I know I said I was going to stop fixing things but sometimes you just got to do it. The refrigerator has been slowly warming up over the last week (along with the weather) and when you can't even get a slightly cool drink of water, well enough is enough.
Apparently you have to clean the cooling coils once every few years! Taking the back plate off of the fridge revealed a large, fuzzy, dark brown lump where there should be the aforementioned coils. So with a 3 inch paint brush and a screwdriver I killed the dust bunny that had swallowed the coils but apparently the dust bunny had already eaten the fan. So tinkering with the fan (for the non technical that means banging on it with the paint brush) the fan is now working. GOD IS GOOD! We shall see in the morning if this has repaired the fridge.
I did however teach today. The SOM had a survey of Ephesians. It went well but it is getting harder every year to teach the survey classes as the Bible just has too much to say! But the guys are learning and that's what counts. God working in their lives.
I pray God is good in your life too. He never fails us but sometimes we are not as faithful as we should be. Sometimes the dust bunnies of sin overwhelm us and we lose our cooling abilities and the cooling fan of the Holy Spirit is grieved. But Jesus knows just what to do. (No, He doesn't bang us around with a paintbrush) He takes away all the sin that has clogged us up, washes us with the word, anoints us with oil and puts us back into service so the next guy can get some cool living water that flows from the Spirit through us to others.
I don't know if our fridge will work tomorrow but after Jesus gets done with us I know we'll be working just fine!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Crusades and Childrens Movies
It was a very interesting day Friday. I was invited to teach at a crusade in Kajjansi being held by Pastor Aaron. I agreed to go but I had told them that we couldn't let them use the generator or sound system from the church as it was needed for the Friday night kid's movie, Saturday youth group and Sunday services. But I did bring our back up system. The choir sang for 1 1/2 hours but the set up guys didn't notice that the battery operarted system had become disconnected from the power source. So just about the time Aaron was to teach the system goes dead.
We finally get the sound system up again Aaron's teaching goes well the choir sings for half hour and the system dies again. Sound systems are meant to die but what bothered me was that no one wanted to fix the system they would rather complain about it! But we got it living again and it was my turn to teach. The sound system had no problems for the message but as soon as the altar call came and the choir started to sing the sound system went on holiday again. There didn't appear to be any fruit from the whole first day of the crusade.
My heart was getting hard by this point as the common refrain was "If we had better equipment God would bring us success." It was all I could do not to lash out at people and defend my decision. So I told Aaron that I was heading back to Jinja that night instead of staying. He was disappointed but I just couldn't trust myself to stay and say something that might hurt our relationship.
On the 3 hour ride home I asked the Lord repeatedly"Is there any fruit today" but I couldn't see anything.
I got home at 11 ate dinner and went to bed, thoroughly discouraged.
This morning JB came over all excited about what had happened last night. I told him that nothing happened but he said I just hadn't heard. At the Friday night movie, the children's version of the Jesus film, in Luganda, about 100 kids came. During the movie there was none of the usual talking and joking. When the time came to ask the kids to pray to receive Jesus as their Savior, every child quietly asked Jesus to save them. JB had never seen anything like it! All this was happening while I was driving and ask God "Where is the fruit?"
I am amazed at how self focused I can be. I was discouraged that God had not used me for a great harvest at Kajjansi. But God was busy with His plan not mine for His glory not mine! Praise you Jesus for saving all those kids. Thank you that your Father's will is done not mine!
Tomorrow I go back to Kajjansi to share the hope of life in Jesus. I don't care if the sound system works or that I teach well but just that Jesus is there and the Holy Spirit is working.
Maybe I'll just show a movie.
We finally get the sound system up again Aaron's teaching goes well the choir sings for half hour and the system dies again. Sound systems are meant to die but what bothered me was that no one wanted to fix the system they would rather complain about it! But we got it living again and it was my turn to teach. The sound system had no problems for the message but as soon as the altar call came and the choir started to sing the sound system went on holiday again. There didn't appear to be any fruit from the whole first day of the crusade.
My heart was getting hard by this point as the common refrain was "If we had better equipment God would bring us success." It was all I could do not to lash out at people and defend my decision. So I told Aaron that I was heading back to Jinja that night instead of staying. He was disappointed but I just couldn't trust myself to stay and say something that might hurt our relationship.
On the 3 hour ride home I asked the Lord repeatedly"Is there any fruit today" but I couldn't see anything.
I got home at 11 ate dinner and went to bed, thoroughly discouraged.
This morning JB came over all excited about what had happened last night. I told him that nothing happened but he said I just hadn't heard. At the Friday night movie, the children's version of the Jesus film, in Luganda, about 100 kids came. During the movie there was none of the usual talking and joking. When the time came to ask the kids to pray to receive Jesus as their Savior, every child quietly asked Jesus to save them. JB had never seen anything like it! All this was happening while I was driving and ask God "Where is the fruit?"
I am amazed at how self focused I can be. I was discouraged that God had not used me for a great harvest at Kajjansi. But God was busy with His plan not mine for His glory not mine! Praise you Jesus for saving all those kids. Thank you that your Father's will is done not mine!
Tomorrow I go back to Kajjansi to share the hope of life in Jesus. I don't care if the sound system works or that I teach well but just that Jesus is there and the Holy Spirit is working.
Maybe I'll just show a movie.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Eggs, Sugar, Eclipses and seeing through things
It easy to get discouraged. Here in Jinja nothing seems to go as planned. Monday Aaron and Richard, pastors from Kajjansi and Lumuli came to see me. It seems like a they can't get their chickens to lay as many eggs as they should. So Aaron sold all his chickens and is buying new chicks to start over. Only problem is he sold them for 4,000 shillings each. That's at least 3000 Ugs below the Kelli blue book value. for a 2009 chicken. Man at that price I'd have bought them. But he is starting over hoping to learn from his mistakes. Richard on the other hand wants to sell his chickens and the buy chickens to sell to restaurants. His plan is to buy chickens in the village at 5,000 and sell them in town at 6,000 making 1000 shillings on each chicken. Funny how sitting between two guys who raise chickens one can't sell his birds fo 4000 and the other can't buy his for less than 5000. I guess the easiest solution would to be buy and sell to each other but I didn't think of that.
Anyway Richard can't seem to see past the 1000 shilling profit and get his mind on the idea that in raising chickens for 7 weeks he can make a 3800 shilling profit. So the three of us discussed for 3 hours the various problems of making money from poultry. But finally they have agreed to work at raising their birds and to put in the effort to succeed and not quit.
Tuesday and Thursday I spent part of each day with Pastor Apollo at the sugar works trying to get his money from the harvest last month of his two acres of cane. Apparently when Apollo goes to get paid they can't seem to find his file to send it for processing but if he pays 5,000-10,000 to the clerk his file magically appears. After two weeks of this nonsense He asked me to come and assist him in the file hunt. Amazingly when a mzungu is there the file never gets lost. Until I leave then it instantly is lost again only to reappear two days later just after I walk through the door.
It is so hard to watch a good man like Apollo have to go through this frustration just to get paid. But he does go through it with a grace and good naturedness that I only wish I had.
This morning we experienced an Annular eclipse. It will not happen again until 2125 so we had everyone out watching. But what I found fascinating was the people looking through welding lenses or smoked glass to see it. To a one, kids and adults would either look at the glass and say "All I see is my reflection" or they would look at the glass so intently that they forgot to face the sun. It amazed me that they could not see past the glass!
But then can I see past the glass? Do I see my friends, Christian brothers and sisters as Jesus sees them? Do I see who they truly are? Do I look through the same lens that God uses to make me look good in His sight? The lens of grace and love that makes me look like His Son? Am I willing to see the job through of helping raise up a new generation for Christ? Or am I willing to sell my chickens for new ones? Am I willing to play the frustrating game of hide the file of Christ until it surfaces in peoples lives and the walk it through to the end so the harvest is complete.
I'm seeing better now, Lord! Show me some more!
Anyway Richard can't seem to see past the 1000 shilling profit and get his mind on the idea that in raising chickens for 7 weeks he can make a 3800 shilling profit. So the three of us discussed for 3 hours the various problems of making money from poultry. But finally they have agreed to work at raising their birds and to put in the effort to succeed and not quit.
Tuesday and Thursday I spent part of each day with Pastor Apollo at the sugar works trying to get his money from the harvest last month of his two acres of cane. Apparently when Apollo goes to get paid they can't seem to find his file to send it for processing but if he pays 5,000-10,000 to the clerk his file magically appears. After two weeks of this nonsense He asked me to come and assist him in the file hunt. Amazingly when a mzungu is there the file never gets lost. Until I leave then it instantly is lost again only to reappear two days later just after I walk through the door.
It is so hard to watch a good man like Apollo have to go through this frustration just to get paid. But he does go through it with a grace and good naturedness that I only wish I had.
This morning we experienced an Annular eclipse. It will not happen again until 2125 so we had everyone out watching. But what I found fascinating was the people looking through welding lenses or smoked glass to see it. To a one, kids and adults would either look at the glass and say "All I see is my reflection" or they would look at the glass so intently that they forgot to face the sun. It amazed me that they could not see past the glass!
But then can I see past the glass? Do I see my friends, Christian brothers and sisters as Jesus sees them? Do I see who they truly are? Do I look through the same lens that God uses to make me look good in His sight? The lens of grace and love that makes me look like His Son? Am I willing to see the job through of helping raise up a new generation for Christ? Or am I willing to sell my chickens for new ones? Am I willing to play the frustrating game of hide the file of Christ until it surfaces in peoples lives and the walk it through to the end so the harvest is complete.
I'm seeing better now, Lord! Show me some more!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Psalm 18:1-3
Friday morning 5:30 As I get ready for an early run my daily reading is Psalm 18. As I read verses 1-3 I am struck by how true the word of God is and how faithless I am. I claim to know that God is my rock, fortress, refuge, deliverer, shield and my stronghold. But I realize that too often when I am tired, weak or despairing I don't trust in God my refuge, deliverer and my rock. I trust not in God's Spirit in me but trust in what I used to do before I met Jesus. After 17 years of walking with Jesus still at the least trouble or any lack of peace in my heart I go back to who I used to be and what I did for comfort.
I used to be a mechanic and when stressed I fix something. But many of the problems in life I can't fix. So I fix cars, water heaters, fans, electronics or whatever I can to show that I still have control in my life.
I shared the verses from Psalm 18 with my class later in the morning to encourage them to hold fast to Jesus and let him fix the things in their lives and not go back to any other source of comfort, protection or deliverance. They understood what was shared and class went well. So well that we met for five straight hours (Bev was in Kampala so we didn't have to stop for lunch). It was great!
Later that day I shared with a young friend, Andy, about the end times for two hours. I felt as good as I had in quite awhile. God laid on my heart that sharing His word and His plan for His children's future was what He wanted me to do. Not spending my time fixing stuff. I told JB and Steven that I would not be repairing things anymore and it was up to them to get things repaired. It felt good to let the load of self imposed work go. I will trust in my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer.
Today I had the privilege of teaching at Calvary Chapel Kololo, the new offshoot of CCKampala.
It was the first time for me to teach there and I was incredibly nervous. As the worship team was singing my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I was afraid to raise them for fear that others would see them shake. Then God in His precious everloving way spoke to me. The worship team started singing Psalm 18! God reminded me so gently that He is my refuge when I fear. When I feel like I can't do it, He can! And my fear left. I was blessed again to be able to share God's word with brothers and sisters who needed and wanted to hear Jesus speak to their hearts the same way He had just spoken to mine.
I hope that I can remember the lesson I learned this week. I call to the Lord who is worthy of praise and I am saved from my enemies. Those outside and those within. Praise God our Rock!
I used to be a mechanic and when stressed I fix something. But many of the problems in life I can't fix. So I fix cars, water heaters, fans, electronics or whatever I can to show that I still have control in my life.
I shared the verses from Psalm 18 with my class later in the morning to encourage them to hold fast to Jesus and let him fix the things in their lives and not go back to any other source of comfort, protection or deliverance. They understood what was shared and class went well. So well that we met for five straight hours (Bev was in Kampala so we didn't have to stop for lunch). It was great!
Later that day I shared with a young friend, Andy, about the end times for two hours. I felt as good as I had in quite awhile. God laid on my heart that sharing His word and His plan for His children's future was what He wanted me to do. Not spending my time fixing stuff. I told JB and Steven that I would not be repairing things anymore and it was up to them to get things repaired. It felt good to let the load of self imposed work go. I will trust in my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer.
Today I had the privilege of teaching at Calvary Chapel Kololo, the new offshoot of CCKampala.
It was the first time for me to teach there and I was incredibly nervous. As the worship team was singing my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I was afraid to raise them for fear that others would see them shake. Then God in His precious everloving way spoke to me. The worship team started singing Psalm 18! God reminded me so gently that He is my refuge when I fear. When I feel like I can't do it, He can! And my fear left. I was blessed again to be able to share God's word with brothers and sisters who needed and wanted to hear Jesus speak to their hearts the same way He had just spoken to mine.
I hope that I can remember the lesson I learned this week. I call to the Lord who is worthy of praise and I am saved from my enemies. Those outside and those within. Praise God our Rock!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas in Uganda 2009
It starts very early. SMS from 2 of the 4 networks are free from midnight to 6:00am. So the cellphone starts ringing shortly after midnight. Close friends or distant acquintances, it doesn't matter send them a greeting.
Then the day starts at 5:00am as the staff begins pulling all the benches out of the church and putting them in the tent we had set up on Wednesday to hold the overflow on Christmas. That done it then starts to rain. Because of the holes in the tent all the benches have to be moved and turned upside down so the water pouring through the holes in the tent doesn't soak the padding on the benches.
Meanwhile the ladies are trying to begin cooking lunch but Julie's rooster is missing. So the search begins and continues until the first hint of light when the missing bird crows from his perch on top of the fence in the thornbush. The thornbush hedge is planted around the outside of the fence to keep the thieves from stealing the fence or any rooster that might be inside the fence when it gets stolen. (But that was last month's saga.) Anyway the rooster turns out to be very wise in that he has hidden 7 feet up in the thorns and Julie is only 4 feet nothing so he is spared from being a main part of the feast.
Now that it is raining you have to take poles and lift the tent up so the water runs off and does not collapse the tent. Just don't get too near the edge as you push off the water or you get really wet! Richard thought I looked very good wet and decided to help me get that way. At least he was having a good laugh before 7:00 am.
Finally people start to arrive at 9:30 for the 9:00 service and by 10:00 we begin. One problem, the program starts with 2 Sunday school classes singing but the teachers and the kids have not arrived. Schedule of service is changed to compensate and the missing teachers and kids instantly appear so the schedule is changed back and service begins. By now we have about 200 people with dry seating for 150 so people sit on the wet benches but at least it has quit raining as the tent space for 300 can't cover the crowd.
The music, drama and dance went well and there where so many former students(now all grown up) in the crowd doing the moves and singing the songs that people didn't know wether to look forward or back. They had a truly fun and joyous celebration.
JB's teaching was a great encouragement to us to live a daily life of joy and not just on Christmas. If we lived joyful lives everyday how much farther and faster would the good news of Jesus our Savior spread.
The celebration ended at 12:15 but the fellowship lasted another hour. Then everybody either went home to eat or walking in town. That is Christmas here at Calvary Chapel Jinja. Here's hoping your day may be drier but just as filled with joy and love.
Hail the heaven born Prince of peace, Hail the Son of righteousness!
Jesse
Then the day starts at 5:00am as the staff begins pulling all the benches out of the church and putting them in the tent we had set up on Wednesday to hold the overflow on Christmas. That done it then starts to rain. Because of the holes in the tent all the benches have to be moved and turned upside down so the water pouring through the holes in the tent doesn't soak the padding on the benches.
Meanwhile the ladies are trying to begin cooking lunch but Julie's rooster is missing. So the search begins and continues until the first hint of light when the missing bird crows from his perch on top of the fence in the thornbush. The thornbush hedge is planted around the outside of the fence to keep the thieves from stealing the fence or any rooster that might be inside the fence when it gets stolen. (But that was last month's saga.) Anyway the rooster turns out to be very wise in that he has hidden 7 feet up in the thorns and Julie is only 4 feet nothing so he is spared from being a main part of the feast.
Now that it is raining you have to take poles and lift the tent up so the water runs off and does not collapse the tent. Just don't get too near the edge as you push off the water or you get really wet! Richard thought I looked very good wet and decided to help me get that way. At least he was having a good laugh before 7:00 am.
Finally people start to arrive at 9:30 for the 9:00 service and by 10:00 we begin. One problem, the program starts with 2 Sunday school classes singing but the teachers and the kids have not arrived. Schedule of service is changed to compensate and the missing teachers and kids instantly appear so the schedule is changed back and service begins. By now we have about 200 people with dry seating for 150 so people sit on the wet benches but at least it has quit raining as the tent space for 300 can't cover the crowd.
The music, drama and dance went well and there where so many former students(now all grown up) in the crowd doing the moves and singing the songs that people didn't know wether to look forward or back. They had a truly fun and joyous celebration.
JB's teaching was a great encouragement to us to live a daily life of joy and not just on Christmas. If we lived joyful lives everyday how much farther and faster would the good news of Jesus our Savior spread.
The celebration ended at 12:15 but the fellowship lasted another hour. Then everybody either went home to eat or walking in town. That is Christmas here at Calvary Chapel Jinja. Here's hoping your day may be drier but just as filled with joy and love.
Hail the heaven born Prince of peace, Hail the Son of righteousness!
Jesse
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The lost wallet and the joy of Christmas
This week I and the rest of the staff of CCJinja have had the blessing of bringing the message of the birth of Jesus to the men and women in the Jinja prisons. It has been a fun, spiritually blessed three days of music, drama and preaching. The blessing for me this year has been in giving over the leadership role to either Steven or Simon at the prisons the serve. They did a fantastic job as well as Julie and Richard and all the young people who take part.
Today was our last presentation for remand and women's prison but after bringing all the equipment in setting it up I left to go load up 650 lbs. of rice back at the church. When I arrived I noticed my wallet was missing. My pocket had been picked or I had been careless and lost it. How foolish I felt and then came the anger at the man who stole it and the embarassment of having to tell the Officer in Charge. The only solution was to physically search all 600 men. It was going to ruin The Christmas Program.
Then I realized that my wallet can't ruin the joy of the sharing of the gospel. It is a minor incovenience to lose a driving permit. But it is loss of tragic proportions to keep others from coming to Jesus. And that is what I was in danger of doing to others because of myselfishness and desire to get that wallet back. I asked God to forget about the wallet and just bring peace, joy hope and love to the men. God changed my outlook and the day was a success! The inmates responded with enthusiasm people got saved and the prisoners were happy.
God was going to do that anyway but He let me see the joy that I was losing. He Knew what was true worth and He brought it! Salvation through His son, Jesus!
I hope you have a joyful Christmas with Jesus in your heart. For true joy is only found in Him!
Jesse
By the way, I did get my wallet back. The chief of boma (ranking officer in the barracks) was told where to find it and the OC gave it to me before I left the prison. Seems it was my heart that was harder to find than my wallet.
Today was our last presentation for remand and women's prison but after bringing all the equipment in setting it up I left to go load up 650 lbs. of rice back at the church. When I arrived I noticed my wallet was missing. My pocket had been picked or I had been careless and lost it. How foolish I felt and then came the anger at the man who stole it and the embarassment of having to tell the Officer in Charge. The only solution was to physically search all 600 men. It was going to ruin The Christmas Program.
Then I realized that my wallet can't ruin the joy of the sharing of the gospel. It is a minor incovenience to lose a driving permit. But it is loss of tragic proportions to keep others from coming to Jesus. And that is what I was in danger of doing to others because of myselfishness and desire to get that wallet back. I asked God to forget about the wallet and just bring peace, joy hope and love to the men. God changed my outlook and the day was a success! The inmates responded with enthusiasm people got saved and the prisoners were happy.
God was going to do that anyway but He let me see the joy that I was losing. He Knew what was true worth and He brought it! Salvation through His son, Jesus!
I hope you have a joyful Christmas with Jesus in your heart. For true joy is only found in Him!
Jesse
By the way, I did get my wallet back. The chief of boma (ranking officer in the barracks) was told where to find it and the OC gave it to me before I left the prison. Seems it was my heart that was harder to find than my wallet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)