Brooke's Uganda Ministry Update #1

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Dear Friends,

Mekama Yebazebwe (Praise the Lord in Luganda)! I write you this epistle from a somewhat different scene than I last had. I am on my narrow bed in Namirembe Guest House in Kampala, a lovely place actually that has what they call “A Million Dollar View” of the sprawling city. From up here I can enjoy my tilapia from Lake Victoria, plantains and coke and listen to the city – the bugs, the birds and even the Muslim prayers being heard down below at a nearby mosque. Kampala is a very religious place to be sure! The guest house I am staying in is actually a part of the Church of Uganda (formerly the Church of England) and this guest house was dedicated by the Episcopal Archbishop from the USA actually, so many who stay here are pastors, Christian aid workers and missionaries – it is very interesting. The very strange thing honestly is for me to stay alone here and dine alone – although in the morning people are likely to strike up conversations with me and I have had many things in common with those I’ve spoke with – for instance a pastor who happens to pastor 4th Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland – we share common friends; a gentleman who is from Florida, my home state began a non-profit to help the hungry; and a Canadian couple who preach just outside of Toronto – where my parents are from all stay here with me. Truly, I can go 6,000 miles from home and meet people who know my homes intimately! How big is our Lord! Truly, more than that I am learning again and again how big our family is in Christ and that I am never a stranger when my Father has children everywhere – my brothers and sisters are always very welcoming.


What a blessing it has been to actually set foot on the Ugandan soil and especially to attend the Ugandan church where I have been assisting the pastor these past six and a half months. The above photos are part of my experience – the first morning I arrived very early and this was the sunset that greeted me and these were the beautiful mother and daughter – Margaret and Emily that were there smiling in the 5:00 AM hour – with Emmanuel (dad not pictured). I cannot express to you my gratefulness to our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus for allowing me this experience. I am humbled beyond anything else to be here with such humble, hard working, dedicated and committed believers. Before I came it seemed the Lord put SOOO many different people across my path who have either been to Uganda and have friends here, or are actually from here – so when I came – I came with my own full suitcase + a huge duffel full of presents and donations for specific friends as well as the girls at Cornerstone Leadership Academy + a guitar that was a gift promised 5 years ago I was able to help fulfill + a laptop bag for the work I was going to be doing! I was quite a high-maintenance traveler – thank you for all who were praying for me safely to get here with my entire luggage! What a completely unique opportunity I have had – to come to a completely new country and on a continent also completely new to me and have a list – 6 different people and families long to be exact – that I had to connect with at some point in my journey to deliver to them the messages that someone in the US loves them and prays for them and wishes them well. This is my 10th day in Uganda and I am happy to say I have faithfully been able to deliver all the gifts and what a gift it was for me to meet these recipients of these gifts and experience with them the joy of friendship shared.


Proverbs 27:10
“Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you – better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.”


These friends are not far away from the hearts of those in America and now I see they are my family also, close by geographically now for me! Above you see Agnes – a friend of my friend Jill’s who is an amazingly courageous woman who is HIV positive, but is letting nothing stop her from working to help eliminate this disease in her country and to help America remember its commitment to helping Africa with this problem and others. The center photo is of Courtney, a dear friend who I was honored to know over the last year and a half in and out of DC – she is a true servant and back to Uganda to spend precious time with the girls she poured her life into last year. The photo on the right is the guitar recipient – Daniel – who is a Cornerstone (a school started to help educate and minister to those who are on the street or orphaned) alumnus here in Kampala and my friend Mike in DC spent time with him there over 5 years ago. Daniel is a worship leader here in his church and before had the use of a guitar only one hour a week to practice, when I gave him the guitar, immediately he pulled it out and began worshipping. It was a completely humbling experience to witness. There are so many here whose hearts are so big. They may not have much in the way of material possessions, but they understand friendship, love and live so freely.

Ephesians 2:10
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I do feel that the Lord has supernaturally given me a unique place in His kingdom and a unique role to fulfill. Here, because the ministry is involved in the marketplace with a TV station and 2 leading radio stations, I have been able to use my radio voice and personality to do interviews and liners here – in Uganda! How fun it is to see what God wants to use of our lives! I must admit also though that it can be very hard and frustrating seeking to be a diligent employee and fulfill the work I know I am called on to complete in a place where I feel so completely foreign and dependent. I believe that is the hardest thing of all. To have to depend on others for transportation and simple things – like Ugandan shillings when all I have is American dollars and they don’t take credit cards (imagine!). Kampala is surprisingly modern – there is even a favorite café that has free wireless that Courtney turned me onto that is VERY fast comparatively here – but there are still many things that I struggle with. I am recognizing there are some very ugly parts of me that are culturally American – I am efficient to a fault (I work on Mazungo – white people time, not African time) and although I have had some hard times in Southeast learning about the way things worked there – to be in Africa is a whole new world. Imagine it taking over a half hour to get anywhere – not because the distance is so great, but because of the potholes in the roads. Then, when you get there the person you need may or may not be in, but you couldn’t have called because your pay-as-you-go phone charges you an outrageous amount and that person didn’t text message you back! I think today I spent half my day about to cry from all the waiting and feeling sufficiently useless and half of the day somewhat productive and more useful. Amazing, isn’t it, how I forget that I am God’s child first and foremost and called here to serve His church, I am His beloved child – that should be my concentration and my seeking to serve should always come second. I am weeping as I write this because I know I have so much more character to develop and until these things get wrestled out of me, I will still be so self-sufficient, instead of reliant on the One who knows and cares about all of this. Pray that I would become more dependent on my heavenly Father.

Mark 9:37
“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

What I have learned about my African brothers and sisters is that they are very hard working and never complain about waiting – it is a normal part of life for them and they don’t expect things to go faster. They are completely gracious and hospitable to you – even if you are brand new to them you are invited in (for instance I went to a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday where the soon-to-be groom announces his intention to wed the girl in front of both of their families and many friends – this one had 300 in attendance at the 5 hour ceremony). They love Jesus passionately and are hungry for His presence in their lives. I was sooo blessed to worship on Sunday with Christian Life Church, where Pastor Jackson Senyonga is the senior pastor. The 16,000 person capacity church was filled to overflowing in the second service, not to mention the people in the first service and when it came time for people to respond to the message and decide if they wanted to have Jesus come into their hearts – over 100 flooded the front – literally children ran to the altar and 45 of these were former Muslims coming to Jesus as Lord right in front of my eyes – this is the ministry I am part of here in Uganda. Tomorrow I am traveling at 5 AM with Pastor Jackson’s wife Eve and others to visit the “Homes for Orphans” project we have in the northern part of Uganda in a town called Lira. I am so looking forward to spending time with the children, which obviously have had so much a part of my life these past few years in Southeast. Yet, what I have learned again about my African brothers and sisters is that to them, no task is too menial to accomplish with a willing heart – tonight I was telling my car driver that I was doing this and he asked if he could pick me up at 4:30 AM to make sure I got there – excuse me – but who volunteers for such a job??? It was such a blessing! I am overwhelmed! I have so much to learn!


Please friends, pray that my spirit would be teachable and open to what the Lord wants to do with me during this time in Africa. This is a strategic time in my life… when I return to the US I will know where I will go to study in the following year – any one of 3 continents could be chosen! There is also always the question of a partner to share my dreams, hopes and ministry with… as I have shared, I am never alone because of the Lord and the huge family He has opened up to me all over the world, but still I long for marriage if I am honest to myself and all of you. Pray that I can press into the Lord’s sweet spirit during this time of culture shock and reflection. Please pray also for the conference I am here to help support – the annual BBC (Bible Believers Convention) held here at Christian Life Church next Friday, October the 7th. Americans start arriving on Tuesday the 4th that I will be somewhat responsible for hosting – school and hospital ministry, visiting our homes for orphans and then the conference. Pray that the BBC will be blessed and that all the construction that is being done currently will be finished by the time the BBC comes. Pray for Pastor Jackson (the one in the center photo above) as he navigates so much during his time in Uganda and is intimately involved in so many details. Pray for Nicole C. Mullen and her team as they travel here to share in a time of ministry with us that will bless and give life to the Ugandan believers and for the National Prayer Breakfast happening here in Kampala. Please continue also to lift up our brothers and sisters at Cornerstone Leadership Academy (Peter, Caleb and Eddie are all mentors within Cornerstone and alumni of the school in the photo on the left). Pray for the children in the northern part of Uganda – in a town called Gulu who are so-called “night commuters” due to war that is tearing apart this part of the nation (and go to http://www.invisiblechildren.com) for more information on this and how you can help. Most of all, praise God with me for His faithfulness and new friends – like Margaret and her mother in the above photo on the right!

Thank you friends for your faithfulness to me and for continuing to support me in prayer and join with me in the journey the Lord gave to me. I pray we will continue to encourage one another. Know the Ugandan church is praying for all of you!

Sula belungi (good night in Luganda – it is 9:47 PM African time!)
Your sister,
Brooke