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At the beginning of April, a Pastor who attended last year s VC2001, organized a one day seminar in which he invited 10 other pastors and their elders and deacons and some members of the congregation, from the neighboring villages. There were all together about 100 people at this remote village grass thatched Church known as Kidera Deliverance Church, in Tororo District, about 210 km East of Kampala.
I had to condense the VC in 3 sessions. So I started with the Transforming Story, The Role of the Church, Luke 2:52, and ended with Kingdom Mathematics.
During the second session, I asked if anybody wanted to get saved. One man put up his hand. After leading him to Christ, my interpreter asked if any one knew this man. (I had gone with my interpreter from Kampala). As it turned out, one pastor knew the man, who had been mad for a long time, but had been brought to this particular pastor a week before. This pastor with his intercessors has prayed and fasted several days as they prayed for this man, until the previous night, when he was fully delivered and came back to his normal senses! This man s wife was present and confirmed the story.
By the end of the day, I had a witness in my heart that this area would not be the same again, and that God was going to transform the villages represented through these churches. People here are extremely poor. When the time for the offering came, someone didn't have money and gave a hankie instead. In a village this is like the widow s mite.
Within a week I received news that the believers were going out to the communities and that great things were happening. For the first time, the Church was beginning to be relevant to the community, and was touching the people at their point of brokenness. So I asked this pastor who had organized the meeting to write down the things that are happening so that we can share it with others.
This Pastor has just called me now to tell me that he already has testimonies to send in writing. He for example told me that they have, as a church identified 30 widows in the village, and they are planning to show them the love of Christ using their own resources. The pastor who has a kit for spraying weeds in the gardens is now spraying for the poor of the village free of charge. This has shocked the people and God is receiving the glory.
I have now received invitation for May from the next group of villages where 8 churches are organizing a one-day mini VC, and in June, I have been booked by the group of villages further on for a similar meeting.
I have not given any money to these people, but the WORD is causing a transformation, which no amount of money can accomplish.
To God be all the Glory. |
