tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26148029637843680212024-02-19T08:41:16.905-08:00The Travels of a MissionaryDavid Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-66229486102722117762013-04-28T17:17:00.003-07:002013-04-28T17:17:28.078-07:00Missionary Medicine Intensive <br />
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Hello again, folks! Booting up my
blog again, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you of my third class
from Equip Inc. - MMI or (Missionary Medicine Intensive). <a href="http://www.equipinternational.com/training-courses/missionary-medicine-intensive.htm">http://www.equipinternational.com/training-courses/missionary-medicine-intensive.htm</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is Equip’s main class and
reservations must be made almost 6 months in advance. People come from all over the world to take
this class, having learned about its reputation from either the internet or
from personal referral. The class is two weeks long and intensive is the operative word. It has
been called the hardest class ever taken by those in the nursing program... and
yet here is layman Greene. I want to say what an awesome job the instructors
did. Yes, it was hard, and it should be. Even for a person with limited
education the bases have been covered and I feel confident in standard
practices. I would be careful to admit I am aware of my painfully obvious limitations;
mainly I am not a doctor or a nurse. I shall not practice medicine anywhere,
but when and where it is appropriate for the situation. "But now I know
and knowing is half the battle." I took this class to be prepared to help
when and where there is no doctor. If nothing else, I can help out in a clinic
and I have a good base of what to do in some rather specific tropical medicine
environments. Third world medicine is
more closely related to pre-1960's medicine in its approach. First, observe and
take vitals, record abnormalities, and determine treatment based off a database
of knowledge. This is specifically different from today’s medicine approach which
involves expensive equipment and lab tests.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me tell you what the schedule looked like.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7:00am - wake up and eat breakfast <o:p></o:p></div>
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8:00am - chapel with old-fashioned
hymns (my favorite!) and a devotional by Equip’s founder Rev. Barrie Flitcroft.
(always exceptional!)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Next in is class - usually a lecture and a
PowerPoint, followed by hands on experience and practice, practice, practice. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Then after dinner we work on our
case studies till around 10:00pm. The case studies are notes from our class
creator and manual maker Dr. Mary Vanderkooi, which have been personal cases
for the most part from Dr Vanderkooi's missionary experiences. She records the
full body examination of her patient, a urinalysis and some indicative yes or
no questioning. Based on this given data we must use the manual to diagnose and
treat the patient correctly the first time for 40-50 case studies ranging from
Strep Thought and Tonsillitis to Measles and Hemorrhagic Fevers. This was quite emotionally exciting for me. I
felt as if I was actually doing something, and I became obsessed with getting
the diagnosis right first time every time. It can be crushing when it is
measles and not chickenpox. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me lay out for you some of what I studied:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Mary’s extremely brilliant book
set <o:p></o:p></div>
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How to do a complete patient
assessment and evaluation<o:p></o:p></div>
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Infection, immunization and
sanitation<o:p></o:p></div>
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Buy and use medicines<o:p></o:p></div>
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Drug math (extremely important)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Emergency medicine<o:p></o:p></div>
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Malnutrition (the most heart breaking chapter)
<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rehydration (often the main cause of death in common
tropical diseases)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Periods and pregnancies<o:p></o:p></div>
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Childbirth (and new respects for mothers)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pain relief, sedation and muscle
relaxation <o:p></o:p></div>
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Soft tissue injuries<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lacerations <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bone and joint injuries <o:p></o:p></div>
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Splint making and spinal injury
protection<o:p></o:p></div>
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Burn care and skin grafts <o:p></o:p></div>
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Using field tests<o:p></o:p></div>
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Principles of dentistry and so
much, much more <o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Mary’s books (<i>Village
Medical Manual</i>, 6<sup>th</sup> edition) are two volumes. Volume I covers policies
and procedures; covering the bulk of what to do and how to do it, as well, it
is chockfull of graphs and information on things like… how to tell a child’s
age from signs, normal vital signs and how to make tools from what you have on
hand. The largest book, Volume II, is Diagnosis and Treatments. This is a step
by step walk through looking first at symptom protocols. Here you may look up -
say… itching red bumps, or wheezing in the lungs, bloody vomit and total body
seizures out of a full body system breakdown and a breakdown of all the most
common problems that can occur in that system and location. The next index is
for Disease. Dr. Mary has had years of
field work with numerous tropical ailments and knows what they can look like
and manifest as in different regions and races of humanity. You reach this
index from the symptoms protocols which for your specific ailment(s) have
indicated. This often takes time to look into more than one disease or
syndrome. The more time spent and knowledge gleaned the better. This also lists
the best, the second, and third best drugs commonly used to treat or fight this
disease. The next index is a diagnosis protocol which checks certain disease
patterns across others, narrowing down the likelihood of your diagnosis. Then
you have regional notes that tell of the likelihood or impossibility of an
ailment due to your location.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As usual you learn as much from the fellow missionaries as
you do from the actual course. This time we had a nurse from Down Under, and a
missionary from Germany, as well as, a Mennonite, a Samaritan’s Purse doctor
who works in Haiti, and other notable Christ-centered individuals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Look to hear from me again soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 Peter 13-16<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Therefore, with minds
that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you
when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not
conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He
who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy,
because I am holy.”*<o:p></o:p></div>
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In Christ,<o:p></o:p></div>
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David Greene<o:p></o:p></div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-64013340609405822872012-12-01T15:31:00.002-08:002012-12-01T15:31:14.825-08:00Week 12 (conclusion)<br />
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I met with David Karubba, the man in Massese, who wanted me to teach Farming God’s Way. We finished a well-watered garden, or demonstration plot. He asked me back to talk at the church where he pastors. So I did, explaining more of the spiritual aspect of FGW, than the material, to the people. I purchased beads from the CHE group and said my last goodbyes there.</div>
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I was called to Sifa house at 4:30 for a surprise. I said good bye to Anne-Marie and the Dutch girls, who now have to share their home with 30 Australians, four to a bed. The surprise was they had thrown a party for me. After refreshments each went around and stated the difference I had made in their lives. They gave me a painting of us out on the lake, and some bracelets. Then we ascended the mountain to bury my treasure for Chris’s children, which I see by Facebook they are digging up now (I’m still not sure if that was considerate or inconsiderate of me). It was tough saying goodbye to Chris, Jane, and kids and Chelsea, their teacher. My words were few to insure no tears escaped with them. I couldn’t help that.</div>
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I was left at a fancy hotel in Entebbe, to wait for my flight out at 12:45 that night… Around the world from Africa to Texas in 12 hrs is not bad, but I arrived in NC with only half my luggage. Travis, Lori, Turner, Baby Sarah and my mom came to pick me up. Turner and Sarah have grown a lot, and so have Ray and Paul, and I have just seen the new addition Baby Emma, two months old. Next day I received by courier the lost bag containing Christmas presents and ministry beads.</div>
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I went on this trip to understand what kind of education and preparation I need for a lifetime of mission work. I have taken countless notes on what to bring, look out for, and learn. I concluded that I need to take the Mission Medicine Intensive course, and go off to a bible college. I’m currently looking at New Tribes Bible Institute up north. The next time I go out will be for a minimum of three to five years. For now, I will start ministries here and Farm God’s Way while that option is available to me.</div>
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Thank you all for supporting me.</div>
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1 Thess 5:16-28</div>
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~“<i id="yui_3_7_2_1_1354403734192_246">Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss... The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”~</i></div>
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In Christ,</div>
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David Greene</div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-74995404190949268182012-11-24T10:40:00.003-08:002012-11-24T10:40:54.983-08:00Week 11<div class="yiv234616010MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">November
22, 2012</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
I have been working with the CHE group. I am teaching a farmer in Massese, David
Kurubba, a prominate CHE member, concerning Farming God's Way. He likes the
material and has caught the vision of the spiritual aspect and would like to
teach others in Massese. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Chris and I traveled to
Mbale at the foot of Mt Elgon and spent two days. He taught a workshop there,
expecting to teach around 30, when 100 very attentive adamant people showed up
from all over Uganda. FGW spreads like wildfire fire. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am going to miss the boys
I am discipling. I will always pray for them. Two prisoners escaped from Jinja
main, causing there to be no church meetings. I will be home soon. If you would
like Amazima Ministry beads let me know. I'll sell them for $5 if you pre-order.
</span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1353782416160_95" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Soaking up the last of
Uganda, it’s almost dreamlike. I am leaving buried treasure for Chris's children
to follow a map and find when I leave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
In Christ, <br />
David Greene </span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-45496522886758007632012-11-24T10:39:00.001-08:002012-11-24T10:39:26.616-08:00Farming God's Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-51215319505812515982012-11-16T03:38:00.003-08:002012-11-16T03:38:57.686-08:00Week 10<div id="yiv647290267">
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Week
10
November 15, 2001</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
I took Eddy, David and Elvis, the boys I am discipling, to go camping on Kira Higland
Island. I knew the boys would not have sleeping bags or a tarp, so I borrowed a
tarp from Chris, and decided not to bring my own sleeping bag. We arrived late
to the island and so we were rounded on by the island population’s chair person,
who was adamant that "munzungus" or white people don't sleep in the
woods for fun. He was convinced that we were not who we said we were. He
imposed that a sum of money must be given for protection and was very rude to
the boys, while still being quite scared to look me in the eyes. But eventually
we got out of it and got to set up our camp. The boys stated over and over they
could not believe they were in the middle of a lake, nor had they ever been
camping. We had a great night, playing cards, telling stories, and sheltering
from a thunderstorm. You can’t beat a first camping experience like that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">I just turned down a Ugandan girl who has been
coming to Chris's house to find me to ask me to marry her. I have been back to
the Sifa house, but not to prison this week or to the orphanage. This week has
been mostly Christian study and inward disciplines. I have finished reading the
<i>Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i> to the kids.
Now we are a good portion into <i>20,000 Leagues
under the Sea</i>. I have explored the railroad track from town to Chris's
house, a few hours’ walk, several times. I have found walking to be an excellent
ministry opportunity, not to mention, it was the preferred method Jesus used. You
get those interesting run-ins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Like at village of hope I got to know two boys, Sam
and Paul, very well and shared the gospel with them. And whilst I was walking
in Massese 3, I met a woman called Julia. After some talk I discovered that she
was their mother, but too poor to support them. We had a Bible study at their
house in Deneda or Massese 2 and she showed me their pictures in her album. Then
it came, the inevitable question, "Can I have money?" Do you give
money and hurt the oppressed by just giving, expanding an already prevalent
dependency syndrome on white people, NGOs (Non-government Organizations) and
the government? What could this woman do for money? Then I thought of the
terrain ropes I need to make for my garden in Black Mountain. The ropes require
bottle caps to make measured markers and we just don’t have too many bottle caps
at home, unless we lived near a Cracker Barrel, so I proposed to her that I
would pay 50 shillings per bottle cap. She could collect the caps, ending the
deal at 400, that would give her the amount she had requested to pay her hospital
bills. Whether her story is true or not, the need is real and we are to
"Give to everyone who asks of you." Within a few hours the lady had
all that I wanted and the deed was done. I invited her to CHE, but we did not
have a meeting today, so I never saw her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.<br />
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.<br />
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth."<br />
Praying for you all,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In
Christ,</span></div>
<div class="yiv647290267MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
David Greene</span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-34492105595721825742012-11-11T03:19:00.001-08:002012-11-11T03:19:46.882-08:00Week 9<div id="yiv284540104">
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1352632563324_140" lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">This time I am just plain late. I have been
fishing with the Zema boys. They have never been on a boat before. On Saturday
we are going camping on an Isle out on Lake Victoria. Chris took his family,
Chelsea and me to Sipi Falls at the base of Mt Elgon near Kenya. We brought
home two chameleons, who are now eating all the flies on my window to their
hearts’ content. The hike was dangerous and it had just rained, so extreme
caution was used with the smaller boys and those (Chelsea) who are not used to
mountain terrain. I can proudly say my feet have been tested by four years of
mountain XC and the black clay of Sipi Falls both without falling once. </span></div>
<div class="yiv284540104MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Village of Hope is doing well; a lady had
a baby this week and named it after my friend Ann-Marie. David and Farook Zema
and I hiked a nearby ridgeline and came down in a neighboring town of Kakira,
known as the largest sugar producer in Uganda - fields and fields of sugar cane
as far as one can see from the mountain tops. We passed groups of twenty or
more men sitting around a five gallon bucket, each with hoses in their mouths.
I assume they are drinking alcohol from all the sugar production. Our venture
was awesome and I was able to share some of the wonders of science that I knew.
We talked of atmosphere and ozone, of light and radio waves and I was able to
show them the trick, that if you hold a camera screen between you and a TV
remote you can see ultraviolet rays as they are seen through a phone camera. Try
it. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv284540104MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have been back to Massese with </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">L</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">uke several times. I have
been attending the CHE meetings, seeing what I was </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">taught</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"> at Equip in action. I t</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">a</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">ught at the prison ministry
with Jane, Ann-Marie, and Chelsea and three men came to the Lord. Pray for </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kibaluma Dohm, Oporoti
Simon, Balyavish Devis. Pray for their growth and development, that they be
given joy in Christ, that they are discipled and given guidance in critical
times, for absolute assurance of salvation, that they grow and develop as
Christians. I can’t remember what happened before Monday and neither can anyone
here. Oh well, couldn’t have been anything more than the usual Sifa house
disipleship, Village of Hope visits, and shenanigans that come with life here. </span></div>
<div class="yiv284540104MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
Trust in the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> with all your
heart and lean not on your own understanding;<sup> </sup>in all your ways
submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5</span></div>
<div class="yiv284540104MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Christ,</span></div>
<div class="yiv284540104MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 9.9pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">David Greene</span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-73562585849464409212012-11-03T10:59:00.000-07:002012-11-03T10:59:52.256-07:00Week 811/3/12<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span>
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I
apologize for my lateness with this report. This house runs on solar and it has
rained for the past three or four days.</div>
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My
ministry with the Zema boys is going well. I have done some ministry on an
island in Lake Victoria with Andrew’s and Micha's pastor training organization.
For lunch we ate small silver fish that were dipped in some sort of cooking
oil. I did not bring my camera for this as the boats have a reputation for
being less than quality. Even, I had to bail out water the whole trip when it
was not my turn to paddle. It was beautiful though. The island was not very big,
but its inhabitants were fishermen, casting nets in much the same way, as I
figure, they did in Jesus’ day. This inspired me to tell one of the parables
Jesus told from a boat. It was a lot of fun.</div>
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I
was asked to look at a sick baby at the Sefa house, where the Zema boys live. The
child’s name was Daniel and he had cauliflower sores coming from his ears, a
runny nose, and high fevers. He was in pain and on medication. I took the Village
Medical Manual that I had brought from Equip. It is used in Equip's Mission
Medical Intensive course, a class designed to train laymen and those with a
formidable background in the medical field at the same time. I am told it is
like trying to drink water from a fire hydrant. I will be taking this two week
course when I return. </div>
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I
was able to enter Masese with Luke Anderson, another Equip Missionary I got to
meet, and select members of CHE (Community Health Evangelism). I saw all the impact Jeremy, Tamera, Anna,
Luke and Katie Davis have made. Luke tells me of significant improvements and I
believe him. My mind wonders to what I may be able to join the Lord in doing in
my future. We were brought to another sick infant and Luke let them purchase a
Clinic Ticket that costs 500 shillings (2500 Shillings is 1 US Dollar). With
this ticket Equip picks up the clinic bills. The tickets used to be free, but
they often found them wasted. When an
impoverished parent is willing to purchase this for someone, it means they will
more than likely also take the responsibility of actually using it. </div>
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After
this I was brought into the hut of a lady whose name was Lillian. She even fed
us and gave us sodas. “Give and you shall receive.” When an impoverished person
gives, God’s irrevocable laws of the universe come into place. The way to escape
poverty is to give your way out of it. (In the hut I noticed a picture hanging
on the wall of Black Mountain in the fall, with my parents’ church’s steeple,
white and raising above the trees. My hometown! I bet it was even bought out of
the Black Mountain Hardware store.) I was led and guided by a resident of
Masese, a man named Elijah, whom I really like and was able to meet his family
and enter his hut as well. There were lots of bead and necklace making ladies
all throughout Masese, some former prostitutes. God is at work here! </div>
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In
other news, Andrew Olson, a friend of mine here, received a Dear John phone
call and was incredibly distraught. I
went that day to share his sadness, but arrived only to find his roommate and
partner in missions picking up his disheveled room. “Where is Andrew?” I said
to Micha. “He's gone.” ”Gone where?” I asked. “Gone back to America,” said he.
That night Andrew was in the air flying home. I wish the best for him, but it
still doesn’t seem his lady is going to take him back. </div>
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With
the rain I have been held at the house and have been reading <u>To Kill a
Mockingbird</u> to the older children. I found that when you read a book out
loud to someone you can get pretty emotional, more so than reading in quiet
alone. </div>
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I
went back to the prison ministry. It happens on Thursdays, but as that’s Chris'
day to go to CLD he has not allowed me to stay, until now, when he is on
vacation. Many of the prisoners had been shipped to other prisons and so, only
half of the faces I knew were there, but new members were present. I shared on
hearing and obeying God and the necessity to seek him in quiet alone. </div>
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As
well, the Zema boys, Ann-Marie and I went to the top of Monkey Mountain
Thursday evening. This was the most beautiful sight I have seen since I came
here: the setting sun over Lake Victoria, rain sweeping across green fields,
the sunset, the stars, and a lightning storm to finish it off, and of course,
monkeys, lots of them. But after just coming from the prison, I did not bring
my camera. Sorry.</div>
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Best wishes,
praying for all of you.</div>
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In Christ,</div>
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</div>
<div class="yiv1098711037MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
David Greene</div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-7513487950276631772012-10-24T09:43:00.001-07:002012-10-24T09:43:05.016-07:00Week 7 <br />
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<span>I have purchased four Bibles and the Jesus film, as well as,
copied my Bible reading plan for the Zema boys, whom I am discipling. I have met
with the present Equip Uganda personnel. </span></div>
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<span>The majority of this week has been spent in thought, plan
and study. Yet, I have kept up my duties with the Zema boys. Chris and I, while
traveling in the east, came upon a head on collision in the road, which had happened
just minutes before our arrival. We arrived ready to administer medical aid
from a combination of medical supplies we each carried individually at all
times. Yet, the severely injured left in a van as soon as we arrived. We placed
branches on the road like traffic cones and I was able to give a bottle of hand
sanitizer to an injured driver. Seat belts and air bags saved the lives of all.
Prayer is needed for the critically injured. Chris and I returned to CLD as
usual. All is quiet, all is well.</span></div>
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<span> </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_7_2_1_1351096754814_2893">Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my
mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery
of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare
it fearlessly as I should. “</span></div>
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<span> </span></div>
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<span>In Christ,</span></div>
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<span>David
Greene</span><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-69132663863531396332012-10-20T09:03:00.000-07:002012-10-20T09:03:03.565-07:00Week 6<div class="yiv497307757MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Well, I'm back
in Jinja with Chris, Jane, Andrew, Tugume, Kenny, Albert, Isaiah, </div>
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Ezra, and Anna
Sperling, Feonna, Jethro, and Chelsea Novakowski. The boys at the farm are
doing well. They kept watch at nights until the murderers, all five of them, had
been brought to bush justice. Not so good, but better than it was. </div>
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I have resumed
my various ministries here in Jinja, after taking four solid days to write my
various reports. I have taken the proclaimer (a small box with the audio Bible in Luganda) back to Village of Hope orphanage
several times since I arrived on the fourth of September. The children enjoyed
my visits and I have formed a strong relationship with a Christian lady named
Mama Lois. I met her through my friend, Ann-Marie, an Australian missionary,
here by her own money and strong will. I
tell you what, the Lord has showed me so, so many things in my time here. One
of those things is the strength of women. There are so many female missionaries
here. The only young male missionaries are Andrew Olson, Micah Burger and David
Greene. Since I have been back, Chris and I have planted three well-watered
gardens and three African farming style gardens, right next to them for
comparison at Amazima Katie Davis's orphanage. We have been stuck in an amazing
two hour traffic jam, where the main highway was rerouted to dirt bush roads,
all while only zip ties held on the alternator and kept the belts from slipping
off. This happened while coming back from Kampala. I have videos, these longer
than five seconds.</div>
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</div>
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Gloria </div>
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I was walking
home one day and I came across a young girl outside a mud hut. “I am looking
for esposer,” she said. After some <i>what's</i>,
and <i>say it again's,</i> I found she wanted
a sponsor for her school year. I told her I would think and pray on it. When I did,
the Lord brought to mind “Give to everyone who asks of you.” I have purchased a
year for Gloria and have gained a relationship.</div>
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Inward</div>
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I have spent a
great amount of time journeying inward with the Lord. I am waking up at 5:30
now to go into a meditation, prayer and study time with God. It usually takes a
few hours to get through the Celebration of Discipline, the Imitation of
Christ, How Great is Our God, and my portion of the Bible, and a study in
Ephesians, which I read through once a day. This has been fertilizer to my soul
and I am experiencing God in new ways.</div>
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</div>
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The Proclaimer</div>
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My plan was to
take the proclaimer back to Village of Hope orphanage a few times a week until
I leave, then I would give it to Mother Lois to run the listening group. I am
immovably convinced this is God's will for this device; He has taken all the
initiative of this ministry. As it happened on the second time I had been there
this week, I told Mother Lois the plan of leaving the proclaimer in her care
when I leave. The next time I brought the proclaimer I found I could not, not
leave it... it is a new thing in my relationship with God, I can’t describe it.
We will just call it a still, small voice. I obeyed and left it under Mother
Lois's care, giving her the instructions and teaching her how to use it. After
the listening group finished Revelation, we started on that day in Matthew,
chapter one. When I returned the
following day, the entranced group was well into the book of John.</div>
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Good Friends
and Beef Jerky</div>
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Andrew Olson
and I have made some beef jerky. The
crew of Chelsea, Andrew, Micah, Ann-Marie, Joyce, and Melissa, me, as well as a
new guy from Japan named Shitoshi, had a fun movie night. We played Dutch blitz,
ate all the chocolates we could, and tried to eat wafers off our foreheads
without hands, and watched Machine Gun Preacher.</div>
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Discipling
Ministry</div>
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I have been
praying that God would give me a young man around my age to disciple in Christ
and give a skill to. Ask and you shall receive. There I was with Chelsea,
Andrew, Micah, Ann-Marie and her two friends from Holland, Joyce and Melissa. We
were playing Dutch Blitz, a Dutch card game, and Ann-Marie tells me of a group
of young Christian men she spends nearly every day with. She said they were
Farming God’s Way. She wanted me to meet them, so I did and discovered they
were not Farming Gods Way. I offered to teach them and put in a well-watered
garden with the boys. They agreed and plans were made to join on Saturday.
Saturday came and I, with my FGW manual, went to the boys: Elvis, David, Eddy
and Farook Zema. The men work hard, to high standards and are smarter than I
am. They have proved it. I have been back several times since this Saturday. They want me to teach them how to share the
Gospel. </div>
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In Christ,</div>
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<div class="yiv497307757MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
David Greene</div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-88534934789415293942012-10-09T12:26:00.000-07:002012-10-09T12:26:25.926-07:00The Journey to the Great Tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-15752462879507507032012-10-09T11:37:00.001-07:002012-10-09T11:37:24.035-07:00The Murders of Mwera
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Emma and
Stephen wanted to go to Mwera to get a haircut, and I wanted to
adjust my diet a little, so I asked to venture along. They said ‘yes’
and we started up the long dirt road to the village of Mwera next to
the paved road leading to Nansana. We joked and became great friends.
When we entered the town we noticed all of the shops were closed -
every door, every hut, except one. We stopped there. Emma bought some
airtime and learned that there had been a murder the night before. We
ventured on and came to the Nansana road. Across the road from us
were all the towns’ people gathered together. I saw there were
police present and not wanting to be arrested for a bribe that I
would not pay, I avoided the scene all together. Emma went on
ahead to listen to the meeting. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was
surprised at how many people lived in this one little town. Once the
meeting ended Emma came back with the news. A girl had been killed in
her sleep the previous night. She was a shopkeeper of the market and
lived in the back of the shop. The shops are heavily guarded with
bars between the customers and the merchandise and have the ability
to close the shop with a metal door. There are no windows, and I do
not know if a back door is present. In fact, now that I think on it
there are some I do not remember ever seeing a door on at all, but I
never ventured around to the back of the shops. The murderer had
chloroformed the room, and had dug out the side of the house,
removing bricks to enter, and then he slit the girl’s throat
raising her head in such a way as to collect the blood running down
her natural body cavities into a jerry can. The murderer then left a
stick of sugar cane on the dead girl’s bed and exited.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">I
bought the men a chapatti each and a soda, and Emma and I played pool
at a bar while Stephen got a haircut. Then I waited outside the shop
while Emma got his hair cut. As it was getting dark we could not play
another round of pool. I talked with a Muslim man for a bit, when he
asked me “Do you hate us?” referring to the fact that I am a
Christian and he is a Muslim. “No, no that would be ridiculous.”
I replied, we are not encouraged to hate, but to love. The verse of
Christ saying” love your enemies” was on its way out when I
realized that implied we were enemies. I was in a tender situation,
but my answer had brought a smile to the man’s face and he jumped
up to attend to the next customer now entering the barber shop. I
waited there, then Emma was finished and I waved goodbye to the man
and we headed off, racing the last rays of the sun.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The next
night at devotional after much singing and praising of Jesus’ name,
Josh, the manager, took charge of the devotional. He told of how he
saw the young girl’s face. He had carried her out of her house
himself. He ended with a warning against fear, and he prayed against
the dark forces and for the capture of the murderer. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The next
time I went to Mwera a few days later we, Emma, Stephen and I, passed
a house with a large crowd around the open door. Men were working on
the house. I assumed it was a construction project and I paid it no
mind, but my companions lingered to hear the news - a second girl
murdered in the exact same way, her blood stolen from her corpse, the
sugar cane on the bed and the removed bricks. (I would have you
note this is the last concrete evidence I have to tell you, the rest
of the information has come through from the manager, the town’s
people and Chris.) Church that Sunday addressed the fear issue among
the citizens of the town. An excitable man in a mustard-colored
Dwight Shrute shirt stood up and spoke in Luganda, his head charging
forward dragging his torso and with tugging on his thighs at the end
of every shouted sentence, with wild hand gestures above his head.
He, as it was translated to me, addressed the fact that the
inhabitants had started to double up in housing. His advice was to
trust in the Lord, for protection and not to fear evil. “Greater is
He who is in you than he who is in the world.” comes to mind, even
if it was not spoken. This was the end of the first week.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The blood
was drained for the purpose of black magic. I am unfamiliar of the
practices and hope to remain so; but animal blood is used in
consecrating a new field or house in that region. I was told by
Joseph that those wealthy enough would buy children and babies from
the desperate to kill and use the blood for the same purpose (I
cannot attest to the truth of this, although children do get kidnaped
often.) </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Witch
hunt </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was
awakened by Joseph, who was very excited to tell me the news. “They
have killed the murderer!” said Joseph. He was neither happy nor
sad, only excited to spread the news. “They have the body in
Mwera.” But to this he was corrected by the manager, “No, it is
in...” I could not remember the town, only that it was a long
way in a place I never went to. News came a few days later that the
town’s people had killed another murderer. With only two crimes
both exactly alike I suspected an innocent man had died, but I do not
know the details. That was the end of it for a time. </span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The eve
before I was ready to depart with Chris back to Jinja I was lying in
my bed waiting for my evening allotment of rice and beans, when
Stephen entered the room shaking with fright and sweat had beaded up
on his forehead. It glowed blue under the artificial light. “The
murderers are serious now!” He shouted “They are going to cut my
neck!” referring to an incident where the six of us had to sleep in
one room with the windows shut on a hot night because Stephen was
afraid to have his throat slit sleeping next to the window. I assured
him that night there was more danger inside the room than out, and
eventually I was forced to open the window myself, which he shut once
I was asleep. I put my hand on Him and prayed for his protection and
the removal of his fear. He felt better he said. I figured him being
the youngest and well proven to be the most excitable of the crowd to
be jumping at shadows.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">But
when I exited the dorm I saw all the men talking loudly in their
native languages and with that tone of fear in their voices. The
murderers had slit the throat of a farmer man in daylight while he
had gone to milk his cow in the morning. And later that day they
tried to kill another man who had escaped and reported that it was
not one murderer, but five. Chris later told me that a threatening
note had been left in Mwera stating that, as Chris put it later, “We
are really going to get you now... or something like that.” I
stepped out onto the concrete patio and drew closer to Joseph,
expecting him, due to his stillness in the commotion, to be more
levelheaded. Then I saw the blueness to his skin. He told me of a
dream where he had been chased by a man with a panga out of the
fields. He had run to the compound and the man was attacked by a
great snake that Joseph had passed by freely. This was enough for me.
</span></span></span>
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<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I did not
figure a murderer to attack a farm of ten men, but fear would, so I
entered the room again to see Emma, Stephen and Tony. “If you think
the situation is serious enough, we can take watch tonight,” I
said. Three yes's came from bobbing heads, and I drew on the
board the watch terms - 10:00 – 12:00 first watch. It was
Tony and I. Twelve to two - Stephen and Emma, the inseparable duo,
two to four - Joseph and I, though I was never awakened since we had
other men come to stay in our bunks and they kept all but poor Tony
from double shifts. We brought in from the garden shed all the pangas
(teardrop shaped machetes). The plan was to have two men armed
with pangas watch in the dark, and walk anyone to the bathroom that
got up at night. It was decided later that if a wave of attackers
came, we would quietly wake the men each with his own panga, wait for
the attacker to come to the door or window and then we would charge,
hacking them to bits. It is just as laughable to me now as it was
then. We played riddle games during and after lunch. This did wonders
for the nerves. Emma started with something like this “<i>I am born
in cold water, I die in hot... something about eyes... I am so
delicious.”</i> It was guessed at for a while then Joseph, I do
believe, answered “a frog” and his share of high fives was
distributed. I went to the board and wrote from memory “<i>I have
no wings, yet I fly, I have no eyes, yet I cry.”</i> They puzzled
over the riddle for a while and never got it and so I was pleased and
wrote another, “<i>Never thirsty, always drinking, clad in mail,
never clinking.”</i> To this Stephen, who has a gift for riddles,
answered correctly on the first try before I was finished writing; so
I had to do another, “<i>a chest without hinges, key or a lid, but
inside golden treasure is hid.” </i>Then Emma had a riddle. “<i>I
have skin, flesh and bone. I am so delicious. What am I?” </i>This
had me and the rest of us, and we needed to write the riddles on the
board and number them, so we did not get mixed up as we almost did
when the answer to the golden treasure riddle was given for Emma’s
skin, flesh, and bone riddle. I was decided that we would think on
the riddles over night during our various watches to pass time. </span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">For the
devotional we all prayed sincerely against the murder of innocents
and the dark powers at work. Emma earlier that day had gone to
another community meeting and the community, seeing that he was the
only one there with a piece of paper and pen, made him village
secretary. A tax was taken from all the residents of two hundred
shillings for buying a set of flashlights for a community watch. The
money and responsibility were given to Emma and he brought it back to
the farm that night. I phoned Chris and asked to stay a few more
nights. He said he would be in Kampala on Saturday for a radio show
he was advocating Farming God's Way on and I could meet him in
Kampala then. </span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The men
went to bed and Tony put on all dark clothes, including a black
plastic hoodie. He drew the hood stings till only a beady pair of
white eyes shone from a black hole. He climbed under the table and
crouched with his panga at the ready and I understood it was all
business to him and my hopes of humorous conversation were crushed.
So I sat in the corner eating groundnuts as they call them. We call
them peanuts. I almost fell asleep, but the one thousand shilling tax
for sleepers kept my eyes at half-mast. The only thing that happened
of note other than the relief of sleep was when I thought to myself
of the scene in Signs, when the alien in the bush at the Spanish
children’s birthday video walks in front of the window and glances
at the screaming children. I imagined a man with the same Sasquatch
gate and momentary glance going past the front glass door. At that
moment a wild dog, starting in the same corner as I was imaging,
moved past, giving that same casual glance inside and disappearing
just as quickly, leaving me just a little bit paler that I was. God
has a pretty good sense of humor. Time was up and I woke Emma and
Stephen and I fell asleep. </span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I woke the
next day, everything was alright. We adjusted the night watch and
Chris phoned to let me know that I could not stay till Saturday. He
needed me the next day to work at Amazima, Katie Davis’s orphanage,
and to get ready. I said my goodbyes, gave hugs and loaded my things
in Chris's jeep. Chris stayed to give back test results to the
students and to teach a lesson, during which it started to rain.
Remembering last time we dropped the lesson and got in the jeep to
leave before the road got muddy. No such luck. Already the tires spun
and he went nowhere but down. Then all the students ran down through
the torrent and lined up on the front of the jeep. They shoved and
off we went. We turned around in the grass and jumped out the gate
onto the muddy road. We slid only a little to the right and to the
left and we were off. I don’t know any more about the witch murders
or how the students were the next few nights. I will let you know if
anything happens. My first meal away from rice and beans was a
hamburger, and that was a mistake. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spiritual
Warfare</span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There have
been reports of a spike in murders all across Uganda. Massese has had
several and the north, where Tony and Joseph were from, has seen a
lot more violence lately. This is Satan’s forces moving in. We as
Christians are co-workers with God through our prayers and petitions.
It is no exaggeration to say that you are a bigger part of this
ministry than I am. I ask that you pray that the Lord of hosts would
send his forces here to combat and take back ground from under the
enemy’s feet. </span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Psalms 91:
3-8</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2614802963784368021" name="yui_3_2_0_1_13497274438528620"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2614802963784368021" name="en-NIV-15399"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2614802963784368021" name="yui_3_2_0_1_13497274438528618"></a>
<span style="color: black;">“</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="en">Surely
he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly
pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings
you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and
rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that
flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the
plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten
thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will
only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. “</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In Christ,</span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.35cm;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David
Greene</span></span></div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-769622421502531552012-10-09T11:35:00.002-07:002012-10-09T11:35:49.525-07:00Come Let's Dance, Kampala<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_13498071851402079" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13498071851402078" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">My stay at CLD, a report on the murders of Mwera and an overview of Farming God's Way</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">This report can
be a little graphic.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Well,
I have a lot to report... my stay was not without incident or
excitement; riots in Kampala, a witchdoctor's killing spree in our
village, rice, posho and beans every day for lunch and supper, not to
mention the wealth of knowledge I obtained about Uganda, farming and
myself. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">First Day and Evening Routine</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">To
begin with, when I got dropped off, it was raining heavily and Chris's
truck got stuck. The road company, having done a little grading, had
removed the tough level of compact soil and we had nothing but disturbed
clay and mud to slide on. It took us, about ten man hours to get him
out and then when we were almost out, Chris's starter broke off, and the
back left tire was shredded to the wires. Even earlier that day Chris
had tried to wire all the money in his pocket to his wife, so she could
pay some emergency bills... only the money got lost in cyberspace. Then
another truck got stuck, up past us a ways. </span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">It
was at that moment the uncannyness got to me and being deeply immersed
in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, I figured a witch has cast a spell on
us. I asked Chris if we could come together in prayer.<span> </span>Witches
and wizards, although reduced to fantasy and marketing in the US,
practice more widely than I would have believed, having been told before
coming out here. There are several per village. (We have one right by
Chris's house in Jinja. He has a small shack, a big black sign, and a
waiting bench, peopled by customers in line for what exactly I don’t
know. I try to say a prayer, combating the forces of darkness at work
there, when I pass.) <span> </span>We, a few of the
students, Chris, and I gathered together. Chris prayed with commands
for Satan’s angels to take their hands off his car, off his family, his
wife, his children, me, the teacher Chelsea, off the students of CLD,
the farm and me. In Jesus's name he finished. I was struck by the
commanding force of his prayer.</span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">I remained to eat a late, late lunch of rice and beans and posho (flour put in boiling water until it becomes clotted evenly). <span> </span>When
I returned to the action it just so happened that the other gentlemen
stuck was a bush mechanic. He fixed the starter and we then unstuck
Chris's truck and changed the tire with a spare, that due to the
condition of the roads I had been wondering when we would use from the
time I arrived in Uganda. {note to the Wise's}. I said goodbye to Chris
as he was journeying to South Africa for an annual conference of Farming
God's Way leaders for two weeks. That is why I was staying at CLD near
Nansana, Kampala in a little village known as Mwera for this time.</span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">I
had no objections to this; in fact, I was looking forward to it. He was
the last white person I saw for a week and a half. Yes, the prayer
worked. God got us out of this mess with His All Sufficiency; all we had
to do was ask. If you remember the story of Job, Satan had to go before
the Lord to ask to touch one of Gods people. I believe this is the case
now as well. This is my Father's world. As we were dislodging the other
truck from the clay bank, a man staggered down the road. He had red
bloodshot eyes; a sign of bad heath or many severe fevers says Chris. He
picked a fight with one of the CLD students and was wrestled to the
ground. He lay there a minute and shot up, trying to attack the man
again. "Is he mad?" I asked. "Yes, he is mad," said one
of the students. I jumped down out of the truck bed, where I had been
bouncing to give the back tires more force, to between the two men. The
mad man’s eyes never met mine; they were locked on the other gentleman. I
put my hand on his shoulder. I grabbed a human skeleton, laminated in
black skin. I wondered how often he was able to eat, or if anyone took
care of this mad man. All the while he was making animal like sounds -
grunts, growls, and murmurs, not imitations of any animal directly. I
assumed he was deaf from an early age, but emotional groans. He went
about his way and we got the African mechanic’s truck free and on its
way. Later I snuck the mad man a bowl of our famous rice, posho and
beans. He smiled and quickly downed the food like a beverage. He has
been back every other day since and the camp cook, of his own accord,
feeds him the leftovers. :)</span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The residents of CLD are: <span> </span>the
manager, Josh, 26, a loud powerful Ugandan man, who loves to praise
Jesus with the power of his lungs; the camp cook, Fredrick, 17, the most
jolly man I have ever met, usually seen in purple pants, one leg rolled
higher than the other. He had an ear to ear grin peeled right off the
Cheshire cat; Emma or Emanuel, 23, a smart, witty, humored young man
always quick with an African saying or a hilarious comment; Steve, 18,
the youngest of the lot, sporting sports tees and listening to music on
his radio, he clung to Emma a lot the two being best friends; Joseph,
25, from the northern areas of Uganda. A very happy man, I cannot say he
is the most educated as he said "It was been ten
years since I held a book." but most assuredly the most, how shall I
say it... the most praising person I have ever met, a truly Godly man;
Tony, 25, another man from up north speaking the same native language as
Joseph and from the same darker skinned tribe, a people pleaser, but
good nonetheless; and Godfrey, in his thirty’s, the only man with a wife
and the only other introvert besides myself, always quiet, the hardest
worker, but when he did speak it was always hilarious, dry humored; and a
few farm hands who kept to themselves, the majority with mental
problems. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">We
were all filthy and removing the clothes I grabbed a basin, a bar of
soap, water and shampoo, went into a small cubical for some cold bucket
bathing. It gets the job done.<span> </span>It is quiet
refreshing. We ate more rice and beans, had a small devotional led by
each of the students one day of the week. Then the Ugandans sang African
songs of praise, and then prayed each one all talking at the same time.
When this happened, I jumped in my skin a little, being used to letting
prayer be a time of silence. Then we all went to bed, sleeping in one
room, six of us, three bunk beds draped in mosquito nets with one tiny
window. The nights could get a bit loud and, if the window were closed,
very hot, but I found putting
in my ear buds and listing to an audiobook did the trick. In this way I
completed <u>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</u>, <u>Heart of Darkness</u>, <u>A Journey to the Center of the Earth</u> and the beginning of <u>The Divine Comedy</u>. And that was the evening routine.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">An Overview of Farming God's Way</span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The
next day we woke around 7:30, prepared ourselves and I went to my Well
Watered Garden to place inputs in the grid of holes I had dug a few
weeks earlier. I had nine rows, three of maze with manure, three with
diamoniumphosphate (DAP) and three furrows of beans, one with manure,
two with DAP. Then I covered them, leaving 5cm for the maze seed which I
soaked, to awaken the seed from hibernation. Then I planted three maze
seeds in each hole in a line and the beans in the furrows four fingers
apart each. I covered the holes without packing. I slashed grass stalks
and laid them horizontal to the slope of the land to catch water running
downhill. This mulch layer we call God's Blanket, because He often has a
layer of decaying matter on His garden as
well. Have you ever felt dry ground? Chances are it was exposed to the
sun with nothing to cover it. Now place your hand under some leaves and
feel the dampness of the soil. It retains water by preventing
evaporation and the more seasons you do this, soon you will have the
ground become a sponge from the plant matter. It is a way of ensuring
good yields for the poor of Africa. The holes are measured carefully and
to high standards, so it may be repeated year after year in the same
spots, so you don’t waste your materials. Farming God's Way is taught
with three key pillars of success: technology, management, and biblical
principles. The loss of any one of these is like taking one leg from a
three legged stool. You need technology, such as tools and knowledge to
plant the garden; you need management to be to high standards and on
time with accurate measurements; and you need to remember the biblical
principles. They are: </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">1) Acknowledge God and God alone</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">2) Consider your ways</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">3) Understanding God’s All Sufficiency</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">4) What you sow you will reap</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">5) Bring the tithes and offerings to God</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">6) Stake your claim</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">These six each address a real world problem for the poor and offer God's solution.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The
curses of sub Saharan Africa are many. A man may go to church on Sunday
claiming to be a Christian and then go to the witch doctor on Wednesday
for advice. Or one may claim to be a Muslim to Muslims and Christian to
Christians, but God cannot be mocked. He sees the heart. “No one can
serve two masters,” said Jesus. There are more "saved people in parts of
Africa than people, suggesting people have gotten "saved" time and
again, more often to get something. Christianity is a mile wide and an
inch deep. God is a jealous God he doesn’t bless those who mix his name
with demons and false beliefs. Without discipleship, obedience and a
relationship with Christ you do not experience the fullness of life
promised to those who turn and follow him,
though you have salvation. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Consider your ways; Africa has three main curses: <span> </span>bloodshed
and violence, the curse of a short life and the curse on what the land
produces. African farmers will burn last season’s crops, instead of
putting that nutrition back into the soil, then till the soil and plant
in a scattering of seeds. The first year you may have alright crops, but
the second will be significantly less and the third is almost
worthless. Then the farmer will slash and burn somewhere else and start
the process all over again instead of taking care of the land, putting
in inputs and rotating crops. The way a person was taught may not be the
best way. <span> </span>Consider your ways. 1 Thessalonians
2:12 "Walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory."</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Africans
are dependent on governments, white men and NGO’s (nongovernment
organizations) for sources of money and food. Giving is not a bad thing,
but over time if we are not wise with giving, we may create dependency
syndrome. Africans view farming as a deadbeat’s job. They have it in
their mind that, if they can just move closer to the city, then they can
make it bigger in life. This, however, is the opposite from the truth.
Understanding God's all sufficiency breaks the dependency syndrome, in
realizing that what you have is enough. God has given these men land,
the ability to have cheap inputs of composted brush, and God’s blanket.
In the beginning Adam and Eve had nothing but the land to work. God has
given man everything he needs to live a
full and prosperous life. He also gave man authority over all His
creation to rule over it. As we rule the living creatures they should
not only be protected from destruction, they should flourish under our
faithful stewardship</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">What
you sow you will reap, 2 Thessalonians 3:10"If a man will not work then
neither should he eat." So many people here will not work. Some don’t
do a good job, if given the opportunity, partly out of a lack of
knowledge, but mostly out of a lack of caring. God’s solution is
contrary to the worlds. We need to give rather than receive. When we
give, His irrevocable laws come in to play once again and He will cause
even greater measure to be given back to us. Acts20:35 says "It is more
blessed to give than to receive." </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Malachi
3:7-12 “From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My
statutes and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you”
says the Lord of hosts. “But you say, “How shall we return?” “Will a
man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, “How have we robbed
You?” In tithes and offering. You are cursed with a curse, for you are
robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the
storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in
this, ”says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of
heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. Then I will
rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of
the ground; nor will your vine
in the field cast its grapes, “says the Lord of hosts. “All the nations
will call you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the
Lord of hosts.” </span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Spiritual
warfare is directly applicable to the agricultural domain, so stake
your claim, James 5 :14 “The effective prayers of a righteous man can
accomplish much.” Be humble, acknowledge God's ways are higher than our
ways. Seek his presence rather than his blessing, confess and repent,
ask and you will receive. Praying over the land, rebuking the darkness
of deeds done on the land, ask for His lordship over the land, ask Him
to heal the land and commit your farm to His kingdom. Take back the
ground under the enemy. <span> </span>God is for us not against
us and he desires for our farms to be blessed. We must be faithful with
the small things first, hence, starting me out on a small, well-watered
garden.</span><span lang="EN" style="color: black;"></span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_13498071851402088" style="margin: 0in 0in 9.9pt;">
<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13498071851402087" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">These
are a few examples of the spiritual side of Farming God’s Way that I am
picking up from a very large book, an overview. The spiritual aspect
was the most important to show you, as it has made a very, very
beneficial, lasting result in my life. </span></div>
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_13498071851402087" lang="EN" style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span></div>
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A Few Key Incidents
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The Western Mind vs. the Ugandan Mind</div>
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We were asked to clear holes, place
imputs, and plant/cover a large scale garden. This took two weeks,
during which I, naturally, being a Westerner, tried to compete with
the other workers to show them what I'm made of. Having worked with
my brother Travis in his contracting company, I feel confident about
my work ethics. As normal as competition is in our culture this was
noted as offensive to the Ugandans, I found out a few days later. We,
through osmosis of our culture, when we do not look to God for his
view, we see our self worth in what we have and have accomplished. We
look down on those whom we consider less than us and envy those of
more “worth”. I found this in myself, but I combat it and believe
myself not to look down on or envy others, but it takes constant
management.</div>
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Ants!</div>
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One night around 3 or 4am I was
awakened by Joseph, speaking frantically in Luganda to all of us.
Believing there was an emergency, I asked Emma what he said. “He
said he found some white ants.” I almost catapulted out of that
bed. I was mad! Of course, I did not understand the full meaning of
white ants. I thought it was a ridiculous reason to get excited and
wake up six men at 3-4am, but I just endured the clamor and went back
to sleep. The next morning I found a tub, inches deep with winged
termites, squirming, humming and climbing over one another. Then I
realized what the fuss was all about. That night I was glad to eat
somthing other than rice and beans.</div>
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Four Muslim Children Come to the Lord</div>
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By far, the best part was when Joseph
brought a group of three 14 year old girls and a 15 year old boy to
the farm on two different occasions. Once the 15 year old boy was
dressed in girls' clothing out of ignorance. That first visit I
called him a girl on accident and was quickly put right. They came
and Joseph explained the gospel using John 3:16, and repeating "no
one comes to the Father except through me". I was present. I
asked them what about Jesus they liked most. “He loves children,"
the boy said. ”Indeed, he does,” said I. I felt my presence as a
white man to be distracting, so I went inside to watch from a window
as Joseph continued talking to them. Joseph had found the girls by
the town pump and had started to share the gospel to them. I do
believe he is still discipling these children. I was told their dad
was Muslim.</div>
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India Mark What?</div>
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I have taken a class on pumping water
with Equip Inc. And so upon arriving at the farm, I was excited to
see an India Mark II in its natural habitat, and not in a class room
setting. The men said that the pump was broken and my fingers itched
to turn nuts and bolts. I diagnosed the pump by lifting the handle a
few times and listening to the sounds and symptoms of the sick pump,
checking it against common problems I knew. It took several quick
pumps to lift the water and it did not hold charge well, losing the
water almost instantly to greater depths. Upon seeing that the
borehole was only 19 meters, I understood, or so I thought. The India
Mark II is a deep well pump and either doesn't pump or doesn't pump
well at shallow depths. The repair would be expensive, but for now
the men were content with it. A few days later I awoke to see some
men lifting the head off the pump. I helped with the heavy lifting
and once the MS rod was up I watched one of the men use a tree to
straighten massive bends. Then to my suprise they started destroying
the concrete foot pad and run off spillway. Then I had to attend to
class. When I returned they were pulling up the riser main. I jumped
in. It had two ropes leading to the bottom and was made of pvc
instead of steel. This reminded me of an afrodev, a pump designed to
work and be as cheap as possible, but not as rugged as the India Mark
II. When the cylinder was up, I saw the telltale foot valve. Not only
this, but the bore hole, instead of being only a few inches in
diameter was closer to three feet. I speculated that they just placed
this contraption over an existing hand dug well. It took about a week
to repair the well. In the meantime we carried water from the church
on the hill. I went without a bath for a while. When it was repaired
and I bathed, I poured away something the color of water and tomato
soup mixed. It gets dusty out here.
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Sanitation
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I found a job improving sanitation at
CLD. I waged war on the thick horde of flies in the
dining/living/only room. I used deet spray on myself and objects the
deet would not corode, smacking and snatching every fly I could. I
must have killed at least twenty or more by hand. They crawl on
everything - people, food, in your eyes and mouth like they do on
livestock. The men here really just endured their presences. I
suppose they figured it to be an unchangeable constant in Ugandan
life. I, however went on the warpath. Still, I left the farm and the
flies had not decreased in number in the least. The cook cooked on
the ground and I often found insect parts where something landed on
the food that has been sitting in the open since lunch and got
trapped. A man got sick here within the first week. I remembered
Chris had pruned a sprig of Artemishea, an extremely medicinal plant,
found to cure malaria and boost the body's immune system. I placed
the sprig in my tea one morning, and afterwards for extra insurance
ate the twig. I never got sick.
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I built a Tippy tap (a bush-life
handwashing system) next to the dry toilets, in the fashion I copied
from Equip's training facility. It is simply a post and lintel
structure from the forest, God's all sufficiency. Then I placed a
jerry can in suspension with ropes at first, and then wire due to the
weight. A wire ran from the mouth of the jug to a stick with
traction, having one end of the stick lifted into the air by the
wire. This creates a peddle for pouring the water. Then, and finally,
I heated a nail and punctured the soap to create soap on a rope! Then
I grabbed a large lid and ran the soap's rope through the middle to
act like an umbrella for the soap during rain. All in all, it works
very well as a touchless hand washing station.</div>
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The Concert of a Lifetime</div>
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My first Saturday on the farm, Josh,
the manager, had a relationship with a London college as a large
supporter, and they were having a virginity rally. That's all I knew
going in to this. We traveled to Nansana by cramped public taxi. I
was able to buy a Twix bar at a shopping center and write a few
letters at an internet cafe before we entered the college campus.
Once there I noticed what a neat place this was. It was not a
Christian school; there were plenty of Muslims here. But I followed
the gang composed of Emma, Stephen, Josh and Joseph, all decked out
to the nines, into an open air auditorium. The students clapped for
the visitors, us, and we were ushered to the front seats. They opened
with a song sung by a very nervous lady. A loud Ugandan got on stage
and sung in Luganda, so that part was lost to me. The manager Josh
got up and got the crowd of about two hundred going, said a few words
for the preservation of virginity and the rest of this was in
Luganda. I checked my watch. We had arrived at 11:55. I remembered
this clearly. At 2:00 I said they must be ready to wind down now.
Since the whole thing was in Luganda, I was left only to clap until
my hands signed a cease fire with each other. Then we went for
lunch... a large bowl of rice and beans and posho and matooke (a
sugarless banana starch dish like mashed potatoes with seeds) and a
little meat of unknown origin was set before me with no fork. I
realized all the staff ate with their hands. I tried it, and tried
again, but I just couldn't get the technique down. So I picked a flat
bone out of a piece of meat and used that. We reconvened for more
singing and dancing and then they played a certain popular African
praise pop song. Little did I know I was sitting next to the singer
and song writer himself - Joseph! He had recorded a widely popular
song fused in English and his native tribal language of Luo (his and
Tony's tribe being the Langi.) Joseph got up on stage and sang.
“Lord, you,'re so powerful, so wonderful. I'm singing and dancing.
Repeat, repeat. Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe, He is
the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End"... at 6:00pm we
left before the rally was over. Wow! Six hours of singing, dancing,
sitting, standing and continuous clapping, and one man claimed to
speak in tongues, but being in Luganda it was all the same to me.</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
C.H.E (Community Health Evangelism)
Principles</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I was given one evening devotional
during my time at CLD, so I posed a topic, inward disiplines, and
instead of me talking the entire time and standing at the head of the
room, I sat down in a corner,and asked one of the men to write on the
board for us. The four columns we had were meditation, prayer,
fasting and study. I asked the men what each meant to them, the
scribe writing a few points then trading with another individual. We
learned different methods and we each taught each other.</div>
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Journey to the Tree</div>
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The entire time I was present there,
between me and the horizon standing high above all the other trees
was this one thickus tree. It had branches high above the tops of the
forest, spreading wide like it had grown as high as God would allow
and was still thirsty to expand, developing a mushroom top out of the
vine-covered Atlas's arm-like branches. I took many pictures and have
compiled a video for you on my facebook, “The Journey to the Great
Tree.” I must admit once the farm disappeared behind me, with the
reeds scraping and clawing in retaliation of my every move through
pathless marshes, I felt a little afraid, but I desired to make this
journey a war against fear. I had taken the safety precautions of
telling someone where I was going and marking the trail, as well as
bringing a few medicinal supplies for first aid. On my way back, of
course, as is custom to all tomfoolery, I got lost, but I cut across
some fields and made it back to the farm covered in hitchhikers and a
little wet, but wearing the biggest smile.</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">In Christ,</span></div>
<div class="yiv964284761MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt;">
<span style="color: black;">David Greene</span></div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-26485597756450213172012-10-07T06:08:00.000-07:002012-10-07T06:08:02.371-07:00Week Three<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894203" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: times new roman, new york, times, serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894202">
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894201" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Well,
countrymen and loved ones, it is the close of week three, counting of
course, in the middle of the week. This week was much more ministry
driven as I am getting used to the way things are. On Thursday, I went
to Jinja Main, a prison here. I was picked up by some ministry workers
from YWAM (Youth With A Mission). I was driven into Jinja, down close to
the lake front past the water treatment plant. The air had a quite
repulsive stench for miles around. Then we came to the entrance to the
prison. A large overbearing green gate barred our way. I was with two
African ladies, both representatives of YWAM Uganda. One, whom I have
become good friends with since, is Judith, 24, the only woman I know who
can pull off feminine dreadlocks. The other is her friend Mary, whom I
have not seen since.</div>
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As
a true man of the South, I felt it my duty to protect these women from
the inmates should I need to. Judith walked up and knocked on the gate.
A small circular slit opened and a voice spoke in Luganda to Judith. I
was reminded of the opening scene from Return of the Jedi. Presently,
the gate opened and I walked in to the dark of the entrance way, which
was large and housed many guards. On forward of us is the main courtyard
where prisoners in yellow suits ran, crowded and shouted. Drums echoed
from deep in the prison. There were no guards inside the prison. After
turning in everything in our pockets we entered. It was like being in a
pit with three stories of prison cells rising up on all sides, dotted
with yellow jackets hanging like flags.</div>
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Prisoners
jeered from above and clutched the bars of the overlook. As we entered
the prison all inmates stop to look at the two women and the white boy.
As we walked prisoners congested around us and a great crowd began
following us. I lead the women (not knowing where I was going, but
operating on luck and correction) to the third floor, with the drums
getting louder each stairwell and corner we passed. We came to a corner
of the third floor of the prison where Judith motioned me to a bench.
The crowd of prisoners stopped and took seats against the wall. There
were two large cowhide drums, the source of the foreboding music, and
two amplifiers with microphones, which the prisoners had already set up.
I had not been fully told what I was getting into and I was quite
afraid. I only knew that I had been given Judith’s number and given the
option of joining in on a prison ministry and that I must encourage the
prisoners. Then, I noticed a few of the prisoners had tattered Bibles
and Judith was very well acquainted with the inmates. Within minutes we
were all singing, jumping and worshiping Jesus in Luganda. Judith
spoke, in English, a message of encouragement and it was translated into
Luganda, as did Mary and a few of the prisoners. Two hours later we
exited and I felt so inspired by what Christ and His church has been
accomplishing.</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
I
purchased five Bibles (all the stores had) in Luganda for the prisoners
and took them to Judith, as I will not be able to join the next two
weeks. I will be in Kampala, the capital of Uganda at Come Let’s Dance
School for Farming God's Way. There is no dancing involved, the name is a
hand-me-down from the previous business. I have been back to the
Village of Hope orphanage several times and have set up a listening
group for Faith Comes by Hearing. I was intending the proclaimer to go
to an adult group, but one of the children found it in my back pack and
brought it to me. I played it for them and they keep asking me back.
They have become so involved with the book of Revelation... I did not
know that that was what they were listening to until they were a good
ways into the story, as it plays in Luganda.</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
I
have become confident in my navigation and public transportation, just
took a few more times of getting lost :) none of which were on purpose. I
have spent much time working inwardly on my life. I am confronted with
the reality that the orphanage, the prison, the ministry initiatives are
all just as needed back home. When I return I will pick up with the men
and women, the organizations around there to do just as I am here, just
I don’t need to learn a new language. I have been practicing many
spiritual disciplines. Following along with Richard Foster’s text, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Celebration of Discipline</span>, and Sir Thomas a Kempis's <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Imitation of Christ</span>, as well as, scriptural readings and meditations, I have felt God’s hand and His leading. I have seen Him work.</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894206" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
In
events here at the Sperling house, Chris had gotten malaria, but had
medicated himself quickly and was over it in three days. Please pray for
Jane's father who is losing blood and yet, not bleeding. Jane has been
so attentive and strong with the whole situation, as she travels and
stays days in Kampala trying to work with the crazy hospital situation.
The boys have started home school here with a lady from Canada named
Chelsey. We finished hooking the house completely to solar. Please
continue to pray for me and for God’s will and direction to be taken.
Pray that I may think His thoughts after Him and join Him where He is
working. As well, pray that my fear leaves and I may take courage in
myself. I am off to CLD tomorrow. I may be the only white person in 50
kilometers, says Chris.</div>
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.</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
In Christ,</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div class="yiv2056386579MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
David Greene</div>
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</div>
</div>
</div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-41184504283094365022012-10-07T06:07:00.001-07:002012-10-07T06:07:07.804-07:00Week Two<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894123" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well, it is the second week
and everything is just as good as last week. A few notable things - we killed a
few baby ‘black mambas’ in and around the house, not bad for the second week. I
was helping reverse the polarity of Chris’s house lights and Isaiah, one of
Chris’s children, was helping me. As a plus he got to look at a few of my cool
things as we were working where I sleep. "Aw, you baked me a cake," he said,
looking at the white box of the proclaimer. I pulled it out and turned it on
just to show him. It started playing the New Testament in Luganda. In a
few seconds, the helper known as Jethro had entered the room to start listening.
He took it with him as he worked that day. I can’t wait to find a place to play
this openly in a listening group. </span>
<br />
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Now get this,
this is how the Lord can work... So there I was on the streets of Jinja with
Jane, who was showing me how to use public transportation. We ate at
Ozzie's, a diner run by an elderly Australian woman. Jane was about to leave me
and return home to tend to the children and I was about to roam the streets
freely, when she spied another missionary at the cafe just across the streets.
Jane took me over and introduced me to Anna Marie, an Australian Christian
missionary, also 19 yrs. old, who offered to introduce me to another missionary
I had heard about from Chris and Jane, Andrew Oleson, 20yrs. Anna and I would
meet Andrew later that day, but first Anna wanted to show me a home she worked
at that took care of babies and children affected by HIV. I played with some
babies for a few hours or so and talked with Anna, who has a very loving heart
for the children of this nation, till it was time to meet Andrew and his friend
Micah, 25yrs. Turns out, Andrew had been praying for another male missionary
friend, and as a plus he mentioned he had been craving beef jerky, which I
happened to have from the States. I shared and the four of us played cards
at Andrew’s and Micah’s apartment till it became dark. Anna lives just across
the street from Chris and Jane, about a 45 minute walk up a hillside.
</span></div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The next day I
was invited to an orphanage village of hope, where I played with some older
children. A few older young men, upon hearing I was an American, became very
interested in me. I took this opportunity to tell them a little of the birth of
our nation and how we honored (yasue) Jesus in the beginning and as a people. He
blessed us with our land and wealth as a nation. I shared the importance of
keeping a relationship with Christ by reading his word and seeking to hear and
obey him. By this time I had to return home as it was getting dark and it is
dangerous to travel at night. So, I decided to get lost and wander around in
pitch black until I found the railroad tracks that run past Chris’s house. I
asked some children the way to St. Benedict’s, a school near Chris’s house, and
found my way home. I met a mad man. We have those around here. They have glaring
red eyes and could be demonic, mental or drugged, but other than a little
weirdness and noises he gave me no trouble. </span></div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">On another day I
traveled with Chris to an eastern region in Uganda fairly close to Kenya, this
place had more acacia trees and was located in a savannah setting. Chris was
helping some Christian friends with farming God’s way in a village way out in
the bush. These people have thatched roof houses with mud sides, and they live
together in a family group with the oldest man being the center and all his
dependents living in huts around him. This elderly man was the pastor of a mud
hut church. I talked with an 18yr. old boy named Daniel. He showed me around his
village and explained a few things. </span></div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sunday I went to
a Ugandan church. It was a wonderful experience to meet other brothers and
sisters in Christ, and not know what they are saying, but feeling the same as a
church does back home. Monday I went with Chris and Jane out north about three
hours along dirt roads to Jane’s father’s homestead, built in the same way
around the father as the village closer to Kenya. While I was there, a little
child named Sammy put a bean in his ear and had to go to the hospital to get it
out. We had to wait a long time to see the doctor. </span></div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894132" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1349614921894129" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I am
working on translating the five Evangelism Explosion points of the gospel into
Luganda, so I can tell it to people at the appropriate times. 1 Heaven is a free
gift; it cannot be earned or deserved. 2 Man is a sinner; he cannot save
himself. 3 God is merciful, but He is also just. He must punish sin. 4
Christ is fully God and fully man. He died on the cross and rose from the dead
to purchase heaven and intimacy with God. 5 Saving faith is not just head
knowledge, nor is it temporary faith, but trusting in Christ alone for
salvation. I plan to visit Massese slum soon, but I am instructed not to go
alone without some experienced missionary there who knows Massese. Thank you all
once again for praying and supporting me!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
Christ,</span></div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>
<div class="yiv544564748MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">David
Greene </span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-66810212456127651922012-09-08T23:38:00.002-07:002012-09-08T23:38:56.749-07:00Weekly Field Report #1 first week <br />
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<span id="yui_3_2_0_1_1347171758659966" lang="EN" style="color: black;">Well, I made it, and with no bumps in the road, no flights were off schedule. This is, of course, due in full to the amount of prayer I have been shrouded in. Thank you all! Please don’t stop. I remember seeing the banana trees and mud brick houses when we touched down. Tall grasses and acacia trees spotted the red dust of the land. “Well, this is Africa,” I said to myself. I wondered if Chris, the man I was to meet, would be waiting for me or had traffic in Kampala slowed him. I remember warnings not to take pictures of the airport, police or the dam at Jinja. I was worried that my passport would not get stamped and I would need to spend 30 US dollars a day or return home. I wanted to be careful how I acted in front of the immigration officer, so he would not deny me 90 days. I got in line and waited. When it was my turn I had my passport and vaccinations certification. I handed them to the officer. He checked them, then asked for 50 US dollars. I tried to unzip my vest to reach my wallet, but the vest would not unzip. I fought, tugged, pulled, massaged and tore, but my wallet was as good as untouchable. I tried to go in from under my vest, but no avail. The officer, now very impatient with me, waved me to get out of line, as I had taken the time three normal un-David people would have used. Well, I got it out and handed the money to the man and he stamped my passport for 3 months. Again, your prayers. Then I wondered if my bag had come on the same flight or would I need to hold up in chairs for hours till I received it. But as I walked to the revolving baggage claim I found it just fine.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">I had not waited long until Chris Sperling greeted me with a hug. Chris has a large Canadian accent and very clear pronunciation of words. He speaks in statements and requests, stern, albeit polite. Then I met four of his seven children – Kenny, 9, Albert, 8, Isaiah, 6, and Ezra, 3. They are intelligently curious little boys and well-mannered, as well. As we drove from the airport my senses were 134% - so much to see and take in. Chris walked me through a few key cultural differences and sayings in Lugandan. It was a three hour drive with no speed limit to Jinja from Entebbe and he had to go through Kampala, a city well known for traffic and accidents. It takes hours to get through it with no way around. But it was Sunday and not only that, but the day before the first day of school, so no one was out and about and we made it within an hour -another grace of your prayers! Then we drove through a rainforest, where I saw my first wild monkey. The people walk alongside the road and actually in the road. The other drivers will pass and try to run you off the road. No defensive drivers allowed. That is the most dangerous thing you can be here. You do not pass from Entebbe to Jinja without seeing at least one bad, bad wreck on the road. Many die in car accidents here. But Chris, living here for about 15 years, has never been in more than a fender-bender. I wonder Who be the cause of that?</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Munzungo is what white people are called here. We are very few. Chris and I were the only ones I had seen before today, when I saw two, no doubt white teachers here to teach school. I have settled in well and gotten over jet lag. Chris and his wife Jane are gracious hosts, their children are delightful and the scenery is so beautiful. I am learning much and praying often. The lord has definitely prepared this, there can be no doubt. I fell asleep after lunch on the first day. I had not slept in two days due to my time traveling around the earth. The food here is all homegrown and fresh! Pineapples, papaya, tomatoes, corn, beans, potatoes and bananas have so much more flavor! There is no comparison. I had heard this was true, but until I tasted... There are usually a minimum of ten people around Chris’s table and many hot bowls of food - chicken, rice, gravy - all fresh. We just killed our dinner chicken today. I got it on video. The Sperling’s have two home workers, Jethro and Feona. They are relatively mysterious and hide some times. They don’t speak English very well. They cook our meals out on charcoal fires in a cooking shed outside. It’s hardcore. They are also clean. </span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Chris’s house has a large wall around it with an iron gate. Ugandans do not respect property laws very well and there are many wild beasts of the field. The next day I went with Chris to help teach Farming God’s Way. I got to see how a missionary works. We went to a place called Kira farm where we met several Ugandan students. Chris taught the lesson in English and Lugandan. Farming God’s Way is a holistic Christ centered way to farm.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;"> First, he asked us if we had problems farming... “What are a few of the problems?” he said. People listed their problems, and then he asked us if God was a farmer. We thought and said “yes.” “He gardens through fields and the forests,” said one elderly Ugandan. “How does God farm?” Chris asked, “What does his garden get and what does ours get? “We made a table - both gardens get sunshine, rain, soil and food, but man’s garden gets plowed, burned and has one crop and open soil and weeds, whereas God’s garden has biodiversity, no plow, no weeds and God’s blanket. The earth’s natural layer of plants is an eco-system untilled. Later in the lesson he showed us that farming is the best way to fight poverty with Uganda’s fertile soil. We need three things to fight poverty: technology, management and God’s word or biblical keys. Seek ye first all the kingdom of god and all other things will be added unto you. Chris tied in several Bible verses, always turning to the Bible for the answers, keeping God at the center and illuminating new life through faith in Jesus Christ. Then we went out into the field to mark out plots of student gardens. Today, the third day in Uganda I did housework, as there were no classes to teach. I got to know the family better and get settled in. I made friends with the neighborhood boy and a deaf mute child who is discarded by the community as stupid with no chance. I spent extra time riding bicycles with him. With the children who did not understand English I constructed simple games such as throwing rocks at some yellow flowers in a tree to knock them down. They giggled and understood without words what I was trying to do. I may have found an audience for my proclaimer, but more relationship is needed. I have been in and out of town picking up parts to help Chris convert his house to solar energy as at night we only have one light. As I type, Chris is evangelizing a neighbor man. I love it here. My senses are at 134% taking all this in. It is amazing how exciting snapping beans off a vine can be when you don’t know what you are being told :) Keep praying for me, I am learning so much so fast and enjoying it all.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto thee.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">In Christ,</span><span style="color: black;"></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="color: black;">David Greene</span></div>
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David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-45109958884233657492012-08-29T19:38:00.001-07:002012-10-20T09:05:12.841-07:00Weekly Field Report - Pre Field<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">From Black Mountain NC, by David
Greene through Equip Inc.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Aparajita","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: David;">Thank you all for supporting me with your friendships, prayers and
donations! I am truly indebted to you for making this mission trip to Jinja,
Uganda possible. I am departing this Friday from Charlotte Regional Airport at
3:00pm and flying to Chicago. From there I go to London, spending almost twelve
hours there, and then flying to Entebbe, Uganda. I will be picked up by Chris
Sperling and driven two hours to the city of Jinja. I will be staying with
Chris and his family for 60% of the time, the other 40% will be at his school
CLD (Come Let’s Dance) where Chris teaches Farming God’s Way to locals for a
year. I do not know why it is called Come Let’s Dance, I’m just accepting it,
but I will find out for my own curiosity and let you know. Let’s hope I don’t
have to dance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Aparajita","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: David;">For ministry opportunities I will go to reflect
Christ in my life to the people of Uganda, to witness and to share Him when
given the permissible opportunity. I am bringing an Every Church Every Village
“Proclaimer” which is a solar/hand-crank/wall plug powered device that plays an
audio dramatized version of the New Testament in Luganda, the native language
of Ugandan people, for audiences ranging from 300 to 1,000 people. I will
initiate a listening group for the proclaimer and leave it in Jinja when I
return.</span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";"> </span><a href="http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/every-church-every-village-testimonies"><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/every-church-every-village-testimonies</span></a><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Aparajita","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><- here are
some testimonies of this form of ministry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Aparajita","sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have squared away my
shots for Uganda, the plane ticket, insurance, passport and I’m getting a visa
stamp at Entebbe. I am bringing: clothing, bug sprays, sunscreen, medications,
filtered water bottle, a proclaimer, a summer sleeping bag, a backpack, a
camera, one iPod, lots of books, emergency food, Gatorade powder and my Bible...
Well it’s off to the races. Thanks once again! I am looking forward to the work
the Holy Spirit will perform around and in me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">In Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";">David Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Maiandra GD","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Psalm 91 ~ </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1-16 </span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 26.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-67767744700290942502012-06-14T12:50:00.000-07:002012-07-02T10:01:01.465-07:00Thanks to my loving Donors!<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 22pt;">"I am carried on the
shoulders of</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 22pt;">those who cannot see the
landscape I describe,</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 22pt;"> I owe them, more than
my weight." </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Maiandra GD', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">- unknown</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank
you, all you wonderful generous donors, who are supporting me as I do the will
God has led me to do. I am certain in this. As His peace rests upon my heart
for this life I am called to, and as He opens doors and closes others, He leads
me on.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> I cannot thank you all enough, God Bless You!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> “God
is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus
Christ our Lord” – 1 Corinthians 1:9<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">In,
Christ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Candara, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">David
Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-16364263032946266362012-06-08T19:30:00.001-07:002012-07-02T10:00:17.803-07:00Missionary Education Part 2 Pumping Water<br />
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It’s been a while since I have been able to put finger to
keyboard, (pen to paper). I would like to inform you of the fulfillment of
my promise to take a skill to the mission field. During my first class CHE, I
asked our director Barrie Flitcroft, if there was one class that
above all others is needed in the field. He told me the greatest need is
repairing pumps. Statistically in Africa 200 of every 300 pumps don’t work.
Even the heartiest India Mark II Pumps, if pumped round the clock by a line of
women with pots on their heads, will break in 6 months. The U.N. and other NGOs
(Non-Government Organizations) will drill wells all over Africa for about ten
thousand dollars per well hole. But when the pump breaks, no one in the village
knows how to fix it. Then someone else comes close by and drills another
well. It yields the same health and wealth results for the villagers, if
you can repair nearby wells. Now women, who had to take a quarter of their day
to fetch water for their villages from a populated river, can go to the local
village pump again and get cold clean water. If you teach a responsible
villager pump repair, they can handle any usual breaks from then on, in theory.
Well, I prayed about it and went for it – the pump repair class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My experience of being on Equip’s campus at Providence
Farms is always that of entering a secret sanctuary, or fortress of solitude. I
arrived at 5:00 Sunday and was ushered into the sugar-white buildings that are
kept Tillie Flitcroft -clean ß<i>(top standard of
cleanliness)</i> and treated to the most delicious country food all week.
You can in your spare time walk about in the green horse pastures or trek
through the woods. The projects’ experiments dot your vision. There are always
questions to be asked of one bush-invention or the other and there is always
someone around happy and knowledgeable to answer questions. Many of the
inventions and projects have been reproduced back here at home, such as a
rooftop garden pot and a tippy-tap (bush hand washing station). In Equip’s
large supply of missionary literature I found and created a permaculture garden
and a rabbitry for farming rabbits. I want to add a barrelponics system when I
can.<a href="http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Barrel-ponics-Manual.PDF">http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/Travis/Barrel-ponics-Manual.PDF</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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In Equip’s classes you learn a lot through the week, and you
can also learn much from the other missionaries and development workers. I am
now completely skilled in eight major pumps found most commonly in
third world countries: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Mark_II">India Mark II</a>, <a href="http://josiah.berkeley.edu/2007Fall/ER275/Readings/DP1-2/delaet_mol.pdf">Bush
Pump</a>, <a href="http://www.rwsn.ch/prarticle.2005-10-25.9856177177/prarticle.2005-10-26.2582788867/prarticle.2008-12-04.2105225472/prarticle.2009-02-06.9581575564">Afrodev</a>, <a href="http://bushproof.biosandfilter.org/index.php?id=73">Canzee/Tara</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_pump">Wheel Pump</a>, <a href="http://www.ajaypump.net/direct-action-hand-pump.htm">Direct-action Pump</a>,
and <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&qe=cGl0Y2hlciBwdQ&qesig=HiNdWJEJxW2OOA-h1kr_Jw&pkc=AFgZ2tm6jZoL_keAmYI0UuwTWThFvuBcXsQKYUrtuWMj3f5lH-fRvysCB1hLQtHPkfexqMGiuOhfhHU2SRkpGa9K_j5puNg9ug&pq=direct+action+pump+pvc&cp=10&gs_id=15&xhr=t&q=pitcher+pump&safe=active&as_qdr=all&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.,cf.osb&biw=1440&bih=775&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=14849160676476410388&sa=X&ei=ozXZT7PsEsqOswaa49G_Dw&sqi=2&ved=0CH0Q8wIwAA">Pitcher
Pump</a>. We started off learning the basics of how a pump works and
familiarizing ourselves with the names of all the pump parts and fixing tools.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then we went down and one at a time took apart each pump and
put them back together again. This took all of the first day, then while we the
students were at dinner that night, the instructors Keith Larrimore, Lou
Bradbury, and Harold Bracken broke each pump in a field related way. The second
day comprised of fixing each pump. Remember we learn from our mistakes, and I’d
say the most was taught on this day. Then once we had fixed all the pumps
without the instructors’ guidance, our final challenge was a special break on
the India Mark II, the most rugged, most commonly found pump, which
incidentally is the hardest and most dangerous to work on. This one can pump
water from up to 200 ft. deep. Pulling it up in ten foot pipe sections, we had
to lift only 65ft, yet the weight of the steel was so enormous no one man
can do this and not without vises and C-wrenches. It takes three men to repair
the pump. In this case scenario of the special break, the riser main had been
disconnected from improper installation and the cylinder was hanging by the MS
rod alone, which is very easy to drop down the well and then you must go
“fishing”. In this one the instructors showed us an easier way to lift the
pumps out of the ground, using pulleys and a tripod vs. the old method of three
men, a pair of C-wrenches and a vise clamp.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After this we covered well sanitation and water
testing. Then it was time to say goodbye to all the other missionaries and go
home, fully knowing how to repair all types of pumps. I got out of the class on
Friday and on Saturday I fixed my brother’s back yard Pitcher Pump. Using an
old innertube tire piece, I made a fully functional foot valve, the old one
having rotted out and broken the vacuum, allowing the pump to suck air instead
of water. I feel fully prepared to take on a pump out in the bush… just let me
get some tools first. <o:p></o:p></div>
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- Phil 4:13 “I can do all
things through Christ<b> </b>who strengthens me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Christ,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
David Greene<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-51037247466013887202012-04-27T08:32:00.002-07:002012-04-27T12:15:54.458-07:00Calling the Shots<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9VLfzh1uqAnmiDtWM0iP3CGKcmgid4dg-BvtuNzV1XgrNIZRHy7XvqaaNS5wcTxr9hyphenhyphenyjq0Nvo8OK7bOT1qh4wtXfdKvTa3QM5vZD2WFfrAuBolL54M4vylRlbPTSw3nSs2P_GZtU_hA/s1600/syringedrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik9VLfzh1uqAnmiDtWM0iP3CGKcmgid4dg-BvtuNzV1XgrNIZRHy7XvqaaNS5wcTxr9hyphenhyphenyjq0Nvo8OK7bOT1qh4wtXfdKvTa3QM5vZD2WFfrAuBolL54M4vylRlbPTSw3nSs2P_GZtU_hA/s200/syringedrop.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday I made 200 Prayer bookmarks to hand out with letters asking for
support to possible sponsors. Today I called the Health Dept. to get the
necessary shots for travel in Uganda. The only mandatory shot is yellow fever,
but to be on the safe side I am including typhoid, hepatitis A, and a prescription
against malaria. I had been informed that shots would be $1,000 or more, hence
the $4,500 on my handy-dandy thermometer. The total is actually $251 making my
new goal $3,751! Wow, Uganda gets closer every day. Please continue to pray for
me as I make my preparations, and while I am on the field. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/uganda.htm">http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/uganda.htm</a>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Typhoid - $64 one shot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Hepatitis A – 2 shots 6 months apart $38
a piece<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yellow fever – $101 one shot<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Malaria prescription – $10 per fill<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">$251- Total<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial Rounded MT Bold', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Phil
1:19-26 says<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">-
For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and
the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest
expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness,
as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or
by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live
on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I
cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to
depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in
the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that
I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26
that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to
you again. - NKJV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">In
Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">David
Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-88133324286716971072012-04-25T12:48:00.000-07:002012-04-25T12:49:29.283-07:00Created to Create<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lately, I have been given a large amount of time to myself.
My mother made the comment to me last week that this is the first time in my
life that I don't have to do anything. In school I had to
do schoolwork. In college I had to do college studies. At work I had to labor,
but now though still employed, just unused for the past few
weeks (till the boss finds more work for me to do) I have been given 'time'.
I have been led by God to discover the meaning of time,
the time that is given to us. I want to be a good steward of my time
and the goods God has given to me. We were made in the image of the creator and
so we are called to create, as in the beginning when God gave the garden
to Adam and said for him to work in it. We are made to work, and now
it is left to me to decide where to place my time, whether to glorify God or to
glorify self. If I glorify myself, I am given just that, self... and all that
evil that comes with it. I don't want this to be my end prize. This unused
period of time comes in week long spurts and has happened before at
TAG with me. I used to panic and run out and grab all the applications I could
and fill them out, but before I could turn them back in, my boss Travis,
who is also my older brother, would say he needs me back at work. A month
later the process would happen again and now the third time. I just anticipated
the same... for the first week at least, now Wednesday of the
second week I realize that I have been given this time to learn. To
learn what to do with my self.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> On Monday I
woke up early and set out to take my time by the horns, and I did. By the end
of the day I had made several life changing decisions about
a large quantity of the money God had given me and about my
future time. Then at the end of the day I looked out at the waning purple
and deep black of twilight over the mountains and thought to my
self. "At what point did I ask God what he wanted me to
do?" Wow, what a powerful mistake I could have made! The
feeling sunk into my gut. I realized that when I mess with the amount of money
God has given me for this trip, I mess with the time that I leave,
and that is God's time! Not mine to mess with. The next day I never left the
house; it was spent in dedication of Christ, to peruse and to listen.
With that, I spent my time far, far more productively being
subject to God than by taking instant initiative, possibly in the
wrong direction. The choices I made on Monday I now feel
were the right ones, but I have prayed that if they were not that I may still
be able to change them. Now if only I
can blend the initiative of Monday with
the obedience of Tuesday... He is still working on me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> My time has
gone now into The Truth Project, The Federalist Papers, upkeep of a home,
time in prayer, and seeking to send out prayer letters. This is Wednesday and I
am looking for something to create. Pottery, painting, a short story perhaps.
We were created to create and I feel that desire today. There is a deep
fulfilling pleasure that comes with being a good steward of what God gives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gen 2:2-3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">-And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and
He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Gen 2:15-16 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- Then the Lord
God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> NKJV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Soli Deo Gloria<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In Christ, David
Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-21299559486458792902012-04-24T16:25:00.001-07:002012-04-24T16:45:19.509-07:00Finance and Recent Events<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Well,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> ladies and gentlemen</span>, it’s starting to hit
home - the reality and grandeur of the life to which Christ has called me. I
have taken my own initiative to see his purpose out and am currently in his
will. I had about 45% of my expected $4,500 raised. Half of that is
sponsor money which I don't touch. That amount stays current and
is at $1,100. Today I am about to create letters to hopeful sponsors. So I
anticipate that number to rise as the Lord puts his call on individuals. I,
this year, have earned $3,000 in labor with TAG contracting, but $1,000 has
gone to fix my car and another large sum has slipped into
the gas tank and gone for food and other necessities. I did buy a knife
from Dick's Sporting Goods for $70. This is the only superfluous purchase
I can recall. The rest has gone to pay for C.H.E training ($550) and
Water Pumping ($500) courses at Equip Intl. I now have $434 set aside for
my three month trip. So that's the financial side of
my endeavors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> Now let’s
talk current events. On May 13th I will take a week-long water pumping
tech class from Equip, the second part of preparing myself for a lifetime of
missions wherever I am. CHE, the first class I took, opened my eyes to a
greater worldview and taught me how to evangelize. It
gave me set models for community evangelism to use as a tool
for Christ. I'm hoping the second course will give me something to
bring to the table as a contributor. People have drilled wells all
over Africa, but when those wells break no one locally knows how to
fix them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> One day I was
praying that the Lord give me someone to share the gospel with and in
a few minutes after I had stopped at a store for a sandwich, I
met an old friend who currently works there. I have watched this
young man turn from a life of sin and drugs to a fervent pursuit of
God. He used to read the Bible constantly in class, to the dislike of
everyone, but the called. It is unusual and I don't know if he had a
walk with Christ or liked to present himself in that way for
attention. He is a most depressed youth then and now. Please keep him in your
prayers as he has rejected the Lord for himself and is depressed. I shared with
him until I felt the peace of the Holy Spirit. I
have returned to the store to follow up on his spirit. Would you take
a moment to pray for the enlightenment of this individual? It is a
deep concern for me that I may be used to proclaim liberty to the captives
and open the prison of those who are bound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Isaiah 61:1-3
says<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> "The
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Because the Lord
has anointed me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To preach good
tidings to the poor;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">He has sent me to
heal the brokenhearted,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To proclaim
liberty to the captives,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the opening of
the prison to those who are bound; <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">2 To proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And the day of
vengeance of our God;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To comfort all who
mourn, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">3 To console those
who mourn in Zion,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">To give them
beauty for ashes,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The oil of joy for
mourning,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That they may be
called trees of righteousness,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The planting of
the Lord, that He may be glorified." - NKJV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> At TAG Contracting
I always took time to share some level of the gospel with the other
workers, asking if they knew Christ and having a time of prayer before
starting work in the morning. Now, however, due to cutbacks, my future with the
company seems unstable and I have applied elsewhere. I feel
I may be called to work somewhere else so that Christ may use me and
teach me other skills. This past week I have not been needed to work, so I’ve
put my time in the most useful places as possible. I have discovered MIT's
open course ware, or classes free online without a teacher or credit.
I have taken an interest in the foundation of America and have been reading the
Federalist Papers. I desire to get my hands on a copy of the New England
primer. I have been watching the Truth project with Dr. Del Tackett and Focus
on the Family, as well as fellowshipping with my church and Equip’s personnel.
I plan to plant in my perma-garden when it warms up and perhaps see
what other missionary projects I can learn. As well, I went on my
first date this Saturday, nothing serious though, but it
was a fun evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Isaiah 61: 1-3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In Christ, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">David Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-76485887993541377002012-04-13T18:15:00.003-07:002012-04-25T19:44:21.939-07:00Thank You, Grace Community Church For Supporting Me<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grace Community Church's Finance committee has donated
to Equip for my trip to Jinja! Thank you so, so much. I will be writing them a
weekly update on Wednesday afternoons during my three month stay
with Chris Spearling. May God bless and keep this amazing Christ-centered,
evangelistic hearted church!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My Church Site!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://graceforall.org/testsite/">http://graceforall.org/testsite/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> -
1 Chronicles 16:34 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is
good; his love endures forever." - NIV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">David Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-46092607020304114722012-04-01T18:35:00.000-07:002012-04-25T19:44:58.778-07:00Peregrinatio<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt;">
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Peregrinatio:</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- a leaving
of one's homeland; a self-imposed exile and wandering for the love of God.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-2552984122643519192012-03-26T14:45:00.011-07:002012-04-25T19:47:41.706-07:00Jinja, Uganda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinja,_Uganda" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9IjRt31NuSybQw2u6KSfrRqvn6vy9tUBsZkY7BFHjP8mZqzAFgdLWL3ZWm3r1oo5Nn3ukaKiiV7ayUH47Om5mTvNn93SATqgQiQLAkNz8srZMLAN1o1FU4Yx8NsxLMLQH-pWyHBGoIBR3/s1600/images+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Five
months ago I came before Equip Intl. to ask to be sent to a mission field for
three months that I may see what a missionary is, and to experience the poverty
on a longer time scale than a church based mission trip. I figured three months
to be long enough to get past the happy go lucky feelings and to sit
down into the poverty. I have never been on a mission trip before and
never seen a missionary work. This is an important first step towards being a
full time missionary. Jinja is the result of my request. It is the second
largest city in Uganda. Located on the banks of Lake Victoria, Jinja is at
the headwaters of the Nile River. It thrives upon agriculture, and reliable
rainfall. White water adventure rafters frequent this town for
its intense rapids. I must remain prayerful
and submissive to God through all of this, so
I don't damage the ministry of the missionaries already at work. It
is so easy to hurt when you're trying to help. I will observe and shadow Chris
Sperling, an Equip missionary, who is implementing an agricultural process
called<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><o:p></o:p><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Farming Gods Way.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">This is a no-plowing prayerful way to farm which
yields unparalleled crop results! I have raised $640
dollars towards a goal of $3,000 that is
Equip's estimate at this point. I added $1,000 to the cost
for vaccinations and an extra $500 for visa, passport, health
insurance and any extra surprises that may crop up to bring in us to
a grand total of $4,500 for a three month mission trip to Jinja. Not bad for
getting across the Atlantic, but the figure is subject to change. I need
your prayer right now this moment, that God may send out His Holy Spirit to go
before me to prepare a place for Himself in the hearts of those He calls, that
He may use me a lot, in Jinja or wherever He calls me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Matt 28:18-20<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">- 18 Then Jesus
came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been
given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you
always, to the very end of the age." - NIV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In Christ the son
of God,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">David Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2614802963784368021.post-83625686838314708162012-03-24T13:11:00.002-07:002012-04-25T19:48:30.260-07:00Missionary Education Part 1 C.H.E (Community Health Evangelism)<div class="Publishwithline">
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This week I have been attending full day classes with Equip Intl.
learning the basics of mission work. The class was taught from 8:00am - 5:00pm.
Each hour was a different lesson. It is very difficult to put a class
like this into words. Topics were always open for discussion and the multiple
solutions for problems were what we as a group of 10 evangelists could think of.
Every answer was written on a board, no matter how well thought. The class was
arrayed in a circle with no tables or podiums. Our leaders, Harold Bracken II
and his wife Brenda, sat in different seating arrangements every day to keep us
from a feeling of their authority. The whole process Harold and Brenda were
modeling is a teaching strategy to use in other cultures. We learned as much or
more from each of the missionaries' experiences as we did from the curriculum.
This made the assimilation of mass quantities of knowledge easy. I took several
pages of notes that earned a special place in my black journal. I used pictures
I drew alongside the notes for further retention; scrolls were for verses of
valuable scripture that I needed to memorize. Spider webs were networks I can
use and such like that. I learned how easy it is to hurt when you want to help.
When we sent shoes to Haiti, we put the local cobbler out of business and the
same with food and clothing handouts. I learned that you need to assimilate
with the culture and learn the language (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11bxy9bSYG4">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11bxy9bSYG4</a><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt;">ß</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">a funny demonstration of why). It would
take two weeks to post all the knowledge and experiences I had in one week of CHE.
Definitely the best education I have ever received! The classes at Equip are so
on key with what is practical in the field. We need a delicate balance of
meeting peoples' physical needs: water, medicine, food, and sanitation and
their spiritual needs: evangelism, follow up, and discipleship. Equips' main
focus is to meet God where he is working. Their main goal is Christ’s Kingdom.
Thank you, Lord, for sending me to this place! In a few weeks I plan to pick up
a missionary trade to take to the field. I am hoping for<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Pumping water tech</i> taught
by Keith Larrimore, and if I have the funds at that time, a well drilling class
will be added. But in all this I must remember "A man may plan his ways,
but the Lord prepares his steps". I need to spend time in prayer to see if
this is the direction of the Lord our God.<a href="http://chenetwork.org/index.php">http://chenetwork.org/index.php</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Prov 16:9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord
determines his steps. – NIV<o:p></o:p></span><u1:p></u1:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">David Greene<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>David Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11033651591638817338noreply@blogger.com0