Let Everything Praise the Lord

150:1 Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens! 
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

 

As our dear friends in Africa taught us to say, “MUKAMA, ASIMWE!” or “PRAISE THE LORD!” We are extremely joyful to see the Lord answering our prayers to meet the needs of these precious people before our very eyes! 

A little over a month ago Pastor Emmy began to share with us what the budget would be just to feed the orphans.  He estimated around $2,800 a month which is $95 a day for 150 orphans.  When we heard this we were wondering how God would meet this pressing need.   

As many of you know, my mother passed on to heaven in June after a short battle with cancer.  This was just after my dad was ushered into heaven four months earlier . The day the Lord took mother to heaven was my parent’s 50th Golden wedding anniversary.  The interesting part of this story is that they had divorced when I was in college but really neither had truly wanted the divorce.  The loss of my brother as a baby from SIDS while dad was in the Air Force left a trail of alcohol abuse,  verbal abuse and deep emotional wounds in all eight of my family members (my parents and six of us girls).  However, if I didn’t already know it - I for sure know now that our Redeemer lives!  The LORD sees past our sin and hurts and wounds and even divorce papers and He sees hearts and dreams and hopes and love.  He knows us so well and He helps us in our weaknesses, in our troubles, in our wounds and our darkness and pain.  He loves us - He really loves us!   We don’t always understand everything but we can love the One who does!  

All that to say - the Lord helped us to be able to set up a non-profit organization called Parental Care Ministries USA, Inc.  between the time of my father’s death and my mother’s death.  After mom passed on we decided to have anyone who felt led to make a donation to PCM in lieu of flowers for mother.  One very special day I was talking to Bub on the phone and he shared that we have to have a certain percentage of donations come in during the year to qualify for non-profit status.  I reminded Bub this whole  undertaking has been the Lord’s from the get go and He would certainly take care of what was His.  Fifteen minutes later I get a call back from Bub, “ You aren’t going to believe this but a wonderful family that has been a long term patient of mine just walked in to the office during a visit and gave us double what they had planned initially (they decided at the last minute to double it) and ended up giving us two thousand dollars!  We were floored and so encouraged to keep doing this work for the Lord!

Well, God is so so so so so good and He loves to show how good He is time and again.  Our Father loves to show that He is working and He is working mightily on behalf of orphans and widows and the poor.  

A couple of weeks ago an opportunity opened up to Pastor Emmy to purchase a Banana plantation from a man who is ill and wanting to sell it.  When Pastor Emmy and those children start praying look out!  He asked us to join him and in wonderful ways the Lord started to confirm to our hearts “Yes, this is my will!” The weekend before my birthday I was in Dallas sorting through my mother’s things with my sister Meggan and Bub was at home just with Libby.  After church Libby shared with her daddy in the car without her knowing He was praying for God’s will on this  big purchase, “Daddy there is a banana on our gate.” Bub said he looked at the gate and was puzzled because he coudn’t see a banana anywhere. But,  if you have the eyes of a ten year old then a fleur-de-lis looks just like a peeled banana!  Then when I got home on Monday and Bub shared what we needed to pray about I kept coming across everything banana!  I was cracking up as I came across a Banana song in my piano book and then the Lord reminded me of my Grandmother Kennedy’s very special recipe for Banana nut bread that has been a family tradition my mother always made and we make whenever there are black bananas!!  Needless to say we were over- joyed/went Bananas and took all the money raised for mother and dad’s memorial and added some of our own and bought our precious friends in Uganda a true lasting legacy, a Banana plantation!  Mother and Dad’s lives are being honored  just the way I would have hoped.  Pastor Emmy said “Just think, my grandchildren will still be able to eat from these banana trees!” How fun is that!!! 

The plantation produces monthly 120+ Big Bananas of which 70 will feed the orphans and the other 50 will feed the 30 peope living in Pastor Emmy’s home.  Emmy told us, “this is more food than we can consume.  We will never have to worry about food again.”  Several of the men at Emmy’s church will work the plantation and stay at the small home that is on the grounds.  It provides a small source of income for them as well.   

God is so good! “MUKAMA, ASIMWE!”

We are so grateful for your faithful love, encouragement, and prayers and support - they are working mightily for God’s Kingdom and we thank Him for each of you monkeys!

With love and joy!

Monica

P.S. Here’s our favorite recipe to share with each of you:

                   Ma-Maw Kennedy’s Banana Nut Bread

3 Mashed ripe bananas (blacker the better)

add 1 Cup sugar

Melt 1 stick butter, cool, and add to above

Then add:

2 Cups Flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 to 1 cup chopped Pecans if desired

Bake in loaf pan for 350 degrees for 1 Hour.

Bon Appetite!

 

Matthew 13:44

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

 

I have always been intrigued by this parable of the Lord.  Back in His day,  many people used to bury their treasure in the ground.  It was a common thing to do . Banks were not safe.  People would mark a place, bury their valuables and be intent with coming again later to recover their prized possessions.  What does this parable tell us about the Kingdom?

 

1. 1.The Kingdom of God is so precious that you would have to be a fool to not be willing to sell everything you have to gain it.  Nothing comes close to it in value.  The real treasure of our world is the salvation of the souls that we bring with us to heaven. 

2. 2.The treasures of heaven are not lying on the surface of the ground.  You must search for the pearl.  This is not the way of our world today.  We are busy stock piling our own treasures of pleasure and comfort.  2 Cor 4:4 say the “god of this age has blinded the minds of those that believe not.”  The world doesn’t see the pearl because they are not searching for it.  There are many people in the Kingdom who have never appropriated the Kingdom in their lives. 

3. 3.I can tell you for certain that once you find that pearl, there is much joy.  It’s a joy that is beyond all understanding. 

4. 4.Sometimes the Lord has you stumble upon something you never knew you would find.  How could the Lord take a pediatrician with no formal seminary training and his family to the other side of the world to show them a great pearl of His Kingdom?  At times it has been hard to communicate what He has shown us.  Yet, we are so excited that He is allowing others to become involved in what He has shared with us.

5. 5.True salvation is marked by a willingness to give one’s self up.Our Savior did it.  We need to be willing to do it ourselves.  Isn’t it funny how we receive so much more by giving then by getting.  We learn this when we are young but it needs to be applied over one’s entire lifetime.  
   

What a pleasure and honor it has been to find this precious pearl of His Kingdom in Africa.  Who would have ever thought that a group of 150 orphans and 28 churches built of mud and sticks by hand would be worth visiting much less investing time and resources in?  We want to thank everyone who is reading this blog, has prayed for our mission in Uganda or Pastor Emmy, and for those who have given to our nonprofit organization to support our friends in Uganda. 

Check back tomorrow for the latest update on what is happening in Uganda.  There is a whole bunch of (bananas) news to share. 

In His Grip,

Bub

Hello Ugandan bloggers,

 

Its been too long and its time to catch everyone up to date.  Pastor Deborah had a remarkable trip with her friend Imke from Holland.  As she wrote me tonight,  “the purposes of  the Lord for sending us there have been accomplished.”  They have lots to share with many pictures.  As soon as they left Uganda June 30 they went straight to Switzerland and have been ministering nonstop there.  I promise to pass along the good news they have to report as soon as they get a break and are allowed to do so.   

 

Each of the 31 bibles has arrived and Emmy and driver Emmy have been busy distributing them to some very happy and thankful pastors.  Thank you to all who gave a bible/s .  I personally can’t wait to see these pastors with their gift.  It’s is really awesome to think about them running with the Good News to many Ugandan people for the Lord.  They will cherish their precious gift.

 

Emmy’s brother’s wife and their four children are currently living with him.  She had no means to support them after her husband was struck by a car  and killed last month in Kampala.  Emmy is hoping to gather some funds to help her start a small business to support her family. That brings to a total of 30 people in Emmy’s new house.  

Here are some words from Emmy from an email last week:

 

I give glory to God the widow of my late brother on last Sunday committed her life to Jesus to be her personal Saviour. She said that the sudden death of her husband taught her that anytime she can also die. Pastor Deborah lead her into the prayer of confession. She came to me and she is still here because she has no help at her home. My brother didn’t had any house they were renting. The wife was not working now she has no way to servive. I am praying to God to give us some money to give her so that she can start a small business. 

 

 

A thief stole from Emmy’s family.  A couple of weeks ago a thief broke in to Emmy’s home and stole his new TV, DVD player,  and stereo radio and amplifier.  Emmy was not at home and had the new computer and camera with him which was a blessing.   The new area they live is not as nice as their old house.  Many of the landlords were unwilling to rent to Emmy and his large family.  Now someone has taken all of the family electronics.  For a while I was really upset at this,  but I see I may have been part of the problem.  As we try to westernize Emmy and his family,  the Lord has allowed the evil one to rob Emmy of all these possessions. He has Emmy and his family right where He wants them as James 1:27 says to…..”keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  As I am sitting in bed writing this with my TV on, I am sure I could be more effective to the Lord if I lost a good number of my worldly electronic possessions I so think I can’t live without. 

 

Emmy gets malaria.  On the way home from the airport dropping off Deborah and Imke, Emmy contracted malaria.  Over in Uganda,  no one takes prophylaxis all the time like we do when we visit.  They just treat it when they get it .  Well, he was laid out in the “miracle van” as he calls it for the entire trip from the capital to Mbarara.  He has gotten treatment and feels much better for sure.  

Praise report:  I am happy to report that much good news is happening here. The beds for the dorms are being constructed. Emmy is paying someone to make them all .  The orphans will have a roof over there head and a bed to sleep in for the first time ever.  As they enter their classrooms that have been constructed,  they will sit at a desk for the first time as a student.  YEAH!!!!!!  And better yet,  no longer will they wear the same clothes day after day after day.  Uniforms are now being made for all the orphans.  In the past many of the children passing by would make fun of them saying they don’t go to a real school because they all have such tattered clothes.  Instead of yelling back,  Emmy said the orphans would gather together and pray for the day that the Lord would provide for them uniforms for school.  Oh Lord,  your way is so good for me to be able to learn so much from children who have great faith in Jesus.  Thank you for allowing them to teach me so much. 

Pray for protection for the school.  Some vandals continue to set fire to different schools in Uganda .   Here is a short note from one of Emmy’s emails to me:

Keep us in prayers because almost every week now 2 Schools are burnt with  fire. There is no proper information about who are burning the Schools and what is their reason of burning them. It has caused the boarding Schools to improve on their security. We are now having a challenge of fencing our School. We need to fence and make one entry gate where we are required also to put on a gate man who will have a book to record whoever will be entering in the School compound everyday. And not to allow everyone but only those with a genuine purpose of entering in. Whoever is caught tresspassing will be asked in problem. Them we also need to have 2 Watchmen at night;

 

The good news is that 4 fire extinguishers have been purchased and the school is in compliance with the new code to have them.  

 

Pray for Food for the orphans.  Currently the orphans are fed three times a day but this may change as food has gotten very expensive.  Just as prices in the US have risen, it has a domino effect on the 3rd world.  They are so much more affected than we are.  We simply just stay at home and raid our pantry,  the orphans will go without food.   It costs around $100 a day to feed them the three meals they are currently getting. Thats only 67 cents a day per orphan.

Thank you!!

I want to thank so many of you who have responded and felt the Lord’s calling to do something for these precious orphan children and Emmy’s fellow pastors. 

I want to especially thank the Maloney family from Pastor Emmy for their amazing generosity.  Emmy would say,  “may the Lord richly bless you for all your gifts to us.”  Many others like the Maloney’s gave a gift in honor of Monica’s mother and father’s lives and we are so grateful for their eternal investment in the Kingdom of God.

Return Visit?

One last thought and prayer,  I am close to making plans on a return trip for this fall. Keep me in your prayers as I listen to the Lord and his direction on when to go and who shall go with me.  May He speak clearly to anyone called for such a journey..

The Barrets