MISSION ARCHIVE 2015

Sunday, 18 January, 2015

Bugade Good News Church house,

 Bugade village, Kidyerera Sub-county, Mayuge district, Eastern Uganda.

Dad,

            I traveled safely from Entebbe to the ground work meeting, which was in; Bugade good news Church house, Bugade village, Kidyerera Sub-county, Mayuge district.

           I boarded a taxi from Entebbe to Kampala, then another one to Iganga, then a boda-boda riding 35 miles on a village highway to Bugade. It’s a real dry season in the villages and the dust is just too much.

           By the time I arrived, over 30 pastors and leaders had already gathered for the meeting and waiting eagerly for Bishop Bita. When I entered the meet house, my face and clothes was full of dust and I saw most of the faces became sad and there was silence in the house for about a minute. "Surely this man cannot be a Bishop".  But when I was invited to talk, after I introduced myself and gave a detailed information about NTFI/Bibles for Uganda, and a brief testimony about our operations, everyone was moved with tears. We had a wonderful meeting and discussed number of things in planning for our February conference.

       We all agreed that:

1.       The conference shall be held in the same house where we had the meeting.

2.       The conference will begin on Monday 16th Feb 2015 to Friday 20th Feb 2015.

3.     The organizing team will mobilize and raise food for all the five days without much difficulty because it’s a harvesting season in the village currently.

4.     We shall watch the ‘’Sister Dorothy’’ film, because we asked every pastor/leader to come along with his wife and so we expect a good number of  women/mother. We shall also watch at least one other DVD from the variety of DVDS we have, during the conference.

Almost every Pastor wanted to at least say a word as in expression to their appreciation to God and to our ministry for such a great opportunity and blessing which the lord is giving them.

Among those who was given chance to talk was a pastor who said that today I have seen a real miracle, "a bishop riding on the rear of a boda boda [motor bike] on such a dusty village road due to the great love and care he has for his poor village pastors/ministers".

 Every one of them was so moved in their spirit and so surprise to know that there is a Bishop like the ones they read about in the New Testament Church.

So everyone is eagerly waiting for that day with much eager and high expectation.

 We closed our meeting at 6:30pm. By that time, it was not possible to get a boda-boda back to Iganga so that I may board a taxi back to Kampala. So I had to spend a night at one of the pastor’s home. Then following morning I traveled safely back to Lusenke.

Bishop Pastor Bita [Jimmy] front row center with hand raised.

            Regina had moved the same day to Lusenke. I traveled for the ground work. I left when I had paid for a big truck to take her with all our belongings to Lusenke. So Joshua helped her and they traveld on Sunday night to Lusenke. More report in Coming on Lusenke story. Son Jimmy

The Mayuge District Conference is on track

Monday February 16, 2015

Part 1

Dad,

           I started the Journey this morning at 4:00 am from Lusenke to Kampala. By 8:00 am I was already in Kampala. Then Joshua joined me few minutes later. After having a simple breakfast meal, I was able to get all the donors’ details and photos ready. Then we got all our stuff and the bibles packed well and ready to go.

Bishop Bita counting funds to purchase ninety Luganda language Bibles------about 1,350 dollars U.S.-----or 3,800,000 Uganda Schillings.

Bishop Bita faithfully handles and accounts for precious donor gifts meticulously throughout each year------purchasing about 400 native language Bibles per year at fifteen dollars each beside the gifts for bicycles, food, planting seed, and many other incidental needs of the Lord's people. See the home we built in the link below.

Pastor Mukisa Joshua pays

          We boarded the taxi [16 passenger van] from Kampala at 12 noon to Iganga. The Kampala traffic jam was too heavy, but down the road we had a good and safe journey to Iganga. We arrived in Iganga and I tried to look around for the bicycle shop but when I communicated with the pastors from Bugade (the small town near the conference ground), they told me that I don’t need to buy and transport the bicycle all the way from Iganga because good bicycles are sold in Bugade as well. So I decided that we shall perches and assemble the bicycle from Bugade any day during the conference.

           We then boarded boda-boda [small motor bike] from Iganga to Bugade on a dusty village highway over 30miles. We then arrived in Bugade at 5:50pm. The journey on the dusty road was so hectic.

Bishop Pastor Bita [Jimmy]-----Covered head to toe to protect himself from blinding dust on the long journey to Bugade. Village Pastors really appreciate the dedication of Pastor Jimmy.

Brother Danny jokes in his typical Mzungu [white man] humor-----"you look like a Ninja Bishop arriving to slay the heretics, or maybe a bank robber on a boda boda". Comical jousting and hysterical laughter followed as we spoke on the telephone. Then Ninja Bishop Bita re-mounted his trusty steed [boda boda] and rode into the African sunset.

          We have been welcomed with great joy by the organizing pastors. We will be sleeping near the trading Center. The conference begins tomorrow morning and not today as I said before.  Organizers made an adjustment on the date, targeting Saturday to be the finishing day for bible drive/bicycles.

           We are now having some moment of resting after that long and hectic day.Son

Continued as conference proceeds

         Our first day was not very good in terms of the turn out, It rained and some of the wealthy pastors, bishops, and overseers who refused to join the organizing team did not also participate in the conference because they minimized us from the ground work meeting which I had with the organizing team, I shared much detail about our ministry (NTFI/BFU) and our teaching/doctrine. So I suspect that they also thought that we are coming to teach and do things which would challenge their positions/false teachings. Like teaching sound doctrine and distributing bibles and bicycle free of charge to their less privileged pastors/church leaders. Something which has never been done by any of them.  But the teaching went on so well that day.  We mainly handled much about the introduction of the topics and much detail about NTFI/BFU. After the conference on the first day, it was a real good day.

      The turn out was good on the second day and we began to handle real teaching of the truth based on the scriptures. The congregation was moved into a serious commotion by some few pastors who were not part of the organizing team but came to attend the conference. It started when I was handling a topic on THE QUALIFICATIONS OF BISHOPS, PASTORS AND ELDERS in the New Testament Church and their responsibility.

1.       WHAT DOES YOUR APOSTLE LOOK LIKE?

"If your  APOSTLE speaks contrary to these words----HE/she IS NO APOSTLE OF CHRIST-----and MUST BE REJECTED!!!"

 2Cor 11:24-12:1

1 Tim 6:3-12

 Phil 4:10-13

2. WHAT DOES YOUR PASTOR LOOKS LIKE?

         Ezekiel 34:1-31

         John 10:7-18

3. WHAT DOES YOUR ELDER/LEADER LOOKS LIKE?

         1Tim 3:1-13

         Ex 18:13-25

         Acts 6:2-8

           Some men began to oppose us, accusing us of teaching against their leaders, but the majority of the congregation was eager and willing to listen to our teachings. So this commotion was silenced and the teaching continued. Many questions were coming up during our question/answer moments and every one was so blessed to receive such great information of god’s word.

           When I shared with you about that commotion that evening , and afterwards realized that it pained you, That night I gave it a serious thought, but then realized that those men had been sent as trouble makers by those leaders who opposed our conference.

Yesterday I was not able to write because of a complete network failure   More report and photos coming soon. I will travel to Entebbe and its where I will work it out from. Son

Continued Thursday, February 26----2015

          From the 3rd day, our conference went on so well until the day when we did the bible drive and gave out the bicycle. Many pastors/leaders came riding their own bicycles long distances to attend the conference every day. While others walked on foot every day from nearby and as far as 9 miles.

In session

Bishop Bita teaching

           That pastor who went with us to Lusenke from the Banda Conference came all the way from Bukimbi together with that woman pastor who was originally sent to gather information about us, then report to the Bishop in Kampala, but later changed her mind to join our conference instead. They travel a very long distance to come to the conference. She carried a delapidated old Bible. We gave her a new Luganda Bible which made her very happy. She was well satisfied that we came only to teach sound doctrine supported in the New Testament.

          Many of these pastors stood to testify and thanked God for BFU. Overseers, three bishops, pastors and all the elders who attended the conference testified in their own words that they really need such  great teachings. Their leaders always teach them prosperity and how to become "mighty men of God" without teaching them the real truth of God’s word. Many of them come to the village and collect huge sums of money claiming that they have imparted a great blessing and prosperity of God. Promising them to become as rich as this city pastors; drive good cars, build nice homes, own expensive suits, build cathedrals, what they call ‘’HOUSE OF GOD’’, Etc. All this things these poor pastors don’t see, instead they becomes poorer, because even the little they have is taken from them. This has made some of this village pastors to think that the city pastors/Christians are more special to God than them.  Some of them even think they should move to the cities because the lord’s blessings is not in the village.

          They told us about a pastor who came from Kampala to Bugade and made the pastors to collect for him up to 3million schillings/1,200 dollars U.S., so that he may bring for them a powerful crusade. Some pastors, elders sold their land, while others sold their cows and goats. He took the money and did not come back. They tried to call the phone numbers which this "man of God" has been using but call was not going through. This is all happening due to ignorance of God’s word. So this conference was a great eye opener and a real blessing to the village churches. And they begged us not to forget them, Asking that we may go back several time to teach them.

           On our second last day, I was convicted to look for a pastor who walked the longest distance. So during this process in the conference when I told them that I only wanted to know who among the pastors have been walking a longest distance to and from the conference from the first day. We found a woman pastor by the names Gladys Babigumira from Kitovu village about 9 miles away. And she was footing every day to and from.  This lady is leading a small village fellowship together with her elder son and a team of three more committed young men. She is a widow who has kept her dignity over the years since her husband died about ten years back and she have been so faithful and committed to the service of the Church since then as well. So according to me, I perceived in my heart that she is the rightful owner of the new bicycle provided by Brother Jerry of the U.S..

           On our final day, during morning session, we taught and practically did The PRAYING FOR THE SICK BY THE ELDER/LEADERS and FOOT WASHING according to the scriptures. It was such a wonderful experience to everyone during the praying for the sick. And many of them made a comment saying that no one will ever again steal money from us in order to pray for us; now that we have known that our own local church elders can pray for us and we don’t need special "anointed men of God" to do that at a certain cost of money or property.

James 5:14-16
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
KJV

Bishop Pastor Bita praying for the sick

 It was even more wonderful moment during foot washing. Almost every pastor wanted to participate and every elder wanted his/her feet be washed. They were all excited to know the truth about foot washing, although some few had the right idea about it. We chose the two Bishops who attended the conference and me, to wash the feet of some of least and committed elders who are well known for their humble and faithful service to the church.

Bishop Bagaga washing the feet of a humble Elder of the church

Bishop Bita washing the feet of this Elder. An honor for this Bishop. He has done this many times before.

            After that, we went to the bicycle Issue. I told Joshua to bring in the bicycle. Everyone was anxious to know that person who is going to get it and wishing to be the one. I already had some detail about the woman. So the bicycle was parked in front and I called the name of the woman, she was seated right in the middle of the congregation. She stood up with a loud trill with her hands up and when she reached in front, she fell on her knees and started to worship with a loud cry and many people stood up and began to flood in front yelling and praising God with making loud and sweet trill. I showed her Jerry’s photo and told her that ‘’this man in the photos, his name is Jerry Nelson from America, is the one who gave you that bicycle’’. She took the photo from me, with a loud trill raised it up and then put it in her chest. I then told her to take her bicycle in the parking outside. But she begged to at least say a word. She testified saying ‘’indeed God has wipe my tears and truly he spoke to you bishop. I have been walking longer distance than this for the service of the church and have been asking God to give me a bicycle, trying to look for money but all in vain, and on Friday when I went back from the conference, I found when my house had caught fire. She then went and parked her bicycle outside.

Overcome with joy and praise

should be good!!

Bita just couldn't wait to "TEST DRIVE" the bicycle [even though the new bike still had shipping wrapper on it]------selfless ?????

Proud owner------Proud donor-------a match made in heaven!!!!

Gladys Babigumira of Kitovu Village

New owner test drives her new bicycle -------life and ministry will be better for this dedicated woman.

The village Church house---- led by Elder Gladys Babigumira

Praying blessing over the Elder's bicycle

Giving thanks with an offering

           We then went on with the bible distribution. After showing them every donor’s photo and explaining how they have been donating to BFU and the number of bibles they have given this time, we began the distribution. Great joy and excitement filled everyone’s heart. Special appreciation was made by everyone to our donors and BFU.

Elder Saint with old and new Bibles

Saint with old and new Bibles----Donors from the U.K.-----yes there ARE actually Christians in Britain!

There were ninety native language Bibles distributed at this conference. These photos represent only a small portion of those given

praising moment

Leaders praying for Jimmy, Joshua and Bibles for Uganda after the conference

a time of deep worship

Bible and Bicycle recipients

Bishop Pastor Bita center with arm raised

           The team then asked to pray for us on behalf of NTFI/BFU. We were prayed for and them the closed the conference. It was already too late for us to travel back.

            The following morning, I went to see the house of the woman who received the bicycle.  When I reached there, I found out that it was her bedroom which caught fire and all her bedding and clothes was burnt to ashes. She has that nice small house which was built for her buy a charity organization called Habitat for Humanity Uganda after her mud/grass house fell during a heavy rain season. Her house makes her home to look wealthy by Uganda standards but she is still very poor. I told her that we may be able to buy for her a mattress and some pair of clothes. I also went and take some photo of their church house.

A donor from Evans Georgia U.S.A. has given funds to replace mattress and articles lost in the fire. We utilize "money gram" at Walmart to transfer money. Within fifteen minutes of transfer Jimmy is able to recover the funds. He then took the funds to the woman for whom it was intended. This is how Bibles for Uganda works and INDEED-----it does work!

 I then had a safe journey back home. Son---Bishop Pastor Bita

Widow's story continued

Dad'
           I had a safe journey to the widow's home on Friday. I left in the morning from Lusenke [home] and arrived in Bugade at around 4pm. I bought two mattresses and one pair of gowns. Then picked a boda- boda [motorbike with driver] to her place.
          

Purchasing the mattresses and gown in town

Off to the widows home-----a good distance on the boda boda.

           It was such a wonderful moment when we arrived.

Mattresses arrive on the boda boda.

Receiving the mattresses and gown donated by U.S.donor Lisa

          She ran around the compound making  a loud trill. And when we entered the house, she began to worship the lord with hands raised toward Heaven and much tears.

Weeping and praise-------note the little child to her right.

          Her people joined in the worship and her neighbors as well. We then had a wonderful moment of joint worship and thanksgiving to God. I then explained to her about the donor and gift. I handed the gift [cash] to her and took photos and she served us a very good meal.

Setting off for a good night's sleep-----then on to Tororo in the morning.

Then I left together with that pastor who escorted me there. It was already too late for me to connect to Tororo(Osia) for my next mission, so I had to spend a night in Bugade, then on to Tororo [Osia] for the next mission----

Tororo [Osia] March 8, 2015

This is the story of Pastor Bernard, a faithful village pastor for more than twenty years. He was Bishop/ Pastor Bita's mentor for many years as Bishop Jimmy matured in his faith.

          Yesterday on Saturday in the morning, I started my Journey from Bukade to Osia in Tororo District. The journey was a bit slow, so I arrived late late and I had to take a boda-boda to Agururu village where pastor Bernard is currently staying. He lives by the side of the church house just like me, but his house is a tiny mud and iron roofed house. When I told him the News about the Gift I would bring to him from the U.S. donor named Jerry, He could not believe what I was saying, But when he realized that a great miracle was happening to him, he was so happy and excited about it.

Bike shopping in Tororo

Bishop/Pastor Bita with new bicycle recipient Pastor Bernard

Note that Pastor Bernard's new Road-master King is still donned in shipping paper.