Dear Friends

Thank you for praying.

Perhaps by now you will have gathered that the background to this trip was very challenging. We had rightly been very concerned for Elaine’s dad but Friday, before flying on Tuesday, brought the news that my dad was in hospital, sedated and on a life support machine. On Saturday, we became aware he could be brain-damaged, then Monday the decision to turn off machines and wait for him to die was made. Tuesday he died. I felt strongly that I should still go to Africa and was supported by the family and friends. However when the afternoon came, clearly it was very difficult. We flew to Nairobi, then to Entebbe and drove to Biseruka. We arrived about 5pm & soon were in a meeting. Over 400 gathered in this very remote place and the first night 4 people professed salvation. Praise the Lord!

The people were wonderfully supportive and very attentive to the teaching. They speak more than one language so I spoke in English with a main interpreter, then others interpreted to a friend or a little group. It was good to see two people from Congo who crossed the lake to be with us. The next day saw more teaching and another 3 professed faith in Christ. A brother called Pastor Eddie was my interpreter & he looked after us very well. Thursday, while driving from Hoima, where we stayed, to Biseruka I was disturbed by a chicken in a plastic bag being suppressed by Eddie. This was dinner!

Demon possession is not uncommon in these parts, and it was encouraging to see one woman delivered through the power of Jesus. She had been sent to a witch doctor by a non-Christian husband with very disturbing results. We met over 50 pastors and it was agreed a regular monthly Bible Study would be sent through Eddy. We travelled back to Kampala for the evening with Peter and Rose, having delivered more TV programmes to Lighthouse TV. We had good fellowship with Peter on Saturday, then flew to Nairobi where we enjoyed fellowship with Bishop Stephen and his wife Susan.

Sunday I preached in a new plant of Stephen’s which had grown to 200 people while David went to Kawangare with our brother Silas. In the afternoon we finalised arrangements for the East Africa conference & Sammy at the YMCA was very helpful. The evening saw us in Mathare, a very poor area and about 30 pastors crammed into a small room for teaching. They had waited 2 hours for us but were very receptive. I shared about Jesus, unafraid to take tough decisions but also full of compassion. The Nairobi Pastors’ time went well with over 40 pastors attending. Nairobi is a big city and it remains a challenge to gather pastors in Buru Buru because for some it is a long way to travel. However Stephen looks after us very well and the cost of renting halls and caterers in the city centre at the moment is prohibitive.

Please pray for the committee; Maurice is a teacher but teachers are on strike because they have not been paid. Christopher, John and Silas are all without jobs, we need to see them employed so that they can support their families. Their churches are not able to do this. News had reached me that my father’s funeral was Friday and at no extra cost I was able to get a seat on a flight Wednesday evening. Wonderfully the brothers from Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda all arrived early. I was able to close the Nairobi Pastors at lunchtime and begin the East Africa conference at 2.30pm. It was a real joy to see them. They prayed with real love for me and took fully on board the vision of working together to see the church built in East Africa. We truly praise God for all He has done over these last 8 years and look forward to seeing conferences like this annually. The Lord provided through his people and we were also able to give the 24 delegates 3 books each, pay their travel costs and their accommodation. Thank you and praise the Lord !

God strengthened me to preach at my father’s funeral and two of the boys to sing. I began this letter reporting on my dad’s death. On October 17th Elaine’s dad returned to the hospice and he died October 19th at 12.30am.His funeral takes place 2pm Friday Oct 25th. We did have the opportunity to share the gospel with both dads and we leave them in the Lord’s hands.We have been greatly encouraged by those of you who have walked this path and thank all of you for your prayers.

We had a good prayer time for the nations on October 19 and God has greatly helped us to press on with His work. TUESDAY OCTOBER 29 we have a LIVING HOPE evening 7.45pm Lancing Tab, where David Eaton and I will report on the trip and we will pray for the Romania trip and outline next year’s programme.

Thank you again for standing with us at this difficult time, please remember both our mums.

God bless you.