Katogwe Children's Crusade

The travel to Katogwe made for a very long day.  The distance isn’t really that far but the roads are rough and the traveling is slow.

Denver did an excellent job his first time driving here in Uganda but I could tell he was exhausted by the time we finally reached Pastor Valentine, Eunice, and the children that they care for.  As we approached their home (orphanage) the road and drive filled with children with shouts of cheer.  They had been anticipating our arrival all day and welcomed us with such love, that we all had renewed energy for the day and for the children’s crusade that would begin the next morning. We too shared in their joy of seeing each other again and seeing all that God had done for them in the time since we left them last February. 

We welcomed the newest member to the family, baby Denver.  What a smiley boy he is.  

We also got to see with our own eyes the miracle that God had done in little Tenders arm.  She is their youngest daughter who last year had fallen in a fire before we had arrived.  She was unable to even straighten her arm from the severity of the burn and the pigment was gone off most of it.  We had prayed for her while we were there and the very next day she was able to move it freely.  After leaving we heard the how God had completely healed her.  Glory to God!!!!!

The arm and face last year

Completely healed

Our Uganda team traveled with us, as well as three additional members 

that would be with us just during our time in Katogwe to help with the children’s crusade there. What an amazing team they are and we are so blessed to have them with us. 

We began the morning with worship and a message from Denver. Then we divided the children (about 250 in all) into four different groups based on their age and the team took them to the open field across the road and taught them bible verses, songs, dances, and skits.  

Each member of our team was responsible for determining what they would teach their age group.  After a couple hours we took a break for lunch and then in the evening when the sun was not as hot, we returned to the field for some games.  Although, during the break, the children continued to gather in the church and worshiped for about 3 hours until it was game times.

Our Uganda team brought so much joy to this little village in this three day crusade. We learned through Pastor Eunice that this was the first ever children’s crusade in their area. 

On the final day we had a special service to present to the parents what each of the children had learned.  The children were so proud of what they had learned and the parents had so much excitement as they listen to their children.  After the youngest group presented their verses and songs, on of the little boys asked “would you like to be saved”. 

Praise the Lord for the faith of a child!!!

 

Our days here in Uganda are often long and our words to express what the Lord is doing often fall short of the true experience for lack of time to write and words to express.  I wanted to be able to express just how blessed we were, the children where, and the pastor and his wife and the parents and this small village of Katogwe, but I find so much lacking in my expression of it to you.

Really what I can tell you is this: come and experience this for yourself.

Join us as we fellowship with the people here; dance with them, sing with them, laugh with them, and love with them.  Your life will never again be the same.

We live by faith

For we live by faith, not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

Hallelujah!!!

Praise God for our new vehicle to transport us and our team throughout Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda and wherever the Lord leads.  

Now we drive in faith.

Last year Denver did some driving in Rwanda but they drive on the right side of the road so this was his first time driving on the left.  I am actually very impressed with how the driving has gone.   

On Thursday we begin a new adventure as we drive to Katogwe with our Ugandan team.  Although we were there last year, none of us knows how to get there.  Our driver from last year is not able to travel with us because one of the girls at the orphanage (Best) has had two surgeries and will begin chemo treatment for cancer.  Our driver from last year will be driving her back and fourth to the hospital and so he is not able to go.  There are no road signs on where to turn.  Just lots of dirt roads, so we drive by faith and I’m sure the Holy Spirit will take us to where we need to go.

We have completed our time at Mukono and are excited for the great work that the Lord is doing there.  They now own about 25 of their own chairs and have begun construction on the church.  Praise the Lord. 

It was such a blessing to do the second annual soccer tournament as well as the second annual Believers Conference. We were also blessed with all of the testimonies from last year’s conference.  Our ministry travels to many locations in Africa and are only at each location for a short time so we leave in faith of the seeds that have been planted.  We heard testimonies of healings and several testimonies to how the word they received last year has changed lives.  It is amazing to hear them give specific details about what last years messages.    

The people in Mukono have become our family and it is always difficult to say goodbye but we leave in confidence that God will continue the work that He has started in them.  Now we prepare for travel to Katogwe and to see Pastor Valentine, Eunice, the 25 children that they care for, and baby Denver.  While we are there, we will be doing a village wide children’s crusade for about 250 children.  We will share a message with the children and then the children will be divided up into age groups where our team will teach them bible verses, songs, and dance.  We will feed them lunch and then spend the next couple hours playing games with them.  On Sunday, the children will present to their family some of what they have learned. 

Thank you to those who have partnered with us, both financially and in prayer.  You go where we go and are apart of everything that we do.

If you would like to donate toward the cost of feeding the children or feeding pastors during pastors training conferences, you can make a donation using paypal to the right.  We are an official 501(c)(3).

It is a FREE gift

The Lord blessed our ministry with several boxes of hoodies.  Although we were very excited for this blessing, we really didn't know what we were going to do with them.  Denver and I prayed about it and felt that we were suppose to drive the truck full of blessings from Alaska to New York.  Our focus was on the next five months of mission in Africa, but it seamed that God had another mission planned for us before we would leave.

We gave the hoodies out all along the way and then spent two days in the streets of New York, with our team here, ministering to people and giving them this free gift.  My friends, I really never could fully describe to you how much this touched all of our lives.  There is a story behind ever hoodie that was given, but it wasn't about the warmth that the hoodies would provide, it was about God’s love and the free gift.

Every person that we pass has story if we’ll take the time to listen:
“my mom abandoned me. I believe in God but I can’t forgive her”
“I’m just cold and hungry”

“I’m just so lonely”
“just earlier today someone was witnessing to me at Tim Horton’s”
“I just want to get through the holidays.  It’s a difficult time of the year because it’s when my 4 year old died”

“I believe in Jesus but Christians don’t love each other”

“I am Christian but the churches don’t allow someone like me to come to church”
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe someone would just give me something for free”
“I was a heroine addict, and just got out of rehab last week.  I’m living at the homeless shelter and I’m trying but it’s really hard”

but some said “no thank you and walked away” and one lady quickly darted across the street to avoid us all together. 

As we listened to the stories of those God led us to and we shared with them this free gift, we told them about Jesus and His love and that it is a gift of God, not of their own works.  Just like the hoodie, they did not have to do anything to earn it but just to believe and to receive what is freely given.  You have to receive the gift however.  We didn't make anyone take a hoodie.  It was there for them if they would receive it but they could choose not to receive. 

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9

Many people are still trying to earn what God has freely given them.  Nothing you do can earn it, but if you will receive it, He freely gives it to you through faith.

We don’t go Africa because we are earning anything from God and our team didn't give out hoodies because we were earning anything.  We do it because Jesus said to go into all the world and because “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given us” – Romans 5:5

Jesus always had compassion on the people, but He didn't just “have” compassion, He was moved by compassion.   An action always followed compassion: feeding the hungry, healing all who were sick or oppressed of the devil. 

Are you moved by compassion?

Our New York team

Happy New Year 2015!

Happy New Year 2015!

Today is the first Day of a brand new year.  Happy New Year to You!

As we bring to remembrance why we should celebrate such a day as this, Stacey & I would like to give an update of the progression of  Loving The Majesty Ministries  ” Africa 2015 Mission” .

We pray our story will inspire you to look forward to 2015 in Hope and Joy.

It is our desire to cause you to Dance with Your Bridegroom Jesus in great delight of His love for you in 2015. Such intimate LOVE that squeezes you into the closeness of Himself so there is no separation of distance or status of class of being between us and HIM …in fact this is what the word “TOGETHER” means in Greek language as used in the book of Ephesians chapter 2:6 in the phrase raised us up “together” and made us sit “together “ In The anointed Jesus . We are the Body of Jesus Here on this earth –even married to Him in covenant relationship that HE nourishes us and cherishes us as members of HIS own Body, of His own Flesh and of His own Bones!

 Stacey & I left home from Healy, Alaska on Dec 16^th, 2014 driving enroute to Phillipsport, New York to prepare for our upcoming flight that departs Jan 7^th 2015 out of JFK to Entebbe, Uganda.

The plan during this 14 day, 4862 mile (7080 kilometer) drive, was to minister to people on the streets and along the route both in convenience stores and gas stations and on the side of the road by sharing the love of Jesus and giving the extra sweat shirts that overflow from the allowable Baggage by the airlines that were donated to Loving the Majesty Ministries.

On the day of departure the Miracles began to manifest in timing. We received the IRS Tax Exempt Status of a 501(c)(3) public Charity.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we rejoiced celebrating the remembrance of the Virgin Birth of our Messiah Jesus with Josiah, one of our sons, Elizabeth our daughter in law and Silas one of our 5 grandsons.  Celebrating Christmas with some family was a bonus to the many miles spent in prayer and listening to ministering CDS and Music as we drove along.

Stacey & I began to memorize Psalm 91 together for meditation, and spoke in two churches- City Center View in Edmonton, and Clare Church of the Nazarene in Clare Michigan, which the Lord opened as doors for us to touch people’s lives and to raise support for the work of this year’s NEW venture in our lives.

  

SO what does this all have to do with New Year and the reason to celebrate it with Joy and Hope?

As we met so many people along way this last two weeks one thing stood out clearly- People want to be loved! No matter what baggage and hurt they carry or trouble they have walked thru or are seemingly in at the present, everyone is just a few words of encouragement from gaining the strength to Stand up and Live again.

In fact 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 says that if any Person is IN CHIRST (the anointed Messiah) Jesus,

OLD THINGS- ARE- PASSED AWAY and “ALL THINGS” are MADE NEW…just like the dates on the calendar at the turn of a new year.  God has already reconciled us to HIMSELF in Jesus Death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

It is clear that God – verse 19 says is not holding our former sins against us anymore….this means SIN in and of itself is not against us anymore. Do not misread this in the English and interpret it to mean only the sin that you committed to date. It does not in any way imply such thing. Jesus DIED ONCE FOR ALL people and fro ALL time to take away the Sin of the WORLD.  Jesus carried those sins and paid the price for them in Hades for you suffering on your behalf so you do not have to carry them or suffer from them.

I understand – it may not “feel like that could possibly be the truth. It is, however, TRUTH  established for ALL TIME AND ETERNITY THAT THE BLOOD OF CHIRST HAS SQUEEZED US INTO THE MIDST OF GOD MAKING US ONE WITH HIM AS HIS DEAR SONS AND DAUGHTERS. IT IS A FREE GIFT.

Joy returns to the eyes of people, who come to realize and understand that God really does love them. God really does care for them. God’s will is to help them out of any storm of life, or through any storm of life they are now experiencing no matter if they caused the storm by bad choices  or some other person or situation caused it.  

As Stacey & I and our team spoke with people –even those some may label “street people”- Love and Hope bring caused JOY to shine in the eyes of those we spoke with! Love and Hope that someone Like Jesus who is able to help them NOW, and that will to help thru His own body  - people like you and I, who are willing to forgive and throw out the old, and offer the NEW life for eternity as a free gift. A free gift paid for and freely given without reservation….Remember those Jesus touched 2000 years ago- a rough fisherman, a demon possess woman, a prostitute, an adulterer, a thief, a murderer…..you and I. 

This is a NEW Beginning and New YEAR. Out with the old prejudices and selfishness of our own private lives. And In with the New Unity of the Body of the Bridegroom. Get a REVELATION of JESUS – your Bridegroom coming for those whose lamps are burning bright with oil!

Joy OF THE NEW will spill over into the lives of those who need that LIGHT ALL AROUND YOU!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!