Feb 12, 2020 - Japadhola Country

JAPADOHOLA KINGDOM
Today we were near the Kenya border occupied by the Japadhola tribe. The Japadhola Kingdom is fighting to keep their cultural dominance in the region. Last year, the President of Uganda visited and asked "that the Itesots and Japadhola live in harmony...(and) desist from dragging the ordinary people into their fights." No matter where the Japadhola live they are fiercely loyal to other tribe members. 

SUPREME BEING - WERE
Their tradition assert that they have always believed in one Supreme Being called Were. He was believed to take care of the home and the family. Few Japadhola worship Were today. Some scholars believe they came from Egypt and are part of the Nilo-Hamite group (Ham, the 2nd son of Noah.)

MORNING DISTRIBUTION
​NEW LEADERSHIP FOR A STRUGGLING CHURCH
​Tuba Baptist has struggled recently but now has new leadership. The district association of pastors gave this small church a boost by holding the distribution here.

The building is a small mud-sided church with an airy roof. Simple and beautiful and cool but too small for the crowd. So we met under tents in the shade of mango trees.
 
OPEN FIRES AND A BIG CROWD
While Pastor Patrick’s church is small, the congregation served the 380 attendees. All through the morning, women prepared a light breakfast and then a big lunch for the crowd.

Each day we see women working over open fires preparing meals for 100s to have a light breakfast and lunch on the ground. Here, I thanked them each for their service and their smiles lit up the morning. 
 
NOT ENOUGH BIBLES!
342 came and we only had 280 Bibles. The African Project Uganda Team said they would come back to provide the Bible’s to those whose names were on the list who did not receive a Bible. Around 20 pastors attended and took copious notes on our survey of the storyline of the Bible. 
 
We had limited stock of the Japadhola Bible which was recently released. But we gave the ESV to the younger and Lugandan Diglot to the older who did not receive the Japadhola Bible. (Luganda and English are the national languages..the diglot is Lugandan and English placed side by side on a page.)

AFTERNOON DISTRIBUTION
LITERALLY A FALLEN CHURCH
Katajjuka Church of Uganda has seen better days. The building has fallen on itself and the church is meeting under a tarp.

FIRST PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ANGLICAN CHURCH
This is the African Bible Project’s first partnership with the Anglican Church. Pastor Okumu and Monday know the Arch-deacons of two of the regions covering this large area. They were in attendance to give their endorsement of the need for Bibles for their Anglican churches.
 
As we sat groups of cattle were herded past occasionally behind the tent. Children played nearby and passersby stopped to greet friends. I loved the warmth of the people and their heart for the Bible.
 
WE MUST RETURN
309 people came and we only had 280 Bibles to give. The Anglican Arch-deacons asked if we could come back and do our training on the story of the Bible. Lord willing we will come. 

WHAT DOES A BIBLE MEAN TO THESE CHRISTIANS?
I wish you could see what we see when a person receives their first personal Bible. Old men smile excitedly. Young women rock with joy.
 
WE WEEP FOR THOSE WHO FEEL UNWANTED
At each location I video a few attendees before and after receiving a Bible. It doesn’t matter if they have been a Christian for six months or 60 years, they all say they feel “less than” when they sit in church with those who have a Bible.  I want to weep that it has taken so long to put a Bible into the hands of those thirsty for God’s Word. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Pray with us that each Bible is read daily. Pray that these strategically placed church distribution points will see a hundred fold increase in the Kingdom of God in the near future.