Oh my GOODNESS!!!!

There are not words and not time to possibly convey our last two days. We have nothing but answered prayer to report. Our small group teaching times are going very well. We are amazed at it all!!! We all have an interpreter in our group. Fewer speak fluent English than we thought would. Yesterday we were all three so nervous but today feel much better. We were so exhausted last night but better tonight! God is the one who is helping us find ways to explain the truths of I John to each group. It is so much fun and we are pinching ourselves that we are really here and having this privilege!!! We are using our white boards to write things and draw pictures that help them understand. Otis' group meets outside under a tree next to the children. Usually they all run around the yard and play soccer or jump rope. They constantly are pulling on them and David and John have been great sports!! During the morning session today John and David were asked to teach the little children a little about themselves and about Jesus. So David came and got a small white board and they did some teaching too! None of the small village children speak English. Lunch was rice and beans cooked outside on a fire under banana leaves along with avocado and cooked pumpkin and some posho which is a corn mash. I snuck in a quick music lesson with George William while Andrew taught a drum lesson to Daniel, John and David. It was such a treat to watch them. Andrew played the drums for the choir when he was in the states and to think we are here with him now!! Daniel says he and Fabian are mature in their faith. The picture is of his group. Our numbers vary each session with a main core group. We taught more after lunch.

After a short break we separated the men and the women. We did this yesterday also, focusing on parenting in the women's group. Today we focused on what the Bible has to say about marriage. It was fascinating because as we went along we started asking the group questions. Out of maybe 70 women only four raised their hands who were legally married. About seven said they had had a bride price paid for them and they were living with the man. Others had lived together with neither the bride price paid nor the wedding. One of them was married to the pastor of a nearby church who was here at the conference. After much discussion we had a wedding right that evening!! You can see from the tshirts they were wearing that they were both volunteers for the Passion Kampala in the fall! The pastor of this church happened to have rings at home so he sent someone to get them. We had no light so you see a lantern and a phone flashlight in the photo. Wow!!! What a day!!!!!

I will have to report later about the village visit yesterday in people's homes and about some other women trapped in bad situations. Marriage is not held in high esteem and women are treated sooo poorly. But the ones coming are hungry for God's word and so appreciate us being here. THANK YOU for your prayers. They are really making a difference and holding us up!!!!