"To each his own"

That's right! Want to gain some weight? Especially around the hips? I don't think you will find this advert many other places in the world, but here in Uganda people actually want to make their hips bigger. I remember once when a couple was getting married in our church. The girl was tall and slender. Her relatives didn't approve of her getting married so thin. What did they do? They told her cousin to "fatten her up". I am telling the truth!!! Needless to say these days the girl has met the expectations of her family and is now nice and uhhhh (what's the word to be politically correct?) big.

Teen Challenge Uganda

A few weeks ago we had tremendous time with two brothers from Teen Challenge in the States, Bernie Gillot and Mike Zello. They came here to Uganda to help us transition our Recovery Home into an official Teen Challenge. Though we still have few things to iron out – it looks like we will be called Teen Challenge Uganda in a few months. We are looking forward to the relationship we have begun and are believing God for greater things in the future in helping us reach the hurting in our city.

We visited High Schools, slums, churches as well as did numerous Television interviews for a great time of impact. Bernie is an accomplished singer/song writer who raps, plays the guitar and keyboard – almost all at the same time. Mike Zello the Africa Director for Teen Challenge who has one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard. We thank the Lord for sending them to us at this time.

New Church Web Site and CD

We have a new church website that you can log into at http://www.vccntinda.org/.

We have also published our first 5 song CD entitled "Forevermore". You can download the songs for free from the website. We wrote and produced all the songs ourselves. They are birthed out of our love and devotion to the loveliness and beauty of Jesus. Listen and let us know what your think.

Doing the hard things

My wife and I recently decided to stop in and check out this "Health Club" as it is called. It's quite close to our church and home and so we thought it might be a convenient place for us to "work out". We stepped inside and looked around and then we were taken on tour. We first went to the left which led us into a room where there was a lounge and you could watch television get a facial or a massage. Then we were shown the Sauna and the Steam rooms. Then we were led around the corner to outdoor lounging area and then our final destination was a fully stocked bar (not a juice bar - but a fully stocked alcoholic bar). At that point our tour guide informed us that our tour was over. We asked "and where are the weights and the aerobic machines, you know the treadmills, bikes and fitness equipment?” The lady said "Oh, they are coming" well I lived here long enough to know that this was probably not the case by the way she answered us. She told us they were going to be put in upstairs, but I have since noticed a sign advertising for a hair saloon in that place.

If we are not careful our Christian walk can be like this. Our Christian experience can be reduced to: church attendance, cell group, tithe and a daily devotional. It becomes a Christian club with very little discipline involved. We are saved, yes - but are we "working out" our salvation with fear and trembling as the word tells us in Philippians 2:12 .

I recently bumped into a website called "do hard things" it is a website put up by two of Josh Harris (the writer of "Why I kissed dating goodbye") brothers. The website is for young people and it challenges them to do something with their lives and not settle for being an iPod professional. They are convinced that many young people (and their parents) have bought into a lie – which says - life is about them and their comfort. They have written a book by the same title that I have not read but I am intrigued by the subject. Some people would say that we are doing “a hard thing” by living in Uganda. But I know the reality of what my life is challenged by and what has simply become “everyday life”. A few days ago, in our family devotion time I challenged our 5 year old son to take a cold shower. Why? He asked. I told him because someday you may go to the village where they don’t have hot water and because you’re not used to cold water you will complain and end up seeming “rude”. He understood the logic and agreed it would be helpful to take the cold shower once in a while. Maybe your thinking that I am tough…he is only five. Let me assure you ….it’s only water and it’s really not that cold.

Do you need to take a cold shower? I know I do, otherwise I too - will complain and seem rude when I challenged with small and minor things.

Passion Uganda

The Passion Youth Movement came to Uganda at the end of May for two days of outreach ministry to University students. They had about 25,000 students attend the meetings. Worship leaders Chris Tomlin (Best known for his song -How great is our God) and Matt Redman (Blessed be your name/Heart of Worship) were here along with the speakers Louie Giglio and Francis Chan. It was a great event for our city and for the students - the message was clear "God has great things for Kampala as we yield ourselves to Him - He alone is to be exhalted"

Chicken anyone?

I know it's kinda hard to see what is wraped around this scooter but these are actually chickens. I have tried to count them and it seems there are around 15 of them. They are not dead but alive and clucking. You might be asking why would someone be transporting chickens in such a manner? You see it's cheaper this way. The cost of hiring this boda boda man (that is what they call these guys who drive scooters for hire) is about 1/4 the price of hiring a truck to do the job.
Some may call this cruelty to animals - but when your headed to the slaughter house, even driving in a limo won't do you a lot of good.

Reversing roles

We live in world where more and more people are changing roles. In some families the head of the home is no longer the husband it’s the wife - who wears the pants. In some work places it’s the employees that tell the boss what to do. In some homes it’s the children that tell the parents what to do. And believe it or not - some people today are the ones directing God around and telling Him what to do. It reminds me of a time where I reversed roles with a policeman here. I was traveling back home with a church member and forgot to put on my seat belt. The police man pulled me over and explained to me my "offense" upon when he asked for a bribe. I refused and then he asked me if "I wanted to get right of get left?" I told him I didn't understand what he was saying. He then tells me that we will need to go to the police station to sort the matter out (I know this game they play and he did not want to go the station it was his way threatening me). So he gets in the car (that's the way we do it here, they usually don't have a car [this guy in picture above is the exception]- so they get into yours and you drive them and yourself to the station) but now I can smell alcohol on his breath (and now understand why he would ask such a stupid question as whether I wanted to get right or get left). He says lets go to the station and I say "sounds like a great idea because you not only tried to bribe me but your obviously drunk and I am sure your boss would like to know these things". He quickly changes his mind and wants out of the car – I refuse – At that point – we reverse roles. I am now taking the police man to the police station. I tell him I am taking him to the police station to turn him in. He then tells me several times that I am abducting him. We proceed to the police station and explain the situation to the Officer In Charge and tell him what happened. Of course at this point the police don’t know what to do. I have now become the prosecutor – they are dumbfounded and want me to drop the whole thing – which I don’t feel comfortable about. In the midst of the whole – the drunk and disorderly police man some how sneaks out and runs away like scared cat. By the time I realize what has happened – he is gone and so I decide to drop the whole thing and go home. Yes, a humorous but true story. As funny as it may sound I wonder how many times we also trade roles with God and begin to tell how we would like Him to fit into our plans. I really don't want to be a police man, I have enough things going on as Pastor. In Uganda we may not be able to trust the police - but we can trust God. He is not going to let us down - he doesn't need us to do His job for Him. Let's let Him be God and let's let us be us.

Prayer Requests

It's always good to pray for each other. Pray for us as we pray for you.

1) Uganda is much more violent and hostile than it once was. Though we don't feel threatened or at risk - pray for God's protection over us.

2) The nation has seen food prices almost double in the last six months. Pray for Uganda and for the people. Pray that God will strengthen their hearts during this time of testing.

3) We are also feeling the effects of the current economic situation. Keep us also in your prayers.

4) Pray for God's wisdom as we minster in a nation and on a continent that is sometimes hard to understand in terms of spirituality. People are open to listen, but discipling (commitment) is a huge challenge here.

5) Pray for us as parents. Raising children as MK's (missionary kids) needs great wisdom and insight.

Thank you so much for praying. It means a lot to us.

God bless you. The Woodsons

Give Him praise!

This guy is imagining he has a microphone. You think I am making a joke - but I am not - he is singing into his hand, leading in praise songs.

The lesson here is - "If your voice is loud enough - no one knows the difference" or is it "make a joyful noise unto the Lord".... - I will take the latter.

So sing unto the Lord - even if you don't have a mic - the idea is to sing praise to God.

Go ahead just try it. Hold your fist up to your mouth and sing. That's it "Holy Holy Holy - God of power and might....."

Whatever is going on in your life today - praise Him in the midst of it and may He be gloried.

God bless you!!!

Pray for us!

I pulled this out of our local paper here in Kampala. As I am sure you know by now that we are headed into a world wide financial crisis. Experts tell us that it is going to hit us the hardest in the Third World. People living in the first world usually have a "cushion" on their income so when recession comes they still have some room before it affects them in places like "not eating as much" because the economy is not good. But for the average person around the World that is exactly what is happening. One Indian man in Uttar Pradesh (India) said this "We had to stop eating lunch. And we had to completely stop drinking milk,". Here in Uganda things are not too bad.....yet, but food prices are rising so fast - I am concerned for the future. Rice has gone up about 40% in the last six weeks. Every week the prices seem to be going up on everything. Our meat is being (especially fish) exported all over the world to China, Europe and other African countries, plus surging gas prices and the construction boom around the world (India and China) is making life more difficult for us here.

We are praying and meditating on the promises of God. Last week I preached on the subject of God hiding a blessing for us in this time of economic testing. I used the illustration of Joesph being hidden in Egypt during the time of famine. Joesph had access to all the food in the land. But His family did know he was a alive. When they went to Egypt looking for food - they found a man (Joseph) that said he could help them - but he wanted to see their younger brother (Benjamin). Benjamin had not gone with his brothers to Egypt for their father (Jacob) feared he might lose him, as was the case with his son Joseph. So when his sons returned home to their father and said the man in Egypt want to see Benjamin - Jacob cried.

"You're taking everything I've got! Joseph's gone, Simeon's gone, and now you want to take Benjamin. If you have your way, I'll be left with nothing." Genesis 42:36 (MSG).

But if Jacob did not release Benjamin he would never see Jacob. The bible says - Jacobs whole life was bound up in his son.

And now when I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, since his life is bound up in his life, it shall be, when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Genesis 44:30,31

Joesph was still alive - but as long as Jacob held on to Benjamin he would never know God's provision. He had to let go.

God had hidden Joseph until the famine. It was God’s plan to reveal him in the time of the famine – because God knew that is when they would need him the most.

What we have done on our end, is to encourage our people to give and be generous during this time. We are taking up special offerings to provide food for those who will need it in the coming months.

As I close I feel impressed to encourage you with this: Don't hold on to your "Benjamin" - God has had Joseph hidden for a reason, and I believe He is saying "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord,…. Jeremiah 29:13,14

- God will not do your part (the seeking) as you can not hurry Him to do His part. His timing is perfect. Let go of Benjamin and let God reveal Joseph.

God Bless you.