Good Bye Uganda

Wednesday morning we packed up and left the Continental Hotel in Iganga to make a few visits on our way out of the country of Uganda. Our plans were to meet in Bulandani with Pastor Tannas and in Busia with Pastor Absalom.

Pastor Daniel accompanied us all the way to the Kenyan border. All three of these pastors know each other from when they all lived in Busia (which is a busy city at the border of Uganda and Kenya).

Our first stop was in the little rural village of Bulandani and Pastor Tannas’ home and church next door. Pastor Daniel has known Tannas since 2004. Tannas had gone through serious family tragedy and serious personal and spiritual problems. father had committed suicide which caused Tannas great sadness and spiritual problems. Pastor Daniel helped him work through these issues with the help of God and His Word. Now Tannas shepherds his own congregation. Yet another incredible testament to God’s saving grace! 

We spent time talking with Pastor Tannas, eating some local pineapple, mango, and the best chipatti we’ve had on the trip so far (homemade by Pastor Tannas’ wife and still warm—delicious! I made sure to tell her that hers was the best chipati in Uganda AND Kenya :)  Chipati, if you’ve forgotten is the flatbread that is similar to a soft tortilla and is eaten in India, but has been adopted by a number of African countries as well). 

After talking and eating for a while we walked to the church where we had a short worship service in which Pastor Gurath and I were both once again invited to preach and Pastor Tannas translated into Lugandan. The congregation was very receptive and appreciative and said they were blessed by the message and thanked us deeply. We, as usual, we’re equally blessed to be able to share God’s saving Word with them!

Preaching at Pastor Tannas’ church in Bulandani.

Some of the members of the church.
When we took this picture Pastor Tannas wanted me to make sure and let everyone know that they usually have many more people and many more children at their services on Sunday, but this service was on Wednesday at 12noon, so many children were in school and many men were at work. 

Cute babies alert! 

After some effort (and a little help from his mama) this little guy cracked a smile for me 😊

Children eating ugali (Ugandan style) and fish (Nile perch). The ugali is dipped in the fish “soup.”

Some of the women who helped make and serve the meal. Tannas’ wife is in the white shirt and light blue head scarf. His eldest daughter is the one walking.

I tried some of everything at lunch.
Chicken, Nile perch (fish), rice, buttered noodles, and  Ugandan-style ugali. Ugandans make their ugali from casaba, sorghum, and/or millet (as opposed to maize, like Kenyans do). Our driver from Kenya really liked it. It is very sticky and dense. As Pastor Gurath said, “This will stick with you till tomorrow!” He wasn’t kidding. It was very filling!

One of the commenters on an earlier blog asked about the women and their participation. Those who were attended today were almost exclusively women (only a few men and some small children). In fact, in every church service we’ve been a part of the women have outnumbered the men. In both of our Kinship schools at least half of the teachers are women as well. So, yes, the women attend and are very involved (in addition to usually being the ones making and serving the delicious  food we’ve enjoyed on this trip!).

Pastor Tannas and his wife have 5 children, but he says he cares for a “small family of 9” (I think this also includes his elderly mother, who is also a member of the congregation). He also works part time as a teacher in a nearby school. He stretches his meager income to help support his family, send his children to school, and also helps support his church. On their property they keep goats, chickens, and rabbits for food and for income.

Pastor Tannas & me.
From the time I met him at the previous week’s Pastoral Conference I have been impressed with Tannas’ wise insights in the Word and his commitment to preaching it and shepherding his flock.

Pastor Tannas’ firstborn, Emmanuel, is in high school.
He made me this decorative star as a gift! 

The rest of Tannas’ children.

We only able to meet Pastor Absalom briefly at the border, and weren’t able to visit with his congregation this time. He is a very busy man who work as a counselor to young people (teenagers) in addition to shepherding a congregation in Busia.

Pastor Absalom, me & Pastor Daniel.

The Lord gave us a smooth and trouble-free border crossing back into Kenya and safe travel all the way to our hotel in Matunda on Wednesday night.  Bwana asafiwe! (Praise the Lord!)