Today is Friday, September 18, 2015. We arrived in Entebbe, Uganda very late last night via a KLM flight from Amsterdam, after more than 30 hours of travel time. The airport temperature is 71 F and it does not drop very much at night. Passport control at the airport consisted mainly of buying visas at $100 each for Rita and me; where they informed us that we would have to do this again (another $200 fee) a little over a week from now when we return from Ethiopia to catch this return flight. When we got through collecting our bags, we found brethren outside waiting for us including Vivian and Geraldine McEwen from Sierra Leone (now stationed in Goma, DRC) with some sisters from Congo. Two airport taxis were arranged and we were driven to Kampala, about a one hour drive that takes us past the shore of Lake Victoria, which we cannot really see very well because of the darkness. I also notice the lack of any street lights on this dark main highway totally lined with various commercial establishments. There seems to be no noticeable distinctions between these twin cities; I cannot tell when we have passed from one to the other, all solid city with a surprising amount of traffic at this late hour. As the taxi driver conveys us, we are serenaded on his radio by some very African rock music; I would have preferred a quieter car.

And it is after midnight when we finally arrive at Sister Biri’s roomy two story “town house” which is part of a gated sexplex, bordered by other five story apartments. They had a full meal prepared for us, and then we collapse into a very comfortable bed from which we do not emerge until the following morning at 11:00 AM. This day is a day to organize ourselves and prepare for the evening meeting at a “rented or borrowed” hall on the grounds of a church type organization. I had envisioned a small gathering of meetings in Sister Biri’s living room, but it seems that the word has gone abroad of our coming here. Sister Margaret Johnson from Sierra Leone is here (her husband Ron is now stationed in Mali) and in the early afternoon four young sisters from Congo arrived from a 13 hour bus trip (there is apparently an active fellowship around Goma, DR Congo). There are also a couple of visitors from Nigeria. Apparently the meeting will be larger than I had anticipated. I have determined that we should bring the basic foundational message of the kingdom, as we ourselves were taught. When it is daylight and we can see the region properly, I notice that Kampala is a city built on many rugged hills.

So on late Friday afternoon, our first meeting is held in the upper room that was made available for us. We had a good time of fellowship with about 20 adults. The praise was good and some of the sisters sang “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” in Swahili, a very African melody. Since French is the language of DR Congo, one of the sisters came to help translate, after which Biri will serve as the main translator. I gave a basic message, “Preaching the Kingdom of God”. We talked about identifying the elect and we find that these elect will be here during great tribulation and will have to endure till the end. Rita titled this message “The Power of the Presence of God in a People”. The authority that God will give in Revelation 11 can be for us if we want to be sons of God. There were three visitors from the community. The one man from Rwanda will return for all the other meetings.

When Saturday morning arrives, we anticipate a full day. Most of us ministry travelers did not spend much of the night in restful sleep; this second night is when the worst of the jet lag shows. Nevertheless, we believe the word that when I am weak, He is my strength. Today we meet in the same hall for two meetings (the Lord having intervened to give us this room again, since we had been scheduled to meet outside under a tent); did I say marathon meetings, starting about 10 AM and coming home 7 hours later. I begin the word with the Wise and Foolish Virgins. We are coming very close to the midnight hour when we will know if we have accumulated enough oil in our vessels to be in the bride company before the closing of the door. Soon after beginning the word, our crowd of about 20 adults suddenly swells to 30, plus children. Most of these new arrivals are also UN employees, co-workers of Sister Biri in Kampala. After the message and a little more praise, Jim gives an invitation for prayer. The power of the preaching and the moving of the Spirit brought a great response as the people begin to come, seeking the Lord for various needs. About 2 PM we take a break for lunch and after a little walk around the grounds we go back inside for the second meeting. Again there is a good anointing on both the praise and the word, and Jim brings a word on the purchase price of redemption by the blood of Christ, followed by one more sister that needs prayer, counseling and deliverance. This has been a very rich and full day. The Lord has moved mightily, far beyond our expectations in the souls and lives of the people here, for which we greatly rejoice.

We are greeted very early Sunday morning by the rumbling of distant thunder. Soon it is closer and louder, followed by rain that also increases in intensity to the makings of a downpour, but it only lasts an hour and then delivers a day hotter and more humid than yesterday. At the meeting we still have a good crowd, about 1/3 less than yesterday, but also with some new faces. I bring the message on the Birth of the Manchild, a teaching on the first part of Revelation 12, followed by a session of Questions and Answers concerning things we have shared over the weekend. After this, Jim prays for the redemption of the lands that are represented here, including the man from Rwanda.

After the lunch which had been brought to the meeting hall, we return to Sister Biri’s house for rest. It was a beautiful day, so later we gathered in the yard where we had more discussion concerning the word. About 9:30 the taxi picks us up and we are again taken on the hour long ride to the airport. Our Ethiopian Airlines flight to Ethiopia does not leave here until 1:40 AM, Monday and it will make a stopover in Rwanda, a genuine “red eye” flight. Since we have plenty of time, we can explore our airport options for our return transit flight through here in one week.

So to continue with us on this journey to Ethiopia, please go to the next attachment “Ethiopia”.