Harris Family

A LITTLE HARRIS-Y: Growing Godly Children Pt. 2

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 12:49:55 +0000

Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

As I wrote in the last study, I do not want to drop the ball on my parenting. The judgment seat of Christ is a chief motivator in my life. One day, I am going to stand face to face with my king and give an account of how I stewarded His resources. Beyond all doubt, how I cared for my family and raised my children will be considered towards the top of that account. I do not want to hang my head in shame on that day and admit that I should, and could, have done more to shepherd the family he gave me. Therefore, I am making it my aim to raise my children in the nurture and admonition of the LORD.

June 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 18:48:57 +0000

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

A LITTLE HARRIS-Y: Growing Godly Children Pt.1

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 18:23:06 +0000

Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

If I am going to drop the ball on anything in life, I do not want it to be on my parenting. Noelle and I have committed to raising our children in the nurture and admonition of the LORD. I frequently say that “someone has to disciple my kids, and that somebody should be me.” For no one will ever have a better opportunity to train my kids than I will; Noelle and I are more biologically disposed to influence them than anyone else, and they are not going to get another chance to spend 18 years in the homes of any other Godly influences during their impressionable youth. Likewise, God has given the charge of children to parents, not to schools, churches, grandparents, or screens (Prov. 6:20; 23:22; Eph. 6:1-4; Col. 3:20-21). Everyone I have ever discipled, or ever will disciple, is or was someone’s child. Most likely, the reason they need to be discipled by me is that they were not discipled by their parents. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, in Proverbs 22:6, King Solomon wisely put forth the principle that adults normally behave the way they were trained to as children. People are like arrows; the best time to aim them is when they are still within your control. The time God has given children to be aimed is particularly from the day of conception (Yes, people start learning while they are in the womb) through two years old, as that is the most influential time in a person’s life.

A LITTLE HARRIS-Y: Jesus the Christ

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:56:15 +0000

And has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:6 ( New King James Version)

The first words of the New Testament introduce Jesus as the Christ (Matt. 1:1, depending on the version), and John wrote that the whole reason he wrote his gospel was so that people would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” so that they would receive eternal life in His name (NASB, John 20:30-31). Many people tend to use the word Christ as if it is Jesus’ last name, when it is actually a title referencing God’s special appointment of Jesus. Christ is the English transliteration of the Greek word “ Christos”[Χριστός], which translates the Hebrew word “ Mashaiah” [מָשִיח] from which we get the word “Messiah”. Both “Christ” and “Messiah” mean “anointed one,” a term that refers to a divinely appointed person.

May 2025

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 16:56:14 +0000

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 90:17

Praise God! After years of planning, preparing, and patience, the Lord has given our school accreditation from the National Council of Higher Education here in Uganda! We are no longer Terebinth School of Discipleship, but are now officially known as Terebinth Bible College, the first and only accredited Evangelical Bible college in Northern Uganda. We strongly believe that it is God’s Word and His Spirit that truly equip His people to work in His service, not a piece of paper. However, we also know several benefits that come with this license. Firstly, seeking to meet higher standards is improving the quality of our product. Also, because of their love of formality, Ugandans will now have more respect for the education and discipleship they receive from us. Lastly, with accredited papers, the student’s churches will be safe from the likely coming of laws which threaten to shut down “unqualified” religious institutions.

March/April 2025

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:43:02 +0000

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

I sat down and wondered how time had gotten away from us, how we managed to let a whole month slip by without writing home and letting you know how we are and what has been happening. Looking at the list Matt wrote to help me; well, now I remember how time got away from us. So many things have happened that it will be hard to include most of them beyond just mentioning them. From the student’s triple wedding, the Terebinth graduation, preparing official college-level courses for the accreditation, to our school registrar lamentably breaking his back. Also starting men’s and women’s soccer leagues in Adak, helping a new friend get testing for a 7-year-long sickness, and Emma turning 10, along with receiving additional visitors, our dear friends the Schroetlins, who joined the visiting team from Rocky Mountain Calvary. Yes, it has been a very full time since you last heard from us, and I am excited to share a few of the highlights with you.Finally, after 3 years of sacrifice by students and their families, a week of studying hard every single month, hearing teaching after teaching, discussing, writing, practicing in real life, and ultimately maturing in the Word of God, 36 men graduated from our school. Ranging from their early 20’s up to late 60’s, these were senior pastors, church leaders, and earnest disciples striving to understand Scripture. Our entire team, both Ugandan and American, worked tirelessly to prepare and deliver sound biblical teachings, insightful workbooks, fair testing, organize the welfare of the students during class weeks, keep good records, and provide discipleship for all the students. The graduation was held at the campus in Adak. The students and teachers marched down the path from our own old house to the cheering crowd of family, friends and alumni awaiting at the school buildings. Emotions were strong as each man was joined by his wife and walked the carpet to receive his diploma, the sign of their achievement. Everyone was beaming. Everyone was jubilant. And everyone was sweating profusely. It was a beautiful day, and I was proud to share it with our visiting friends.

February 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:47:13 +0000

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

After finishing their study through the book of Revelation in December, the church leaders returned for one last week to recap what they had learned through the Bible. It was a wonderful week of hard work, remembrance, and celebration. Each of the pastors had two final projects: they each had to present the Gospel through a sermon based on a biblical theme as well as prove their knowledge of the timeline of Scripture and the major points of the biblical themes, feasts, and covenants (if you do not understand what that is all about please ask me sometime). It was a blessing to watch them display what they had learned and how far they had come. To their surprise, on Friday morning, they retook the pre-course exam. We could not gain control of the room when the students received the scores they earned at the beginning of the school, along with the scores they had just earned. The commotion was thunderous! On the test covering basic Bible knowledge, men who had been serving as pastors for years and scored as low as 14% on their first day of class were overjoyed with scores of 99-100%! Directly after the excitement, we ushered everyone into the dining hall, where they received a word of encouragement to continue growing in Christ and serving Him.

A LITTLE HARRIS-Y: Esther - God of Promises

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:42:35 +0000

(The votes are in… A Little Harris-y wins! Sorry to those who are disappointed:))

I love The Book of Esther; I often consider it my favorite book of the Bible, but it has long been shrouded by controversy. In his theological commentary, Paul Redditt notes that Eastern churches rejected the book’s canonicity and that the reformers did not devote much attention to it. Likewise, Samuel Wells points out in his biblical commentary of the book that these types of views are often related to the fact that the book “contains no promise to the Church, makes no mention of the Gospel” and “does not once introduce the name of God or recognize [H]is providence.” In fact, according to Reddit, “Luther could say that he wished the book did not exist at all, because it contained pagan impropriety.” So why do I love it so much? I would have to write more than I am willing to (and more than you would be willing to read) if I were to say everything I wanted to about it, but some of my favorite things about the book are how God is able to keep all His promises even though they seem to contradict and work out salvation even when He seems hidden.

January 2025

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 09:40:26 +0000

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:25

We decided as a team to begin our year by separating from work and business and going on a retreat. Our team gathered at the source of the Nile River for a few days in Jinja. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, relaxation, recuperation, prayer, and worship. Since some of the kids are getting old enough to watch the others, the adults were able to meet and discuss important topics for long periods. During that time, the team had the incredible privilege of baptizing one of our director’s children in the Nile River! Also, Emma was privileged to be a flower girl at the wedding of a young lady who grew up under the provision of our Director and his wife.

Central Park

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 08:01:13 +0000

I (Matt) recently decided to start sharing my thoughts on life, ministry, and God’s Word with all of you in regular devotionals. I have not decided whether or not I should name them, but if I do, I would like your help. Please email me back to vote on which name you like best: A Little Harrisy, Matt’s Musings, Matt’s Monthly Devotional, A Word of Wisdom, or some other suggestion you have (my favorite is the comedic A Little Harrisy). My prayer is that this helps us grow together into Christian maturity as we look forward to Christ’s return.

December 2024

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:26:16 +0000

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

Revelation 22:20-21

When we read these words from our Lord Jesus Christ and His beloved Apostle, forty church leaders and I gave a long moment of cheering. As the last verses of the Bible, those words represented the end of another three-year journey through Scripture with the shepherds of God’s people in Northern Uganda. The students will return in January to present their final projects, Gospel Sermons that utilize biblical themes, and to recap what they have learned. After that, they will return one final time to celebrate their graduation on April 5th!

October-November

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:42:16 +0000

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.

1 Peter 2:13-14

Major milestone: Inspection by National Counsel of Higher Education

We have been planning, raising funds and working to gain official accreditation for Terebinth Bible College for the last 4 years. Our aim was shifted toward this when, in 2018, Rwanda passed Law 72, requiring faith-based institutions to meet 10 key standards, one major standard being that the leader must hold a degree in religious studies from a higher learning institution. Uganda has always tended to adopt the major policies of other nations, and this case is no different, with promises to implement similar laws. Many church leaders are rising to fight against the passing of a law restricting the practice of religious institutions. However, it would be a disservice to the church body, if we, though morally able to meet government standards, fail to provide them with the certification required if such a law were passed.

August - September 2024

Sun, 22 Sep 2024 13:59:08 +0000

“Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”

Psalm 37:3

It has been a whole year since moving from our home in Adak Village to our “new” home in Gulu City. Believe it or not, it is a little painful to think of our time in Adak, because all the hard things that made us leave are intermingled with precious things. There were many relationships forged in the fire of trials, many friendships made with little neighbors after years of struggling to establish boundaries, many tasks accomplished on the “work” side of ministry, and countless testimonies of God’s mercy, grace, healing, provision, and overall goodness to those who called on His name. It has been hard to remember that God created us as emotional beings, and that mourning a loss is normal. Taking time to thank God for the good things He did and is still doing in Adak has kept me from swinging to the other end of the pendulum, feeling overly justified in leaving because of all the hard things that happened there. However, it seems an appropriate time to share how we have been doing, especially in the areas that lead us into moving.

July 2024

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 10:27:31 +0000

For safety concerns, the following information should be treated with confidentiality and responsibility.

The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

Acts 6:7

The shock and beauty of a priest coming to Christ in the early church is comparable to the astonishment of a Muslim leader deciding to convert from Islam to faith in Jesus today, and this month we have been privileged to welcome Jacob (name changed for safety reasons), a former Muslim imam and sheik, into the Christian family. At an early age, Jacob was chosen by his father, a Muslim extremist, to develop into the pride of the family and become their leader. Jacob was thoroughly equipped to represent Islam, he studied in the best Muslim’s schools in Uganda, studied Arabic in Medina, and by the age of 19 Jacob had memorized the entire Koran. Eventually, Jacob became the teacher of five mosques and two schools.

June 2024

Thu, 04 Jul 2024 05:25:02 +0000

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock."

Matthew 7:24

Gang Ghetto Kwo “The House That Builds Life”

You may remember our friend Luke, and his wife Hannah, whose wedding we were blessed to be a part of last December. We have mentioned Luke often in our updates over the years since we work closely with him in ministry, and because we share a lot of life together as he is Matt’s best friend. We wanted to share some of the things he has been working toward, and now does together with Hannah.

May 2024

Thu, 16 May 2024 11:44:31 +0000

For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.

April 2024

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 10:52:26 +0000

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

Last fall, a prominent member of our community was brought to our church, Calvary Chapel Gulu, by his son, who is a faithful member of the congregation. The man, Walter, had recently had a land dispute with his neighbor and suspected that his neighbor had put some sort of curse on him because of mysterious noises which he claimed were following him and which he had not been able to identify or expel. He came to the church as a last resort to rid himself of whatever spirit may be disturbing him. Matt was able to preach the gospel to him and prayed that if the noises were a result of something spiritual, he would look to Jesus, but if not, they would go away, and the glory would belong to Jesus. That day, a monitor lizard fell from his roof into his living quarters and was chased out. The sounds stopped. The man returned to the church looking for Matt a few weeks later, only to find he was not around. Instead, our senior pastor, Fred, met with him. Walter claimed that birds were beginning to follow him. He thought that Matt had some secret spiritual power to chase away these spirits. Pastor Fred explained that it was not Matt’s own power but that real power is found in Jesus Christ. He prayed with him, and the birds left. Walter came to church for Sunday service that week and got saved. He invited the pastors to go and preach to his household. They also turned to the Lord. Glory to God!

February 2024

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 08:28:53 +0000

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:13

I (Matt) was surprised to find out that a cult had moved into my neighborhood while our family was away. Last year, several outrageous and vulgar things occurred in one of the “churches” here in Gulu. Among other things, the self-proclaimed prophetess leading the church publicly pronounced curses on anyone who opposed her, including barrenness and poverty and blessings of prosperity on those who supported her. Fortunately, the community shut the church down and expelled the leader from their area. However, instead of reflecting and repenting, the “prophetess” subtly relocated her house and church a short walk from my house. She has a large following and has been manipulating them into building the largest home in our community for herself. Now, my whole neighborhood hears damaging things from the loudspeakers of that “church” every week.

January 2024

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 07:48:21 +0000

“… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20b

During our trip we experienced more than 22,000 miles of travel and temperatures ranging over 130 degrees (95 degrees in UG and -42 degrees wind chill in NE). We had meetings nearly every day; seeing, greeting, and sharing with hundreds of individuals. We gave many hugs that were too brief with friends and relatives and had so many late nights catching up with loved ones. There were tears of sorrow as we shared grief over loved ones that we never got to say goodbye to and happy tears, as we saw long-awaited hopes fulfilled, especially watching our dear friends join in marriage. So many smiles. So many hugs. So many prayers answered. So many testimonies to God’s goodness. Putting it all into a paragraph doesn’t quite do justice to the last 7 weeks of travel. But after such a FULL two months, we are glad to be back in the hot, red dust of Uganda. I think it was happy to see us too, it practically jumped on us as soon as we arrived home.

December 2023

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:51:30 +0000

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Philippians 1:9-11

2023 closed with one of our family’s greatest privileges. By God’s providence, our family was able to fly to the US and support the wedding of our friends and missionary partners, Luke and Hannah Buescher. I (Matt) was the best man, Noelle was a bridesmaid, Emma, Madeline, and Charlotte were flower girls, and Noah was a ring bearer. Unfortunately, because her adoption wasn’t finalized, Apio remained behind. During our trip, she has been in the loving care of our wonderful friends, Alan and Shillah Ocen.

November 2023

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 20:23:15 +0000

And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.

Job 28:28

I can’t think of anything that arouses more questions than human suffering. Everyone has asked God why they are experiencing pain in their life, but who has ever cried out to God in complaint of why God would allow them to have their needs met? It’s not surprising that the book of Job has more questions than any other book of the Bible, with a grand total of 330 (compared to the 160 questions in the entire book of Psalms).

October 2023

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:47:13 +0000

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.”

2 Corinthians 9:8

A big highlight of last month was the team that came out from Maryland. The brother of our director’s wife and several members of his church came and taught Resolving Everyday Conflict to our staff and students. Everyone I talked to said it was one of the most practical and helpful seminars they had ever attended. It was a treat, too, to watch the team interact with the 180 widows in our widows program during the conference they hosted at Calvary Chapel Gulu. Some of these women have been my personal friends for years, and it was precious to see them blessed by another member of the body of Christ. It is proof of Christ’s love when people come from thousands of miles away to simply wash the feet of someone they have never met, give them gifts, or encourage them with a good meal and a special message. It always fills my heart! I pray that God allows more and more people to come and see what He is doing here and what their partnership with us is doing in His name.

Home For Christmas!

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 09:53:34 +0000

Dear friends and family,

God has blessed us with an opportunity for a short visit to America, and we are pleased to announce that we will be home for Christmas! Our beloved friend and missionary partner, Luke Buescher, is marrying Hannah Struttman in December. Noelle and I both have the honor of being on the bridal team.

If the LORD wills, we will be in Colorado for the whole month of December and in Nebraska for the first half of January. We would love to meet with as many of you as possible. Please email me at mattharris9000@gmail.com or send me a WhatsApp at +256786200602 to schedule our time with you.

September 2023

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 19:01:57 +0000

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil – this is God’s gift to man.

Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

Life has not slowed down much since moving into the city two months ago. The Terebinth School of Discipleship is still proceeding with its study week, class week, and off weeks each month. Church and extra ministry opportunities continue to find their way onto the calendar with seldom any pictures to remember them by, but loads of praise because of what God is doing. Homeschooling has taken a slightly different look now that we have a schoolhouse to separate the noise of housework, meetings, and phone calls. On a typical day, I (Noelle) can lead each of the four schooling children through the state-required subjects and probably give them an extra-curricular lesson by lunch at 1 p.m. Of course, life itself is the classroom of our family.

August 2023

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:25:05 +0000

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people

Proverbs 14:34

It has been two years since we started Yalwak Manyen (New Generation) Sports Academy, an after-school soccer outreach for kids in Adak village, where we used to live. What sprang up as a way to give kids the gospel, structure, and an outlet for energy continues to influence and impact families in the community.

We began this soccer ministry during the lockdowns when children of all ages were kept from school, the primary source of structure and discipline in their lives. The youth were becoming more restless and unruly, even to the point where young boys in our village were setting up roadblocks to stop motorcyclists and beat and rob them. God gave us the vision to start this soccer outreach, which almost immediately affected our community. Kids used to rush away from home to get into mischief with their friends; instead, they would stick around to fetch water, sweep the compound, or help dig in the garden. They used to come home whenever they pleased; now, they go home when their mothers asked. They had no outlet for energy and were becoming a nuisance to the whole community, but now they were becoming an honor to their families. But what was more instrumental in this change was hearing the gospel preached to them. They brought it home to their families, and people began to have hope again.

July 2023

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:59:21 +0000

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”

John 16:13-14

The night before Jesus died on the cross He discussed the future with His disciples and one of the main topics in their conversation was the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus explained to them that the role of the Holy Spirit was to illuminate and glorify Himself. This is a very important message for Ugandan Christians to understand as many “funny” things are done through “the filling of the Spirit”. Recently I witnessed the Holy Spirit in action when four people stood up during the announcements at church and declared that they had come that day in order to accept Jesus and be born again!

June 2023

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 18:09:01 +0000

“The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Job 1:21

The month of June was like a roller coaster with sickening stomach drops and fast paced excitement.

On Monday June 12th our community was rocked by the death of Esther Latim, the 15 year old daughter of Fred Latim, our Sr. Pastor at Calvary Chapel Gulu. Esther was a very kind and intelligent girl who was friends with everyone, including my daughters, and she was even the champion debater (for her division) in all of Northern Uganda. Her life came to an end due to a battle with a bacterial infection and malaria, with the lifelong condition of sickle cell. Pastor Fred, along his wife Evelyn and their many children, are a blessing to everyone. They are an example to us for humility, grace, mercy and thoughtfulness. I can honestly say I have never met a more humble and meek man than Pastor Fred. Please pray for their family as they go through this season.

Fundraising for Family Relocation

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:38:30 +0000

“But Moses said to the people, “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent.””

Exodus 14:13-14

Please consider partnering with us in the purchase of a home.

https://youtu.be/T1ZXRJeUNe0

Since we moved to Gulu in 2018 we have lived in a house located in the little village of Adak, which we have rented from our organization, Terebinth Ministries. This has been a blessing. Our children have space to play and grow, and they love the other children in our neighborhood. We love things here, we love our home and neighbors, we love the view, and most importantly we have been blessed to live so close to the LORD’s work. However, these benefits have come at a cost. Malaria, typhoid, bacterial infections, pneumonia, dangerous animals, village threats and attempts at cursing us, and even sepsis have been constant realities. We have been honored to be counted worthy of these things and we have done our best to endure with patience, but our strength is waning. We see that in order to have longevity and sustainability while serving the Lord here, it is time for us to move to the nearby city of Gulu. Living there, we would continue to serve in the same capacities, all with more physical strength and health.

May 2023

Sun, 04 Jun 2023 13:01:31 +0000

“God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”

Psalm 68:6

This month we were blessed with a visit from my (Matt’s) parents, Brian and Tammy Harris. After having their first tickets canceled when the world shut down in 2020, and their second tickets canceled when my father had a severe case of COVID in 2021, their trip felt long overdue. Although we had little chance to break from the routine of work and school that our life revolves around, our time together was precious. It was wonderful to show them our Ugandan church family, the pastoral school, the farming enterprise, and all of the great people we have been sharing our life with. But really my Mom and Dad spent most of their time simply being with their grandkids!

April 2023

Tue, 09 May 2023 18:36:19 +0000

“You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:9b-10

Pray for us as we begin the adoption process for our daughter Apio Cynthia!

In April of 2021, soon after our return to Uganda from our furlough in the States, we began fostering a girl from our village. We had known Apiyo Cynthia (nicknamed Ah-peach-ay) since we officially moved to Uganda in 2018, when she was 8 years old. At the start we had thought she was an orphan because she appeared malnourished and severely neglected, not even knowing her real name. We found over time that she was simply rejected from the community. Once we found out she had a family, we tried many times to help reconcile her to them through various means to no avail. We even left provision so that if schools opened up again when we were visiting the States, she could be enrolled as soon as possible (schools were closed for 2 years due to the very lengthy lockdown here). When we returned from our furlough, we began finding her on our porch after dark, sometimes as late as 11PM. We continued trying to reconcile her to her family while looking for options of where she could go that would take better care of her. When we heard rumors that she could be in mortal danger from a relative, we got permission from the officials concerned to keep her in our home until a better living situation was decided.

March 2023

Sat, 01 Apr 2023 19:46:23 +0000

Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our LORD, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

The importance of thorough discipleship stuck out to me last weekend. It was my daughter Emma’s turn to go on an outing with me, and before getting ice-cream we spent a few hours evangelizing door to door with our church, Calvary Chapel Gulu. Emma, myself and our head pastor, Fred Latim, sat in the yard of a local political leader with the gentleman and his Muslim friend. The politician is a Christian who publically claims Christ and was very eager to talk to us about Jesus, but he didn’t know that Muslims worshiped a different god, he didn’t know the difference between any of the groups that proclaim the name of Jesus, and he couldn’t tell me why God allowed Jesus to die on the cross! The darkness of ignorance is vast when even sincere Christian leaders are severely underdeveloped.

February 2023

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 16:29:37 +0000

“…choose this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

This month I (Noelle) want to share with you some of what life looks like for our kids.

Time has flown by since we left the USA with two baby girls. Three more children have been given to us from the Lord and our ministry has grown as a result. I think the idea that raising children is discipleship was instilled in us when we were in our parents’ homes. Almost everything we do with our kids is purposely developing them for the Lord. I won’t to go into detail on our house rules and parenting philosophies, but I’ll do my best to show you what being a “missionary kid” looks like for ours at this stage of their lives:

January 2023

Sat, 28 Jan 2023 17:41:36 +0000

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Joshua 1:8

With this update I wanted to tell you about the crucial and unique part of our ministry that we call “Study Week”.

Give

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 22:35:37 +0000

December 2022

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 18:33:15 +0000

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

With love and fondness we want to wish you a Merry Christmas! May God reveal Himself to you more and more as we all celebrate our deliverance from the bondage of sin. Let God magnify in our hearts the meaning of His son’s name, the mission He accomplished on the earth; that we might renew our thankfulness and joyfully display His love to our neighbors.

November 2022

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 09:43:05 +0000

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.

Hebrews 11:6

It fills my heart with awe and joy to realize that God wants to be with me. How wonderful that God wants to bless me for simply believing that He wants me nearer. God smiles down when I smile up! These truths and many more touched us as our school studied through the book of Hebrews in November. As always, our leaders gathered for one week to dwell on our text and prepare ourselves for the two consecutive cohorts of church leaders that gathered the next two weeks. And as always God blessed our time together with growth in the grace and knowledge of Him. Sometimes I can’t believe that God has set me apart as a teacher of His Word and a Shepherd of His flock, we are blessed to serve Him.

October 2022

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 06:56:43 +0000

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galations 6:9

Two major things happened this month. The first thing was that my (Noelle’s) Mom was finally able to visit Uganda. After more than 5 years on the field, it was so good to be able to show her in person everything we’ve been doing, and meet our community and those we work alongside. She stayed for a whole month, praise God, and brought with her 3 of my older nieces and a friend. 12 people living under the same roof made our home practically burst at the seams, but all the housework work, play, and ministry seemed to get done smoothly nonetheless. Without them I would not have been able to finish all the work on my end in preparation for the big celebration, which is the second major thing that happened in October.

September 2022

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 19:43:20 +0000

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:31-32

Along with all the day-to-day things happening in life and ministry, September brought our 9th wedding anniversary. We are thankful to have shared so much of our life together, and we don’t take for granted the peace God has helped establish in our home. To celebrate, we prepared a candlelight dinner for our family and shared the story of our relationship with our kids.

August 2022

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:40:23 +0000

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

We are happy to report that our friend Lydia returned home safely after spending 2 months with us here in Uganda. We thank God that He allowed her an extended period of time off from work to visit with us. She was a great help to the ministry, especially to the Discipleship School. Some of our favorite times during her stay were just having her in our home and village, seeing, hearing, and experiencing firsthand what is going on here. I was very blessed to have one of my own friends from home to spend some time with and share what God has been teaching me. And to finish off her trip we went on a Safari to talk and have a debriefing time; just Lydia, our teammate Cassie, and myself (Noelle). It was both Lydia’s and my first Safari! Our family is so thankful for Lydia and her sacrifice of time and finances to come and share in the work, joys, and struggles here.

July 2022

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 11:12:55 +0000

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people,”

1 Timothy 2:1

As is our goal with every update, we want to share with you some of the recent events, and our future desires, with the hope that you will be able to pray more effectively, especially for our little village of Adak.

We were discouraged by news that our friend, Caesar Opiro, had passed away. Caesar was one of the first people we met when we moved to Adak early 2018. He and 2 other young men had been friends with the previous missionary, who had built the house we live in; and they hoped to establish a relationship with us as they had with him. Caesar was younger and still in high-school, a bright eyed, friendly well-mannered happy guy. Caesar claimed Christ, but began having serious struggles when he was kicked out of school for injuring one of his classmates. We watched helplessly as his attitude changed over time and he sank into depression, alcohol, violence, and fornication. At some point Caesar no longer saw life as worth living, and eventually found malaria as a means of escape by hiding it from his family until it was tragically too late to get treatment. Sadly, Caesar’s story is not unique. In fact, in the month of July, our village experienced too many traumatic events to be recounted in only one update. Abuse, witchcraft, addictions, betrayal, robbery, revenge, immorality, jealousy, and the like. The world is truly dark, and sin really does produce death. But what the enemy meant for evil, God is working together for good. The visible advancement of darkness in our village has strengthened our resolve for our local community outreach “Yalwak Manyen”, New Generation Sports Academy. Together with my partners in this ministry, we evangelized to Caesar’s family, who finally recognized their need for a Savior. Caesar’s mother rededicated her life to Christ, his father and his brother became born again.

June 2022

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 13:14:19 +0000

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live… So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.

Exodus 1:17, 20-21

This month I am happily satisfied and thankful for all that God has done. One thing we are particularly happy about is the overturning of Roe Vs. Wade by the Supreme Court. When we first heard about the possibility of it being overturned, I was overwhelmed by a strange joy and anxiety. Joy that there was hope to change the ruling and save innocent lives, and anxiety because with how wicked our country has become which made having hope seem pointless. We gave it into Gods hands continually, and decided that the day it was overturned, we would celebrate it annually as a reminder of the countless lives lost to such a wicked scheme, and to celebrate the lives that will be saved through the reversal of the decision. I wasn’t sure why it came over me to make donuts on Friday, but once we heard the wonderful news, I knew God simply wanted us to celebrate this victory. We will continue celebrating “Birth Day” on each 24th of June, and we will remember to keep fighting for the rest of those lives still threatened. Each child is a blessing from God, no matter the way they have come into the world.

May 2022

Mon, 30 May 2022 18:22:50 +0000

So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

Acts 19:9b-10

Rainy season has now come in full force and so has our school season. Our team is stepping into a busy and rewarding term of teaching God’s Word. From now on we as leaders will meet every month for one week to study and prep our classes before lecturing two weeks back to back. In the month of May we began our journey through Scripture by covering Genesis 1-11. God also blessed us with the ability to lead our church through the book of Genesis at the same time. It was amazing to see God move as even veteran pastors shared that it was as if they were reading the Bible for the first time! It is such a blessing to be used by God as a teacher and a pastor!

April 2022

Wed, 04 May 2022 18:13:32 +0000

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:28

After four years of hard work, our pastors and church leaders have finally graduated! In our time together these servants of God read through every verse of the Bible twice, studied every passage, and tested out of every book! By God’s grace we can also claim along with the Apostle Paul that we did not shrink back from declaring the whole counsel of God.

March 2022

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 17:23:23 +0000

Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

1 Peter 4:19

In the month of March, God allowed me (Matt) to attend a Calvary Chapel pastor’s conference in another part of Uganda. The teachings of the conference followed the book of First Peter, and focused on the theme of the living hope we believers have in our resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ. In his first letter, Peter describes how as Christians, we are exiles on the earth, awaiting our homeland. Our sojourning’s are full of difficulties and trials that God uses to purify our faith like fire. But we rejoice because we have living hope that God’s testing’s will result in praise, glory, and honor at Christ’s revelation.

February 2022

Sun, 27 Feb 2022 19:38:44 +0000

“So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.”

Luke 15:20

This month we had the wonderful pleasure of hosting Noelle’s sister Hosanna, and her Ugandan fiancé, Abraham! It was a comfort and a blessing to see family and to share our life with them. Abraham runs a ministry in central Uganda, called World for Life, which focuses on evangelism at schools and through sports. We are so excited to officially welcome Abraham into our family when their papers go through.

January 2022

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 16:51:47 +0000

“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which He obtained with His own blood.”

Acts 20:28

After two long years of restrictions, we were finally able to host another conference for the pastors of the Northern Uganda Calvary Chapel Association! Although our ministry is non-denominational and we train pastors from many kinds of churches, we belong to a Calvary Chapel, both in America and here in Uganda. I (Matt) am ordained through Calvary, and they have a special place in our hearts. Chuck Smith birthed this movement during the hippy period of the 60’s and 70’s. At that time many churches were divided into two major groups. One practiced strict legalism: “Don’t come into the church dressed like that”, “a real Christian wouldn’t do that” etc. On the other side there was a “charismania”, people “drunk with the Spirit” clucking like chickens and dancing like monkeys. Calvary Chapel has been a powerful and balanced movement of God. Priority is given to the Word of God, people are equipped by the filling of the Holy Spirit, we wholly rely on God’s grace, and we seek to uphold the supremacy of love. As of now there are more than 10,000 Calvaries in East Africa alone.

December 2022

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 19:32:12 +0000

“But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.”

Numbers 14:21

As we look back on the year of 2021, we feel deep gratitude! We cherished our time in the US at the beginning of the year, it was such a blessing to be with all of our friends and family. We are thankful to have arrived back home safely, and to have reestablished our life in here in Uganda. We praise God for the growth we have seen in our family; Noelle and I have continued to mature, and our kids finished their first year of school. God added Apio Cynthia to our family. The second set of pastors in the discipleship school finished studying through the entire Bible. God released the lockdowns here in Uganda. Land has been added to our ministry, and buildings and homes have been built for the expansion of Gods kingdom. Most vitally, many souls have been added to our number! Last year God showed Himself faithful to fill our lives with His glory.

November 2021

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 06:26:14 +0000

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 136:1

November has been very busy for our family. Nearly every weekday is filled with either meetings or errands for Matt, and for me (Noelle); school and managing the household (and all the neighbor children who end up in our yard every afternoon).

Early in the month I had the privilege to speak at a women’s conference with another woman of our foreign staff. I felt very humbled to stand before a church full of women, most very much older than I, and teach on Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” I, who could have been the granddaughter of many of them, was to teach them how to submit, most to unbelieving husbands. I taught on humbling yourself in the sight of the Lord, so that He is the one to lift you up. I also shared in many ways the idea that, just as God saw that it was good when His word was carried out at creation, it is also good when we follow His commands today. I think the conference went on well. It has brought me into a season of thankfulness for the gift of womanhood, and God’s calling on me to be a wife and mom.

New Outreach

Sat, 13 Nov 2021 14:18:29 +0000

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

Proverbs 14:34

Six months ago in May God inspired us to reach out to the young people in my community through the avenue of sports. The youth here have never been “model citizens”, but that only compounded through the hopelessness of the lock downs, which left everyone completely aimless and idle. God showed me (Matt) the need for something to be done when I found out that a group of preteens from my village were setting up roadblocks to rob travelers.

October 2021

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:21:34 +0000

“He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to Him, “Yes Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.””

John 21:16

Some of the most beloved and most often quoted Scriptures picture God as a shepherd tending His flock. Psalm 23 talks about how God leads us to rest in green pastures and how He prepares our meals in the presence of our enemies. David said that he didn’t need to be in want and that he didn’t need to be afraid because God was shepherding him. The apostle John recorded Jesus telling a crowd that He Himself was the good shepherd. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but the good shepherd came that we would have abundant life! Unlike a mere employee who runs from danger, He laid down his life for the sheep. The Apostle Peter exhorted elders in the church to shepherd God’s flock voluntarily and eagerly, according to the will of God. Pastors weren’t supposed lord their authority over Gods people or lead them out of compulsion or for sordid gain.

September 2021

Sat, 02 Oct 2021 17:18:34 +0000

“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Psalm 46:10

As my wife and I were reading our devotions last month, we came across the encouraging verse written above and quickly had our family commit it to memory. Ministry can feel like an impossible task, endless drops in a vast ocean. As I look at the corrupting world around me I wonder if my life can really turn the tide within my sphere. Psalm 46:10 reminded us that it’s not our effort that will bring God His glory. God Himself is at work in the world. God will capture the heart of the nations and receive their praise. God will be exalted in in the world. As Paul explained to the Corinthians; one might plant and another might water, but it is God alone who brings the increase (1 Cor 3:6). When I remove the weight from my own shoulders and give it back to Whom it belongs, it is a joy to serve our Lord rather than an overwhelming job.

August 2021

Sun, 29 Aug 2021 18:49:23 +0000

“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants.” Ps 116:15

On August 18th, a significant event took place, in which a man who had discipled and cared for so many people, including myself, went to be with the One he was leading everyone toward. My father, Merlin R Davis, came to the Lord when he was in his 20’s, and soon after met and married my mother. After deciding that 2 children was enough, they were soon lead by the Lord to trust Him in faith for all things required for life and godliness, and to allow Him to plan their family. Only slightly less controversial than today, their decision and faith were certainly tested over the years as more and more children were given to them, and paychecks were spread thinner and thinner. But God provided for all their needs, and today, as number 11 out of 13 children, I can say I am thankful for their decision to trust God despite the comments and looks of others. We had a sign in our house which is still there today, it reads, “We don’t believe in miracles, we rely on them.” And for my family, this was true. My father worked 2 jobs and continued to trust in the Lord to provide the remainder of what was required for us to live. Once a week he would take one of us by turn to go get gas station icecream or coffee (or to eat out, once there were fewer kids in the house), we would sit together somewhere as he read through the Chronicles of Narnia or the Lord of the Rings books, and I was even able to hear him read through a book he had written himself. He was faithful to one wife, and faithfully cared for and taught all of us to fear the Lord. He was a carpenter, a locksmith, a piano tuner, he played guitar, sang, and wrote songs. In many ways he was as Abraham, the father of Israel, who walked with the Lord, who pleaded with the Lord on behalf of others, who cared for strangers and those in need. Even as his Alzheimer’s progressed, his character stayed generally the same, though I would venture to say he got even sweeter and was more in love with my mom than ever. In early August his condition worsened and eventually he would not eat or drink, but only sleep. They called me to say my goodbye, and I was able to pour out my heart of thankfulness for what he had done for me, to repent for my rebellion in my youth, and ultimately to congratulate him on the new ministry God has for him in heaven! It was a very bittersweet time on the phone.

July 2021

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 18:55:31 +0000

“Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3

The lockdown has let up a bit here in Uganda, allowing Matt to travel down to Kampala with Luke to renew their visas. Praise God for travel ability AND approved visas! We have yet to travel down to finish the process of renewing the dependent visas for myself and the kids.

On the Homefront, we have finished our first official semester of homeschooling. During our short break I am doing all sorts of planning, printing, gardening, writing, and anything else you can imagine a mother to get behind on during the school year. Since beginning homeschooling, I have scrambled to keep on top of the day-to-day tasks, forcing myself to knuckle down, make a schedule, and stick to it. Before, our life was always very flexible because of how unpredictable our days were. But now that our family has grown, we’ve started homeschooling, and Matt’s duties have become more “homebased”, a schedule was necessary. As much as I dislike being “bound” by something so menial, I feel as though I have a lot more free time now, and I’m accomplishing the same things and more in a day.

June 2021

Sat, 03 Jul 2021 17:22:56 +0000

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.” 1 Timothy 4:6

Sadly Uganda has been hit hard with the second wave of the Corona Virus, and we have entered another strict lockdown. The past 16 months of confusion, pain, despondency and frustration have been the same for everyone around the world. Our team has felt the negative effects of this lockdown in that our Discipleship School has to be closed down, the arrival of our new teammate, David Buescher who is the brother of Luke Buescher, has been delayed and the team that was coming out with him has been canceled. It has also all but stopped our work visa renewal process which puts us in a precarious position. We are thankful however, that this time around most businesses have stayed open, and Uganda’s president hasn’t stopped any relief efforts. Traditional church gatherings have also been banned. Therefore, we have opened a small fellowship at our house and Luke has opened another at his. We praise God for the work that He has been doing through them. It is always great to see the way that God moves and people grow within intimate gatherings!

May 2021

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 19:53:26 +0000

“You are my servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:9b-10.

God continues to show Himself faithful to our family as we continue depending on Him. We were relieved when after 21 long days we were finally freed from our quarantine to interact with the outside world. Our time to ourselves was really helpful as it freed us to focus on our family. The time was especially helpful for me as it allowed me to write out lesson plans for multiple books of the Bible, which has been one of my primary rolls since returning home. However, it wasn’t easy to watch so many things get stacked up on the “to do when we get out list”. The rush to catch up has been necessary and exhausting, and unfortunately our family’s health still isn’t completely back. But we are content in the arms of our omniscient Father.

April 2021

Tue, 04 May 2021 17:53:33 +0000

“Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21

April was a very trying month, but God has shown Himself faithful to supply His strength and presence according to His great grace. Noelle and I have been quarantined in our house for the past two weeks after contracting the Corona virus. We praise God that the fear of COVID here has really died down, so we aren’t receiving any threats. We also praise God that we are recovering well and we will soon be able to go out again. However, the virus has left us tired and weak.

March 2021

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 17:28:32 +0000

“And He was saying to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.’” Luke 10:2

As a family we have invested a lot of our energy into reestablishing our home life here in Uganda. We know that we can’t win “away” when we are losing at home. It has been exactly a year since we were first displaced from our home in the Corona confusion. Although we spent time in our house since then, this past month was the first we truly felt the peace of a home base. As part of that we have officially started our children’s schooling and it’s crazy to us that we even have children that are old enough for school. Please pray for Noelle as she starts her new life as a teacher.

February 2021

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 04:59:17 +0000

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Rom 15:5-6

We were blessed beyond words during our time with you in the United States, and now we are blessed to be back home in Uganda. We spent our last days in the U.S. meeting with many of you and speaking at events. Our prayer is that God will unite our hearts and voices together in prayer for our lost and dying world. May the Spirit of God bring revival both here and there to the glory of His own name, and may we each be obedient to do His will at the expense of our own.

January 2021

Fri, 05 Feb 2021 05:32:28 +0000

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:14.

Over our time in Nebraska it was a great joy to see our kids playing contentedly with their cousins, learning the names of SO MANY aunts and uncles, and getting to know my parents. When we were still living in America we did not get many opportunities for traveling to see my (Noelle) family, and even then the older girls were too young to remember. It was special for me to see them together with my family, as if they’d been with them all along though they’ve hardly known them. My dearest memories of our time in Nebraska are of our excited kids going on their “dates” with my mom and taking care to go love on their Papa: Noah climbing on his back (dad didn’t seem to mind); Emma leading dad around the house, taking great care to steer him due to his blindness; my dad, as progressed as he is in his Alzheimer’s, holding his cup by only his teeth and showing off to the little kids. And when he opened his normally closed eyes, looked straight at Maddie, and asked what she thought about it. She wasn’t sure what to think. I am thankful for God’s gift to us in the form of my family. I would find it hard to be on the field if they were not so behind us in our mission. Their love does not make me feel guilty for not staying longer (though time with them is always too short), their love frees me to GO! Not every missionary has a family supporting them in their calling, we are extremely blessed to have both families backing us.

December 2020

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 23:37:57 +0000

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

About 2000 years ago God sent His only Son to redeem us from our enslavement to sin. Today we have hope and peace with God because of His life, death, resurrection and ascension. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

November 2020

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 03:22:39 +0000

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Romans 1:11-12

Our furlough continues to be the fulfilling of what Paul longed for, the opportunity to meet with and be encouraged together with so many brothers and sisters in the faith. We are always reminded of the ministry we have left in Uganda for this short time, and the work we have still remaining here in the US. Being here in America has been it’s own kind of ministry, one with it’s own reward, namely, the joy of being reunited with ones we have left long ago, and the strengthening of our faith as we see and hear testimonies of what God was doing while we were away. It has been a tremendous blessing to us.

October 2020

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 20:32:45 +0000

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness.” Psalm 33:18

Life just keeps going and going as we continue to visit friends and family. We started October with a wonderful stay with our sending organization, Saving Grace World Mission, in Yorba Linda, California. It is wonderful to serve alongside so many people devoted to the Lord, and we were very blessed by the sincere love of Christ shown by all the staff and community connected to Saving Grace. Heading South, we came into Tecate, Mexico, to visit Matt’s brother and sister-in-law, Josh and Laura. It was encouraging to be with them, to reconnect with Josh and to get to know Laura, since we hadn’t had opportunity before their wedding last year. It was also very special to spend time with our Mexican “Mama’s”. We had been on many short term trips to Tecate, and Matt had even spent 5 months living with Ma Elena and her family. Being able to introduce them to their honorary grandchildren was precious. On our way back to CO we stopped briefly in Phoenix to visit several friends. We were also greatly encouraged there. A few hours from home we had unexpected trouble with our vehicle. God brought friends who happened to live at the next Interstate exit, and they helped us home the next day. Praise God for His providence and protection!

September 2020

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 02:51:57 +0000

“God makes a home for the lonely; He leads out the prisoners into prosperity, only the rebellious dwell in a parched land.” Psalm 68:6

I am grateful for the time God has given us to see some of our many loved ones. I just can’t describe how much you all mean to us. Our family, dear friends, partners, and fellow servants of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we love you and words can’t describe what a blessing it is to interact with each one of you, and we can’t wait to see those of you whom we have not yet met with. God has truly made a home for us.

October 2019

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 18:48:17 +0000

“For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “in repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.”” Isaiah 30:15a

I love October. The temperature change, the leaves turning, apple picking and processing, and especially getting the family together and you all bring your own meat and too many marshmallows and just sit around the fire late into the evening. But here, October just feels like another month. No significant change in weather; it’s still rainy season, no change in the leaves; although people are harvesting things here and there. No real change to mark the time of year. I do miss that about America. But there were significant events throughout the month, even if they were not particularly seasonal.

May 2019

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 21:06:58 +0000

“If they had stood in My council, then they would have announced My words to My people, and would have turned them back from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.” Jeremiah 23:22

This past month we had the awesome privilege of graduating our very first set of pastors from our Pastoral School of Discipleship. 3 years ago more than 25 pastors and church leaders joined Terebinth Ministries in a trek through the whole of scripture and on May 27th, 15 of those pastors received certificates of completion! We are so proud of those 15 pastors who took 1 week out of every month to live together, pray together, study together and worship together in order to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord Jesus Christ. We pray that God would bless them and keep them as they lead others into relationship with our Father.

Pastor Kinyera Charles

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 20:43:04 +0000

As a family we have decided to visit the churches of our students and friends once a month to see how they are doing and to bring them some encouragement from Gods Word. With the permission of each pastor we have also decided to allow you to join us on that journey so that you will be more informed as you think about and pray for the churches of Uganda. We pray that these short Pastoral Bios would encourage you in your walk with God and that you would grow in your love for Jesus as you see how he is moving in the hearts of so many people!

August 2020

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 17:56:42 +0000

“But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” Micah 7:7

August was a month of change and transition from the LORD, both for Terebinth Ministries and for our family.

Like every other entity, our ministry has been trying to navigate the Covid crisis. When the lock-down started on March 30th, schools were closed down along with businesses, churches, government offices, and the like. And of course, the Terebinth School of Discipleship was temporarily closed. We had expected for the schools to open up by harvest time (Jul-Aug), but when it became evident that the reopening was going to delay, we decided as a team to find alternatives to our regular classes. With prayer and counsel, our leadership decided to start running a temporary alternative class style. Because of restrictions against meeting in large groups, we have divided our class up into 6 small groups, at different locations and at different times. Each student is given the student handbook a week in advance of their meeting to prepare them for the main points, the small groups meet for 2 days and watch a prerecorded teaching on the book being studied. They are guided by 2 teachers to further understand the content of the book, and then tested. We eagerly await our normal class style, but we are thankful for the ability to continue engaging the minds of our pastors in the meantime.

July 2020

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 05:51:04 +0000

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night… For you, O Lord have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92: 1-2,4.

This COVID season has brought about poverty and hunger here in Uganda. Because of the temporary shut down of businesses and schools, we can see the effects of the declined economy everywhere we look. People are getting thinner and thinner. There is also a spiritual poverty that came with the shut down of churches, and people are getting dryer and dryer. But God is on the move bringing provision to the desperate and giving a tremendous hunger for Himself during these trying times.

Furlough in the USA

Sun, 02 Aug 2020 15:09:57 +0000

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the Gospel from the first day until now.” Phil 1:3-4

We are so grateful for your partnership in the Gospel with our family. We have relied on your prayers for our strength and we have been blessed by your support. May God richly bless you for what has been accomplished here because of you.

June 2020

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 08:06:03 +0000

“Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man , it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came”; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there.” Matt 12:43-45a.

This month I feel it would be good to share a testimony about a family that God delivered at our medical clinic. It is not uncommon for God to show up in miraculous ways like this, but because we have a full-time chaplain I am not always present to witness the miracles myself.

May 2020

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 19:03:26 +0000

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.” Col 1:28

Not much has changed for our ministry this month as we are on week 11 of “lock down” ministry. When lock down started we had to switch our focus as a ministry from the pastoral training school, which was temporarily shut down, to relief aid and preaching Christ over the airwaves. We want to say thank you to everyone who has stepped up and donated during this time. The lock down has been devastating and it is heart breaking to see the suffering and starvation sweep through our communities, but it has been amazing to see God answer the needs of so many through the generosity of the global church body. As a ministry we are providing families with over 10 tons of food per week. Which means our churches are very busy blessing the communities through the hand outs and our staff at BAM are very very busy preparing the needed supplies, our machines never seem to shut down. We are blessed that along with the food packages we always have an opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and many people are being saved as they experience the great love that Christ has for them, including many women who’s desperation had led them to prostitution. And right now our pastoral team is being broadcasted over the East African airwaves 40 times a month. It has been great to see many come to Christ through the messages, understand the scriptures through the live call in times, and have the hope of Christ brought to them through the times of prayer. Thank you for the great love you’ve shown through your generosity and prayers.

Preemptive Kindness

Thu, 21 May 2020 17:09:05 +0000

“The King will answer and say to them, “truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to me.”” Matt 25:40

Every human being has been created uniquely by God in His own image. God defined the value of every human being with the shedding of His Sons blood. Yet I still find myself assessing people to decide wether or not they are worthy of my love, my time or my consideration. It’s easy to look at an oncoming person in a crowd and decide that their grumpy attitude, or their prideful demeanor, disqualify them from a good interaction with me. We practice reactionary kindness. We practice reactionary grace. We practice reactionary love. I will bless and welcome you in a way that is directly corespondent to my assessment of your character. We find ourselves loving those that love us and hating those that hate us. Yet what greater reason could I have for being kind to someone than knowing that they bear the image of my creator. What greater value is possible to have than the worth of Jesus Christ’s own blood. Who am I to place a standard of worth higher than that. My kindness, grace and love should not be a reaction to an individual directly but a reaction to the value God has defined for human beings in the Gospel. We can love people before assessing wether they are worthy of it. The Gospel empowers us to show preemptive kindness.

March 2020

Thu, 21 May 2020 17:03:09 +0000

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Josh 1:9

I hope this letter finds you abiding in the strength and love of Jesus Christ our Savior,

As with all of you, and the rest of the world; this month has been a roller coaster for our family. We started the month in expectation of teaching our pastors the book of Jeremiah, for things to continue normally at the clinic and at BAM and to enjoy a visit from my parents at the end of the month. But it didn’t take long for all of that to change as the country of Uganda began preparing to battle the virus.

April 2020

Fri, 08 May 2020 04:07:53 +0000

“He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know me,” John 10:13-14

This month is a blur in my memory. Each day went by so slowly, but now looking back it’s as if no time passed at all. I myself (Noelle) left our two-room, temporary apartment only a few times, so my concept of time and days has become very skewed. But here we are at the beginning of a new month, and I hope I can share with you what God has been doing here in Gulu, Uganda, even though I have not been directly involved with almost any of it.

October 2017

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 16:21:39 +0000

Dear Friends and Family,

Please watch this video and check out our October update…

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We are excited as always to share our hearts with you all. Around 17 months ago God led my family into the pursuit of overseas missions with our good friend Luke Buescher. After confirming our calling, we met regularly to pray for about 6-7 months before God gave us clear direction: We were to join Terebinth Ministries and minister to the physical and spiritual health of the Acholi people in Uganda, Africa.

January 2020

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:24:57 +0000

“So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” Psalm 63:2-3

In the month of January God gave me (Matt) the wonderful privilege of attending the annual East Africa Calvary Chapel Association Conference. It was my first time to attend this conference but I hope it will not be the last. Although I love the church as a whole, I have a special place in my heart for the Calvary Chapel movement, that seeks to permeate the world with the Gospel through sharing the Love of Jesus and simply explaining the words of God. It was wonderful to sit in the “sanctuary” and behold what God has done and is doing in this region of the world in and through His bride. Jesus touched my heart as I worshiped Him alongside men, of all different tribes and languages, who have separated themselves from the deceitful pleasures of this life to love and serve the King of Kings. All of us were stirred and filled as we looked at Jesus words the seven churches in the first chapters of Revelation. It was a perfect way for me to start the year, filling my heart with expectation for what God has in store for 2020. My prayer is for there to be a church in every village that rightly handles the Word of Truth and believes in the transforming power of Jesus death and resurrection.

February 2020

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 18:45:06 +0000

“The Lord sustains all who fall, and raises up all who are bowed down.” Psalms 145:14

As you may know, our primary ministry here in Uganda is the biblical training of pastors at the Terebinth School of Discipleship. However, God has surrounded that ministry with a few other ways for our team to reach the Acholi people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A more recent addition has been the widows’ ministry. As we take our students through the whole of Scripture one of the themes we highlight is God’s heart for the widow and last year God opened the door for us to not only teach our pastors about His heart towards them but to partner with them practically. We train committees at our students’ churches and give them supplies to provide healthcare, food, discipleship, fellowship, and work to the widows in their areas. By God’s grace we’re hearing a lot of testimonies, and seeing a lot of families come to know the Lord because of this practical display of love. We even have a witch doctor enrolled in the program who is receiving discipleship. We hope and pray she responds to Christ soon. In the month of February, God opened the door to triple the number of widows in the program, and we pray that He will continue using this ministry mightily.

December 2019

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 18:29:08 +0000

“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.” 3 John v4

The month of December was full of ups and downs, but the one thing we feel overall about it is joy.

Last year we did nothing American to celebrate Christmas besides cinnamon rolls for breakfast and reading the story of Christ’s birth in Luke. The day passed slowly, and ended up being kind of miserable because we didn’t sleep at all that night, hearing the discos throbbing music and the public showing of movie after movie, as loudly as if they were inside our bedrooms, all though the night. This year we decided to be a little more traditional and put up a few lights and decorations, do a gift exchange with the kids, and invite some dear friends, 3 single ladies over for dinner, since their families had traveled for the holiday to different villages. It was not quite a white Christmas, or a comfy cozy one, but it was restful and fun for all of us. And the disco got rained out, which was an answer to prayer for us (both for sleep, but also for the sake of our community and discouraging them from celebrating in ungodly ways).

November 2019

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 17:32:27 +0000

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matt 13:44

Last month we told you briefly about a coming training for some pastors in our community. In the recent months we have seen an increase in attempts of suicide in our area, our own clinic treating several cases within a months time. Matt spoke with the pastors in the Terebinth School who are from our village of Adak, and they decided to gather pastors and leaders from every church in Adak for a special training. Nearly 50 leaders met for 3 days to learn about Biblical counseling, and how to minister to the people in their church who are dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts, or even just having a hard time. Matt was also able to speak for a few minutes on the value of life, and how we should not dismiss or look down on people dealing with these issues because Christ placed a high value on them by offering His own life for them. In all it was a good training. Please continue praying for God to work in our village and community, in the churches and especially in the lives and families of these pastors and leaders.

September 2019

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 13:53:09 +0000

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

When we moved here to the village of Adak, God gave us a burden for our neighborhood and a desire to see the Gospel come to life in our community. Within a few months of being here, I (Matt) started a bible study on Tuesday nights for the youth of the area. We pray that some of the seeds that were sown at that time will continue to grow, but it didn’t take very long for us to see that we needed a different approach to reach our neighbors. Then, at the time that we were closing down that Bible study I started meeting with one of our neighbors who’s name was Daniel. Together Daniel and I read and talked through the entire New Testament and the impact that God’s Word had on Daniel’s life was tremendous. The same week we finished Revelation, Daniel left to another town in order to study nursing. With Daniel gone Noelle and I started praying for further direction from God concerning our village and within a short amount of time we had around 15 men meeting in our home every Wednesday night to fellowship and study God’s Word and Noelle started a separate study with a couple of the women from the community! Our goal with these studies is to lead people into developing their own relationships with God where they know how to pray, how to read the Bible for themselves and understand it, how to memorize scripture, and most importantly give them an understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Praise God for his faithfulness to seek out and save the lost.

August 2019

Wed, 11 Sep 2019 03:58:49 +0000

So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:12-14

In the month of August I had the awesome privilege of teaching at the first pastors conference put on by the Northern Uganda Calvary Chapel Association. This Association was formed in 2018 as a way to help shepherd the Calvary churches in the area. The theme of the event was servant leadership and we took 2 days to look at Jesus example of washing His disciple’s feet. The Holy Spirit guided us as we taught and touched the hearts of the pastors who were listening to inspire them and challenge their methods of leadership. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and growth and we are thankful for what God did. Please pray for us as we prepare to teach at a few more conferences coming up.

July 2019

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 10:09:46 +0000

“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble” Psalms 37:38

July marks 2 years since my family moved to Uganda. It has been amazing to reflect on that time and see how faithful God has been to shape us and to work around us. We are so grateful for the call God placed on our lives and I am grateful for the joy and peace that Jesus has brought to our family as we lean on him.

Pastor Bongonyinge George

Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:31:39 +0000

As a family we have decided to visit the churches of our students and friends to see how they are doing and to bring them some encouragement from Gods Word. With the permission of each pastor we have also decided to allow you to join us on that journey so that you will be more informed as you think about and pray for the churches of Uganda. We pray that these short Pastoral Bios would encourage you in your walk with God and that you would grow in your love for Jesus as you see how he is moving in the hearts of so many people!

June 2019

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 00:01:33 +0000

“Trust in the lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3

After graduating our first class of pastors we shifted the class week of the second group a couple of weeks back, giving us much needed time to rest and extra time to work closer the other parts of ministry. God has really been doing a lot in each area of His work here!

At BAM (Business As Mission) we are well on our way towards making a self sustaining ministry! God provided the funding for us to start building our last chicken house which will put our final capacity at 6,000 birds, 5,000 of which will be laying at any given time. This increase has allowed for us to buy a second set of maize milling machines so that we can have one set solely for the use of the community, and one set for us to produce our maize products with. We also have partnered with more schools in our district who are getting regular shipments from us.

April 2019

Thu, 09 May 2019 19:56:26 +0000

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service,” 1 Timothy 1:12

I hope this letter finds you well and continuing on in the love of Christ.

Happy Missionversary! In the month of April we celebrated a whole year of being in Uganda. By God’s grace we have done many things and endured many things, small as they may be, for the sake of Christ and His gospel. We are continually amazed by the opportunities God puts in our path, the grace and strength He gives us as we walk through it, and by the results of our obedience which are most times better than we expected. And then we look at the many people God used to bring and keep us out here, and the fact that each of you made a decision to give and support and pray, being obedient to what God put on your heart. We are humbled by Gods abundant and lavish love on us in such evident form. Praise God with us for the good things He has done, especially the ones He has done here as we celebrate our 1 year mark. And thank you so much for your part in this ministry!

Pastor Okidi Stephen

Thu, 09 May 2019 19:40:09 +0000

March 2019

Sat, 13 Apr 2019 19:55:31 +0000

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” 2 Cor 5:17

Thank you so much for the prayers and for the support that you have given to us as a family. Our ministry here wouldn’t be the same without you!

In our last update we wrote to you about how our organization was going to step into the new venture of ministering to widows. On the 23rd of March we had our official launch! The widows ministry is a huge blessing to it’s participants, giving them discipleship for their spiritual health, with both monthly food packages and the ability to start small home businesses for their physical health. In the future we hope to be able to include some sort of health care plan. The great part about this ministry is that since we are operating it through our students churches, it provides a practical means for their further discipleship. Even after they graduate from our school we will still have the opportunity to walk with them. We were happy to host a small team from Rocky Mountain Calvary who had the privilege of helping us with that launch.

February 2019

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 17:23:13 +0000

“By awesome deeds You answer us in righteousness, O God of our salvation, You who are the trust of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest sea; Who establishes the mountains by His strength, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” Psalm 65:5-8

The month of February transitioned us from the dreaded dry season back to wet season, from blistering highs in the hundreds to moist upper eighties and nineties, and as always, God is still good. It is amazing to watch God’s awesome power as he controls the times and seasons of our planet. After seeing something over and over it becomes easy to forget to praise God for His constant provision for us and that the natural patterns of nature are held together by the word of our Father. It is sad how we separate the natural from the supernatural as if God is only displaying his presence through things that we can’t understand. As we are here in Uganda watching the trees flower with new life and hearing the music of the wildlife, we are taken back by the splendor and majesty of our King!

January 2018

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 22:38:20 +0000

“Therefore everyone hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matt 7:24

As we continue in our mission training pastors in the Word of God, it is easy to see the Holy Spirit moving within the church as they learn to stand on His Word. To stand on the truth of scripture is to stand on the nature of the One who created all things, and that is the only firm foundation on which to base one’s life. “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 3:11. It is necessary for someone to truly examine their beliefs and motivations to see exactly what determines his actions. How you were raised, what your teachers said, what society demands, what your peers pressure you into, what you think is necessary for survival; all play a role in shaping your thoughts, and ultimately ruling your life. It is always painful and hard to expose what you have believed in for so long, to reshape your identity and to transplant yourself onto a new foundation. But any foundation apart from Christ is just sand anyway, it will crumble. And as we watch our new set of pastors stare intently at the perfect law, it is amazing to see how God is transforming their hearts and blessing them. And the fruit of abiding in God’s word is clearly evident in the lives of the other set of pastors who are nearing their graduation.

Pastor David Kizito

Mon, 14 Jan 2019 18:55:44 +0000

December 2018

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 13:26:08 +0000

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now…. And this I pray, that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.” Phil 1:3-4,9-10

As 2018 fades away we would like to take a moment to thank you for your partnership with our family in the Gospel, as that is the core of our relationship with you as part of the body of Christ. No matter where you’re at on the map, you find the same things at the heart of mankind’s problems; selfishness and pride, which lead to all sorts of destruction whether it be extreme poverty, murder, immorality… and today, just as it was since the first man sinned, the solution for mankind is reconciliation with our Creator. No matter how noble a cause may be, if void of the redeeming work of Christ on the cross, it will fail to touch man’s true need. So we praise God that you have endeavored to join us as we seek to spread the truth of God through Northern Uganda, and we pray that our relationship with you would continue encouraging you to do things of eternal consequence in your neck of the woods, as there is no one in the world who does not need further Gospel transformation.

November 2018

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 18:12:50 +0000

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Our month of November started on a high note as we taught at a marriage conference in the village of Pabbo at one of our students churches. It was truly a blessing to teach on marriage from a biblical perspective. Satan has been redefining the union of a man and a woman, what it is, what it’s for and how you actually go about it, since the beginning. Every culture sees the effects of those lies and the Acholi are no exception. They are plagued with polygamy, abuse, alcoholism, child neglect and on and on. But by God’s grace family’s are finding light as the Gospel continues penetrating the dark. Noelle and I were blessed to teach about God’s design of men and women as individuals and as a unit, we got to explain how marriage is a picture of the Gospel and that you can have peace in your family by living a lifestyle of repentance before Jesus Christ.

Pastor Otim Jacob

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 07:50:00 +0000

October 2018

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:45:37 +0000

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are.” 1 John 3:1a

Over and over, day after day, conversation after conversation, again and again and again we are reminded that every part of our ministry, and moreover, our personal lives, should point to Jesus. The entire Bible, front to back, points to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every story has a picture, every law is a shadow, every prophecy a foretelling of what Jesus would do. And what has He done? To the praise of the glory of His grace, He has made us His children.

September 2018

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 19:34:39 +0000

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God,” 2 Pet 3:11-12a

Thank you for your love, for your concerns, for all of your encouragement in the LORD and for all of your prayers. It is such a blessing to be partnered with you for the sake of the Gospel. Know that your prayers make a difference here in my family’s life and in our ministry. Know that God is using you. As we are here in Uganda we are often blessed to catch glimpses of what God is doing back home through people like you. God’s heart is for the whole world to know Him intimately, and you also play a direct role in that. As members of one body let us continue working together to bring the transforming hope of the Gospel into hearts and minds, not growing tired of doing good, let us obediently carry out the good works which God created each of us for.

About us

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 10:59:45 +0000

Matthew, Noelle, and their children, Emma, Madeline and Noah are Colorado natives. They have a passion for the Word of God and a desire to see people fully equipped with scripture. They are consumed with Christ’s command to go into all the world and make disciples; to baptize them and teach them to observe the full counsel of God, eagerly awaiting Christ’s return, and going wherever He would lead them.

Pastor Moses Lapir

Sun, 16 Sep 2018 12:20:27 +0000

August 2018

Sat, 01 Sep 2018 12:14:05 +0000

“Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” Colossians 1:28-29

This past week our ministry chose to make this verse in Colossians our theme verse. I am so grateful that God has placed our family within a group of likeminded individuals who’s desire is to make Christ known and understood through abiding in the Word of God. We have been sent by God through you, our brothers and sisters, that we might labor to reveal Christ here in Uganda. So, thank you for being partners with us in the Gospel! It is so exciting to see how God is working and moving all around us. Some days are more exciting than others, and we aren’t always on spiritual mountain tops, but we trust Gods promise that His Word won’t return to Him void.

July 2018

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:13:29 +0000

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philipians 4:6-7

We started out this month with the first week of class for the new pastors. On the first Sunday of the month all the new pastors showed up at Calvary Chapel Gulu for their introduction into the class. Each pastor was introduced and given a study Bible for the course. They worshiped, went over ground rules, and ate together. For this first week, we only covered Genesis 1-12:3; from creation through Abraham’s calling from God. These first chapters of the Bible carry so many foundational themes for the rest of scripture, it was difficult to unpack them in only a weeks time. By the end of the week, one student pastor whom we work with at the BAM was saying it was as if he had never read the Bible before and was now reading it for the first time, despite being a pastor for many years. Praise God for that work!

June 2018

Sat, 30 Jun 2018 19:10:20 +0000

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “if you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” John 8:31-32

Last month we finished our update by telling you about the guys who would end up meeting at our house for discipleship. That picture above is who all was here last Tuesday as we worshiped God together and looked at His Word. John 8:31-32 is our theme verse and we read it and talk about it every time we meet, which is every Tuesday. The guys show up around 6 pm and we have tea and bread together, than we play some worship songs before studying Scripture. Right now we are going through 1 Peter, and I plan to continue from that point through Jude, which should take just a few years. Sometimes the meetings go smoother than other times, especially when we have a good translator and someone who can read Acholi:). When that is not the case we just play worship together and break bread!

May 2018

Thu, 31 May 2018 19:25:07 +0000

Dear loved one,

God has truly blessed my family in our transition across the world. We are extremely grateful for each of you and for all of your prayers. Adjusting to our new family member, our new jobs, our new friends and our new life while Noelle is recovering from surgery would have been so hard had it not have been for all of your dedicated prayers. We know that God heard you. Thank you. Many of your prayers for this transition and for Noelle’s recovery were answered in the form of the long visit of my mother. Initially my mom was going to come in order to assist with Noah’s birth (since she is a doula), but God had other things in mind and had Noah come two and a half weeks early. So instead she was able to use her other awesome skills as homemaker and massage therapist to help my wife. It was really great to have family out here, and all in all my mom was a tremendous blessing!

April 2018

Thu, 03 May 2018 16:40:57 +0000

We are all finally here! “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” Psalm 9:1-2

April has been a month full of thanksgiving for us as we have established our family here in Uganda. On April 12 our dear friends and family sent us off to Denver International Airport where we started our long journey across the world. We arrived the night of the 13th and have spent the remainder of the month getting established here so that we can have a firm foundation for our family. The director of our ministry has graciously given us as much time as we need to put our family life in order here so that when we start ministering we don’t burn out and suffer as a family. So we have taken this opportunity to put our house in order. Doing things like greeting our neighbors well, to fixing the solar on our house, buying our beds and water filtering systems and getting the ball rolling on our work visas.

Happy Easter!

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 15:53:32 +0000

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” John 3:16-19

God is so good! Over the last month my desire to know Him and walk with Him has grown as I have seen more and more everyday how much I need Him and how helpless I am without Him and how much He loves me and is faithful towards me. I praise God that He lives, and that Jesus’ grave is empty. Sometimes it’s hard for us as a family to continue down a path that is against the flow and is opposed by so many different groups of people, and it can be especially hard for me (Matt) to really lead my family in the ways of God. It would be much simpler to just work a normal job and let things “go their course”. After all, so many people don’t really believe Gods Word anyway. We talk about it in our huddles but we don’t live like it’s contents are historic facts that were recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I also battle the same apathy - What is the difference between my moral and humanitarian efforts, and well meaning Mormons, Muslims, or Atheists?

March 2018

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 02:33:17 +0000

Guess what! We Harris’s are officially heading back to Uganda, in less than a month!

Our time here in the United States has truly been a blessing. It has been great to be mutually encouraged by the body of Christ here in America. We have been blessed so much by all of you; the way you here are pursuing God has been inspiring for us, the things you are doing in Jesus name have astounded us, your prayers have blessed us and your support has been a truly wonderful gift. Now it is time for the next season of life to begin for us as we once again leave our home-culture and enter the mission field that God has directed us to.

February 2018

Fri, 02 Mar 2018 14:14:00 +0000

Hello dear family and friends, A nother month has passed, and so have many wonderful days of meeting with friends, encouraging and being encouraged, and planning our return to Uganda.

E very weekend has allowed for speaking engagements at different churches and small groups, and most week nights have been spent at the homes of friends or new acquaintances, sharing on a deeper level the things God has been and is doing in our lives. It has been a blessing to be welcomed into so many homes and gatherings, and not only to share, but to hear what God has been doing in our own home-town. We are not surprised to find that God has been working in so many ways back here, but we are continually amazed and brought to a place of worship because of it. Hearing of individuals being transformed, families stepping out in faith, small groups taking new directions, and churches healing and reawakening… Praise God for all He is doing here!

Valentines Day Thoughts

Wed, 14 Feb 2018 16:56:06 +0000

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” -Matt 13:44-

This valentines day I hope we can step back and enjoy the love that the God of the universe has for his children. We often think of the “parable of the hidden treasure” as a lesson on how we aught to love our Savior, and although it is that, it is first a lesson on how much love He had for us. Jesus was the the one who first gave up everything for the treasure that He found. Jesus decided that He loved you and I so much that He would give up all of heaven and the rights He enjoyed as Supreme King of The Universe so that He could be born into a lost, hostile, unrespectful, vulger society. Not only did He come as a vunerable human baby; He first came as a tiny, single cell in the womb of a young female. Can you even grasp that love? The One who holds the entire universe in the span of His hand decided to become a single cell because He wanted to reedem us! Then when His life came to the climax, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the One who has the sharp two-edged sword, paid the highest price and laid down His life for His bride! God saw fit to love you and me so much that He gave up the most valuable thing in all of existence so that we could live together with Him! This Valentines day let us remember in thankfulness the great love of God.

January 2018

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 21:09:10 +0000

“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25 NASB

December 2017

Sun, 31 Dec 2017 23:12:14 +0000

From our family to yours, we want to thank you for your partnership in the Gospel, and we wish you a happy New Year filled with growth in the knowledge and understanding of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ!

This month in Gulu it has been hot and dry, but where we are in America it has been literally freezing cold, tomorrow it’s supposed to be -20 F (-29 C) in Omaha, Nebraska, and that’s before the wind chill! But on the same day in Gulu, Uganda it is 90 F (32.2 C)!

November 2017

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 17:26:07 +0000

Please read our Nov. update!

Dear friends and family,

On Nov 17th, Noelle and I officially graduated the Institute For Gospel Transformation, at New Hope Uganda, along with 19 other students from all over the world! During the first weeks of the month we worked extra hard in preparation for our final exams and on our final projects. For her final project, Noelle burned a beautiful picture into wood, depicting a redeemed life’s relationships and how they reveal different aspects of our relationship with God. As my final project I created a vision statement and a syllabus for the Harris School of Discipleship, which essentially is my plan for training my children to serve the Lord. I was very encouraged after sharing my final project when several students and teachers wanted copies of it to help them as they lead their own families.

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Wed, 22 Nov 2017 19:05:04 +0000

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About us

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 17:55:48 +0000

Matthew, Noelle, and their children, Emma, Madeline and Noah are Colorado natives. They have a passion for the Word of God and a desire to see people fully equipped with scripture. They are consumed with Christ’s command to go into all the world and make disciples; to baptize them and teach them to observe the full counsel of God, eagerly awaiting Christ’s return, and going wherever He would lead them.

Sample Page

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:42:13 +0000

This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this:

Hi there! I’m a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin’ caught in the rain.)