Wednesday, September 28, 2011

HOUSE OF HOPE PLANS TO BE SELF SUSTAINING-MODESTO

On Monday September 19th, i left for Modesto. Bill and Shirley gave me a ride. I was scheduled to spend the first three days with Pastor Tracy and Mary and the then spend the rest with Ben and family.
It was great to meet all my friends in Modesto. It is amazing how God connects people and how we are reminded again and again that this is a small world. 
Pastor Tracy and Mary with some people from Brethren Community Fellowship had been going to Uganda since 2003. They partner with Kabale Trinity college. As God would have it, in 2008, while on their trip to Uganda, Tracy and Mary felt like going to Google and find out more about what is going on in Kabale, Uganda, there they found Kabale House of Hope and wanted to know more. They eventually got in touch with me and together with Chad and Maria came to visit Kabale House of Hope.Since then the relationship between Kabale House of Hope and Modesto has grown from year to year with more people in Modesto picking interest to at least sponsor a child at House of Hope. It is interesting that most of the children sponsored by Modesto friends go to Kabale Trinity college!
I had a good time with  most of my friends here and it was good to make new connections and friends. Our main objective as part of the short term goal for House of Hope is to start projects that will help House of Hope be self sustaining. The priority will be on purchasing  sweater weaving machines at least two to begin with. These will help us to generate funds from selling the sweaters. With most school being friends with us since we send there our students, we have ready market. Not only will these machines generate funds to help run the operational costs of House of Hope but they will help teach a skill to our children in the orphanage which can help them to make a living. Each machine costs $5000.
We also plan to purchase land on which we can grow our own food. Available land will cost $4000 per acre, at the moment, we need three acres to four acres of land where we can plant maize (corn), beans, Matoke (banana plantation) and vegetables.
If you want to know how you can help, please let us know. You can write to me at: jbakashaba@gmail.com or call Ben Miller at 209-499-8903

THE ARABIC CHURCH

At times one wonders how time seems to fly, i can't imagine a lot has been going on since my last story. But any way on Sunday September 18th i was scheduled to preach at Gate International church in San Mateo, California. I was connected to this church by Tiffany, one of my friends that has made several trips to Uganda. She is the church worship leader. To my surprise the church is predominantly Arabic, the Pastor is Persian, several members too come from Iran, a few come from Jordan and other parts of the middle east. These people are believers in Jesus and they worship him in spirit and truth! God is amazing how he can save Moslems and fill them with his spirit.
I enjoyed the worship and when it was time to preach, i shared all that God has put upon my heart for this wonderful church. The presence of God was so tangible that you could literally feel the move of God. I had a great time!
When the pastor asked me to share with the church about our child sponsorship ministry, i was surprised when several people signed up to sponsor at least a child in Uganda for education. $35 support per month is enough to make a dramatic change in the life of a precious child. It gives such a great joy to know that you are getting such an attachment to the child in Uganda whom, without your support would not get education instead be reduced to a beggar, street child or prostitute. Let us know if you are interested to sponsor a child and we can always give you all the information you need.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

PASTOR BILL & SHIRLEY CELEBRATE THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY

It is not common to see couples make 50 years in marriage in Uganda. Not necessarily because of divorce. In fact divorce is not something common in our country even among unbelievers. Even culturally it was always "until death do us part". A marriage covenant is taken seriously and not matter what struggles a man and wife may go through they always tend to stick together. They have a saying back home that the devil i know is better than the angel i don't know. And besides this, traditionally a man pays a big dowry depending on the family and girl he is marrying. Divorce means that the girl's parents have to pay back all the cows. Therefore it bad news for the girl to come back home and her parents do not want to see her back. So if a girl is finding difficulty living with her husband, parents always call the two and talk to them into reconciliation and if this fails they talk their daughter into perseverance.
But any way despite this, it still uncommon to see couple celebrate 50 years in marriage because most couples don't live to make more than 30 years in marriage. Most people in our country die at the age of 40 to 50, due to diseases, poverty and hard life. And normally when a woman dies first the husband too dies shortly after. Women tend to live longer even after the passing on her husband.
Last week September 17th 2011, Pastor Bill and Shirley celebrated their 50 years in marriage. It was a great joy to celebrate this 50th anniversary with them. Bill and Shirley have been a tremendous blessing to many people. It was a joy to hear the great testimonies one by one from the many people who call them Mum and Dad whose lives they have touched.
They are a blessing to me and are very supportive to me and ministry as well. They accommodate me and transport around every time I am in the bay area in California. It was a blessing for me to attend this day and celebrate with the lives of such a man and woman that have been a blessing to me.
Most of their friends came to attend this great day in their lives. Their children Tom, Tim and Willy together with their families worked together to make a big dinner for their parents. It was great. I mean this is not a common thing even in America.
I enjoyed every bit of it and had a few lesson to learn from this man and woman who have gone through the wind and waves of life but kept true to the covenant they made fifty years ago.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

THE CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL-SAN FRANCISCO

Apart from the Hurricane Irene, my visit to Virginia was good and enjoyable.It was great to spend time with my friends Tom and Sandy and also preach at Pastor Walt's church.
Sunday i visited a new church called New Beginnings Outreach church led by Pastors Robert and Barbara Gibbs. We had a great time. It was good to meet and make new friends.
Robert and Barbara took me to the air port the following Monday September 5th on my way to California, where i plan to spend another four weeks.
It was a long days trip, we arrived in California a few minutes after 4:00 p.m.
My friends from New Life Christian church, Tony and Joe were waiting for me at Oakland airport and we headed for Tony's home. His wife Grace is a good cook, so you can imagine how i have gained more weight since.

SAN FRANCISCO
Tony took me for a visit to San Francisco, we took a Bart, which is kind of a train that is powered by electricity. It is so fast.
San Francisco is so beautiful with a lot of history behind it. It has so many good sights to view including the beach, bay bridge, the China town, the most crooked straight, the Golden gate bridge, the ocean and sharks...
On this beautiful day we chose to visit the China town. This place has everything Chinese you can think of. From stores to food, clothes, jewelry and so many other things that are popularly used by Chinese.Years ago, the Chinese came to this country and for some reason they decided to live and work together from this small location in the heart of San Francisco.
On this particular day, it was a big day for the Chinese. So the Chinese here made a festival, they had a parade to join their brothers and sisters back home to commemorate the moon festival. Whatever that means, but this is kind of moon worship and they do this on a new moon once every year. They put out stalls, make shows and put out many things to sell  food, clothes etc..it was kind of a trade fair. And then this band was praying music through the China town street. It was amazing.
We visited a few other areas and before we knew it, it was coming to evening and time to go back home.
On Sunday i preached at New Life Christian church. I was glad to meet all my great friends that go to New Life Christian church.
Revival Outreach Ministries partners with New Life Christian Church to help receive support for our orphanage and children. Our plans are to register the ministry as a Non-profit organisation in the USA. But until then, all our partners, donors and sponsors for children send tax deductible support to us through New Life Christian church. This has been a great blessing to us and has helped us to get more children sponsors. It means much for a child in our village to go to school as that is the only way they will be able to get a good future. In our country education is paid for right from Kindergarten to college and these orphans and poor children have no way to get money to go to school unless they are helped. $35 in enough to make a dramatic change in a child's life. This pays for tuition, medical bills, lunch every day, school uniform and a pair of shoes every year. It is such a great blessing to give a child hope and a future. We still have hundreds of children that need help, if anyone is interested to help a child or know more please write to me at: jbakashaba@gmail.com or call New Life Christian church at (510) 889-1304.
I got opportunity to speak at another church on Wednesday night. God has given me a message of encouragement and about the hope which can be found in personal relationship and fellowship with the Lord Jesus. Every where i go, you feel people hurting and almost lost hope because of the bad economy in the US now. In Africa we are kind of used to hard conditions and can do without a few things, but no so with most Americans, God has blessed them so much so that it is hard for them to live with out the comfortable, good living. Unfortunately things have changed and many have lost their jobs and homes. It is always a joy to speak a word in season to people whose attention is focused onto the sovereignty of God. In Africa, people have need for God because that is all they have. Whereas in America people bless and pray over food, ordinary people in Africa cannot afford a meal per day and always pray for food.
I am always amused by the great difference between our culture and the American people. There are many things that are so different. There is this couple that are signing for a divorce; reason, the husband is not cleaning dishes and laundry!!! To a common person in Africa, it is hard to understand. We are not used to that. My wife can never ask me to clean dishes. She one day told me that i am getting spoiled and learning bad manners because i found her in the kitchen and wanted to help her as i saw Americans do. "You have no business coming to my kitchen, go sit, relax and let me serve you..." she said.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

MY TRIP TO THE USA

San Antonio
My trip started on August 19th, 2011, when I boarded from Entebbe to Dallas, Texas through LondonThis was going to be my first time to fly British Airways. We left at 9:00 in the morning and reached London, Heathrow airport that evening at 4:00 pm, London is 2 hours behind Uganda time. I spent the night in

London, though we could not be allowed out of the airport since we did not have a British visa that allows us, so we spent the night at the airport. This was my first time to be in London. It is such a beautiful city, though I only saw part of it.
By 11:00 am we had boarded the British airways plane to Dallas FW airport. We reached Dallas before 3:00 pm. Dallas is 5 hours behind London time and 7 behind Uganda time. I went through the customs security detail which took less time than other times. And soon I had boarded American Airlines on my way to San Antonio. It took us 1hour to get there. Johnson Nantawumbwa, my Ugandan friend who ministers in Maranatha Bible church, was at the airport waiting for me and we headed to his home where I stayed for the fi
rst 4 nights. He and Monica his wife and their two daughters Chloe and Elisa are amazing people. We went to church together and than evening we had the house full of friends and family members. We had a big meal, which was my first time this round. It is typical of Americans to treat their guests to big meals; as a matter of fact every time I travel I put on a lot of weight.
The following day, I joined pastors at
Maranatha church; the pastor has a program he calls Pastors’ nurturing. Several pastors from the neighborhood come to this discipleship program. Pastor Draper shared some good teaching with us. It was a good experience for me and I plan to do this when I go back home, there are many young pastors in Kabale who look to me for guidance, counseling and nurturing. Tuesday I visited Martha to share about the impact Discipleship Tape Ministries is having in our region. We had a good time.
Wednesday, I relocated to Pastor Draper’s home. He has a beautiful home! That evening I
preached at Maranatha Bible church and shared about the great things God is doing in Kabale. On Thursday, I was glad to be part of the BIRTHDAY lunch program prepared for the church staff that celebrated their Birthdays the month of August, Sister Draper was among them. We had a great time. Frank, the accountant then took me around the new church building, he taught me a lot about church finances. Pastor Draper has such a good and dedicated staff. It was a joy to spend some time with
them. I learnt a lot.
Friday morning, my friend Keith Gordon picked me up from church and we headed for the airport, it was time to go to Virginia.
THE HURRICANE
Before I left for Virginia, every one was talking of this big storm that started from the west coast of Africa and built momentum on its way through the Atlantic Ocean. This storm code named

Hurricane Irene was predicted to be the biggest storm ever and was going to hit areas around North Carolina, Virginia, the Washing DC and New York on its way north. This was said to cause a big surge on the waters of the ocean and the many rivers in the area causing a flood that would go up 6 or even 8 ft high. There were warning every where for people to
evacuate the low lying areas by Friday when the Hurricane was said to “arrive”. Later it was said that the storm would hit on Saturday morning.
I left for Virginia on Friday morning and arrived at Richmond airport after 6:00 pm. My friend Sandy was waiting to pick me up. And we headed for Pastor Walt’s residence, where I would stay for the first few days as I mean while wait for this Hurricane thing. Every one was talking of this great Hurricane Irene. Many were predicting that many lives would be lost and property destroyed. We prayed that God would protect us and all people in the areas in the hurricane’s way.
The Hurricane hit the land at 7:30 in the morning but thank God is lost its momentum as soon as it hit the land and caused the least damage. A few homes were lost in North Carolina and Virginia and some people lost their lives especially from falling trees that would hit houses. One child died when the tree hit the house where he and his mother were sleeping with a baby, the tree ripped off part of the house killing the boy. By 6:00pm most the roads were closed as the floods kept going higher and several roads cut off by fallen trees. Power was cut off to most places; our house
too was left in darkness. Now electricity in America means much unlike Uganda. They depend on Electricity for almost every thing; for refrigerators, TV, phones, internet, air conditioning, cooking, warm water, microwave, opening the garage door, laundry, dish washing to mention but a few. Where as I was not so much affected recalling our “Umeme” times back home, when sometime we spend more days without electricity than with it, but anyhow I felt the pinch, because before we knew it, we had lost all phone lines, the internet was off and though we used a generator for lighting and keep the refrigerator food from spoiling, soon the TV too got off. Most of the restaurants closed and churches called off Sunday morning services, anticipating the worst to come and of course most building lost electricity.

It was such an experience! This is nothing like we ever see in Uganda! For most of the night the wind blew so hard and the rain poured down so heavily that you would literally feel the house shake. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night wondering if we were still around and alive! It was so scaring! This was my first time to experience the hurricane. My hosts told me that in the previous hurricane they lost 21 trees with one almost hitting the house, it missed it by inches, “that must have been God” they said. Well, this time, they did not loose even one, but there were several trees that fell down in the neigh hood, with one hitting the house slightly, thank God no body was hurt. By morning, tree branches and leaves were scattered every where, trees lying down, some across roads and low lying areas flooded.

There was a sign of despair in the atmosphere, but thank God
we were alive and Irene was long gone! To my surprise, by 9:00a.m the sun was up and the place warm again and everything back to normal as if nothing had happened!!! In my heart I said, thank you Jesus! Farewell Irene!!!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

THIS MUST BE GOD!

Yesterday reminded me of the Bible days when food (manna) used to fall from heaven. The children on Israel would see food come from no where! We got almost the same experience.
Because of the current tough economic situation in our country and with little support, we have been having a hard time to feed our children at
Kabale House of Hope. This has d
riven us to our knees daily praying for God's provision.
As
God's ways are higher than ours God brought our way his angels. Rick Gray and Plant a Seed Foundation team came to Kabale to work with a certain school but
are sponsored by Rick's friends.desired to visit our children home. We have been friends with Rick, besides 6 childr
en in HoH
Last Monday Rick and his friends came to visit Kabale House of Hope and gave lots of gifts to our
children including sports equipment, crayons and coloring books plus a clothes. The children as their way to entertain guests sang several songs and recited bible verses before the visitors. They also told their stories of what the Lord has done for them. All of the 20 children here have amazing stories to tell. Most of them had never slept in a bed before, all of them could not eat food for days with some of them the only food available was trash. Andrew says,"I would enjoy eating rotten food and my best meal would be pineapple peelings". All these children were not going to scho
ol since all of them are orphans with no one to pay their tuition at school. They first put on shoes and good clothes when they came to Kabale HO
H. These children are so grateful for what the Lord has done for them through the generous gifts of many friends.
Later on the visitors prayed with children and went back to their hotel rooms. But they headed back, something spectacular happened. "The Lord spoke to us to do something more for these children" said Rick. He and Ashley plus a few members on their team decided to buy food stuff for the children. T
hey called all the children for dinner at Kabale White Horse Inn yesterday and after dinner they took us a side and asked us to close our eyes, when we next opened our eyes, there lay before us food that will feed these children for the next four month!!! There was 200kg of rice, 200kg of posho(maize flour), 200kg of beans. 3 bunches of matoke( green banana) 4 loaves of bread, cooking oil, 1 box of soap, several kgs of tomatoes, onions, green pepper, carrots to name but a few... All the children leaped up and shouted for joy!
As usual, John Twesige said, "God has remembered us!!!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

GREAT KABALE HARVEST FESTIVAL

Last week was a great week in Kabale. The church of Christ in Kabale was hosting visitors from USA working with A Light to the Nations Ministries, who came to Kabale for a gospel crusade.
The Visitors came Tuesday 5th July and the Crusade started on Wedenesday 6th July 2011 up to Sunday 10th July 2011.
People came from as far as 200km away just to hear the word of God. Many brought sick people for prayers.
Pastors of over 15 churches in Kabale city came together to host this big crusade and each pastor was so committed to the success of this great event.
Every day would start with a conference where the visitors would take time to teach the word of God to the believers and leaders. And then the afternoon more people would join in worship and praise. The choir would lead praise and worship for some time as more people would be ferried in. Many especially those who come from very far were ferried in with trucks but others walked despite the scotching sun. I watched in amazement as people walked in tired but happy, hungry for the word of God! Some carrying or helping sick people.
After several hours of praise and worship then Ev. Dana Morey the leader of the team would come on the stage to deliver the message of the day. As he preached you would see that people are very attentive and taking in his message from God word by word. And them he would make an alter call inviting all those who would love to receive Jesus and hundreds would lift up their hands in total surrender to the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus. By the end of the crusade there more than 13,000 people who had committed their lives to Jesus for the first time. This brought a lot of Joy in our city as we saw hundreds every day fill up the decision cards.
Then the Evangelist would start to pray for the sick, i was surprised to see the multitudes of people who put up their hands in need of prayer! We saw so many people receive miracle healing in the name of Jesus. There are many who had not seen for years and they received they sight again, the lame walked and several people who were mad were delivered. Many people in Kabale still practice witchcraft and many people run to witch doctors seeking for help and they end entering into covenants and soul ties with evil spirits through witchcraft. Sometimes these people run mad. But as the preacher started to pray for the sick, many people were delivered from the powers of darkness.
Then the preacher did something incredible, he called out all the people who had witchcraft and fetishes to bring them forward, he called for a big container and asked for petrol and they were set on fire, people started to rejoice and celebrate and to the amazement of every one people started to be set free left and right.
By the end of the week, there was great joy in the city. When the crusade ended, people went back home rejoicing in the Lord, saying that we will never be the same again.
Our visitors went to back to USA on Monday.
Thank you Jesus for this glorious week and for the great harvest of souls that came into the kingdom!