We seem to be on our way, drive a short way and hit the speed bumps eyes bouncing in your head, head hitting the ceiling and your rear ended slamming into the seat, just a normal early morning drive in Uganda.

Now my new traveling companion, the reverend, is a really nice guy but he sure can talk. I’m not sure but I don’t think that he took a breath for the first hour or so.

Just before we get out of  Kampala we stop for gas and something I thought I’d never see happened, we bought more that 50,000 sh worth of gas! We actually bought 185,000 sh worth. Will wonders never cease.

After about 3 1/2 hours on the road, we stop for a bathroom break and breakfast. I ask our driver if we have time and he says we have plenty of time. I should have known better, TIA. At 10:30 I finally ask the question, “Are we there yet?” “Huh?” “Are we there yet?” Joelle, our drive says it’s ok, not to worry, they are doing whatever it is that they’re doing’ Oh boy, TIA.

Still a little jet lagged and only 1 hour of sleep and a little bit napping, very little, between the speed breakers, pot holes, and the reverend that never stops talking in my ear, I am trying to figure out what the heck I was supposed to preach on.  I don’t know anything about the group that I’m going to be addressing, things like what is the purpose of their meeting , is this a women’s group or a men’s group, is these a small group, I have know idea. The idea of knowing your audience doesn’t seem to working for me.

Finally we arrive at 11:45.  Remember I was supposed to preach at 10:00 am, TIA African time.  Man, was I in for a shock!!! The church seats 1500 and it was almost full!! Long way from Selma!!!  This was like a full blown Sunday service with at least 800 men and women! The pastor, Rev Gordon, is finishing up His sermon as we get there. After his sermon, they have a drama team do a skit. All this on Wednesday morning! What the heck is going on?

I have definitely got my I’m-in-Christ thing going on! Oh my gosh, I’ve never preached to a group this large, I’m not very well prepared, and have no idea what this pastor is expecting. So I decide that the best thing that I could do was get myself out of this.  I buy time by introducing myself and telling them that I brought them greetings from America, African are big on greetings. The whole time I’m praying my spiritual prayer, “LORD!!!!” So I told them that this wasn’t my story but His story by reading Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loves me and gave Himself up for me.

Standing there, under my breath I remind the Lord that this was His story. All I can say is that God is always faithful. Not sure what all I said but the Holy Spirit seemed to touch the people.

Before we dismissed the Holy Spirit kept prompting me to call out some words of knowledge for healing. He prompted me so much and so hard that I finally ask the pastor for permission, which he gave. So I called out 5 things that God wanted to heal and all they had to do was except. The pastor then said a few more things and then I ask if we could ask if anyone had experienced God healing and if so hold up their hands.

Now I’m hoping for a few people to hold up their hands so as to build up my faith.  Five would be awesome since I called out out 5 things. This is a little, no a lot, out of my comfort zone. There were 100-120 people that held up their hands! Lord forgive my unbelief.

After the service we went to lunch with Rev. Gordon and then checked into our hotel for a little rest before we were scheduled to have dinner with the leaders of the church that night. I was expected to give a word to them at 8:00 pm. I was VERY glad for a nap, no matter how short it was!!