Catching up with the Odels

Well friends, we have done it again.  We filled our calendar with lots of exciting ministry events and opportunities.

The LEMA institute put on a huge conference in Soroti, and as partners to Resonate Global Mission, we attended and served alongside 250 pastors from Teso Region. It was a great week of worship, accountability, spiritual strengthening, and workshops.

Groups sessions

Workshops

The Bible class put on a fun presentation of all the hand motions we have learned this year.  I'm delighted that they have chronologically memorized many characters and stories that point to the Grace of Christ.

I continue to teach Bible every day at Gulu Globetrotters and now we are learning hand motions for every book of the Bible.  So fun! Here I am prepping descriptions of each book of the Scriptures. Moses asked if there are any pictures of me without glasses, but sadly, people, reading glasses are the new ugly norm in my life.  Either on my nose or on my forehead the way my Dad wears them.  Hihi.

We waited for months for a new shipment of discipleship and Sunday school curriculum to arrive from the printers in Kenya.  Hallelujah! I am gearing up for more trainings, to equip churches with these resources for their children and youth.

In my spare time I have made a few Christmas cards... be prepared for one to come your way.  You know that if I have your address, you WILL get snail mail.  :)

Last month we spent some time in Kampala to get further testing on some of my health issues.  After a dental visit, I went to visit an ENT, who sent me to a surgeon.  The surgeon booked me for an endoscopy 2 days later and it showed a hiatal hernia, stomach polyps and serious acid reflux.  I'm now on a major diet change.  Then I was off to a lung specialist for a spirometry test, I have weak lungs, but they seem okay - even after a chest x-ray and CT scan.  There is really no explanation for the cough in my throat.  I am not only losing my singing voice, but also my teaching voice.  Lord, help me!

Sometimes we just need to get pampered.

A wonderful friend spent a few hours making me feel beautiful.

Roots to Fruits held a small training, to equip schools on how to use this amazing Christian school curriculum better and to become regional helpers in the knowledge of the curriculum.  We pray that we can have Grade 5 off to the printers by November.  Every year a grade level is being added.  In two years we will have nursery and primary school finished!

I've shared these pictures many times, but Moses loves his goat offals and intestines.

I don't even words... but good on him!

Last Sunday Moses was ordained!! A lifelong calling has finally come into fruition.

He preached a very powerful sermon from Paul's letter to the Colossians.  If you want to hear of see the message, reach out to me and I will try to get you a FB link.

Anointed with oil - to go out and preach the Good News and to pastor God's flock.

Please pray for Pastor Jimmy and Pastor Moses as they co-pastor at University Community Church.

Moses receives his Certificate of Ordination.

 

The construction site now has a 3 car garage and a storage room. John 3:16 is written in Acholi, so that our neighbours can begin to know that this home belongs to Jesus.

Two weeks ago Moses and I spent a lot of time hosting this team from Eternal City, from Pittsburgh, PA. They are a part of the ACTS 29 church planting network.  Pastor Jimmy and Phionah have been walking alongside Acts 29 for a few years, as our little church is being developed.  With this team, we hosted another pastors conference in Gulu.  Around 75 pastors came for 2 days - to be fed and encouraged in the Word and in ministry.

These fun people helped serve all the pastors during the conference.

I can't even begin to describe what it means to be a part of the family of God. Joy! Pure JOY!

Allergies is affecting both of us right now. Moses is sneezing all day and I had a bizarre eye reaction.

Finally, old and new sisters in the Lord... fellowship is sweet.

Cover Songs

 This afternoon someone came home to visit. While listening to music, Moses starting singing with the lyrics. Our friend said, "Moses, whenever I listen to artists like Donnie McClurkin or Bebe Winans, I hear you. I used to think that you were the original singer and these guys are just singing your covers!"

I love it! My husband is blessed with an amazing voice, but too few have really heard it.

Pray for open doors in sharing his voice, to the glory of God.

Weeping with You

 On Tuesday, September 6th, we received word that Mum Anne Emuron had gone home to be with the Lord. She had fought the good fight, and finished her race here on earth. Sadly, cancer took her too early. Anne was one of the few neighbours we visited during quarantine. She always had a door open and the kettle ready. 

She was passionate about the Bible Society of Uganda too.

Toto Anne was a "spiritual mother" to Moses since his childhood.

Anne was also a faithful member of Deliverance Church and a spiritual mother to many.  Over the past two years Moses and I have taken a number of Timothy Leadership Training modules with her, and with only one more module to go, she was set to graduate with us. 

On top of all of this, Anne was the mother of Moses' lifetime best friend Patrick. Moses spent a lot of time in Anne's home when he was a child. And Patrick served as our best man for our wedding. Patrick needed Moses by his side when Mum Anne passed away. Moses hopped on the first available bus to Kampala.

For two days they organized things from Kampala, before escorting the funeral services vehicle to Soroti. On Thursday afternoon there was a vigil at her home. I drove from Gulu on Thursday afternoon and arrived at her home around 7pm. Wailers were crying on the front porch as a shade/rain tent was being set up with chairs lined up underneath. I had arrived at the home before Moses and Patrick because they were still coming from the church service. 

I tried to find ways to serve the family - setting up a crib for family members who flew in from the US, or finding tea for people who needed strength. Mostly I was there to offer hugs.

Romans 12:15 says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn." 

We wanted to mourn with our friends, who are really family to us. The next day we travelled further to the village of Pallisa and spent a day together telling stories, crying, and organizing for the big burial that was being planned on Saturday. Thankfully I brought tents for Moses and I and others to sleep in for the night, because many people tried to find space anywhere - crammed in huts or rooms, outdoor furniture, wherever.

Beside our tent these two had wrapped themselves under tarpaulins and tucked in for the night. I'm not really sure if they spent the whole night there because rain started to sprinkle in the early hours.

:

On Saturday morning, the burial service began. It was a full day of praise and worship, stories, speeches and a church service. Moses stood by Patrick through the whole thing and assisted with directing the program and managing the MC's for the whole event.

Moses was there to be a shoulder to cry on!

When the church took over the program it was almost 3 in the afternoon. Many church leaders and elders surround the family in a time of prayer.

The crowd was huge, I'm guessing more than 1300 people came to say goodbye to Toto Anne before they laid her earthly body to rest.

Throughout the day there were times when the worship led to dancing, because we rejoice that she knew the Lord as her personal Lord and Saviour!

Patrick escorted his dear grandmother as she said one more goodbye to her daughter.

I was there to pray, support, cry, and serve. The family asked if I would help collect the financial contributions and condolences. A small table was set up behind this tree and throughout the day people brought envelopes or open cash to share with the family. It's a way of helping to cover the costs of the burial.

Around 6:30 pm, after a meal of rice, pilau, chicken, beef, cabbage, greens, beans, plantains, and water was served to everyone, the burial was complete. Crowds quickly dispersed as the sun was setting. Exhaustion started setting in, but so did the emotions. A few of us close family member - Moses and his brother, Patrick and his two brothers and two sisters, some spouses, and a few dear friends spent the rest of the evening in a square gazebo sharing meat, stories, laughter and tears.

Toto Anne will be missed.

Sunday morning I drove the 6 hours from Pallisa back to Gulu while Moses faded in and out of conversation and sleep.

From dust to dust, may the name of the Lord be praised.

A Writer's Nest Assignment

 Yesterday my schedule was free enough to let me attend a Writer's Nest zoom meeting. There is a group of writers that I love meeting with in Ontario.  It started years ago because I love writing and someday wish to write a book.  The other day we were sent a fun assignment for the meeting that went like this:

Subjective Open your e-mail and randomly choose the subject line of an old message. Make that the first line of your story. Then, choose another subject line, and make that the last line of your story. Source: Writer’s Digest: Year of Writing Prompts

When I described it to Moses, he said I should use my phone, and just quickly scroll with my eyes closed until I hit to subject titles. And these were my two lines:

1. Health Worldwide is a Family Affair

and

2. Personally Praying for YOU!

so here is what I wrote with those to lines in mind:

Health worldwide is a family affair. I sure wish there was better news to share.

Oh yippee! Covid is still here. At least one thing has changed - that's a decrease in fear.

Then there's the time I landed in pain, with two pulmonary embolisms as I exited the plane.

Living on the foreign field, representing God, I feel more obliged to share my health with people abroad.

Anxiety, a tooth ache, cough, or lack of voice, reaching out to the Christian family is often my choice.

I'm grateful for the many saints, whose calendars are filled with lots to do,

As they still take the time to encourage and say "I am Personally Praying for YOU!"

Random Stories

 Here are a few thoughts running through my mind as August comes to a close:

1. While driving back from Soroti with an Anglican Reverend, we had great fellowship in the car.  Just moments away from dropping off the priest at his home in the diocesan housing, he mentioned that he was previously a little nervous driving all the way back to Gulu with us. When we asked why, he said, with most couples that he drives with, the husband and wife are either silent the whole time or they are silently bickering. But he noticed that we love to be with each other- joking, singing, telling stories and testimonies, pointing out things of wonder, reminiscing the awesome conference we attended and more. He said it was a blessing to travel with us. Hallelujah! May our marriage be a testimony.

2. Moses and I travelled to Soroti for a 5 day Pastors conference, put on by the LEMA (Leadership Education and Missions in Africa) Institute.  I stayed at the registration table most of the week, as there were over 240 participants and the hosts from Michigan didn't understand the local names or the local English.  For example: "Excuse me, where does one go for a long call or short call?" Our hosts thought that a phone was being requested, but no, that question is asking "Where are the toilets?" A short call is number 1 and a long call is number 2. Are we together?!

3. We attended a great workshop on Spiritual Warfare by Professor Ruth Veltkamp. She spoke about demon possession in unbelievers and demon influence amongst believers. Then she also challenged us to not only forgive our enemies or those who have hurt us, but to pray for them and BLESS them.  That's another level!! We are trying to change our prayers now. The Lord is faithful!

4. It's a special day as a teacher when one of your students invites you as a guest to his 8th birthday party, along with the rest of the boys in his class for a pool party.  Birthdays are worth celebrating!

5. At Gulu Globetrotters we wrapped up Term 2 out of 3 for this year. We have almost made our way through the 75 Stories of Hope curriculum and the kids have nailed all of the hand motions. We had a special presentation at an arts exhibition. The kids are grasping the Stories of God well and truly understanding the Hope that we have in Christ Jesus. At the moment we have a two week break, but I'm excited to be back in the classroom again soon.  For three weeks I also stepped in as a substitute teacher in the Independent Learning class. I had to oversee all the students as they logged onto their own devices for Mathletics or Spellzone, or played podcasts and science videos that led to great learning conversations. I can see how my mom loves being a teacher!

Microphone Mondays or Water Bottle Tuesdays is what I do as a time of review... pretending to be a Radio show host at GGT FM. This time many of the parents, sponsors, and friends were able to participate in the term end Bible review time.

6. Rainy season has been refreshing. The land is so green!

7. I'm still plugging through the Roots to Fruits curriculum, editing the materials that have been printed this year. It is our prayer that many schools will use this Bible based, holistic curriculum. 

Testimony Time!

Yesterday afternoon, at a Bible study fellowship, one mom shared that two weeks ago her son gave her life to the Lord.  Then she turned to me and said, "Thank you so much for all you are teaching him in Bible class!"  Yeah!! Hallelujah! I'm rejoicing with the angels.

And now I've just received a text from another mother, asking which Bible translation I used while teaching Bible.  Her son wants to read through the whole Bible, to get ALL the stories, so she wants to bless her son with a Bible of his own.  Yippee! 

These kids are thirsty for the Word of God.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

July has been a fantastic month and seems to have brought back some renewed energy for me.  Moses and I are desperate for a vacation, or a time away in North America, but visas are difficult to obtain and months down the line, so instead, we are choosing to be grateful right where we are.

A dear young lady from church had her village marriage, or formal Introduction. The church wedding will be in October.

This is the day the bride price is paid.

I've been do many village celebrations, but I've never seen fish being flagged around the various parties.

Here is Faith, the bride, in pink!

All the rest of these marching ladies were from UCC (University Community Church).

Phionah, an amazing friend, here in Gulu.

On a bus full of church folk... on the way to the village celebration in Nebbi.

Moses is finally jumping back into music ministry. He's able to point out a few musical tips during praise team practice.

I love watching him play bass guitar!

But it's all about the heart of worship... leading others into the throne room of God as we sing praises to His name.

Rainy season is here, and I had a good chuckle when this precious little one came to church in a bathrobe.

It's also raining at school most days, when I go to teach a lunch hour Bible class.

Swallowship, tea and sumosa fellowship, after church adds a bonus blessing to church on Sunday mornings.

The kids also love it when Mr. Moses plays the box drum.

Moses is prepping his inspirational message...

As he was asked to be the Guest of Honor at a Prime Time handover party.

Prime Time is a university ministry, where Bible study groups are set up throughout hostels around campus and church.

Praying for the new students who were taking over leadership roles for the next school term.

Moses loves washing the car... rainy season mud is attracted to our white car.

I was able to attend a "Canada Day" gathering in Kampala! We sampled poutine, beaver tails and Nanaimo bars.

Moses - in his garage gear...

Prepping for his mid-term mechanics hands-on exam.

Time to Dance... Teso style.

We look like we are in a cold place... but we are in Gulu, on a rainy, cold, dark day.

Great friendship with Pastor Jimmy and Phionah Okello.  

Pure love

Last Sunday we became full members of UCC.

We love our little church plant family.

And look forward to serving God more here in this place.

Dancing with joy!

Moses doing his Thursday afternoon radio in Kitgum.

"At the Well"

Moses is delighted that more people want to be involved in the radio ministry program.

He is building up a team of preacher, interpreters and prayer warriors as they go on the air.

Another great friend - Valerie.  She's an amazing Sunday school teacher and kids games motivator.

Here's to all the wonderful ladies that I host for Women's Bible study fellowship on Monday evenings.

L-R - Me, Phionah, Grace, Valerie, Jordan, and Marianne.

Spending time in prayer for Marianne before she flies home to Ontario for a few months.

Deacon Moses says a prayer for all of us new UCC members.