Some interesting highlights

October 31, 2018        Written by Julie Sherrill

I have spent five days with pastors from three different church denominations and three different languages.  The purpose for those days was to equip those pastors in writing a story from the Bible that was accurate, simple, reproducible and memorable. These will be shared orally in their churches, villages and go from hut to hut.

One pastor whom I met is the voice of Jesus in the Karamojong translation of the Jesus Film.   Another has spent many years in Israel translating the Bible into Karamojong for his people. All of these pastors were humble, passionate about God’s Word and united in their urgency to take the Bible stories all over Karamoja and even to the Teso region of Uganda.

A fun memory that I have was a lunch conversation that I participated in.   I joined a table with 9 of the pastors.   Our lunch conversation started with the topic of dessert.  I began to explain what a pie was.  Somehow it evolved to hiking Mt. Napak and the baboons that are there.  One went on to share about eating baboons, but when I asked for a show of hands no one volunteered that they had eaten baboon.  I am confident that some have. Next were snakes, especially pythons; how they kill and it was agreed by most that biting their tail is the recommended way to survive.  Just an FYI to you from Uganda.

The most impactful part for me was to listen to the story of one pastor.   This is a story of focus, obedience and sacrifice.   Pastor Peter grew up without any education.   He couldn’t even read.   He shared with me how small and weak he was as a child.  Peter received dreams from Heaven of two hands giving him a Bible and calling him to share the words of the Bible.  Peter knew that he couldn’t read so he had someone read one chapter in the Bible to him and he would repeat it over and over, memorizing the passage and learning to read.

Peter became a pastor in the Anglican Church of Uganda.   He and his wife were walking up Mt. Napak when they encountered warriors. They were beaten and had everything stolen.  Each warrior had a gun held on them and Peter told me that one said, “I’ll shoot him, you shoot her.”  Suddenly, a voice clearly told him to yell, “Army, they’re over here!”  Over and over he yelled this and the warriors ran away.   There was no army coming.   A short while later a car arrived with someone that Peter knew.    The church Diocese told Peter not to return to Mt. Napak.  Another dream from God came and told Peter, “You take my Word to those people. I will be with you.”

Peter and his wife agreed to return.   Now there are four churches on or around Mt. Napak, and a fifth one wants to begin.   They range from 150 to 400 in each church.  

This is just a small portion of what Peter shared with me.   He shared stories of miraculous healing and always said, “It’s not me.  It’s all God’s power.” 

I had observed Peter for three days.   He was very quiet, respectful, attentive and always had a smile.  Then I asked him to share his story of his relationship with God.   His eyes lit up, the words poured out and it was ALL about God’s provision and power.