said, "Yes, that I could make it." And so off I went. Thank you, Father, that the main road was only about 100 yards further around the bend. So off I am to pick up Danny. We mentioned at lunch that we have been so blessed by the Father to not have experienced a tragedy with the roads, traffic and congestion here. God has heard and answered prayers.

Baby Christy

2007-06-08T17:01:00.000+03:00

In Uganda, it is a honor to have a baby named for you. Benin and his wife, Beteth, named their firstborn Christy after Christy Mitchell who was an ISC missionary for two years in Kampala. Congratulations everybody!

Lottie Moon Offering

2007-06-08T14:58:00.001+03:00

We have just heard that Southern Baptists topped the 2006 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering goal, delivering the largest gift in the offering's 118-year history. We thank the Lord for this offering that will be used in making Jesus Christ known among all peoples.

We are grateful to the Lord for Southern Baptists who have given so faithfully and generously to support missionaries like us all over the world. We are laborer together to see the glory of God cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Without you we could not what we do. Thank you.

WEB-SITE UPDATED

2007-06-08T08:47:00.001+03:00

We have updated out web-site. Please check it out, especially the Newsletter. Claudia is so gifted in sharing the heart of Uganda and our journey in telling His story. It really is the only story worth telling. It is the story of the life changing God who so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in JESUS might be saved. The reason why must people are lost is that no one has ever know them the Way.

"RAZ"

2007-06-07T06:16:00.001+03:00

Tim and Janet have created a BLOG www.lifesgoodintheneighborHOOD.blogspot.com . Hopefully, Tim will post some pictures of Janet pregnant with "Raz". There is a story behind the name "Raz" and it's Tim's fault. "Raz" is not going to be his real name but it is what I will call him (if his mother allows). He's due July 23rd.

1,000 Baptized

2007-06-04T07:32:00.000+03:00

Today the Kampala Christian Church Network baptized over 1000 adults in the last three years. WOW! 65 were baptized today taking us over the 1000 mark. Praise God. Continue to pray for these new believers and for leaders to step forward in order that the vision of reaching Kampala for Christ might be realized.

John's Last Service at Kibuli

2007-06-04T07:26:00.000+03:00

John and Deo preaching the Word! John, Rebekah, Rachel, and Sarah have finished their assignment here in Uganda and are moving to North Africa to work among another people group. Under their leadership the Kampala Christian Church Network has grown to more than 80 house churches and T4T training groups.

Pray for the Barnetts as they move into this new field of ministry.

OUR MK GIRLS

2007-06-04T07:16:00.000+03:00

Janet and "Raz"

2007-05-16T07:06:00.000+03:00

This is Tim's wife, Janet, our daughter-in-love. And baby "Raz" is showing. Well... he's bigger than a "rasberry" now! But I think I'll still call him "Raz". He is due July 23rd and we hope to be there.

Janet & "Raz"

2007-05-15T16:10:00.000+03:00

We just published an update to our website, and I'm already getting questions about Janet and "Raz". Well ... they are doing fine. According to my last report from Tim, "Raz" is going to be hyper active... jumping ... moving ... never still...(Claudia says like his grand-daddy... to which I said "which one?" me or Randy?)

Hey Christy!

2007-05-04T06:47:00.000+03:00

TEDDY ARRIVED

2007-05-04T06:39:00.000+03:00

Christy has been gone from the field for almost a year. A box arrived for her yesterday. It was postmarked December 2004. Who should be inside but Teddy Bear! A little late but in good condition. He sent an email to Christy telling her that he was here in Uganda but where is she?

Christy will be returning to Uganda in June with the International World Changers and Teddy will be here to greet her.

Christy... bring lots of money... Teddy is running up a bill!

KAWUKA HOUSE CHURCH

2007-04-18T19:14:00.000+03:00

I had my camera but there is no way to capture this group. Claudia started counting and gave up at 90. We don't count the children. We had asked Dickend to go with us to give this group a Ugandan face. Dickens is one of young people who has caught the vision. Pray that he might be available to lead this group and we would then work in the background. He did a great job sharing from the Book of Acts, and several were saved.

Please pray for this house church. They want to meet on Sundays as well as being trained on Wednesday. We meet in the open, a big tree that many can get under but not all. It had rained all morning but they were there waiting on us.

How many can you get in a Rav4?

2007-04-18T18:58:00.000+03:00

After services at Kawulu, Claudia and these ladies were going on for T4T at Buziga. Dickens, who went to preach at Kawuka, was in the front with me. Claudia and three other ladies(not so small) were in the back seat, with two more in the very back(no seats). After about 5km, Dickens and I got out and rode boda-bodas home, and left the rav with the ladies.

Gulu - Celebration Point

2007-04-16T21:39:00.000+03:00

Celebration Points are where the House Churches come together on Sunday. Ugandans feel they must be at church on Sunday, even though they have had House Church during the week.

Gulu - House Church

2007-04-16T20:51:00.000+03:00

GULU - On the Move

2007-04-16T20:48:00.000+03:00

GULU & KIKAAYA

2007-04-16T20:24:00.000+03:00

These past three days have been fast and furious! Evert and I went to Gulu in the north to encourage one of our House Church Leaders, Paul. We shared the Lord, encouraged the people, and by far, we were encouraged by their faithfulness to share Jesus with others.

Today, I went with Pastor Benin and Godfrey (Claudia was unable to go because of Malaria) to Kikaaya, a house church less than six weeks old. They were mostly Muslims who have now trusted in Jesus. We have given them Bibles. It was exciting to see them using their Bibles for the first time and helping each other find the passages as Benin shared Scriptures dealing with baptism. He has also taught them to sing. I was so blessed to sit back, watch, and pray as these Ugandan brothers did everything.

Please pray for the work and for LEADERS. They don’t need to see a “white” face leading. We are working our Ugandan brothers overtime… and they never complain.

UNBELIEVABLE and no camera!

2007-04-05T06:55:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was one of those days when God just opened heaven and poured out the BIG blessings! Of course, there are really no degrees of blessings with God, just with us. Anyway, we were off the Kawuku and then Buziga. Two house church meetings back to back. We had enjoyed lunch with friends and did not go back by the apartment to get the camera, rushing to get to ministry. So there are no pictures!

When we arrived at Kawuku, they had changed the meeting place (bigger tree and more shade) and there were more than 100 people gathered waiting to hear the Word of God. I could hardly believe, in three weeks, the house church had more than doubled. More than 15 prayed to receive Christ. What a day! Oh, and we gave out a half box of Bibles. They are eager to get their own Bible. Thanks to wonderful friends in our home church, KBC, and FBC, Brandon, Mississippi, we have Bibles to give them.

Please pray for this group. I have been preaching, and while I really enjoy it, we need a Ugandan preacher/leader.

Suffering...unbelievable

2007-03-31T07:29:00.000+03:00

These are the feet of a lady dying with HIV-AIDS. Her body is weak. Her sister's house where she lives is 5 feet wide and 10 feet long...a one room house! At night there is no bed to sleep on. Sleeping on the floor, at night the rats eat on her feet. Hard to believe isn't it? One of Claudia's friends took us to pray for her. While we were praying, more than 50 people gathered outside to hear the gospel. 20+ prayed to receive Christ. A House Church is being born!

1000 Bibles

2007-03-31T07:20:00.000+03:00

Thank you First Baptist Brandon, Mississippi for 1,000 Lugandan Bibles. It is not always easy to get Bibles here. Many, many times, we have gone to get a case (24 Bibles) only to be told they are finished (They don't have any.). They would tell us maybe next month or two or three or maybe next year. FBC bought 41 cases. They will be distributed to our house churches and used in evangelism.

It was a wonderful gift to the Kampala Christian Network and Life Ministry (that's the name of the house church network that we work with). Thank you!

AGM

2007-03-30T11:27:00.000+03:00

We have enjoyed our best AGM since being in the country. God has blessed us with wonderful regional leadership who shared not only the week with us but their vission for reaching East Africa for the Lord. Our Team Leader and his wife received their five year service pin. Claudia and I were honored by being asked to pin them. Continue to pray for the Kampala Urban Team.

13 Saved!

2007-03-20T11:56:00.000+03:00

Yesterday, Claudia and I planned to go to Kikaaya just on the edge of Kampala to meet with a group about starting a house church. Earlier in the morning, Claudia saw Godfrey and asked if he could go with us. It was a God-thing from beginning to end! When we arrived, they spoke little English. If Godfrey had not been with us, it would have been a dry-run. When we asked about singing... they knew NO SONGS! In Islam, there is nothing to sing about and no one to sing to. And most of these were Muslims. Finally, there was one young man who knew an English praise song. We shared the gospel of Jesus Christ and 13 prayed to receive Christ including the three Jjajjas in this picture. There were about 20+ there with half being men.

Please pray for this new work that it will become a house church filled with praise to God our heavenly Father.

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

2007-03-19T11:15:00.000+03:00

I keep waiting on Tim to tell everybody... but I've waited long enough... Janet and Tim are going to have a baby BOY on or about July 23rd. YES... we are going to try and make the trip home to Richmond for "Raz's" birth. We are going to find out what it's like to be GRANDPARENTS!!!!

Rachel's Play at HIS

2007-03-19T11:06:00.000+03:00

Claudia and I got to attend a play at Rachel school last Friday. It was a play about Jonah and how God used Jonah to save a people.

We are proud of our MKs and how they love God!

Pray for the children of all the missionaries you know who live overseas.

Sunrise in West Uganda

2007-02-27T08:53:00.000+03:00

We had a day for R&R at Lake Albert. The sunrises were beautiful as was this area of Uganda. Claudia and her coffee... it doesn't get any better!

It Rained in our Baptistry

2007-02-27T08:16:00.000+03:00

Sunday was rainy and cold ... even for Claudia. Our pastor had scheduled baptism. I just knew they would call it off. But, NO! These have come. We must baptize them! There was a little break in the rain. So, 22 new believers followed Christ in the waters of baptism. Please pray that God will use them to reach others with the Good News!

Lord's Supper

2007-02-27T06:11:00.000+03:00

We had guest in the city from the village. We took them to Nansana where we have serveral house churches and a Sunday Celebration. On this Sunday, the church leaders served us the Lord's Supper. They asked if I would share the Scriptures about remembering Christ as we prepared to celebrate the Lord's Supper. It was the first time this church had ever celebrated the Lord's Supper.

Celebration in Tororo

2007-02-14T09:14:00.000+03:00

6AM to 11PM WHAT A DAY!

2007-02-14T09:09:00.000+03:00

What a great day! What a great God! We left Kampala and moved east toward Tororo. Everytime I think I have been to the ends of the earth, God shows me more. We were moving with Pastor Deo, Buyando (our driver and friend), Marj (IMB film personel), and Mama Agnes, deep, deep into the village. John, our Team Leader, had gotten sick during the evening and was unable to make this trip.

Through Mama Agnes, Deo and John (the barber) had gone to village to share the gospel. Charles caught the vision and came to Kampala to be trained in our T4T and returned. Pastor Charles has started 4 House Churches with 1 Celebration and had 64 people to baptize. Pastor Deo was going to show him how to baptize. Pastor Charles, once a witch doctor, now a pastor and preacher and church planter .... Praise the Lord.

On this day (a very long day for us), Pastor Deo preached and 11 were saved, and I shared about baptism, and 24 were baptized. Two of his groups (HC) couldn't make to this service, but they will be baptized later. What a great day! What a great God!

TOYS R US!

2007-02-06T10:46:00.000+03:00

Creativity ... creativity! Most, 95%, of the children here will NEVER have a store bought toy with which to play. These toys are made from cooking oil bottles. Check out the tires... tops from bottles ... and string is made of grass. Now, how about that!

The children play as if there is no tomorow ... not a care in the world. Some who can get school fees get to school. They all want to go. Some try to go without the fees, but they get "chased".

When ever we arrive at the church or wherever, the children are all over us. Sometimes, I have hard candy that the volunteers have brought to give to them... that's a real treat.

Pray for our children!

HIV-AIDS

2007-02-06T10:36:00.000+03:00

Here, our volunteers, Emily, Judy, and Karen, have joined Claudia in sharing with these very precious ladies.

HIV-AIDS - Mothers and Children

2007-02-06T10:33:00.000+03:00

Claudia meets with a group of HIV ladies on Saturday mornings. They have decided not to keep their plight a secret but to come together for support and then they heard about her teaching the Bible and asked her to come to them. It has been a sad but rewarding ministry. The little home they meet in is about 10X10. You can see the door in this picture but also know there are no windows. And doors have to be closed, especially at night because of mosquitos, so it is quite a tight place to live. You can see that it is wall to wall people and many you can not even see. Please pray for the Hope that is Jesus for these ladies. There are many perils that surround living with HIV and knowing that you and your children are facing death is a sad reality. But pray for her to share God's sweet message of Hope in Christ.

Sharing Jesus

2007-02-06T09:15:00.000+03:00

The Kampala Urban Team is all about sharing Jesus. We have been blessed to have so many volunteers to help us move into areas of city with gospel. We use the Jesus Film, people to people evangelism with the Evangi-cube, Four Spiritual Laws, the Light of the Quran, and the BIBLE!

Shaggy Dog gets haircut

2007-02-06T09:06:00.000+03:00

Haircuts, good haircuts, can not be found for us even if we pay good shillings. Danny got a haircut 2 months ago and the man cut him so short and was continuing to cut and Danny finally said, "Seebo, you must stop, you must stop now! Let me out of the chair." The guy continued to proceed cutting, but Danny exclaimed again with his hands in the air!!!! The crown of his head was so short, as well as all over, but when one of the sweet volunteer ladies, Karen Martin, cut it this week, she still did not cut any in the crown, it is still short there. We enjoyed getting haircuts the day they left and will not be returning to the hairdresser described above. Thanks Karen, could you return in about 3weeks?

JESUS FILM

2007-02-04T08:06:00.000+03:00

In Mbuya, we shared the gospel and showed the Jesus Film to over 500 people. Please pray that those who saw the film and heard the gospel will trust Christ and become apart of the His body, the church (for us the House Church). The Jesus Film is still a great tool for evangelism. The Ugandans love it! Hundreds stood for the entire film and many trusted Christ that night.

HEAVEN is Enlarged

2007-02-04T08:00:00.000+03:00

While our volunteers from Alabama were here, we had baptism at the lake. With four celebrations and about 67 Houses Churches and T4T groups, we started the year by baptizing 56 new believers. God continues to draw people to Himself. Please pray for these new believers that they will grow in Christ and share their faith with others.

HIV-AIDS Bible Study Group

2007-02-04T07:52:00.000+03:00

This is a group of HIV ladies where Claudia is training with T4T. They had never had Bibles and received their first one recently in the Luganda language. They were so excited. When she went back this week to teach again, they all had their Bibles in hand. The three Americans in the picture were three of our volunteers from the Mt. Zion Baptist Church, near Gadsden, AL. They were such a blessing to us and were with us for 2 weeks of ministry.

MBB @ the House

2007-02-04T07:36:00.000+03:00

Thursday evenings continues to be an exciting time as Muslim Background Believers gather around the table to study God's Word. Pray for them as they faithful share the gospel in the face of persecution. After I took this picture, three more joined us. They were on African time! The past few weeks we have new faces in the group. But many have faced great challenges with sickness, and lack of schillings.

LOTTIE MOON OFFERING 2006

2006-12-20T14:40:00.000+03:00

We just heard. Our home church, Kathleen Baptist Church, Lakeland, Florida, has given over $67,700.00 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions. Also, our son's church meeting in a local school, with about 75 members, gave over $26,000.00. What a blessing to hear of the church giving so that the gospel might be preached to the ends of the earth.

Thank you from 2 of your more than 5,000 missionaries.

WE'RE HAVING A BABY!

2006-12-20T05:02:00.000+03:00

No, no, not Claudia and me, Tim and Janet! I've had to keep quiet while they made sure that they had told family and friends there in the U.S. But, needless to say, I'm excited about being a grandfather. O, Claudia is excited too. She has already written him a letter from us. We can hardly wait until July. What a great Christmas gift!

Casting the Vision

2006-12-17T07:45:00.000+03:00

Deo, our Pastor, John and Rebekah, our Team Leaders.

Celebration Time!

2006-12-17T07:33:00.000+03:00

John and his wife, our Team Leaders, hosted a celebration meal for the House Church Network with over 400 in attendance.

John used this time to recast the vision of reaching Kampala for Christ. This year started with 23 House Churches and the year ended with 64 House Churches and over 522 baptism. 90% of these house churches were started by our lay leaders. To God be the glory.

Most of our house churches are among the unreached poor of Kampala. John and his wife provide this meal as a Christmas gift to the people of the Kampala Christian Network Church.

Precious

2006-12-12T09:56:00.000+03:00

I think I am going to like being a grandfather!

Sleepover!

2006-12-12T09:38:00.000+03:00

We had our first sleepover. Rachael and Sarah came to spend the night while their mom and dad enjoyed a night away celebratingtheir 8th wedding anniversary.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2006-11-29T20:40:00.000+03:00

May we among the first to wish you a very special Christmas greeting from Uganda, East Africa.

Thank you for visiting our blog. We hope as you view the pictures and read the notes, you will pray for the people of Uganda and the ministry here in Kampala.

Christmas always reminds us that God so loved the world that He gave Jesus. To know Him is to experience eternal life. There are still so many who have never heard. Because you give to the Cooperative Program, SBC, and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, more than 5,000 missionaries in over 130 countries, keep telling the story of Jesus and His love. ...that they might know.

Thank You.

A New T4T Group

2006-11-29T20:29:00.000+03:00

I started meeting with a group of ladies a few weeks back to see their true interest in learning more about the Bible. We are now moving into starting the T4T classes because they are becoming faithful and eager to learn. Out of this group is developing another group of women who have become willing to identify themselves as having HIV. They know their life expectancy is short but they are excited to begin to understand more about God and His love. I will be meeting with them again this Saturday. So you can pray that this can also become a strong house church. Two of the HIV women are in this picture. Pray for these two new groups.

Grasshopper Season

2006-11-29T20:11:00.000+03:00

It is so much fun to watch the children and adults with their grasshoppers, catching and eating them. They pull the wings and feet, and then down the hatch. I've eaten them cooked! Claudia won't even try them! Most of our volunteers at least give them a try. For the Ugandans, it is like candy.

CARS and GRASSHOPPERS

2006-11-29T20:05:00.000+03:00

Yesterday, I was in Soweto for one of our House Churches. While we were singing a child brought his car and put it on the bench. In his homemade pickup was a live green uncooked grasshopper that would become his snack before the service was over.

OVER 60 FELLOWSHIPS

2006-11-29T19:59:00.000+03:00

This is one of newest fellowships that started last Wednesday in a heavy rain. My team leader reminded me that now we have 54 House Churches and 10 separate T4T Trainings. Today a young lady was saved and I got to preach. It is exciting to see what God is doing.

I Needed My Camera

2006-11-22T20:03:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was a fun day. John, my leader, is in Jinja and had asked me to teach T4T for him. Afterwards, Joseph said, "I forgot" but will you preach at Mbuya at 3pm. Of course, I said, "yes".

People inside and outside ... then the rain ... there were over 30 of us in this one room. I had Claudia camera. I needed my camera to capture more than what you are seeing.

This is one of our house churches!

It's RAINEY SEASON here!

2006-11-22T19:49:00.000+03:00

It's raining every day... off and on ... for hours. Today I was headed to the slum area in Kampala to join up with Joseph and others to celebrate the opening of another house church. We now have over 4o HCs in our network.

The sun finally came out about 3 o'clock and Claudia headed off to a ladies Bible study for young women.

Godfrey Biking for Jesus

2006-11-22T19:32:00.000+03:00

It makes me miss my bikes when I see pictures like this, BUT Godfrey is riding with these guys having targeted two of them (Muslims) to share the Gospel.

Homeland Baptist Church, Lakeland, Florida, provided the money through their VBS offering for us to get him this bike. Thank you. He is the one on the front right.

Godfrey is my partner in ministry. He takes my Georgia english and puts it into Luganda.

106 in Day!

2006-11-16T09:59:00.000+03:00

Pastor Deo has for several months wanted to baptize over 100 in one day. Well, last Sunday, we baptized 106 in our church. PTL! To date the Kampala Christian Network (The name of our church) has baptized over 500 since January 2006. To God be the glory!

First Baptist Church Brandon, Mississippi

2006-11-16T09:49:00.000+03:00

Eleven of God's finest under the leadership of Dr. Scott. These mighty warriors (as our Ugandan friends call them) went all over Kampala winning people to faith in Jesus Christ. God used them to lead over 250 people to saving faith. We thank God for these and folks like them who come as volunteers to Uganda.

Thank you!

"Is it nothing...."

2006-11-16T09:13:00.000+03:00

I was reminded of a passage from the Psalms-- "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by." It is so easy just to walk by the children ... walk by the need .... It is so easy to see without seeing, hear without hearing. Where do you find your daily food?

May we always keep a heart that can be touched.

Heading Home

2006-11-16T09:04:00.000+03:00

You would think it would be easy getting back home. However, what was suppose to be 20 something hours turned into 40 something hours.

As we approached Etebbe, the pilot told the tower he could not see any runway lights. They had been out for 5 hours. Nobody told the inbound planes. Off to Nairobi ...sit on plane 4+ hours... next day second try at getting home ... airport closed in Uganda ... another 4+ hours sitting on the plane ... third time ... we made it home.

Changing Seasons

2006-10-22T16:26:00.000+03:00

In Uganda, the seasons don't change! Claudia has always loved the changing of the seasons and especially the changing color of the leaves. This was a special treat for her.

FALL has arrived!

2006-10-22T16:22:00.000+03:00

Tim and Janet took a day off to take us across northern Virginia to see the leaves.