TheJourney in Africa

It’s one of my favourite things in Africa. Greeting and meeting. Meeting friends and family at the Entebbe (Uganda) airport.  We live about 5 km from the terminal and love meeting folks and family there. They say that Henry Morton Stanley struggled on what he would say when (and if) he found David Livingstone.  Legend records it as, “Dr. Livingstone, …

These are snippets of our work and life in Africa.

We’re sharing information on our country of South Sudan. Although we live in Entebbe, Uganda, South Sudan is our assigned country.  We were due to move there next month, but the current fighting has put that on hold. We are truly heartbroken at what is happening with the country but still desperately in love with the people there.   We’re …

Heartbroken    This week we our blogging will consist of putting faces on the chaos going on in South Sudan. You’ve heard the stats: at least 1000 dead . . . 150,000 displaced.  Numbers don’t move us like faces and stories. This week you’ll be meeting Simon and Rachel, Pastor John, Two Teachers, a family separated at the Nile and …

       In the coming days, we’ll be updating this Prayer Post for South Sudan. This will allow you to be praying for peace and stability.     Heartbroken  Thursday, Dec. 26 Read a simple but accurate report on the South Sudan Crisis. Christmas Day  25 December 2013 Today’s verse to pray over South Sudan (SS):   Psalm 46 …

Standing Your Ground . . . without Driving Yourself (and everyone else ) Crazy.   “But Eleazar stood his ground . . .” II Samuel 23:10 A key to a joyful  life is knowing when to stand your ground versus saying, “It’s no big deal.” Kampala, Uganda is on edge. The U.S. government shared a warning of an impending “Westgate-style” …

  This blog post will be updated throughout the week. Stay tuned.  You can also follow our recent journey at our Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest pages:  <curtiles> It’s a word I love:   Journey.   It can be a trip of a thousand miles.  Or in the last two weeks, 2000 km.  That’s a journey. Or a journey can be the distant from …

6 Words that keep my feet on the ground . . . and my grip tight. MY CURRENT words are  1.   My Jesus-Walk 2.   Living Gratefully 3.   Learning Passionately 4.   Connecting! 5/6.  Impact and Influence.    I’ve developed the habit of using 6 words to help focus my life. Africa is no different than America.  There are so many things that can divert our …

How is the grass on your path?   But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private . . . -Jesus  in Matthew 6:6   When an African becomes a Jesus-Follower*, he is taught the importance of having a private place to pray.  They will find a location in …

If you’d like to subscribe to our blog, click here.  The Dinka are best known for their great love of their cattle. We’re looking for some Southern Jesus-loving Cattlemen to come over and share the Gospel with them!   How you can pray this week. I will be travelling with four young men who are moving up into South Sudan …

In our latest Open Hands Africa newsletter, I quote my favorite poem from my best-loved American poet, Robert Frost. I’ll feature it on a future blog as well as my second best-loved poet.  You’ll be surprised. Reminder: Don’t go into the Bush without your light, batteries, and battery-operated fan! Packing Light   “Don’t get on the plane with any regrets.” – …

Tuesday’s Blog:  Remembering and Forgetting     It’s a face only a mother could love. They usually describe Jackson’s Hartebeest as “horse-faced.” That’s not a compliment where I come from. But it’s the most memorable of all of the animals we saw. On our recent game park visit, we saw thousands of animals in western Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park. …

Ground Truthing and Eternity-shaping Decisions   It’s the most difficult par of our job as an Engagement* Team for South Sudan. Which tribes/people groups are truly Unreached?   Whom do we seek to reach first?   What church(s) in America or Africa will commit to stand in the gap for the Unreached Group. Eternal decisions hang in the balance.  Deciding …

“Living in fear is just another way Of dying before your time.” -“Shut Up and Get On the Plane.” Drive By Truckers song   I first read the following short story as a teen. It’s still a favorite and very pertinent for the unrest going on in Africa. I’ve added a few comments afterwards. The Appointment in Samarra Years ago …