UGANDA
While most flew home (after the 4th DMI Conference in Egypt, October 2008), a small number namely Brenda and Jenny, Ian and Neville, visited Kenya and Uganda en route. We were joined in Uganda by a couple of gentlemen from the US, Wes and Lloyd, who had flown out to see how they could help us get some buildings completed. What is now going to be the biggest faith stretching exercise DMI has ever undertaken is now underway. Wes Syverson is the director of an organization known as Tech Serve based in Arkansas (USA). His group is going to ship to Uganda in containers three churches and a two-storey Bible School building. Volunteer teams from Australia and the US are going to help erect (build) these buildings with the help of local workers.

Two of the churches will be constructed in the northern part of Uganda that has seen 20 years of civil war. The Deaf there deserve something better. We are hoping to build two churches for them, one in Lira and the other in Gulu. An added complication is that we need to buy land in Gulu first. The church in Kampala, our “mother” church in Uganda to the 59 other branches we have is a disgrace. It is a wooden shed with a tin roof that leaks and has gaping holes all down the sides. The Bible School which is training deaf people from various countries in East and Central Africa is also in great need of space and facilities. Please show your support and concern for the Deaf of Uganda by getting behind us financially or in prayer or both so that this can all be completed in record time.

One thing about travelling in remote places without the BBC, CNN and e-mail contact is that nothing ever happens! In ignorant bliss we make decisions and planned things unaware that the world’s economies have gone berserk, the Australian dollar has lost most of its value and everything is unstable and uncertain.

When we step out of the nice secure boat and see the storm around us like Peter, we begin to sink. Our only hope is to keep our eyes on Him who is our source and strength. As we begin to shake and waver a bit, pray that we will constantly keep our eyes on Him and not at the impossible circumstances around us!

KENYA
The Immanuel School for the Deaf in Ringa, Kenyaissplitting at the seams! Some 50 kids arenow jammed into our inadequate accommodation. The staffhave done a fabulous job and it was a joy to spend a few days with them while I was in Africa.

Wesley, the new principal and I visited the local authorities and asked for an inspection of an area so that we could get our school registered. We can now either look for a long term rental agreement for our current facility or buy 4 hectares of land for future development. The authorities will give us some directives next week. Thanks to Michael Gantt and a team from the US who were visiting at the same time as us. The school now sports new mattresses and other equipment they supplied for us.

(Extracted from Dewayne & Jackie Liebrandt’s (H) DMI Newsletter, USA, shortened - Dec. 2008)