HI. Its been a busy past several weeks. I've started social studies teaching and ministry at Heritage International School, and have hosted a team from my home church in late January. It’s been a breath of fresh air to be teaching at the small international school and living full time now in Kampala.
I have been staying at the Kampala Unit leaders' home since early January and have been blessed by their company and children. As a bonus, their house is within a short walking distance of the school and has good access to the main road that leads into the heart of Kampala. At Heritage I am teaching sixth and seventh grade, and have been involved in the chapels, independent teacher training. I have benefited from the interaction and relationships that have already been built with students that speak my own native tongue!
From the 22nd to the 28th of January my home church in Lincoln, Nebraska, Lincoln Berean, sent a team of 6 to Africa and met me in Kampala. Berean has always been so very encouraging and supportive of the work the Lord has allowed me to do in East Africa. Our head mission’s pastor Jeff and his wife and 4 other young adults.
They are the first group from my home that have come to visit since my parents came in the early fall of 2003!
Berean is desiring to plant short cycle mission teams throughout unreached and needy areas in the world. So the church decided to explore the possibilities available in Africa. Their visit to Kenya and Uganda was short but impacted each greatly. Though I am under Africa Inland Mission as a full term worker, I am excited and prayerfully mindful of the extreme potential that is possible in this new African venture under endeavor from my church body. I love the people of Berean and those that are working and praying about how God can use them in Africa!
Overall the team’s trip was a success. This was my first experience in planning a team’s travel and schedule so I was very pleased that the Lord answered prayer in allowing the group to enjoy their African experience. The six members did visit Heritage School ( after an accidental detour while getting lost and finding the Heritage Oil Co.! ) They lead the elementary chapel then we headed for some African food. They held up well I thought eating goat intestines, posha, matoke, and several other uniquely African dishes.
The rest of the two days in Uganda were a blur of visiting orphanages and concluded with Jeff sharing the message at a local Ugandan church service. We left Kampala and flew to Nairobi later Sunday evening and arrived late that night into the AIM Mayfield Guesthouse. The time in Kenya was also highlighted be several interesting experiences. Perhaps the most memorable was the trip to a Kenyan game park where we visited one of the more popular Kenyan safari drives. Though we didn’t see any big cats (which were on the wish list) we did see plenty of baboons, rhinos, and other big game that made for a real ‘African encounter.'
My friends the Mutangilis did join us for a late evening dinner the final night that out team was in Kenya. I was so pleased with how Stanley and Sylvia were able to meet friends from my home church of Lincoln, Berean. Something I thought may never happen. So I am very thankful to the Lord for the way everything worked out.
There are so many blessings that Africa can give us all.
I am traveling back to Nebraska, taking a short break from Heritage School (taking advantage of a long
Easter vacation to spend time in Nebraska and South Dakota, with my family and friends! I am thankful that Heritage works so often with fellow missionaries and that my co-workers can easily absorb my social study classes for the days in my absence. I thank you for your prayer and continued prayers over the future as you have been, thank you. Matthew
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