January 1, 2019

Happy New Year’s Day!

As I (Lyle) sit here in our living room here in Moroto I wonder where time has gone. It has flown by so quickly. I am writing this on the last day of 2018 and this will be our first blog of the new year. 

So first of all, we would like to wish all who read this a wonderful New Year and a happy belated Christmas. This blog is going to be more of a reflection. I would like to talk about something I first posted on Facebook in 2013 and then reposted this year. It is a reminder to me of why the Lord has us here in Karamoja and why the Lord has each of you where you are at. Here is what I had written...

"Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas! 

I don't know about you, but this is a time of year that causes me to reflect on what the birth of Jesus is all about. The realization that the almighty God, the One who simply spoke into existence everything - out of nothing - would become flesh, live a perfect life, suffer a most cruel death, and become sin so that I might be saved, is beyond sobering. I deserve death, but He offers me life. Not only life, but life abundantly.

I don't want to preach a sermon, but it strikes me that coming to that realization is not enough; it should not stop there. It should move me to a life of repentance and service to my Lord as it should move each of us. 

May this season and the year to come be a time of introspection that results in service to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, proclaiming His glory in whatever way He may call each of us to serve."

I think that when Facebook reminded me of this post (ok...am I the only one who is creeped out by how much Facebook tells me about myself) it really caused me to reflect on the last five years and the profoundness of how personal this post had been to me. I am not one for New Year's resolutions, after all, most New Year's resolutions (but not all) are simply things we know we should be doing, but have failed to do. So, we put off what we should have done, to resolve to do it once again, as if somehow, we will have more resolve because it is the first of the year, only to continue in the same pattern of failure that caused us to make the resolution in the first place. However, there certainly is a place for reflection. Some of the team is gathering this evening to do just this; to think through the year past, things learned, challenges faced, and to thank the Lord for His faithfulness and pray for this coming year. 

As I read this short Christmas reflection I could not help but to think back about what was going through my mind when I wrote it. Although not stated explicitly, I was saying how we live our lives as Christ followers cannot be an annual resolution. Rather, it must be something that is lived every moment of our lives, yet I realize how often I fall short of this. And the brutal reality is that my failing is not by chance, but by choice. How I choose to live each day reflects my relationship with my Lord – the good, bad, and the ugly. 

Romans 12:1-2says, “¹And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? ²Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how his ways will really satisfy you.”Living Bible (TLB) emphasis added.

I love the wording The Living Bible gives these verses, especially the question, “When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?”Most of our initial responses is to quickly answer, “Of course not! It’s not too much to ask.” But does my life bear this out? Do my daily choices show that“My old self has been crucified with Christ. it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting the Son of God, who gave himself for me.” Galatians 4:20 (NLT). If we are going to be honest, there are times this would be true, but there are also times it is very far from the truth. 

Why is this? I can’t answer this for you, but for me I can be too busy doing. As I look back over this last year I see the busyness and the hectic pace of life. I see how there can seem to be so many demands that I feel exhausted. I see how the “ministry” can take preeminence over simply being obedient to my Lord's leading. It is so easy to do on my own initiative (and then call it sacrifice) instead of being a living reflection of obedience to my Lord. Isn’t this what it means when Paul said it is no longer him that lives, but Christ who lives in Him? Why can I be too busy doing when I should be dead to myself and alive in Christ. I mean, I do good things, right? Bible studies, preparing sermons, meeting with people, building relationships, etc. These are all good things, but when I lose the focus of WHY I am doing these things then I have to question, who is on the throne of my life? 

In my mind I know that my life is to glorify the Lord. I know I am to serve Him. But in whose power do I serve Him. In John 17:1-4 Jesus said, “¹After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. ² For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. ³ And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. ⁴ I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” Did you see verse four? Jesus’ purpose was simply to bring glory to His Father. How? Through His obedience. 

Here’s my conclusion. No matter what I do, no matter how good it looks, no matter how good my intentions, if I am not doing it out of obedience, if I have not asked the Lord first, if I have not surrendered to Him, then Christ is not on the throne of my life. 

So, I say again, “May this season and the year to come be a time of introspection that results in service to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, proclaiming His glory in whatever way He may call each of us to serve."

If we are walking in obedience and if it is true that it is not we who live, but Christ who lives in us, then the Lord has each of us exactly where He wants us. We are all in this together. We are all called serve our Lord. Not as we see fit, but as He sees fit. 

This is my prayer for myself, for the wonderful team that we have the privilege to serve alongside, and for each and every one of you. If we all live like this, if the church lives this, then our Lord will be most glorified.

I did want to recap what is going on ministry wise. God has been so faithful and we have seen Him work in so many ways. We also see the enemy working, trying to reclaim lost territory. 

Some of Moroto team enjoying dinner together along with
some of the visitors from the Kampala office

Generally, since the last blog we have been to Kampala several times for dental appointments. Not a big deal for most of you. In fact, you’re probably asking why would I even mention this. Simply because the dentist is 10-12 hours away depending on road conditions and traffic. This means we end up letting things go too long before we take care of it. This is not only true for us, but for the rest of the team as well. So far, I have a partially finish root canal and need to return to have it finished and to get a crown. We have hosted some of our Central Region leadership on several occasions as they have come to visit Karamoja and the team. We had some friends visit us who we know from New Hope Uganda. We sadly have had to say goodbye to our teammates from Germany who had to return for medical reasons. Ingrid went on a women’s retreat and we were able to go to a couple’s retreat. Some of the team (we are part of them) are beginning a demonstration rabbit project to see how sustainable it will be for the Karimojong in the bush to raise rabbits as a fresh meat supply. The Karimojong have a lot of livestock, but they don’t slaughter them to eat. They only eat the ones that die from disease or natural causes. Having an alternate sustainable source of meat would be wonderful. This coupled with our normal leadership responsibilities as well as areas of ministry has kept us very busy. 

Visiting with some missionary friends, the Jongs, from South
Korea during one of our Kampala visits

We have also changed our focus in many of our Bible studies. We are currently building foundations by beginning in Genesis. We are showing how Christ is the central theme of the Bible, how we are born into sin and how we desperately need our Lord and how this redemptive work of salvation through Jesus Christ has always been God's plan. People are beginning to understand that we are born sinners. It’s not just that we sin. 

Ingrid began this in the women’s prison ministry and the spiritual lights went on one life after another. Ingrid and the team members that participate in this ministry continue to use storying as a vehicle for sharing the Word. Many women have been released and are returning to their homes  with a commitment to the one and only Living God, with their lives transformed by Him. Truly their old selves have died and it is Christ who lives in them. Please pray for these ladies that the fruit of their lives continues shining the light of Christ. He is able to keep them. They go to places we do not reach so follow up is not happening. 

During a church service in Lotirir when Ingrid was preaching, she asked some very foundational questions and it became clear that the believers in the church who seemed to desire a deepening relationship with the Lord were clueless on foundational understanding. With that in mind, we have been preaching straight from Genesis. It has been as enlightening for us as it has been for them as we learn what they thought they understood and then have the privilege of seeing them understand the truth of Scripture. 

Some of the men from the Nakapilimen Bible study. From
left to right, Daniel, Paulo, and Mark

This transition also took place in the Nakapilimen Bible study. We shifted from the New Testament to Genesis and just recently transitioned from one of the team leading the study to a couple of the members leading the study using the Discovery Bible Study Method. It has been so wonderful to see the change in the understanding of Scripture. Two of members, Nasur and Daniel have grown so much and we have seen so much change in their lives over this last year. Mark continues to grow, but sometimes it is two steps forward and one step back. Please keep Nakapilimen in your prayers. This is one of the areas where the spiritual battles taking place are so very visceral and obvious. Lately it has been so noisy its difficult hear. Fights have taken place and drunks trying to engage us in the middle of studies is not uncommon. 

John, Esther, and their newborn son, Ngiru

The Thursday Bible study in Lotirir has been going on well. We are currently in the book of Matthew. A mixture of storying and discussions are being used. While on the subject of Lotirir one of the shifts that has taken place is the number of youths who now attend. The Finches have made Lotirir their home church and have invested heavily into the youth. Many of them walk an hour or so every Saturday just to do Bible study in their home. John and Esther, the lay reader and his wife, have really understood the need for being shepherds. There are still spiritual battles taking place with some attending only to see what they can get or leaving completely and going back to their old lifestyles. Even with that, there are many who used to come because they needed to check off the church box, but now come because they are falling in love with the Lord. We look at their faces on Thursdays and Sundays and see many that are filled with true joy.

Timothy and Sara with their baby Favor

The Saturday Bible study in Rupa continues, but it is now being led by a Karimojong man named Timothy who truly loves the Lord. We found that when we go out to Rupa the people ask for things. They look to us to fix whatever they think is broken. But when Timothy goes out they listen. Please pray for him as he ministers to the people in Rupa and for us as we work with him and support him from behind. 

The Bible study with the prison guards has begun again after a period of us not meeting because scheduling conflicts. It was one of the guards named Peter who initiated this, he is so hungry for the Lord. It has been such a joy to see Peter change. He has gone from a baby Christian four years ago not understanding God's Word but just "doing" church to someone who is confidently teaching the Word and is taking on helping another guard to to the same. He also has initiated short devotionals and Bible reading at the morning briefing. He had begun this in 2017, but stopped when they were not well received. He was convicted by the Lord that he was to begin the devotionals again and not to fear the disapproval of his peers. He asked for prayer for courage to do this and for the staff to be receptive to God's Word. When we met this last Sunday he was telling us the at the briefings, before he shares business, all the staff have come to expect him to share from the Bible and they are happy to listen. Please join us in praising the Lord for answering this prayer and for Peter's courage. We are going through Acts together and Peter is in awe of the difference in Peter the apostle in the Gospels, before the Holy Spirit came, as compared to Peter in Acts, now filled with the Holy Spirit. This has greatly encouraged him.

On that exciting note, we too are praising the Lord. We have the Sundem family who will be visiting us the middle of March! As you know our granddaughter, Shaela, came end of December 2017. Now Moe (our daughter) and Jens and the rest of family as well as Shaela's boyfriend are coming. We will have a full house, but a blessed house. We can’t wait!

I think that is it for now. Wishing you all a blessed New Year as you serve our Lord in the very place He has you. My prayer for you and for me as co-laborers in Christ, is that we well be able to say, not some of the time, but all of the time, “It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

Love,

Lyle and Ingrid