I am called Mukiisa BBale, I come from Masaka District, Uganda. Where for 7 years I was a professional teacher qualified to teach primary 1-7. I resigned from teaching in 1990 due to poor wages and very poor working conditions. A primary teacher is the most poorly paid teaching personnel; those in active service have said that there is still no improvement.

So that’s why I left being teacher. I tried my hands on any job I could find. From doing comedy shows around to forming a music band. All this did not work out for me here in Kampala. So I was very desperate!

Manna found me when I was really struggling. I was suffering! My family was suffering! Manna came in at the time when we were at the point of giving up life. I had no business that was working out for us. And even the house where we are living in is in a wetland area and many times we got threats from the National Environmental Authority (NEMA) that we should leave that place. But there is no other place that we may get affordable rental house. So everyday we lived in fear of being thrown out of the area.

And so anybody who comes into our neighborhood asking questions, we either denied them word or we gave them a very unwelcome reception. This is how we first welcomed pastor Benon when he came into our house asking question on needs assessment. We were very suspicious of the Manna staff that came to our house that time! We thought that they were disguising themselves. Pretending to be from another organization when they could be NEMA officials or even investors! But what made us believe Benon and Manna Ministry to be true is when he and the rest of team returned to us with a bag of food and shared with us the Gospel of Jesus!

We really wondered how Manna ministry got to know all about our struggles! But now we know that God sent Benon!! He and his team were not against our stay, but they were concerned about how we stayed! So IMFC gave us Manna!! If no staff from Manna had returned, we were sure that NEMA people found us out and that out fate would not be a good one! So thanks for returning to us, the way you did!

Yes, me and my wife did enroll for Bible Way and our student numbers are 62200 and 62201 respectively. We have been so blessed to have the chance to study the word of God as family! I love this very much! My wife loves it too! We are now in the fourth book! That is Mark part 1.

Manna changed our life completely! I used to find time to waste. Now I do not have that time!! I study the Bible Way materials and even serve in the men’s ministry in the house church here! With the help of Manna through food distribution I saved up some money and I now make eatables which I sell and get money! Life is now worth living!! Without Manna I could not have found this business! I quit teaching with the hope of doing business. Manna Ministry made my dream come true!

Thanks for changing our lives to the Glory of God! I am now a real born again!

Do you know that it is closer to the beginning of 2011 than it is to the beginning of 2010? Hard to believe isn’t it? Over half this year has passed. Time is moving swiftly and I am getting older! Plus, now I have to start thinking about Christmas gifts! It will be here before we know it.

Anyway, it is a good time to take a quick look at what God has done through the IMFC ministries in Uganda in 2010 and celebrate it. Here is a quick look at the first six months. I find it absolutely exciting. I believe you will also.

•2,437 people have prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, enrolled into Bible Way and received the first book, Who Is Jesus. At this rate almost 5,000 people will receive Christ as their Lord and Savior and begin to be discipled in 2010! Beginning now, I am asking God for 5,000 people in 2010. Join me. Celebrate it!

•In June alone, IMFC gave out 1,888 discipleship books and 180 Bibles! 521 were the first book of the Bible Way Material, Who Is Jesus. The remaining 9 books of Bible Way made up the 1,367 books distributed. This work is exploding! Celebrate it!

•23 Churches have been started: 17 in Naguru and 6 in Natete. Celebrate it!

•528 Bibles have been given to people who have completed the first five books of Bible Way, successfully passing the exams and memorizing 60 Bible verses. Celebrate it!

•6 new Bible Way Clubs were opened in 6 High Schools in Kampala. This brings the total number of schools IMFC is in to 26. Celebrate it!

•73 new believers have been baptized. (Note: baptism happens mainly when volunteers are present to pay for transport to Lake Victoria. There are many waiting.) Celebrate it!

•Jinja Prison has been engaged. 3 wards of this huge prison are now involved in the Bible Way Program. This makes 14 prisons in 7 different facilities. Celebrate it!

•Leadership training is now taking place in Naguru and Natete with over 30 people participating. Celebrate it!

•These numbers do not reflect the food that has been given out month by month to over 700 people and the lives that have been changed through it. (You have read their stories here.) Nor do they reflect the volunteers that have traveled to Kampala and had their lives impacted as well. Celebrate it!

This has been a great first half to 2010. But, the work is just beginning.

I want to share the final paragraph from an email Joseph Esiana sent me who leads our IMFC team in Uganda. It is written for all of you who have prayed or given to this ministry.

I know the Lord has used you incredibly to give that has led the success as outlined above. God has multiplied your gifts and produced a bountiful harvest for himself. Will you continue to join Him even this summer and fall in what He is doing in Kampala and Uganda? Remember; “The harvest is plentfull but the laborers are few” Will you be among the few to join Him?

May the Lord God bless and honor your efforts.

Joseph Esiana

Team Leader IMFC – Uganda

I want to thank you and ask you to keep praying and giving. The growth of this ministry is hard to keep up with. Thanks.

God is at work in the prison’s of Uganda! Here is a story from Luzira Prison in Kampala, Uganda:

“Praise be to God! I thank Bible Way Correspondence School because now I know who Jesus is.”

“I grew up in my life not knowing Jesus is the way, truth and life because my parents were muslims and not in a clear/right way. But through reading this course Who is Jesus from you, I have understood Jesus as my Savior. I have now asked him into my heart to be my Lord and Savior.”

“Glory be to God.”

Ramadhan Lubega
Bible Way Student no.62148

This guy is–WAS–a muslim! Today, he is a follower of Jesus Christ. Pray for Ramadhan as he continues his studies in the Bible Way materials. Pray that when he gets out of prison his friends will see that he is a new man. Pray that through him many more muslims will come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Is Ramadhan’s story unusual? No. Unique? Yes! It is his story and it is unique to him, but there are many more prisoners coming to faith in Jesus Christ, just like Ramandhan, in the prisons of Uganda. You can read several stories on this blog from inmates who have given their lives to Jesus Christ and have been changed forever. And the doors keep opening!

I received this email from Joseph last week about a new opportunity-a new open door-in Jinja Prison.

Joseph writes:

In June 2010, Bible Way starts work in a new prison in Jinja. This prison is 1hour 30 minutes east of Kampala. It is just next to Lake Victoria.

Today I went on a fact finding mission and just meet with the Officers in Charge of the Prison facility and lay strategy on how best to reach to the prison. This is what I found out.

Jinja Prison is divided into four sections, namely; Remand (those whose cases are still investigated); Women section; and Jinja Main prison which is sub divided into two i.e Convicts (those who are serving their sentence); and Condemned (those on death penalty).

Statistics:
The total inmates’ population as of today is 1,764 adult inmates plus 13 children ages 0 – 24 months.
Remand has 658 inmates; Women 36; Children 13, Convicts 900; and condemned 170.

Out of the total number in the prison, 84 so far have been discovered to be living with HIV/AIDS and only 30 are receiving treatment (ARV treatment).
18 of the staff are also HIV+

Prayer Points:
• Like many of the prisons we are working in, Jinja prison lives in total darkness in dear need of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

• In the next six months, we want to reach at least 70% of the total prison population through sharing Christ with them; proving them with our Bible Way Materials like Who is Jesus etc. These materials though need to be reprinted.

• We want to provide each student who goes through our courses with a Bible.

• We want to be visiting the prison to share Christ, carry out counseling, teaching etc at least twice every month.

• Those who are living with HIV/AIDS need special attention like diet as well as the children.

• As the Lord provides, we would also provide them with the basic needs like blankets, laundry soap, sugar, sports equipments and drugs.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support which has helped us to reach to the unreached in the prisons.

God Bless.
Joseph.

Pray that the Lord provides the funds to enter Jinja Prison. It cost only $100 per month to enter a prison of Uganda with the Bible Way materials, but the results are priceless.

“My Dad’s story from drunkenness to serving the Lord was a turning point in my life!”

Now that is influence! A Dad’s influence!

Her name is Constance and her Dad’s name is Smith. That’s his picture above this article. He used to be a telephoner. Meaning, he made calls–but not with a telephone–with a long straw about three foot long coming from a community pot filled with local brewed alcohol! Smith was a drunker! But God changed him and now he and his family are born again and are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Today, there is a church that meets in front of Smith’s house that I have worshipped with many times. And, three weeks ago when I was in Kampala, he was involved in a training I conducted for a group of church leaders in Naguru. He even shared with the group how God had changed his life. Smith is a true story of God’s grace.

Here is a email Joseph sent me this week detailing the influence Smith has had in one of his daughter’s life. It’s in her own words. What a great thing! A daughter praises her Dad for the influence he had in her life bringing her to faith in Jesus Christ.

When we entered Naguru slum last August, Smith was lost in sin and captured in drunkenness. Even though he was physically alive, his family was mourning for him. He spent all the money he earned in drinking.

Two months later, on October 23, 2009, Smith gave his life to the Lord. His Daughter Constance was too happy that something incredible had happened to her dad. She started watching him to see whether there was actually a change in his life.

This is what Constance had to say in her own words …..

“We as a family were in a sorry state due to our dad’s habit. We lived without meals because he drunk all the money he earned. The landlord actually threw us out of his house due to failure to pay the rent. We pleaded until he allowed us to live for one more chance. We did not know where or to whom to turn to for the habit of our dad.

October 23, 2009 was the turning point in my dad’s life. When members from Manna visited my dad, he prayed to receive Jesus. They gave him a book to read called Who is Jesus?

I started to watch whether there was really a change in my dad’s life. The first two weeks he was sneaking out to drink with his colleagues again. One of the members of Manna (Deo) kept on moving around inviting people to come to what he called a house church meeting every week. My dad asked us to come with him to that church. My dad started attending the church regularly and I begun to realize a change in his life. He repeated the scriptures he was memorizing from Bible Way to me. This was amazing!

As I too continued to attend the house church and was enrolled into Bible Way, I realized someone supernatural had touched and changed my dad’s life. His name is Jesus.

My dad’s story from drunkenness to serving the Lord was a turning point in my life! On January 18, when a group of Americans led by Deo shared the good news with me, I gave my life to Jesus. Since I had watched a change in my dad’s life, I decided to give my life to the Lord. Thank you for coming to the rescue of our family. God Bless you all”

Constance Slazia.

Today, Smith (Bible Way Student no. 61054) is doing his tenth book Ten Rules for Living. He has received a Bible from us and participates in mobilizing for the house church plant in Naguru.

Constance is in her sixth Bible Way book Responsible Christian and is an active member and mobilizes for the house church and Bible Way. Thank you for your prayers and financial support that helps us to reach to the slums, prisons, and high schools in Kampala, Uganda.
-Joseph

As I read the story of Smith, I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11:

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Pray for Smith and his family. Pray for the church that meets at their house. Pray that God would raise up some “Smith’s” in our own neighborhoods and churches. Pray that we dad’s could have the same influence on our children that he has had on his. Pray that people looking at our lives we will see the power of Jesus Christ and become Christ followers too!

What a story!

God had plans to provide a new ministry center for IMFC in Kampala that would be less expensive and would provide homes for the IMFC staff! I just never knew it. So, He surprised me.

By now you would think that I would know better. After all I am over fifty-five and have served the Lord for almost forty years. But I never learn! Learn what? That God’s plans are not always my plans and His ways are not always my ways (Isaiah 55:9). The result is that I am often surprised by what God does.

Here’s what usually happens. I make plans, then the unexpected happens and I get upset. I ask God what is going on. I may even complain a little or a lot. I become disappointed, frustrated even. But as events play out over time, I am humbled to see how God brings everything together (Romans 11:33-36) to an end far superior to I had expected or hoped for!

That’s what happened on my last trip to Kampala. I went with an agenda. To meet with the new IMB missionaries in Kampala, make arrangements for the volunteer teams going over this fall and gather data and dream of future ministry plans. But, God had another plan. One He didn’t share with me, or maybe He did, but I was too busy making my own plans to hear His. Whatever the case, the Lord surprised me.

One week into the trip we received a letter at the ministry center from our Landlord. His purpose for writing–to tell us to move out of the house we were renting for a ministry center from him within two months! It was his house and he wanted to move back into it. Talk about a change in plans. From this point on we were focused on one thing–finding a new place to house our ministry. And we did not have long!

After we got over the shock and disappointment of this unexpected news, we begin to see the hand of God at work. He had been involved in this situation from before the planning of my trip to Kampala. This may have caught us off-guard, but it did not catch the Lord off-guard. In fact, I now think He was behind the entire episode! Here’s why.

First. Food prices are on the way up in Kampala. The inflation rate for food prices in Kampala is over 16% per year! In February we had to renegotiate our contract with the company suppling food for Manna Ministry. Beginning in June of this year we will have to pay almost $500 US more for food we give to poorest of people in the slums. This seriously impacts our budget!

Second. Our landlord in Kampala instructs his son to tell us in March to move out by June. He wants to give us time to look for another place, but his son does not deliver this message. In fact, he tells us he needs rent money in advance to help with medical bills for his sons sickness.

Third. We (IMFC Board) see the need for me to go to Kampala to meet with the new IMB missionaries and to evaluate the work and dream with the IMFC staff about future expansion.

Fourth. We agree to pay six months rent to help meet the needs of our landlord. So, I take a lot of cash to Kampala.

Fifth. While in Kampala, We receive the letter instructing us to vacate the property in two months.

Sixth. We search for and find a new place. A brand new, just completed, never lived in compound with three houses on it to accommodate the needs of our staff closer to the slums we work in. With this move IMFC saves almost $500 US a month. Exactly what is needed to cover the increase in food price! Plus, I have the funds with me to negotiate with and to make the down payment needed to secure the compound that were intended to pay for rent at the old place that is no longer needed!

Seventh. We sign the contract on the new location on Friday morning before I leave to come home. The team moves into new ministry compound first Saturday in May. Now Joseph, Douglas, James and Vincent live in new homes with their families right in the areas where we do most of our work. Exactly what they had been praying for for years.

Do you believe this is all coincidental? Never! Could all of this just happen? Never. God was behind this all the way.

Surprising to me? Yes. In my plans or on my radar screen? No. But it was in the Lord’s plans and on His schedule. Yes.

He never ceases to amaze me.

Through the past five years, IMFC has worked with many people in the slums, prisons and schools of Kampala, Uganda. Today I simply want to celebrate. Celebrate the opportunity the Lord has given us to join Him in His work. Celebrate His grace and His goodness. Celebrate the people He, the Lord, has given us to work with.

The pictures in this video come from the many trips I have taken to Kampala, Uganda over the past five plus years. These people are real. The slums they live in are real. And, they all have stories to tell. Stories of hardships and stories of God’s grace.

They come from all corners of Uganda to live in the slums of Kampala. They speak many different languages. They come from different tribes. But, they all have great need. Many are widowed. Many are orphaned. Most are sick and malnourished. The majority have HIV/AIDS. And, they are all extremely valuable to God, even the witchdoctors! They have nothing, but yet they are such a joy to be with. They have become a huge part of my life.

In the past five years, IMFC has had the privileged opportunity to minister to these people. Many of them have been given food and love through Manna Ministry. Many are currently being discipled through the discipleship materials of Bible Way. Many have joined the churches that have been formed near their homes in the slums. Many have had volunteers from the US in their homes, or prison, to pray with them and share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Each picture has a story to tell. It’s their story. It’s God’s story of grace. As you watch the video, pray for the people in the slums of Kampala, Uganda.

If you would like to see the pictures used for this video, go to http://jimmybarry.zenfolio.com.

The Masindi story is being replicated in Nakasongola Prison. Last month, August 16, Douglas and Joseph visited the Prison in Nakasongola. They shared the gospel and the vision for the Prison ministry for the area. Ninety inmates prayed to receive Christ and were immediately enrolled to begin discipleship in the first course ‘Who is Jesus?’

The Deputy Officer in Charge (O.C) of the Prison facility, Michael Ekaju, who is also a Christian, offered to facilitate the inmates study in Bible Way and to help them grow in the knowledge of God and be transformed in to responsible citizens!

This week Michael sent 68 of the 90 Bible Way books, Who is Jesus, to us! Wow, what an incredible thing that the Lord is doing! This is over 70% completion rate! More amazing is that 63 of the inmates turned in their decision cards having acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives! God continues to be at work in Kampala and Uganda as a whole.

Several copies of Book 2, Basic Bible Teachings, have been sent to Nakasongola Prison for the inmates to continue with their discipleship and life transformation.

Isn’t it worth joining God in what He is doing in the Prisons?

“But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3: 18

God, Bible Way, Kenneth and the buses continue to bear great fruit for the Kingdom in Masindi, Uganda. This week Kenneth turned in 40 exams of inmates that had completed three Bible courses of the Bible Way Correspondence School, memorized 36 Bible verses and have graduated to study book four – the Gospel of Mark Part 1!

Kenneth continues to be faithful in not only reaching but also disciplining the in mates in Masindi Prison.

-Joseph

I want to give a shout-out to Rusty and Betty Jo McLelland. Rusty and Betty Jo lived in Kampala from 2002 – 2004 and were a valuable part of the Kampala Urban Team, the team of IMB missionaries serving in Kampala, Uganda. Today, they are my friends and partners in the work in Kampala.

Since returning to the states, Rusty and Betty Jo have created their own ministry: Equipping with Truth Ministries. Through Equipping with Truth Ministries, they continue to support the work they were involved in during their stay in Kampala. Bible Way Correspondence School is one of those ministries. In fact, the current work of Bible Way in Kampala began when Rusty shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with his security guard, James. James came to faith in Jesus Christ and was discipled by Rusty and Betty Jo (BJ) through the Bible Way materials. Together, they begin to use Bible Way materials to evangelize and disciple many of the security guards James worked with. Today, James is an important part of the IMFC team in Kampala and is continuing to grow disciples of Jesus through Bible Way.

Rusty and Betty Jo, through Equipping with Truth Ministries, continue to impact Kampala. Many of the Bibles that are being given out through Bible Way today has been purchased with gifts from Equipping With Truth Ministries. We praise the Lord for their partnership that has enabled the work of Bible Way to continue and expand. Additionally, Betty Jo has written books that have now been printed and are being added to the Bible Way materials to disciple the believers in Spiritual Warfare.

If you want to visit their web site, go to http://equippingwithtruth.org.

Thanks Rusty and Betty Jo!

For the last four years IMFC has ministered to the poor and neglected of Kampala, Uganda. God has blessed! So, I thought it would be good to reflect and celebrate a few things that God has accomplished though the work as we begin year five this Friday, August 14, 2009.

During the last four years we have
•    Provided food for almost 5,000 people in 14 different slums of Kampala,
•    Help start over 40 house churches,
•    Enrolled more than 14,400 people into Bible Way Correspondence School,
•    Given out almost 3,500 Bibles to Bible Way Students who completed the first 5 books of Bible Way and memorized 60 verses of scripture (IMFC could have given out twice this many Bibles if the the funds had been available!), and
•    Begin ministries in 11 prisons and 13 High Schools.

Honestly, the ministry has exceeded our plans and vision. I guess we were short sighted or had little faith!

Thanks for your prayers and Support.

Oh, if you would like to go on a short term mission trip, I have a few openings in January 2010. Call me 678-478-6097 if you are interested.