KABUJOGERA, UGANDA -- DAY 3 -- BABY

 Sometimes we forget, can't follow-through, because so much is on our plates.  But God prods and prods, and taps and taps ... and blesses us.

You see, Sunday evening, during the dinner time at the Volcano Arcade Hotel [always have to write the whole name, because the title makes me grin], Tim, Robert, and Israel were contacted by the local police leader who was in charge of their town, Jackson Ndungo.  He had heard we were there and he came to rededicate his life to the Lord.  He had a very serious limp after a motorcycle accident.   It SO fit right into my teaching on Sunday afternoon about "Everybody Has A Limp!"  When I drifted off to my room, The pastors told him we were going to talk to his wife Monday after the class was out.

Well, we didn't.  I hit the bed right after finishing my spiritual warfare teaching session that covered a fair amount of time that day.  Tim and the other men were taking care of the conference pastors and answering more of their questions.  Then dinner.  We all forgot this plan to go to Jackson's home.

When we realized the forgetfulness, we committed between ourselves, to go on Tuesday morning, before the service would begin.  Pastor Robert and Tim and I went to see Jackson and meet his wife.

You would have to see it to believe it.  Since Jackson was the main police officer of the village, he should have some sort of honor attached, right?  Well, in our city, and many other places, he'd have a house or nice apartment.  There, he lived in an 8 x 10 room in a compound with his wife and new baby.  It had a twin bed, a shelf, a couple of small stools, and a boom/box stereo.  Their clothes were hung on nails.  We all crammed into that little room and Tim talked with Jackson about his commitment to the Lord, answered a few of his questions, and then asked his wife, Beatrace, if she wanted to make a commitment.  Eventually, we found that she had already done so a couple years earlier, but was in a backslidden condition.  She prayed with us and rededicated her life to the Lord.  It went beautifully.

Their baby was a 3-day old girl. Jackson asked me to hold her -- not a problem, as she was a little doll -- and then Robert, on behalf of the parents, asked me to name her and dedicate her to God.  I was so blown away that it took a couple minutes to get my brain working -- had never done anything like this in my life.  Finally, the name that came to me was Hannah.  And then I prayed over her, focusing on Hannah's faith and her commitment to seek God.  I gathered it was not an easy name to say in this tribal tongue, but Jackson kept practicing and when he said "Anna" he quickly corrected himself and said "Hannah".  I was so overwhelmed by the honor, I could hardly take it in.

Sitting on a bench outside after the dedication.

AND the "official" conference day had not yet begun.  It was Am-A-zing!  When I share that one, you should grin -- and rejoice with the rest of us, too, who were involved.

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2006

NOW, about 4 years ago a letter was sent to us from Uganda. The address happened to be our former home, and the owners kept it at the house knowing we'd come by someday.  It was WEEKS later when Dave and I were going past and decided to pop in and see how the Schafers were doing.  They handed the envelope to us, and when I opened it, a letter and photos were there from Jackson.  The family had moved further southwest, and they were attending a Full Gospel church, the letter written in that church office.  

Jackson told about Beatrace and daughter, Hannah, whose name is now Mariam Hannah, a name easier to be spoken by family and friends.  So blessed that they kept the name.  Hope to find them again.

2007