There is a Pentecostal group here in Namalu. At least 80 young people, from the States and Sweden. They are holding prayer meetings, there is singing and skits of Jesus being crucified. They are calling this the "signs and Wonders" presentation. They are telling local pastors that if they are willing to believe all that they are being told they will have dreams from God, that their lives will be great and they will not have problems anymore. They are traveling around in nice buses and they want absolutely nothing to do with any other white people in the area. Rumor has it that they have been instructed to stay away from us.

One of the buses stopped in the drive way to the clinic. They looked like they were lost. I went over and asked if there was something I could help them with. Not one of the white ones would even talk to me and they spoke English. They were saying I was one of the ones in Namalu on Weds. at the market. The driver told me they were trying to get to the school up the road and I told him it had been raining for the last week and it was muddy. And that all the roads would be muddy. He thanked me and rolled his window up in my face. So I turned around and left.

This is a sad thing. We are all here for the same purpose...to spread the word, share the Gospel with all those in the area. Working together to glorify the name of God!!!

It was very evident in Namalu this week that there is division between the groups. One of our visitors was drawing a map in the dirt trying to show some people the distance between the States and Sweden and where everyone was from. People came up behind us and were saying "they are trying to disprove these ones!" I turned to them and explained that we were just drawing a map to show where we all were from. That drew a bigger crowd than the play that was being presented did!!

Pray for what is being presented to the area by this group and for us as we stay focused on our work and try not to be distracted by these events. Pray that our Word is being trusted as the True Word and that all we have accomplished will not be destroyed by outside influences. And pray for these ones who have come, pray that the words they speak would be words of God!

~Kris

Here we are again with no incoming email service and no way of knowing if it is working at all. We have seen some major problems in Uganda lately. Email service is only one of them.

When we were in Kampala last week there was a fuel shortage and much scamming at the gas pumps. You pay for fuel and they rig the pump to register more than what you received. There is a problem with a pipeline in Kenya that is broken, malfunctioning or what ever, so all fuel must be trucked in to Uganda. The port is two days away on bad roads. Stations are limiting the amount they will sell and have jacked the price way up. We are now paying $6 a gallon and the price is still going up. We can't always get fuel here in Karamoja and may run out of fuel for generators that pump water for the clinic and work site power sources. We are taking patients to Tokora daily in the Ambulance, and that takes fuel.

In two days we have had ten requests for assistance with supplying places or people with fuel. I guess everyone thinks we have our own tanks and have an unlimited supply. It makes us look like we are hording the fuel, but we really don't have extra to supply them with.

The Tricarico and Wright families are leaving next week for spring break and are fearing not having a source of fuel for their vehicles, to get them where they want to go. And we complain about the price of fuel in the States!!!!!

Also in Kampala last week there was rioting. We never saw any of it, except the sudden movement of many police and soldiers in trucks around town. We just thought some dignitary was in town and was being escorted by the soldiers. Later we heard that people had been killed and cars burned and there was looting. All this was targeted to Asians, who have been reported to have brought some forest land to grow sugar cane on. We at no time felt threatened or anything, of course we were not in the area, nor saw anything happening.

It is amazing what a sheltered life we live in the States. And how easy our lives really are. Everything at our finger tips or keyboards or cell phone call away!!! Here you never know what the next day or corner will bring! Only God knows!!!!

~Kris

Fuel prices!!

We were in Kampala last week for medical appointments for Lokwang and to pick up a visitor. We were afraid we would not be able to get home because there was no fuel!!!!! We stopped at one station and they said they could give us 30,000 shillings worth of fuel and which would have been just over 13 liters. Well, we think they had their pumps rigged, and we only got about 5 liters. Our fuel gage didn't even read a change at all. The next place we went had none, so it was with then next few. So we went back to the ARA and called Pastor Proctor in Mbale and asked about fuel there. We thought that we could get to Jinja, about an hour and half away if they had fuel. Pastor Proctor did some checking, no fuel in most stations in Jinja and in Mbale. A pipeline from Kenya to Mbale, a shipping station, broke and they were trying to truck fuel from Mombassa, Kenya to Mbale Ug. which is at least a two day drive. So what to do!!!

We prayed alot that night and the next morning we started out. We had to pick up a meat order for the mission and decided to try the station next door. Much to our surprise they had fuel and we could fill up, but the price was 2500 shilling a liter. Normally fuel is 1600 a liter. And to make matters worse the dollar has dropped to 1700 from 1850 a month ago. So we were paying 10,000 shilling a gallon at about 5.90$ for that gallon. That puts a huge hole in your pocket right there.

In God's providence we returned without further problems, other than being a lot poorer then we expected.

~Kris

The ARA

We just love the ARA!!! It is a hotel in the middle of Kampala and it is a bit of America! All though it is run by the British, it is the most American thing in Uganda.

You can get a hamburger that tastes like a Hamburger and French Fries!!!! Apple pie and Ice cream!! Craig loves that!!!!!

There is a swimming pool and 2 tennis courts, a TV room and 3 buildings with rooms. No TV in the rooms but that's ok. They are nice and comfortable and the price is affordable for a night or so. The Staff are great and the remember us by name and make you feel at home.
What else can you ask for.!!!!