mccall jan1418
IF HARDSHIP IS PROPORTIONATE TO IMPACT,
THIS WILL BE BEYOND OUR EXPECTATIONS

YOU ARE 4 MINUTES LATE AT THE GATE!

This trip started with rising at 3:30AM in Lenoir City to head to the airport.  All is well.

So we thought.  Arrived ahead of time (so it appeared), we checked in, but a small glitch on our status for security led to a problem.  We were denied access to the two person line into Pre-check Security status and we were told to either get our ticket changed or go to the end of a long line.  We attempted a ticket change.  Again appeared and told again to return to the end of a long line.  So we did.  We were nearly out of time.  Indeed, by the time we cleared and arrived at the gate, the plane was sitting there but they refused to let us on.  We had missed the gate closing by 4 minutes!  This began a nightmare train of events.  Our luggage was on that plane with the possibility of getting lost, we couldn’t get our two airlines to talk to each other for a resolution of travel arrangements.   After hours of pleading and arguing, we had to pay an additional $1300 to book a flight out for the next day.  Sarah picked us up and we came back the next morning.

But all connections changed.  So we had to stay in Philadelphia overnight.  The Lord provided us with a hotel through a dear friend in Pennsylvania, we spent the night then continued on the next morning.  OK.  Surely that is it. We had now lost a day of teaching in Mbale.  Must now arrange to continue on for a very long road trip in Uganda before any sleep.

We were picked up at the airport at 3PM in Entebbe with only a few hrs sleep, took off in a vehicle for an 8 hr trip to Mbale.  It was late, got through a national forest and in the middle of nowhere the car sputters.  It is now 11:00PM. The driver ran out of gas and we slid into a closed gas station.  I was so exhausted and frustrated at that moment.  But we prayed  for mercy.  What now?  It is dangerous on these remote roads at night. God provided a couple gallons of gas by a motorcycle an hour later and finally we arrived in Mbale.  I didn’t get to bed until 3:00AM.  I began teaching for several hours the next morning. In addition to this, I have been having serious stomach issues for 5 days.  Finally that is resolving.

So this trip has thus far been one for the books. 

Just when I think it will get easy, I’m reminded through these difficulties that we are engaged in something the enemy doesn’t want.   Sometimes the Lord asks us through the hardships, “How much do you love Me and these pastors?” “How much are you committed to this?”  I’m reminded that Paul was flogged, at least that hasn’t happened yet.  Though I did witness a man beaten with a stick while we were waiting in the dark for gas.  I also emotionally sense the need for this teaching as I am writing this.  An Immam just finished a Muslim prayer to Allah on a loudspeaker outside my window.  The need is great here.

But Jim and I have resolved to teach what we came to impart.  We sense God’s affirmation afresh that this teaching on how to make disciples is so critical for the health and progress of Christianity in the churches here in Mbale and Uganda.  With the constant impact of many false religions and false teachers, more than ever before, the sheer numbers of new converts requires multiplication of Biblical truth.  Without Disciplemaking the churches will not be healthy.

So please pray for us.   We need it. Your prayers make a difference.  God hears and He will answer.                            
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FOLLOWING...  Thank The Father for getting us here.
Pray for continued boldness and clarity for Jim and I in our teaching this second and final week.
Pray for even more to join us in the classes as we teach.  
Pray for a lasting impact that will deeply change these leaders and churches beyond anything we could ask or expect.

Joel McCall
mccall dec17b