Uganda/Tanzania: July 2014

I arrived safely in Uganda on the 17^th July 2014, after an excellent flight via Dubai with Emirates.

I left Denmark, with the confirmation that it was now time to leave…. Having met new and renewed friendships after many years… it was an amazing time. The last thing to happen was that a group of six has agreed to come together, from two churches in Copenhagen: City Church – Taastrup and Pinsekirken – Drejervej; to form the initial board for an NGO  – Rejoice Ministries. These six persons are: Clause Mester-Christensen, Bent Thomsen, Jens Klarskov Pedersen, Pia Raaschou and Thomas Christensen headed by Henrik Bendsen as the Chairman. Once the summer is over, the team has agreed to meet and to set up the team and do all the necessary paperwork.

Rejoice Ministries will cover different aspects of ministry, including:

• Teaching/Preaching/ Worship,
• Heaven’s Scent – the Lavender project that I received a vision for to help push back the mosquito carrying the number one killer of Malaria and other deadly diseases.
• Book Promotions of the Autobiography called “Rejoice”                                             (Author name: Fenella Stevensen),
• Evangelism through Jazz Concerts – “an Evening with Fenella”
• Create and establish a Sunday School Curriculum to be introduced in the churches with staff training.
• I would also like to have some kind of café / internet center that would help to fund the work – selling home-made cakes, teas and coffees – especially bi products of the lavender which are too numerous here to mention and home-made crafts.

I am in the process of making a website for the Lavender Project, and there will be also an individual newsletter for this project…. the newsletter link is: https://arrowheadofgodslove.wordpress.com

I returned to Malta for 13 days, where I received hospitality with Maria Grech… to whom I am so grateful. Her hospitality and willingness to help me in every way was such a blessing. Tony also blessed me with Internet connection whist at Maria’s…. God is Good!  It was indeed a short time back in the church ‘Apostolic Renewal Centre’, before I should resume my time in Uganda. Such wonderful friends in the church – people wanting also to not just bless me – but the family I am living with here…. So I was given babies clothes, and shoes, electric hand mixer, even a grapevine. Friends invited me for meals, took me out to dinner, and my dear friend Julie treated me to a retreat day at a beautiful hotel, and I ended the last two days with Ann and Andy at Open Door Church, where I also had the chance to share the message of what God has been revealing to me.  (I will try to get the message that was recorded uploaded, or I will add the link where it can be found at Open Door Church website)   The time went oh so quickly.  I was then sent out with prayers and blessings, and an amazing word given to me from Revelation, from a new friend and sister in the Lord!

On the 16^th July, I had some problems at the airport of Malta as my luggage was 8kgs overweight…. And they insisted I emptied out the excess. Because I had some cargo booked – just four small plastic boxes also booked on the flight – they called the cargo officer and I was sent to the office to pay for the 8 kgs – a cheaper rate than if paying 359 euros for excess baggage! The cargo officer – Stefania was amazing…. She gave me a box to pack into – and sent them free of charge! Gods favour was upon me!

Mwanza choir performing for us… the church may be made of sticks – but it has been made beautiful with the colour hangings

Sons Haggai, Emm and Ronnie…. I am a proud mum!

 

I was supposed to travel then on the 22^nd to Tanzania, but because there was a delay in releasing the cargo at this end, it was delayed by one day…. Then together with Haggai – my first born, Emm my 7^th born, Ronnie also my son – we set out at 04.30 in the morning of the 23^rd, to drive 12 hours to Chato in Tanzania. The border was indeed our next challenge… Haggai had forgotten to take with him the car papers. Someone helped and directed him through the paperwork – and then we were off! What an amazingly good road except for the speed bumps which are so high they almost tear out the bottom of the car….

my Tanzanian son – Emmanuel – elder and amazing worshiper

But such amazing views of the Lake Victoria. When we arrived, Bishop Edison received us with great joy and we were taken to unload the luggage at the guest house, and then on to the church. What an amazing welcome from all the Pastors…and the children all ran to the car to greet us. Along the road that we had driven from a town called Muleba, the road was extremely hilly – extreme highs and lows with no sight of people living in the vicinity… and we found that five of the Pastors’ only means of transport was a bicycle each… and they took two days to cycle such a road for the conference, and the same to return home again.  Such determination… back home had I not been able to get a bus or car even for what is a 30 min drive – I would remain home… indeed I was humbled.

Ronnie and Emm spent time involved in the crusades in the afternoon and coaching the choir, whilst Haggai and I together with the wonderful Dr Dale from Rwanda were teaching… and the inevitable happened – they all fell in love with Haggai too hahahahaha. God has blessed me with an amazingly God fearing family, who happen also to be the most adorable and easy to love! Haggai has a gift in training leaders in the church, and his gifts were being gulped down by the hungry leaders and Pastors. On the last day, after the conference closed we drove 50 km out to one of the village churches – in the middle of nowhere. Bishop / Pastor Peter had not attended the conference as he was busy setting up something special.

First we met at an official local community government office in the village, here we met and shook hands with two important people in the village leadership… they sent word to Bishop Peter who then arrived on a Borda taxi (motorbike)…. who almost broke my neck as he hugged me and greeted me – he was so very excited…. Then we followed in the car to a piece of land to look at it. This piece of land has been given to the Bethel Assembly Church as a gift to be used to set up a work for the community… it is a long piece of land with its own water source all the year round… and the ideas of the church was either an orphanage or a school and medical center. It is yet to be determined, but it has been suggested that orphans are better to be brought up in family homes, with community workers to oversee the children’s well

Dr Dale and I surveying the land to the left up to the big tree behind my head

being, and instead provide schooling for all! – and a Health Centre.  We went from the land – to Bishop Peter’s home, where many children were waiting for us on the road…. and to my surprise the whole village were there waiting to receive us. Wow!!!!!!! A tent had been set up with official chairs of honour for Pastor Julius

Bethel Assembly Church in the village

– General Secretary for the Bethel Assembly Churches, Bishop and Mrs Edison Mugisha, Dr Dale, Haggai and Myself. There was then a row for all spiritual leaders from the village – including Muslim, Catholic…. And then a seat for the elders of the village – about 90 yrs of age….. and then everyone else.   They provided a meal of rice and meat with water and coca cola, and then the speeches. I was left as the very last – as the guest of honour…. And I was informed that in honour of my visit – the first ever white person to have visited them in the village, the community buildings will be called after my name…. Depending on the size of their buildings – maybe there is space also to grow lavender. It was indeed an amazing honour. … though when I kissed the elders with a blessing from the Lord – somehow fear turned to laughter and joy.

As we journeyed home the next day with Dr Dale and two of the Pastors from near the border with Uganda,

Bishop Peter = a wonderful man of God

we hit a problem. As we entered into the town of Bukoba, we were stopped by traffic police. I was driving, and when asked to see my driving license – I couldn’t find it – and couldn’t remember where it was…. Haggai got out of the vehicle as did also Dr Dale. The police decided to fine us…. But not only for the driving license, which I later found in my suitcase in the back of the car, but also for two other reasons which don’t apply to Uganda. This was a ploy to get money from drivers. Dr Dale however insisted that if we paid this fine, we were to have a police officer escort us to the police station for a signed receipt. This was our saving grace! Already with the police officer in the car – just 5 minutes or less down the road – another police officer decided to pull us over…. until she saw the police woman in the car with us. Including the first fine – we were stopped nine times along the way to the border. All stops were wanting to charge us a fine for something or another – but when we showed them our receipt, Haggai told them we had already been vaccinated and were immune to all further charges hahahahahhaahhaah. It worked… but I was so conscious of the corruption within the police to bring in extra pocket money especially at the end of the month!!!

At the border, shortly after dropping our other two Pastors off in their home town, all was going well…. To the point I even entertained the Ugandan Border Police with an accappella rendition of ‘Summertime’…… but Haggai seemed to be having problems with the car. He was stopped and asked for his car papers. He showed the officer the paper that had infact been signed by himself whilst crossing into Tanzania…. The officer was in disbelief… HOW IS IT POSSIBLE YOU MANAGED TO TAKE A CAR THROUGH WITHOUT PAPERS???? Then he laughed….. this was surely God’s Grace with us!

Whilst we were in Tanzania, the day we had left – Salome had gone into the hospital to register as being soon ready to deliver, then returned home again… but at 9pm she called Samson at work to say the baby is coming! He left work to pick up a car which was arranged for the time of emergency, and drove Salome to the hospital. In fact the baby did not arrive til midday the following day. 24^th July, Joshua was born – according to the dream I had received back in March (and his name shall be Joshua) His African name is Asanti – which means Thank You.

Charlie defending his territory from an amazingly beautiful neighbouring cock from down the road, whilst Priscilla watches. How magnificent are charlies feathers with his Heckles up !

I have just acquired an office desk and chair, and a reclining chair to relax and read in my room…. So things are coming together. I have ordered the carpenter to finish the wardrobe space which is still needing a shelf and hanging rail, until which I have  my clothes folded and in bags. He is building also a book shelf, two chest of drawers and bedside tables, and a nest of tables for the lounge.  I will post pictures when it is finished:)

On our way to church, my first Sunday

The next project needs to be the chicken coop! As much as I love my chickens…. Charlie the cockrel, and hens Latitia and Cecelia are Kreulers… and Priscilla is a local hen, that is hatching the eggs… 8 currently in the basket.  The offspring that survived the predators are: Cockrels – Bertie (nicknamed Dirty Bertie as he comes into the house and poops everywhere) Donnie and Little Sammie.  The Hens are: Lucia and Alicia.  They eat anything green in the garden, and I am afraid that anything I plant of the lavender will be eaten by them …. So I need to look at a wooden hen house with fencing and netting over the top to stop any eagles or

Salome with Joshua before he was born

preditors from stealing the chicks which has happened already. Once this has been erected – we can then go about planting up lavender patches in the garden…and I have been pricing plastic pots also for around the house on an elevated part of the foundation. I brought also seeds for mint, basil, strawberries, rocket (ruccola), rosemary marigolds and lavender.

When I returned to Uganda, I of course enjoyed re-visiting the big supermarket called Nakumat. I did not expect what happened…. There are security guards at the gates where all cars and individuals have to be checked… as per usual – I walked with my arms outstretched ready for the search. But the female guard instead of searching me, hugged me and welcomed me back. All the guards came to chat…. Then in the supermarket – the same happened – all the staff were greeting me and welcoming me back… it was so beautiful. I asked them why they remember me…. They said that I am always smiling and bring joy with me into the place, a sense of blessing. Today one of the guards on entry was sick – her leg was paining her and she could hardly stand. On my way in – I prayed for her healing. As I entered into the shopping mall – I visited another shop – she asked me if I was born-again…. I said yes – she asked me to pray for her, and invited me to preach next Sunday at her church…. As usual my shopping at Nakumat was longer than most due to greeting everyone, then as I left I asked the guard how she was feeling. She stood and to her surprise she said it was still paining, but definitely an improvement – she was not standing so awkwardly. I asked how exactly it happened…. She said it felt like she had been injected with something in the ankle and the pain extended up to the hip – though nothing had physically touched her. I rebuked the spirit, and released the presence of God… she was confident that her healing in full was imminent.

Last but not least – I had recently three visits from my sons… Daniel my baby who is just finished his mock A levels, and using these two weeks holidays to study hard for the actual exams in November.  Steven, who came on route home from working nights at the airport… who will be helping me in the future to bake some lovely cakes …. and Solomon – who took a day from working on his borda taxi in Kampala to come and visit his mum. My heart is so blessed

Prayer Requests:

1. Help to put together a paper to present to the Ministry of Health, that they would grant me an extended visa to work on the pilot for the lavender project, to be able to oversee it.

2. Concentrated time to write the third book of the trilogy Rejoice! – the publishers are now asking me for it.

3. To set up an office, with record keeping as will be necessary for Rejoice Ministries – Arrowhead of God’s Love

4. I will be teaching on the YWAM DTS 25 – 29 August in Kampala

5. 30^th August I will be officially accompanying the Bridegroom at his Wedding Reception.

I have been asked by different people for ways of supporting me – so I have now added a page, at the top, with Support Details. In Denmark – the City Church have offered to receive financial support for me – allowing the Danish to receive the tax back. They will then forward all funds on to me. I have yet however to get those payment details. Again – as soon as people have returned from their summer holidays and business resumes as normal – I will update the page.

Once the NGO has been set up – then there will also be an online international bank account set up which will then be able to receive payments in all major international currencies…. But that has to wait for the NGO to be fully set up and operational.

Much love to you all – with thanks giving for all who are following me in this exciting time of my life.

Joyce