So the parade was a great success. An event of celebration. On the other hand, the day of mourning involved millions.

We have left Kenya and returned temporarily to Canada.

So what parade? The one that was held in Nairobi after we left. The day of mourning? In Ontario when I arrived.

The next step? We are gearing up for an official opening of the church headquarters building in Kampala, Uganda. After that: our first missions training seminar at Bombo.

I will be filling you in as time goes by. The situation in East and central Africa is challenging. There are 50 people groups of over 100,000 people, within a narrow area, which have never been reached with the gospel. There are eager people in Ugandans who want to go! They just need the training.

So as of next year, Marge and I will be working with Rev Simon Peter Emiau, the Uganda General Superintendent of 4,000 churches, to equip African missionaries to go into these challenging areas. In the next few issues I will fill you in on why this method of missions is efficient and inexpensive.

And you make it possible with your support and interest. Thank you, and may God bless you.

Ken & Marge MacGowan

The invitation came months ago. Webuye. A remote, poverty-stricken section of Kenya near the border. The District Superintendent wanted me to come for a weekend and speak. So I went.

We had sat around and chatted till 11:55am Saturday, with no clue as to what I would be doing, to whom I would be speaking, and what the subject would be. Then I heard. There would be over 50 leaders from the area, and I would speak for 2 ½ hours on leadership. Fortunately I was ready. The people were warm and receptive. They spoke fondly of my brother-in-law, Kervan Chalmers, who lived there and built their church over 33 years ago!

The next morning we left the guest house at 7am, looking forward to breakfast at the Superintendent’s cousin’s at 8am. Oops. We needed to take a detour to see his home. To say it was rural is to say that Gibralter would be heavy to lift! We nearly got stuck on different occasions, slithering through deep mud with roads that slanted off to non-existent shoulders. Our breakfast visit was over 3 hours late. But who cared. Three speaking engagements lay ahead.

Right now Ken is planning to return to Canada to bring an update to friends and supporters.

It was a great question! The little Ugandan children looked down with puzzled expressions on their faces. This was a subject for world class theologians. What would the children say?

Suddenly one little guy smiled shyly and looked up. He knew the answer! What were the first words of Jesus Christ after the resurrection?

“Ta-da….!”

And it certainly was a “drum-roll”, “symphony orchestra proclamation. Jesus had defeated death! Let the cymbals clash! Let the trumpets shout!

Well, my visit to Uganda was another “Ta-da” moment. For 7 years Simon Peter Emiau, the General Superintendent of Uganda’s 4,000 churches (which represents 25% of all our churches in Africa), has had a vision. Train African missionaries to go into un-reached areas of the Congo, Sudan, Rwanda and other neighbouring countries. Last year an American missionary was led to donate a 7.2-acre mission station! It is 16 miles north of Kampala, at a town called Bombo. There it sits, with dormitories for 40, an open-concept auditorium for 300, a kitchen, offices, and other buildings. With a little effort the 3 full-time managers can grow crops and raise pigs to maintain the buildings. The accommodation is Spartan – a real boot camp! But the potential is enormous!

Next February, Lord willing, the new national church Headquarters will be officially opened in Kampala, and the first event of the Training Centre will take place. We hope to be there. Meanwhile, our budget will help launch the project! Plans are underway!

Thank you for making it possible for us to represent you in Uganda! God bless!

Ken & Marge MacGowan