UGANDAN MISSION REPORT

Can you tell me how I can be saved?" the young man asked me as I stood on the edge of a small open-air crowd listening to some local Christians sing some praise songs. Surprised by his question – it is not a question I usually get asked in England! – I asked him why he wanted to get saved. He replied "because I see these born-again Christians and they are different to everybody else, always full of joy and peace so I wanted to know how I can be like them"

This conversation happened to me while I was in Uganda last month, and gives you an idea of what God is doing there at this time. Uganda having suffered greatly under its previous dictatorships and the terrible scourge of AIDS is today seeing tremendous church growth as many are coming to faith in Christ Jesus. One of the reasons for this growth was seen at the first meeting we attended.

This was at Victory Church Ndebe where over 4000 gathered from 8pm to pray all-night. I had an opportunity to preach just after midnight (at the start of my birthday – what a great thing to do on your birthday, and had 4000 people sing happy birthday to me. The meeting was also broadcast over much of Uganda through the church's Impact Radio which reaches millions.  We were to come across this radio station being played in shops, and even in the restaurant of a very tourist place near the Bujagali falls. At the end of the week I met one pastor who knew me as he said he heard me on the radio preach on 'the house of prayer for all Nations'.

I was in Uganda a team of 16 from churches in South Wales. During the day we went from house to house sharing the gospel of Jesus with the local people, and saw many come to Christ for the first time, and others return to Him. In the late afternoon we had the opportunity to preach the gospel in an open-air setting.

It was great to have the chance to preach the gospel in the open-air and see many come to Christ.

Two special opportunities were given to us. One was to visit a Prison Farm where over 300 inmates voluntarily came to listen to us given our testimonies and share the gospel.

The deputy governor greeted us with these words. "Welcome– We have been looking forward to you coming. We have cancelled all their normal work activities so that all can attend. These men need your message of the gospel. Don't worry about the time, take as long as you like! You'll soon discover there are Christians among them and they have their own pastors. They are no longer inmates in my eyes, but brothers and sisters. You will hear them worshipping God with their drums.

The inmates dressed in rags like 'Robinson Crusoe' (our team had brought large blocks of soap as a gift for them!) listened all afternoon, and at the end over 30 of them gave their lives to Christ.

We also had the opportunity to visit the main hospital in Kampala and pray with the patients in some of the wards. This was a real challenge to all of us as conditions for the patients were not good. Seeing such suffering and neglect led many to tears including the two nurses on our team who had never seen such things in the much maligned NHS of the UK. It was good, however, to be Christ's Ambassadors in such places, as this is surely where God wants us to be.

In addition for several nights I was given the opportunity to preach in some of the churches in the Kampala region, and preach on Sundays. While we were the team were also able to see the beginnings of the development of an orphanage that the churches in South Wales were supporting. They also had the opportunity of attending a special Ugandan occasion – an Introduction – a formal occasion in which the bride and groom are introduced to each others families. Here is a photo of three of the Mzungus (white men) in their Ugandan outfits.

The trip was a great blessing, and I want to thank all that made it possible for me, and for all who prayed and supported me and the team on the mission. It was good to be back in Africa and on mission. It gave me great insight into mission teams and we look forward to the missions of next year. We look forward to many of you going to the Nations and also joining us in our Missions. It is life-changing and maybe you will hear the cries of those who called out to us 'hey you haven't preached to us, come and tell us what you have told others'. We were running late, but we stopped, and talked to them and here they are given their lives to Jesus.

Chris Ragg

Ambassadors for All Nations