Button, Dan & Rosie, Uganda
Prayer Update February 2006
Dear Everyone,
In Uganda everyone says “Happy New Year” to each other the first time they see them in the new year, even if it is as late as February or March! So, “Happy New Year” to you all!
THE TRIP
We returned from our trip at the beginning of January. Overall it went extremely well. We had good meetings with several new churches. Dan preached in Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Boston. We were especially delighted to visit Christchurch, near Boston, who are already supporting us. And we were encouraged and excited by an unexpected meeting of minds at Messiah church, in Minnesota, a connection which seemed to be really of the Lord, as well as a very warm welcome and the forming of a link with Dan’s parents’ church, Bethel Christian Fellowship. But we felt warmly welcomed at all the churches we visited. A highlight of the trip was the Anglican network conference in Pittsburgh. There was a fairly charged, and up-beat atmosphere, and some excellent speakers, including Joni Eareckson Tada, Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life), Anne Graham Lotz, Baroness Cox, and Michael Green – and our own Archbishop Henry Orombi. We met with some old friends there, and helped on the stand for UCU a bit. The children were able to go to a well-run children’s programme, freeing me to attend the whole conference, which was a real gift. Dan also loved the opportunity to visit a host of theological colleges (his favourite occupation) including Wheaton, Bethel, Trinity Ambridge, Nashota House, and Dallas Theological Seminary. We had a good meeting with the head of Uganda Partners, based in Dallas, which raises support in the US for our university and scholarships for students.
Of course it was very good to see Dan’s family and friends again after quite a long time. We also had reunions with some friends from our Zimbabwe days who now live in the US.
Thank you to everyone who gave us warm hospitality (including a few people who had never met us before!) We enjoyed being with all of you. I think for Abigail and Alex a highlight was the snow which fell in Minnesota just after Thanksgiving – so we had three weeks of sledding and snowballs, which they loved. They were a bit shocked to find out that snow is COLD! The children missed their home and friends in Uganda more than I had expected.
We then had two weeks in Devon over Christmas, which was lovely. All my immediate family came together for several days over New Year, which was great fun. Thank you to my parents for having all of us back home – it was quite an undertaking for them but we loved it!
THE RETURN
We really felt like we were coming home when we finally drove through the university gates and along the red dirt driveway into the campus and up to our house on the hillside among the trees. Florence was at home waiting for us and the children gave her huge hugs. It was extremely hot, even for here, so we all wilted a bit but recovered after a few days. Our university term started a few days later, so we were plunged into preparation, and Dan had to work extra hard fixing the timetable in time. Somebody had worked on it but there was still a huge amount to do. We are both teaching this term, and we both lead discipleship groups with the theology students on Wednesday afternoons, and my Women In Ministry fellowship is just starting up again on Thursday afternoons. Please pray for us as we teach, and as we lead these small groups, that we would be building the students up and preparing them for their ministry ahead.
Abigail and Alex are also several weeks into their school terms. They are both very happy and love their teachers. They are making firmer friendships at school which is great to see. Please pray as always for safety as we drive them in each day.
My prayer partner Athanasie is leaving Uganda which I am very sad about. Her husband Emmanuel was chosen to be the Provincial Secretary in Rwanda, and he has gone there already, leaving Athanasie for her last semester here. I will miss praying with her very much. Do pray for Emmanuel in the new job, and for all of the Gatera family as they are separated for a few months.
Please also pray for Uganda. Elections are in four weeks, and at present the build-up is peaceful, but do pray for the best result for this nation. Also it has been too dry over the last few months, so Lake Victoria is getting lower all the time. This affects our power supply – we are being cut off more and more often, and they say it is only going to get worse. This is a serious problem for the country, quite apart from being frustrating for individuals like us.
Thank you for your prayers, which are very much appreciated always.
With our love and prayers,
Rosie Dan Abigail and Alex.
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