Ministry During Lockdown
Uganda has been on strict lockdown for about two months now. This means that all of my normal ministry has been shut down as schools and churches were the first to close. Because no private vehicles are allowed to move this also means that no one is working and that we cannot visit our friends or go anywhere.
However, a new ministry has emerged in this time. We live in an apartment complex with 11 other families. Because everyone is home all the time we have begun spending more time with each other in the compound. We meet to play dominos and card games in the afternoon, there is a group workout and then after dinner they all gather and just chat late into the night. Churches were closed the first week of April and have no plans of reopening so we along with another couple in the compound decided to have a home church and invite our neighbors. It has been amazing to see how our neighbors have come and are growing in their relationships with God. Many of them ‘knew’ God but were not living lives that reflected that. Our nightly meetings used to include much drinking and interesting conversations at times but as we continued to go and sit and simply share what we knew to be true, we have seen a shift in this time together. First, the conversations have changed to different topics then our drink of choice changed from beer and liquor to tea and snacks. Our church services grew in people and in participation. We also have started a weekly Bible study where we are reading through James and discussing what stood out to us. Last week one of our neighbors asked for prayer as he has been feeling this desire to change his thoughts and actions and wanting to know more of God.
While I would love to be with the kids at the school or doing Sunday school it has been such an encouragement to see our neighbors growing and I can almost say I am thankful for this lockdown because it has brought new ministry.
The other aspect of ministry that we have been doing is helping people we know who have not been working and are in need of food. Most of the population here works for the day to provide dinner for that night so going without work for even a few days can mean that they don’t eat for days. We have helped several people and I was so humbled by one of our friends who we helped. We had given him $15 to feed him for a week and he then turned around and gave some of that to a friend who he knew who had malaria and needed to go to the doctor. It was so humbling to see someone who was in need sacrifice for another. We have been able to help about five families with donations we have received during this time. If you would like to help us feed families, please make a donation with the note “quarantine help” and we will reach out to families in need.
Thank you for your continued prayers. In Community is alive and well in Uganda and God has provided ministry for all of us, as I stay home!!