Pray BFF Letter #188
March - April (Final report)
STM11 Field Updates
Dear Prayer Partners,
It is just under two weeks until I leave for Uganda and Ethiopia. We are thankful for your faithful prayer support. Spiritual warfare is real.
March 25th in Uganda
Greetings in the Lord!
Safely reached Uganda! Speak on radio tomorrow night, church on Sunday before starting seminar each day next week.
Thank the Lord for safety.
March 28th in Uganda
Greetings from Uganda!
I am doing well. I have adjusted to jet lag better than usual and feel good. Weather is cool from the rain clouds about.
Already I have spoken twice on radio, at a church dedication and three times for the seminar today. I am tired but trying to update you before I go back and rest and prepare for tomorrow's four messages.
The messages have been well received but facing challenges on several fronts.
Two loads of pastors/leaders coming were delayed first by one taxi-van (crammed full of people) broke down. Both stopped. But then it appears later after they got on the way, they were stopped by police coming into the city because they had too many people on the van. Pray for resolve. Someone has to travel several hours to try to straighten it all out (it no doubt will require money).
Inflation has hit prices hard in the last weeks as well as the last days. They are trying to keep the prices down by buying corn maize direct from farmer and grinding it. Pray that financially all works well. My hope is to make sure there is no deficit.
March 29th in Uganda
Wow! Big development here and need your prayers.
First let me clarify what happened yesterday.
Our pastors squished into those two vans to travel to the seminar here, 32 in number I believe. They were caught and put in jail. The problem was not the inspection of the vehicle but that the vehicles (Taxis) were registered with the opposition party. The police thought that these pastors going through the main city to get here were part of a plot to cause an upheaval in the government. Things are very sensitive here in North Africa. Uganda had an election not long ago. I thought things were settled but not quite yet.
Finally, they allowed the pastors to go home but did not allow them to attend the seminar. We will keep asking the Lord for insight why He allowed them to miss the seminar and be mistaken for instigators. It must have been an interesting job for those keeping 32 pastors in jail overnight. They were released today. Thanks for your prayers. Meanwhile our numbers are low here but having a great time in the Lord.
Tomorrow is the last day for the seminar here. Thursday starts the next seminar. Pray that couples can attend. It is easy to have troubles with things happening to family members.
Pray for Pastor Mubiru. He came back late last night and today his first convert which is the chief administrator here died. He had been sick.
An interesting note, a sister who helped lead music that the dedication and in charge of the kitchen for the retreat gave birth last night to a little girl. She was back in the kitchen today. Pray for her!
April 4th in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
We greatly need your constant prayer requests. Uganda ministry was tough in many ways. No time to write now as the internet shop was closed and borrowing a computer for a brief update.
I am doing well, however. Learning much about the Ethiopian church. People are so nice here in this capital. I have needed their help many times already such as missing the person to pick me up at the airport!
The seminar here has had a tremendous start. This is the first seminar that the people were there before I was. usually I am one of the first and need to fight discouragement (like in Uganda). They are 60 strong and fill up our nice training room. But they are so attentive. Two more days of teaching. One day of touring and back home.
Do keep praying for my family. All is well but we want to stay on top of our toes!
April 9th in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
I have arrived safely home yesterday. Feeling well though still working through jetlag.
Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support.
We will send out an update of the whole trip next week. Meanwhile, let me briefly say that the seminar in Ethiopia went very well.
God was specially working on the hearts of His leaders there.
I only had a queasy stomach from trying out their specially made Teff grain fermented bread. Health was good.
The weather during the whole trip was very pleasant and not hot. Cool at times in Addis Ababa.
More funding has come in to fully support the trip.
Now I need to get back to straightening out the many things to do.
In God's Love, Paul
Paul J. Bucknell/BFF
3276 Bainton St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
pb@foundationsforfreedom.net
BFF Prayer Letter Archives
Subscribe or unsubscribe to BFF mail listings