I hate the long flights from here to Kampala, Uganda! And the more I make these flights and the older I get, the more I hate it! But it worth it’s and I will gladly do it many times a year. Here’s why.

Hello Muzee. I hope is all is well. Here is an update.

We did have a successful food distribution in Bwaise 3 zone of Kampala, Uganda on Friday, Nov. 11. Immediately after the distribution it rained heavily. On the 13th, we did have a powerful baptism.

Robina's baptism at Lake Victoria

Though threaten by the rains here, it still happen! 51 people got baptized in total and out of this very number 18 were Manna beneficiaries. Even more cool about this is that one of the persons baptized is a lady whom you and Mama Pam shared the Gospel with in a bar in Angola. She was one of the few people that prayed to receive Christ that day. I remember us driving to this bar a few hours before you and Mama caught your flight to the states. Her names are Robina Nansamba. Going to that bar was worth it, because that’s how we were able to bring this precious soul to Jesus! Anyways, my eyes spotted her at the baptism, and behold I asked her to tell us her story and here is what she told me:

“My names are Nansamba Robina, a single mom with only one child, a boy. I was a wasted drunk but now I am saved and sober! I was a wasted life but now I celebrate life because of what Jesus did through you all. Today am being baptized. Its my very public witness that I am born again and a growing disciple of Jesus.
  
I would have NOT been here being happily saved and baptized if Muzee Jimmy and Mama Pam didn’t come to Mutos Bar. On the day they came, I was foolishly drunk and filthy! I had spent the morning on a deadly drinking spree. I would drink alcohol so as to get sleep. I was a very frustrated mother! The man who fathered my child ruined my life when he promised me a happy relationship that would lead to a happy marriage. I found out that he had three wives and that I was going to be a fourth wife. I tried to make it work, but it didn’t! When my son was two months old, he left me and the baby with no upkeep. So with these problems, I turned to alcohol and became a wasted drunk! In fact my mum would follow me into a bar and drag me home! She would first threaten the bar owner not to ever give or sell any alcohol to me again. On many occasions she threatened to call the police on them. My drunken status made me loose a lot of resources and relationships with family and friends.

Robina's happy after being baptized

I hated my life! But I didn’t know how to get out of the pit fall I was in. So when Muzee said that ”what you are looking for is not in that glass of alcohol, or that bottle of beer,” this truth donned on me and I asked them to pray for me to leave alcohol. But before they prayed, they shared with the Gospel of Jesus and I believed and prayed to receive Jesus. From that day I never remained the same! My neighbors recommended me into the Manna program of which I am a beneficiary! With the food I am saving shillings and working! I am also a member of the Angola house church. My mum is very happy with the decision I made to ask Jesus into my life for this changed my life! I never used to help out at home, now I do! Now I am a clean, saved, sober and lovable person! I started even to have men notice me. Some are asking for serious relationships but I am waiting on God!! I love this new life! It’s very peaceful!!”

   
I want to thank Mama Pam, Muzee, Manna staff and all who contribute shillings to make Manna happen. Thanks so much! Thanks for caring for us!

I want to humbly submit that every time compassion goes ahead of spoken words then its love and this leaves behind lives transformed! When we speak the Gospel in compassion, then every one we reached out to sees Jesus in us and they get saved!! Thats what happened with Robina when we stormed the bar in Angola. The compassion shown through Manna is an example of that big spoken word that helps our people understand that we love them, that we care for them and thats what God is about!
      
I want to thank you all for your involvement in spreading the Gospel. It is changing lives to the Glory of God!! Muzee thank you!! Mama Pam, thank you!! Thanks to your entire tribe at home!! Thanks to all in all!!
                
Yours and His,
Douglas

Now, I look forward to January 13, 2012 and boarding the plane for Kampala, Uganda.

Hello Jimmy. Sunday we traveled to Nakasongola Prison. We spent about 15 minuets with the new Officer in Charge – Jacob. He was glad we are doing Bible Way in the area. This is what he says in his own words,

“People in Nakasongola district are so much involved with superstition and witchcraft. Any bad happening they attribute it to witchcraft. If i was not a believer, I’d have already run away from this station. But thanks be to God that Bible Way is contributing greatly to the transformation of these inmates. The continuous teaching of God’s truths and counseling is evident in the changed lives among many inmates here. The fact that you give Biblical literature and the Bible itself is good to helping us in the process of rehabilitating these inmates.Thank you!”

 
Jimmy, we also met with the Welfare Officer of Nakasongola Prison. His name is Joseph Chandwong. He is very instrumental in coordinating Bible Way with the Prison. He has enrolled most of the Prison Staff and inmates in Bible Way. He puts completed exams from the inmates & staff in the taxi from the taxi park to Kampala and also picks them from the terminal and distributes them to the inmates. This is done voluntarily without any pay!  This is what he says,

Joseph Chandwong, Welfare Officer Nakasongola Prison

“I’m glad that Bible Way has facilitated rehabilitation of the inmates in the prison. Bible Way has done spiritual counseling. The inmates have come to know God and they are fully built spiritually. As a result, there is character transformation. Inmates have extended Bible Way to their families. They know they are loved.”

Deo, Joseph and Douglas traveled to Mid-Western and West Nile regions of Uganda last week to see the work that has sprung up from the work in Kampala. Another post is needed to share how the gospel travels from one place to another. I will save that for later. Amazing how God just keeps opening doors.

Finally we are back to Kampala for our normal schedules after our trip to Mid-Western and West Nile areas of Uganda. I personally was blessed and God opened my eyes for wider vision of reaching Uganda, Africa and the world at large!

Arua Leaders for IMFC's Work

We were able to reach West Nile and specifically Arua. I shared Christ and His grace to all mankind in the prison there and 192 people gave their lives to Christ. I did leadership training with Robert and Alfred. They were fired up for Jesus Christ and reaching their region for Christ. Did you know that there only 12 kilometers from Arua to Congo? I was also able to share the gospel in the bar with a gentleman who accepted the message at the Airstrip and as I was coming out of the Airstrip I shared the gospel with an Army officer who was muslim and he remained with the message of Christ.

Seven were baptized in Masindi

We headed for Masindi and when we reached at Karuma bridge we gave a lift to a Policeman called Peter. I shared with him the gospel and he gave his life to Christ. He opened for us a wide door to reach the Uganda Police with Gospel of Christ. Another open door! We came to Masindi and Baptized 7 people. I trained 4 men in Masindi to lead house churches and S.O.T. and cast the vision of reaching their region. We modeled for them how to start new house churches. The names of these men are Kenneth, Steven, Moses and Jeremiah.

We left for Kibale or Mid-Western Uganda and found Moses doing an incredible job in church planting movement. He has 6 house churches going! All involved are enrolled in Bible Way. We did training for the leaders and all are excited to reach their villages for Jesus.

We then came to Nakasongola prison and shared the gospel there. 23 men got saved and enrolled in Bible way.

I wish you were with us to witness what God is doing in Arua, Masindi, Kibale, Nakasongola and along the way as we traveled to reach these places. God was at work and He is still at work in people’s lives. This generation is for the World Changers in the name of Jesus Christ. Your prayers and support made this trip a success !!

Deo

Deo’s generation is gone from Naguru! Can a new generation of trained leaders carry on the work?

The answer is absolutely YES. We now have leaders like Smith, Peter, Moses, Lucy, and others who are actively involved in the trainings, house churches, Bible studies, Bible Way, and planting other house churches. It’s so incredible.

Last but not least , we have Abraham Asire who is now in Eastern Uganda in Kibuku district doing a great job there!

How did it start with him? We reached Naguru with the Gospel of Christ. In Naguru we reached Smith. Smith reached Moses. Moses reached Abraham Asire and now he is reaching and sharing the gospel with the people of Eastern Uganda. Great news!!!

Let us share the Good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. We will not know the fertile soil until we sow the seeds of His work.

-Deo Bamanya

Deo is IMFC’s church planter who worked in Naguru for eighteen months planting churches, discipling people through the Bible Way materials and training leaders. It is wonderful to hear from him that the people he has trained are now carrying on the work even though he has moved on to work the Kimombasa area! The new leaders, the next generation of leaders, have planted additional churches and the number of Bible Way students continue to grow. This continues to amaze me for I know what this area, Naguru, was like before IMFC begin work there. You know, I really should never underestimate the power of God!

But it also great to hear about Abraham Asire. He came to Christ in Naguru. He was discipled and trained in Naguru. Then he went back to his village and begin to do what he had been trained to do in Naguru! From day one this has been our goal and our prayer for the work in Kampala. We have always believed that all of Uganda could be evangelized from the slums in Kampala. To see it happening is awesome. To God be the glory. But it is only the beginning.

And again, I should never underestimate the power of the Lord! Never!

When you keep your promises, your word, your appointments, it’s amazing how many doors of opportunity open for you. I saw this first hand this week in Kampala. Douglas and I promised two young men (19 and 20 years of age) to be at their place at 9 o’clock Saturday morning to have Bible Study and meet their friends. At the appointed time they waited for us expectantly. But we almost failed to show and when we did, we were over an hour late. Not because we took the appointment lightly, we didn’t. Here’s the story

We arrived in Kampala at 2:00 am (that’s in the dark of night, early, early morning) after traveling over 24 hours through more time zones than I knew existed. We check in, get to bed and sleep maybe three hours. Then we are up to meet the IMFC staff and begin the week’s work.

We arrive at Kimombasa, divide into teams and begin to walk through the area sharing the gospel. About 1 and 1/2 hours later Doug and I meet Frank and Omar and begin to share. Frank is working washing clothes. Omar is getting ready to go to work selling sugar cane on the streets of Kampala. Frank informs us he is already a born-again Christian, Omar isn’t but wants to be. So we pray with Omar and he commits his life to Jesus! Next we set an appointment to bring Deo to meet them, give them the first of the Bible Way books, Who is Jesus, and introduce them to the house church concept. They are ready to begin and an appointment is set, Saturday morning 9:00.

The rest of the week is full and there is a schedule shift. In Sabena, the second area of work, the only time we can met men to share with is early morning and the weekend. So we plan to engage Sabena on Saturday morning with the full team.

When Saturday morning arrived, Douglas came to me, “We have an appointment back in Kimombasa. What do you think?” It is already 9:15. The team is ready to go to work in another area, but both Doug and I knew we had to go back to Kimombasa with Deo. We didn’t know if they would be there are not, but we had to go. We make the necessary changes with the team and headed out through massive traffic for Kimombasa.

We finally arrive at Kimombasa and proceed to get lost in the slum. Doug and I cannot find where we met the young men. It has been a long time since Monday morning and much has happened. It is 10:30 before we finally stumble upon the right place, and Frank and Omar are waiting for us with friends. They had been waiting since 9:00! Frank admitted to us that they had been disappointed thinking we had forgotten them.

There were five or six young men and one young lady that entered the Bible Way program Saturday morning. These young men have the potential to become leaders in this area. They are bright and excited about their walk with the Lord. They committed to meeting together on Sunday afternoons at 4:00 to study the scriptures together.

The Latest News on this New Church Start.
Deo meet with them on Sunday afternoon for the first time. Seven were present, all are actively working in their Bible Way books. They plan to meet each week. Pray for them and pray for Deo as he disciples them. It pays to keep promises!

An Unexpected Opportunity.
As we were leaving last Monday, one young man wanted us to follow him to his home to pray for his family. We discovered that his parents had died five months ago from the HIV virus and now he was the head of the house. He had three sisters and one younger brother living with him. An auntie had also come to stay with them. It was clear they were still grieving the lost of their parents. We shared and prayed with them and Deo set up a time to come and meet with them regularly to study the scriptures together. We almost missed this wonderful time of ministry to a family who really needed it. And the potential is here to start another Bible Study and small house church.

It pays to keep your word, your appointments, even if you are a little late!

On Sunday, August 15, Douglas and I traveled about two and a half hours north of Kampala to a district of Nakasongola where a prison facility housing about 450 inmates is located. Why? 47 inmates graduated with ‘Diploma’ Certificates from Bible Way! This means they successfully completed the ten courses we provide plus Spiritual Warfare: Who is Jesus, Basic Bible Teachings, God’s Wonderful Plan, Gospel of Mark part 1 and 2, Responsible Christian, Christian Marriage and Family Life, Life of Paul, Old Testament Prophets, Ten Rules for Living, as well as Spiritual Warfare. They completed these books in one year.

We also gave Bibles to students who were half way through the course having completed five Bible Way books and having memorized 60 Bible verses.

After this we shared Christ with all the inmates and the staff that were present. 87 of the inmates and staff prayed to receive Christ and were immediately enrolled to begin discipleship course, Who is Jesus. Among these was the Officer in Charge of the Prison Facility, Allan. The whole prison facility was on fire for God and Bible Way!

After graduating the students at Naksongola prison, Douglas and I, plus one friend who works with the prisons, drove for about 15 minutes to the army barracks. We reached the Quarter Guard at 4:00 PM and were stopped and interviewed for about 7 minutes. They retained my identification card (passport) and a lady army officer escorted us to our destination. I had never entered a military barracks before. I did not know what to do, but God knew.

It is incredible what we saw. Universe, our mobilizer at the army barracks had mobilized 30 army officers of different ranks, put them into his small house of 12 x 12 feet and was ready for us! ( If you have come to Kampala before, you could be familiar with the house church meeting).

Douglas shared a little bit and then I took them through Joshua 1: 1-9. After sharing, we gave out certificates to the 25 army officers who had completed the first course, Who is Jesus, and they asked if they could enroll their fellow officers into Bible Way. We left 40 new Who is Jesus books with them to enroll their fellow army officers.

So, now the gospel is shared even in the Ugandan military. Bible Way is launched, army officers are graduated, a house church is planted in the barracks, another stream of ministry is flowing, and above all God is glorified as the gospel is preached to the ends of the world!

I’m not aware of any evangelical group in Uganda that is reaching the military! God has opened wide that door! He continues to amaze us on how He does His things!

Joseph

As Joseph said we never expected to have a work in the Ugandan Military, but we do! We never planned to work in the prisons or schools either, but we do. God has carried this ministry far beyond our expectations, dreams or even prayers when we begin five years ago. It makes me wonder what’s next.

By the way, these military personal who are now in Christ and studying his word, they are scheduled to be deployed in Somalia. Now, you don’t think…

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…” – Ephesians 3:20

Many people from the western world say that if you want to hide knowledge from an African keep it in the script of a book. But our people here in Natete are now digging deep into the word of God. The results, the witchdoctors have no stake into their lives any more! People have changed lives now.

It was amazing to see people just go on the rampage with Bible Way books at the last food distribution in this area of Natete. Actually, that day almost became Bible Way day as many people asked the staff on how they could continue with the studies. Many of them also went about encouraging every neighbor to join Bible Way discipleship. I could see James mobbed up with women asking questions about how to get into the program!

Thanks to Benon and all our super staff and volunteer teams for breaking hard ground. It was not easy at the beginning in Natete, but we are blessed to see people crowd around to get involved even when it’s the last day of food distribution. -Douglas

On the last baptism that we had three of the participants were ladies, Muslims from Natete. Thank God too, I clocked the one hundredth person to do the Bible Way books. -Benon

Through the rains and floods, God has done a great work in Natete. Lives have been changed and saved, physically and spiritually. Six churches have been started since February. One hundred people have been enrolled in Bible Way and are working through the courses. Volunteers from the US have shared their lives with the people and ministered to them. Reading glasses were given out by a volunteer team from Life’s Journey Church in Alabama. Other NGO’s are interviewing the people we work with to teach them life skills or put their children through school. It has been an amazing six months. Again, God has positively changed many lives physically and spiritually forever. But more is to follow.

Beginning Friday, August 20, fifty different families will begin receiving food through Manna Ministry in a part of Natete we have not worked in. Here is a video I shot in this section of Natete. Some of the homes in this video may house the next food recipients.

Please be in pray for this work. This is a very, very needy area. These are neglected people. Their own government sees them as a nuisance. But they are extremely precious to the Lord. Pray that the Lord will change hundreds of lives in Natete during the next six months.

Don’t you just love it when a vision and plan come together. Check this out.

Hello Jimmy, greetings once again in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Back here we are doing well and our schedules are just crazy in planting house churches and evangelism.

Yesterday, Douglas and I went with a man called Emma and launched Bible Way in his village, Gayaza (about one hour north of Kampala). Here is how the whole story began with His-story (Jesus) .

You remember how you and me launched Bible Way in Naguru. We met Akankwasa Birungi in Naguru. We shared the gospel with her and she later enrolled in Bible Way and started doing the Who Is Jesus book.

Akankwasa gave her life to Christ and shared with her fellow tenants. The tenants gave their lives to Christ.

After 2 months in Naguru, Ankanwasa met the man called Emma. He was very excited at Bible Way materials and enrolled in Bible way. He did the book, Who is Jesus, and gave his life to Jesus Christ. He was very excited and loved the program so much that he welcomed us to his village in Gayaza. We launched Bible way there and now the community has 70 people doing Bible Way and we are starting house churches among them.

Prayers and partnerships have driven us to reach that great success in Naguru and now in Gayaza

Doors here in the slums, prisons, army barracks, schools, and upcountry villages are wide open for evangelism and Bible Way. Pray that God will meet this good crisis and challenge.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Thanks,
Deo

Our vision at IMFC has always been to facilitate church planting movements through meeting physical and spiritual needs. This story of Emma, Naguru slum in Kampala, and the village Gayaza is the realization of this vision!

Note: 70 people are now coming to faith in Jesus Christ and learning about HIM in Gayaza! They are not in Kampala. They have not received food or other aid from us. They have not been visited by a missionary or volunteer team from the US. They have responded to the witness of one of their own. This is want we pray for.

We know that we can reach all of Uganda from Kampala. The hundreds of thousands of people living in poverty in the slums of Kampala come from villages all across Uganda. If we can reach them with the gospel and teach them a simple, organic church model that they can take back to their villages, they will.

Pray that we will see more and more of this movement of the gospel take place.

His name is Universe Nabber. He has the Army rank of Corporal. He was accused of misusing fuel (gas) and sent to Nakasongola Prison.

On August 16, 2009 (one year ago) while in Nakasongola Prison where he was remanded pending the investigation of his case, Universe enrolled in Bible Way’s first course – Who Is Jesus. His Bible Way Student # is 59937.

After discovering the truth about who Jesus is, Universe prayed to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord of his life! One month later, Universe was set free and declared innocent by the courts of law.

In October 2009, Universe traveled all the way from Nakasongola to our office (a four hour trip) to meet us and deliver his course which he had completed from Bible Way. He also wanted to enroll his wife in Bible Way and get the Who Is Jesus course for her!

So what has happened to Universe? He has continued in the faith and is now teaching others!

For the last three months, Universe has been pestering me to launch Bible Way in the Army Barracks in Naksongola where he is serving, but we could not because our printing budget was very limited. So, we could not engage the whole barracks, but we did send 25 books to him. Today 25 army officers are enrolled and are studying the first course Who is Jesus.

On August 15, I’m traveling to launch Bible Way work at the Army Barracks there! Pray with us. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!

Is Universe’s story familiar to many of us? How often have we taken the good news to our work places, families, friends to mention but a few?

Thank you, for your continued support that is enabling us take the good news to the unreached in the prisons.

God Bless and honor your efforts.

Joseph.

Houston we have a problem! A good problem, but still a problem. The demand for the Bible Way books is for exceeding our ability to print them. Almost 2000 books are being given out each month. In July alone, 600 people begin studying the Who Is Jesus book. Most of these have either already committed their lives to Jesus Christ or will.

What’s the result? No available books! At the end of July we had copies of only 3 of the 10 books for August! We had no copies of 7 books. They were gone.

So, I spoken with the board and we have sent the funds to print 7000 English books this month in addition to what we normally print.

I need you to pray with me for this. These little books are being used by God to change lives. The story of Universe above is not the unusual story. The slums, prisons and schools are filled with stories like this. Pray that the Lord will enable us to continue to meet this demand. I see no end in this growth. The harvest abundant!

Thanks for your prays and gifts that enabled us to send the extra funds to do the needed printing.

To God Be The Glory!

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!