Settling back into life here has been challenging. Isaiah has been bitten by a snake (he is fine now)and our good dog Max died, possibly of rabies, less than a week after come back. Max was a good friend and guard dog and only 2 ½. Andrew and Tugume have had malaria and Jane has been suffering with stomach trouble, but all in all we are alright.
We are looking forward to settling into our mission work as we have now filed for work permits and done the necessary leg work to start our partnership with Deliverance Church Uganda DC(U). This will be the second time that we have partnered with them and we feel comfortable with the leadership team and their experience. DC (U) is a church that came out of the East African revival in the 70’s and just celebrated it’s 40th anniversary. We will be travelling to rural DC(U) churches and doing Foundations For Farming (The new name for Farming God’s Way) workshops along with other such material. Our goal is to work with various communities and develop a relationship with them so we will continue to offer them training and return periodically to monitor their progress. We desire that we co-ordinate with key leaders and farmers in each church so that a long term net-work can develop through which we can train not only church members but so that local members of the community can also see God’s purpose for our lives here on earth. Foundations For Farming uses discipleship as the key model for training.
It is easy to forget that it is Christmas here except when you go into a mall in the city or to one of the local supermarkets here in Jinja. It is hot and has been raining quite a bit. In some way sit is good not to have all the peripheral Christmas associations around like cold weather, snow, Christmas music in the Malls and all the advertising on TV. There’s not so much to sort through to get to what Christmas is about. It is what we make it! That is probably the best way. Let us make much of Christ and all He has done for us – now and always!
Please pray for us as we settle into our work Pray for safety in travel Pray for our health Pray for open hearts to God’s word Pray for success as we train farmers Pray that we will always be ready to share the Hope that is within us.
We still need to bring our support up by about $400 CAD/month. As well we want to put on many seminars this next year at an average of twice per month at a cost of $200 CAD per seminar (this will depend based on distance). We also desire to travel to Rwanda and Burundi in the new year to put on seminars and support other friends and missionaries there. The work in Burundi is especially urgent as the country is only now just settling into a peaceful state in the last couple years. We estimate the Burundi/Rwanda trip to cost about $1000 CAD. As well we need to replace our pick-up that we sold last year with a newer, stronger one. The pick-up is used for our rural work as many locations here are very deep in the bush on poor roads. Of course the pick-up allows us to carry both things and people (we are planning on a double-cabin 4X4). Our budget for the truck is $12,000 USD (it was less but the US dollar has gone down quite a bit over the last months).
If you want to contribute to our general Support please send your cheques with a separate note: “for Sperling Support”. For the Seminars, the truck and the Ministry Trip please designate on a separate note: “for Sperling Work Fund”
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas – with fond memories of our time in Canada and great expectations for the year ahead.
Blessings and thanks to all of you for your love and care for us, Chris and Jane, Andrew, Tugume, Kenny, Albert, Isaiah, and Ezra
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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Our Christmas Letter
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