Covid healings and salvation

20210801 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Family,

Margaret and her son Anthony (12) are two faithful members of my local church I have had the privilege of working with and have begun discipling. This is their story.

Both were admitted to the hospital with severe Covid-19, Anthony being placed on oxygen with the more serious Delta version. Both Anthony and his mother found other Christians in their ward and began sharing the Gospel and praying for other patients. They rejoiced as others including Moslems came to know Christ as Savior.

Two of the patients in the ward were Shamim and her mother. After hearing the Gospel, Shamim gave her life to Jesus, but her mother refused the salvation God offered. Instead, the mother called for the witch doctor and renewed a pact she had made offering her daughter to satan. Unfortunately, The sickness eventually took over and Shamim died and graduated to heaven to be with the Lord.

Others in the ward gave their lives to Christ as a result of Margaret and Anthony’s testimony and prayers. Some were healed instantly and discharged from the hospital. Margaret still very weak, stayed in the ward (after being discharged) to care for those remaining who were not healed. She bathed them, washed their clothes after defecating, encouraged them, prayed with them, and did everything she could to make them comfortable. (The nurses and caretakers left the patients unattended for days at a time, fearing they would contract the virus.) As a result, Margaret was infected with Covid again. Both mother and son are quarantined at home now, recovering from the virus. They are such a blessing and inspiration to the church and to me personally.

Other Ministry News

·    Stephen (whom I found lying in the street and took for surgery last month) is recovering well. He is so grateful for his new life without pain.

·    Last week I found a teenager lying in the street. His foot was severely injured. He refused help, but I was able to at least give him some food. The needs are great. Thanks for praying and caring!

·    

     I have the privilege of discipling Simon, a young man in my church who is attending Bible college and studying to become a Bible teacher.     

     God is stretching me through my teaching of the Gospel of Mark in my church group and with the Welcome Home staff.

Welcome Home

The children of Welcome Home are happy, healthy and learning about Jesus. They grow so fast! We are blessed to care for some new arrivals to our preemie house including a set of twins. Some of the children we care for come from families where the mother died in childbirth (common in Uganda). We have one new baby that was shot by the mother and then dumped into a pit latrine (toilet).

Personal News

I had a minor accident on Saturday. I fell on an unstable piece of sidewalk that moved under me and landed on my face in the dirt, breaking off a front tooth.

I immediately went to the dentist who spent the next 2 hours digging through my upper lip, removing tiny pieces of embedded tooth, then stitched up my lip. I'm thankful I didn't lose the tooth, break my jaw or other worse problem. God always protects me, provides for me and loves me.

Thanks for your prayers. They are working!

I’m planning a visit to California soon (it’s been too long!). Does anyone have a car I can borrow for a couple of months (or less)? I’d love to visit with as many of you as possible, do something fun together or even have a stayover for a few days. Let me know.