Saturday, March 31, 2007

starting our day with the "English service"

As lively as a church service can occasionally get back home, there seems to be so much more joy in a church service in Uganda. We spent the morning going to the English service at 8:30. They also have an earlier service and another following the English service. All of these are full, most people walking great distances to attend. If you were to take a few seconds to count the few cars in the area around the church grounds, you might find about ten or so. Let me tell you there are several hundred people in attendance at each service and the church is near the top of a hill. I have wondered how many people in the U.S. would walk to church in whatever weather is occuring, whatever distances needing to be covered, in all instances. The level of commitment to the Lord and the JOY that they find in the Lord is incredible.

I had been looking forward to seeing a handful of people that I met a year ago. After enjoying a great Spirit-filled service, it was great to talk again to those I had been missing. We even had a nice time catching up with the German in charge of building the Mukono house project. It has come such a long way in such a short time (Ugandan standards). Of course, as I sit here, I cannot remember his name, but it was wonderful to meet his wife this time.

We missed seeing Joy at this service but caught up with her later in the day. I do want to explain that after all the traveling and time change, I tend to crash after a half day's worth of anything. It was a surprise I lasted as long as I did. I felt bad leaving Joy with Issac and Ken at the end of the day. They walked her home (up another hill I didn't want to conquer). Bed was all I could handle at that point. Here are a few pictures from the day before at the Nile.




Joy and I are sitting on what is left of a bridge over the Nile. Richard later told me he was in a panic when he saw Joy and I walk along the beams to get where we sat down. He doesn't swim and couldn't imagine what would happen if we fell in. Ken explained we would really enjoy the cooler water and swim to shore.