Some shots from our recent road trip up the West Coast. California to Canada

Kampala Riots

Late last week (Sept 10,11th) Kampala was turned into a war zone as the police shut down the city due to riots. Business, schools and government offices were closed and the police arrested more than 550 people and 14 are have been confirmed dead. The violence erupted on Thursday and continued into Friday when the police clashed with supporters of the King of Banganda (which the largest tribe here in Uganda). The President was preventing the King from attending a youth festival in a certain district for fear of unrest. The King was not welcomed by the people living in that area and the government foreseen a problem. When the President told the King he could not visit the district where the youth event was being held – the king’s supporter’s started rioting.

The nation is becoming more and more discontent and the smallest thing can set it off. This should not have caused riots - it was just an excuse. Pray for us as we labor in this city - we covet them.

To God be the glory

I spoke at Prime Time@The Pool on Saturday, Sept the 12th. This is the outreach I have spoken about in a previous blog. They have this event every week that reaches over two thousand students in a single meeting. They gave me the topic of pornography - which I was not to excited about - because this event is outside with a lot of distractions - including a lot heckling and shouting (while your preaching). In fact by the time the preacher stands up usually about 20% of the crowd leaves even before you get a word out. I thank the Lord for what He did this time. First, I brought our drama team with me from the church and they did a skit on "Samson". I had them come on first and this seem to keep the crowd around (very few left). I spoke about how our eyes lead us to sin many times and how pornography "eats" the soul. I ended with talking about how only a right view of God's love for us could give us the strength we need to overcome any addiction including pornography. In the end, over a thousand students stood up to commit themselves to ask God for His help with their addictions (I emphasized any sexual addiction). In addition about 7 or 8 people were saved. May God receive the glory

A Humble Request

We are coming to States for an extended time this year. We are arriving on Sept 22nd and will be around until Dec 27th. We are in need of a vehicle - we will be doing a lot of traveling, including driving up the west coast and then down to Kansas City. If you have an extra vehicle you can loan us or know how we might be able to rent one for a reasonable price - can you please let us know. E-mail us at darrylwoodson@yahoo.com. Thanks.

Anything can work - as long as it runs!!

Kidos

We have a freind who does some nice touch up on photoshop, this is her work of our kids. Enjoy!

Update

Gosh time is just flying these days and I am way over due to get something out on our blog.

Let me just summarize the last month or so. Lorraine and I had to go to Singapore to meet up with our Church in Singapore last month. It was a good time for her to see her family and for me to work (they kept me busy). I think they call it a workshop - I worked, she shops. It was a very short trip, we actually left our kids in Uganda at some missionary friends - they seem to enjoy themselves. I think they missed us............................of course they did!

Upon arriving back I went up to our Bible School to teach "Principles of preaching" which I normally do every semester for ATCEM (Africa Theological Center For Evangelism and Missions). It's not easy to teach expository preaching methods to those who are from the village and don't have a good grasp of the English Language. I have to go slow and repeat myself many times - but in the end my goal to help make preachers out of them all and somehow God helps them and it's always amazing the see the results.

Then last week we had our Annual National Conference for Uganda Assemblies of God - This year we have had a miracle take place and have been able to plant over 1300 churches. We have some incredible testimonies that I hope to upload soon to this blog with more details. But in at least two villages we had similar testimonies - where our church planters went into situations where demon possessed mad men had been bound for tens of years and no one could do anything for them. Our Pastors went in and cast the devil out of these men and churches began right then and there because of God's miracle. It has really been an exciting year and it was an exciting conference to hear about all the testimonies that God has been doing. It has truly been a revival in church planting.

Couples' Dinner - Fireproofing Uganda

Hello Lorraine here, Darryl asked me to step in this time and blog it up. So here we go!

On 14 June Sunday, we organised a couples' dinner at our church. Only those who were married could attend the dinner. The dinner was held in the smaller building. We gave the building a fresh coat of paint. It looked good. We set tables and chairs with table cloths and candles. We made announcements promoting this event for many Sundays in our services. The participants were encouraged to put on formal attires. Many women dressed up for the occassion. A few young women put on their wedding evening gowns. I actually wore my wedding gown.We started with African dinner. We had many single adults who volunteered to be waiters/ waitresses on that night. They ushered the participants to their seats and served them food and drinks. After dinner, we showed the movie "Fireproof". Many people were so blessed by the movie. The highlight of the event was reserved at the very end. We had all the husbands stand facing their wives. Holding their wives' hands, they repeated the "wedding vows" after my husband. Then, the wives repeated the wedding vow after me. To some women it was like they were getting married all over again. There was romance in the air. The participants left the dinner with smiles and a twinkle in their eyes.

Josh and Breanna passing out cookies

Watch Josh as he's quick to know who got the cookies as he looks for those who have not yet received any. He seems to know what he's doing. For complete details follow this blog onto the next one.

Village Ministry

We just got back from the village doing some ministry in a place called Kassese. Both Lorraine and I spoke in their conference and then I spoke in the evenings at the crusade that they held. We brought the kids and they ministered to the children by bringing them cookies, toys and clothes. Our children had baked cakes (well....Lorraine baked cakes) and they sold them at our church and then they took the proceeds brought cookies to take to the village.

It was really a great trip (except for the bought with food poisoning, see the blog below) that had some real impact. Upon our arrival in one of the sessions a young evangelist spoke before me. His gospel was corrupted by the “spirit of the age” in this nation (something like the prosperity gospel they have in States) claiming that if people would simply praise God they would receive cars and visas to foreign countries. The chairs were set around the place in way that contradicted the James 2. Pastors sat on cushioned couches while the poor sat on hard benches in the back. I was grieved. I prayed and ask the Lord for His grace so I could “set in order” the discrepancies. When I stood up the anointing was present, God was gracious and I was able to communicate what I felt was God’s heart. The word was strong and it came with power and conviction. I moved some of the poor people from their seats and had them trade with me and family and let them sit on the couches while we sat on the wooden benches. In the end the Pastors and the leaders got the message. The end result was joy. People were glad - as one Pastor put it “it was good to hear the real gospel”. Later Lorraine spoke on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the impact was also equally impacting upon their hearts. We humbly thank God for all he did.

Sick as a Dog

Thanks for our prayers - our family has recovered from the whopping cough. Please keep us constant prayer in this area of divine protection from sickness. Last week we traveled to the village for some ministry and I got a serious dose of food poisoning. I have had this many times - it usually passes in about 12 hrs but this time it went on strong for over 24 hrs - it was horrendous - by far one the worst times of sickness in my life, not sure what I ate - but whatever it was - it was serious. On top of being sick I had to drive back to Kampala . Lorraine and the kids were with me, but being as sick as I was I would have got even sicker (nauseated) had I not driven. The amazing thing was that I just went by faith and drove and I got a lot better as I drove and then after a 5 hour drive - almost the moment I got home "Bam" it hit me again. Four days later and I am still weak. So we covet you prayers in this area!