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By Mommy Emily

‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord. ~ Haggai 2:9

Dearest sisters and brothers in Christ, 

What a year this has been. Disease, riots, economic fallouts… one hears whispers of the “last days”…  and yet? Our God still reigns, and is still very much seated on His throne. And we know this because we glimpse the King of Kings through the daily rise and fall of the flaming-red sun, through the crisp turn of the seasons, through the sticky hugs of our children, through the bent-over prayers of our spouses and churches. 

UGANDA

And we know our Lord reigns because, even as flocks of geese rise in v-shaped congregations across North America, villagers are coming to Christ in Uganda in droves! Backslidden Christians returning to Christ, Moslems softly declaring Christ, old and young hearing Scriptures for the first time, crippled children being prayed for, and pastors being equipped with Theological Training which, prior to this, they could not afford, and all of this? Reason for a great resounding Amen to our faithful Jehovah Jireh!

Recently we received a testimony from a village that said, since the Uganda team had come and prayed for them, a “jinn” or spirit which had been bothering them nightly by howling on a hill in the village had ceased coming. God is confirming His anointing upon our brothers and sisters by signs and miracles! Praise Him.

Photos of village outreach (including a shrine):

Microloans and audio recorders are being given out to pastors across Uganda, equipping them to not only build up their business so they can support their families and ministry but to share the gospel in street crusades, while starting up theological schools for the uneducated using the Harvestime Curriculum. 

Photo of giving out the audio recorder to Pastor Kasasa:

House churches starting in Kampala: 

And even as the School of Hope remains closed in Uganda — and God is sharing with us dreams to open it up, not just to teenage mothers, but to laymen and pastors who have no other way to receive theological training — we are still teaching the teen mamas, but this time, in solid Biblical training through Harvestime. Additionally, as of October 15, teenage mothers in Candidate classes are allowed to return to school. 

Photos of training up the School of Hope mamas and ministry happening:

Meanwhile, the Uganda government remains vigilant regarding the lockdown of school buildings, allowing churches to re-open only if they can afford temperature guns, masks and sanitizer (items that no village church can afford). Yet, the harvest is ripe — many vulnerable souls are turning to witchcraft for Islam for solace, and so, we are sending out missionaries — teams of men and women who are carrying the gospel in flip-flops, bearing audio recorders and microloans. 

In addition to maize being grown and harvested on the two acres of farmland by the School of Hope, our Father has also made a way for us to purchase 20 acres of farmland in the distant villages where land is inexpensive; it is our prayer that, through the help of local pastors, this land will bear harvest which, much like Joseph and the storehouses, will supply for the ministry in days ahead — allowing the Word to remain unchained and for Uganda to start to be independent of western aid. 

Photos of teen mamas harvesting and new land being purchased:

With this in mind, the pastors in the slums of Katwe, the pastors in the villages of Jinja, and our own Ugandan team have all started piggeries. The hope is that this will sustain them and their families and allow any funds that are wired to be invested directly in front-line ministry.

Photo of pigs:

SOUTH SUDAN

Villages in South Sudan being equipped with Harvestime training and plastic chairs: 

The cassava farm in a refugee camp in Adjumani, supporting Pastor Santos’ church and child-headed homes: 

The women of Evangelical Free Church in Pagirinya Refugee camp receiving microloan support: 

Secondary school being built on church compound in Nimule, South Sudan:

Training older vulnerable children from child-headed homes during COVID-19 in carpentry: 

Churches re-opening in South Sudan, and filled to capacity: 

Printers, laptops, and generators provided for teaching and evangelism: 

Pastors in refugee camps and villages studying Harvestime courses: 

Vocational school students graduating and starting their own businesses:

Children being delivered of evil spirits and their families coming to Christ: 

SIERRA LEONE

The rice farms in the villages of Sierra Leone doing well: 

Well dug for happy villagers: 

Completed birthing clinic, staff quarters and maternity hut — to be handed over to the government, Lord willing, in January of 2021: 

FGM children/mothers and the poor groundnut harvest: 

Pastor Sonnel enjoying an abundant harvest of mangoes in the villages:

Monthly Harvestime conferences with pastors from many regions: 

3 Bedroom Farmhouse built in Sierra Leone for Farm Workers:

LIBERIA

Building a fence for the goats so they stop destroying people’s crops:

Planting rice on the land which was felled of trees (harvest will support Pastor Zawu’s ministry): 

Rice that has now grown in that area:

Raising up Harvestime schools across Liberia: 

Making bricks for the new medical clinic in Liberia:

Planting palm and cocoa nurseries for harvesting and sustaining school and ministry: 

Providing Pastor Zawu with a laptop and printer so he can oversee Harvestime: 

**

We praise the Lord for all He is doing friends. Oh, He is faithful. 

In closing, won’t you allow me to share something? The other night I was worshiping with my children. Then the Lord showed me these ugly white caterpillars. They were eating all the green leaves off the trees and the trees were left barren. Suddenly I saw all of those white caterpillars turn into the most beautiful of butterflies. God said, “Emily, right now people just see the caterpillars — things like COVID — eating up everything that was good and life-giving. But I am going to bring new life, for it is impossible for anything to remain bad in my presence. I will turn it all for good.”

And as if to confirm it? My daughter, not knowing what I’d just seen, said, “Mommy, God just showed me a butterfly!”

Oh that our eyes might not be fixed in the physical, but that we might fix our eyes on Jesus, and as we do, the butterflies will begin to appear. And everything, everything in your life, dear friend — no matter how awful — once brought into the presence of Christ, will be turned for your good and for God’s glory. 

Love, 

Mommy Emily