“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! ...

“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. ...

“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. ...

“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. ...

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! ...

“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. ...

“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. ...

“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. ...

“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. ...

“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. ...