Category: Africa

Conference in Uganda

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With the help of donors from St. James United Methodist Church, we recently sponsored a leadership conference in Uganda, partnering with Pastor Sam Bahiirwa’s church. Three men from Church on the Rock, in Butembo, Congo traveled to lead the conference. It was a great success.

One of the pastors from Congo, Pastor Maskote, is a wood worker, and he also taught at a woodworking workshop we’ve sponsored.

Here are reports from Damiri Paluku (from Congo) and Sam:

From Damiri:

Hello Mike, I and Pastor Kivuya and Pastor Maskote Thank you.

We are very Grateful for each and every on that contributed by Praying and gave Finances for the Conférence in Fort Portal and made it possible for us to travel east and have a place to spend the night. May God bless each one of you and all your works.

You’ve played a Big role by enabling us to go share the word of God.

There is still a great need of Teaching. Pastors asked if we could plan to go there again. I pray that God will give us ways to specifically help Pastor Sam’s church. Both time we’ve gone there it has been for all différent churches. I think it is good sometimes to just focus on one specific church in order for Pastor Sam to benefit fully. We can still have a Teaching for leaders of many différent churches, but when we focus we can impact, in a sense that Pastor Sam can do a follow up.

Thanks once more for supporting and praying for us.

From Sam:

Am highly blessed and I feel very humble because the work you are doing here in Uganda mostly to help my calling.  It is true that I have nothing to give back to you, but let God do his will to you, only I pray blessings to you and say thank you.

I thank God for he led Pastor Damiri and others who came from Congo to teach our church and minister the word of God.

The conference started on 7th, Thursday morning the turnout was a bit low in morning because a few people came on 6th Wednesday and spend a night at church and people continue coming in the day time.

On the second day the number increased and was starting at 10am and closed at 5pm. And even these who spent the night at church were many.

The  conference was attended by Pastors and the their assistants, church elders, women leaders and other leaders of different departments in churches. The leaders came from other churches and even outside of our district.

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Water Filters — Good Stuff

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On my recent trip to Africa, I learned about a GREAT water filtration system. I think it would be very useful for our friends and partners in Africa and Europe.

The system is very simple and super effective. It is made by Sawyer International. They have several products, and the one we used is a portable filter that will remove dirt, bacteria and other contaminants. Here is a picture of the system the team gave to a Maasai village in Tanzania:

The water in the green bucket came from a pond they use to water their animals. The filter is attached to the grey hose. The water in the blue bucket is drinkable, REALLY good, very pure.

This system will filter water for a village for years. It is not chemical, so it doesn’t stop working or wear out. It needs to be ‘back-flushed’ (a really simple procedure) from time to time. It’s gravity fed, there are no moving parts or power source.

The filter will last 40 years and will filter hundreds of thousands of gallons. Everything fits in a small bag, and the locals need only supply the buckets. I learned how to train people in the use of the filter and have training supplies I can give to churches so they can train people.

At the Maasai village, I experienced a special joy watching the kids drink deeply of clear, fresh water — water that just a few minutes before was undrinkable. The filtered water is more pure than most bottled water in the USA. Reports are coming in of healthier villages now that they have safe water.

You can see a video and more info here. The cost for this system is about $40. I plan to take a few with me to Romania next month, and I’m sure we’ll find homes for many the next time I visit Africa. Let me know if you’d like to sponsor a village!

Uganda, Congo, Tanzania

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First, I give thanks to God for His amazing work. He is really great. He can do more than we can ask or imagine, and my time in Africa is a fulfillment of that truth. The Lord promises abundant life to His followers, and He has given me a very full and meaningful life. All the credit goes to Him. He’s a good Dad.

Bible School Graduates, in Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo (I’m in there somewhere)

Two years ago, I posted on Facebook, “I really want to go to Africa.” At the time, I had no idea how or if I would go to Africa. A year later, I was invited to speak at a September seminar in the Democratic Republic of Congo (which I’ll Congo from here on). While in Africa, I also met with Sam Bahiirwa, a Ugandan pastor with whom I had been corresponding. Last week I returned from my second trip, this time visiting Congo, Uganda and Tanzania.

In Congo and Uganda, I was part of a team with Mike Anticoli and Vin Lucien. Mike lived in Congo for several years and planted The Church on the Rock in Butembo. Vin was Mike’s pastor and primary support in the work. The church now has 14 daughter churches in Congo and Uganda.

I met Mike in Russia in 2000; he was a great help to me early on in my time here, and he performed our wedding. Mike’s ministry focuses on three things: Unity among believers, cross-denominationalism, and leading people to a living faith (as opposed to dry religious duty).  Mike is a church planter.

Damiri Paluku, bishop of the churches and a church planter himself, was our guide and translator. He has become a good friend.

We arrived in Entebbe, Uganda and spent a night there before heading to Kasese, where we went on Safari and rested from our travels. The next day we drove into Congo. The road is one of the roughest I’ve experienced. There are practically no paved roads in that part of Congo. The road is also known to be dangerous, with one section going through the bush where militants and bandits attack travelers.

Congo

In Butembo, I taught at a leadership conference, helped in an ordination ceremony, and participated in their Bible School graduation ceremonies. The church had asked me to teach on a Biblical Perspective on Money, and my teaching was both well-received and challenging to the culture. The conference was live on the radio and hundreds of thousands of people heard our sessions. I also spoke on how the Kingdom of God is completely different from the kingdom of this world.  I’ve been asked to continue teaching on money when I return.

The church in Butembo is in a difficult time. Mike Anticoli asked the conferees to list their top three daily anxieties, and the answer was Murder, Rape and Kidnapping. Those are the main daily anxieties.

The pastor of the church, Jeremie, was attacked just a couple of weeks before the conference. Gunmen broke into his house after midnight, demanding money. They knew he is a pastor and assumed he had money. They said they would kill him (“this machete has cut off many heads”). They woke up his children and brought them into the living room. Jeremie was force to lie down with a rifle pointed at his head. His wife begged them not to kill him, and they said, “God will give you another husband”. This with the children watching. This kind of experience is not uncommon. Congo is a hard place.

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A Postcard from Russia

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I’m finally able to post to the website. Our site was hacked and it took quite a while to clean up all the files and get things ship-shape.

Last Sunday after church we went for a walk in the Summer Garden here in St. Petersburg. Spring is finally (pretty much) here, and it was nice to get out and enjoy relative warmth. I took the picture above at one of the many fountains in the renovated garden.

On Saturday, I go to Africa for my second trip there. I will visit Uganda, Congo and Tanzania, where I’ll teach at a conference, preach at churches and continue building relationships with my new friends. I’ll have more news when I return.

Olga and Valerie will remain in Russia. We’ve opened up dacha and there is always a lot to do there. Homeschooling is winding down and we’re already looking forward to 4th grade. Valerie had a piano recital and a dance recital, both went very well.

So we move ahead, always looking to our loving father to guide the way.

Uganda and Congo

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My connections with Africa continue to grow. A few days ago, here in Russia, I met with Mike Anticoli, the director of the ministry I worked with in Congo. Once again, Mike invited me to go with him to Uganda and Congo, this time at the end of May. While specifics are still being worked out, the general plan is for us to speak at conferences in both countries. In Congo, I will speak on the topic “A Biblical Understanding of Money”.

While I was in the States, I spoke about my trip to Africa and the people I met, and our Sunday School class in Athens, GA was really touched in their hearts. They and others offered funds to help the ministry, particularly the work of Sam Bahiirwa, a pastor in the mountains of Uganda, near Fort Portal. A few weeks ago, we sent money to sponsor a leadership conference at Sam’s church. We also sent funds to buy wood-working tools and Bibles as well as send several orphans to school.

I just received an update from Damiri Paluku, the bishop of several churches in Congo. Damiri is a friend who traveled with me when I was there in September. Damiri traveled to Uganda from Congo and wrote the following report about the conference we sponsored (above center, Damiri is holding a microphone):

 

Hello Mike,

The conference has ended. We had a Great time in the Word and the Presence of God.

People came more than we planned, we had about 40 the first day, the number increased the second day and the third day more than 70 adults were present, the church was full of people . Continue reading →

African Blessing

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Kasese and Butembo

I have just returned from a great trip to Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (which I’ll call Congo from here on).

A Bulgarian pastor, Ilia Iliev, and I went at the invitation of Mike Anticoli, an old friend who is the director of Victory Christian Global Fellowship.

I met Mike when he lived in Russia many years ago (he performed my wedding). He later lived in Congo for several years where he founded The Church on the Rock in Butembo, Congo. Sadly, for health reasons Mike was unable to travel with us, so Ilia and I shared teaching responsibilities.

Kasese, Uganda

Me, Damiri, Ilia

I flew into Entebbe, Uganda (near Kampala) and traveled to Kasese the next day where I spoke at a conference. We took one day to go on Safari, which was very interesting. (There are pictures in the slideshow below.)

I was also happy to cross the equator; earlier this year I was above the Arctic Circle when I attended the Arctic Men’s Fellowship conference in Norway. God has moved me around quite a bit this year.

Damiri Paluku served as our host and interpreter. Damiri is bishop of the 13 daughter churches, and he’s also planting a church in Goma, Congo. Damiri and I immediately had a good connection and grew closer over time. He’s a good man doing great work.

Church on the Rock, Kasese, Uganda

The conference in Kasese was held at a daughter church of Church on the Rock. Members of several local churches attended the conference, which lasted two days. The subjects of my talks were: Two Kingdoms, Abiding in Christ, and Love & Unity.

Very few foreigners visit these churches in Uganda and Congo, and I was warmly welcomed. The people were very honored when I visited their homes, and they all treated me with great respect.

They are hungry for teaching and repeatedly asked me to return so they can receive more Bible instruction.

Butembo, Congo

On the road to Butembo

From Kasese, we drove to Butembo, Congo. That part of Congo is considered a war zone and the road we traveled is not considered to be completely safe.

There is no paved road from the border to Butembo. The road is very rough and therefore dangerous. The land is beautiful and the ride itself was quite an adventure.

Armed robbers as well as rebel militia live in the bush along the road and can at any time attack travelers. At one point we stopped because someone had reported that there might be trouble ahead. Damiri said, ‘if they start shooting at us run in any direction and be sure to have your passport on you. You’ll need it to prove you’re not a rebel’, Continue reading →

On To Africa

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africa

Our busy summer is finally winding down. In June I attended a men’s conference in Norway. In July I drove from Russia to Montenegro where I met Stoneworks board member Glenn Cole. He and I then made our way north with ministry stops in Serbia, Romania, Ukraine and Estonia. It looks like doors may be opening for us to serve in Romania, so I’ll write more about that in future updates.

Next week I go to Africa. I’ll be teaching at conferences in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I’m also making more connections there, beyond the conferences and churches I already planned to visit. One friend, not knowing of my plans to visit Africa, wrote that she’s on the board of a charity that helps health-care providers in Kasese, Uganda. She said that if I’m ever in Kasese she’d be glad to introduce me to her contacts. Well, I’ll be in Kasese and have free time. God’s timing is perfect.

I will be passing through an area in Eastern Congo where dozens of people have been martyred in the past few months. The churches need encouragement; they are under great strain, as you can imagine. Please pray that I’ll encourage (help the people have courage) and bring the message Christ has for those dear brothers and sisters.