Share With Others

One of the most difficult things for me to do as we live and work in Uganda is to share my possessions. It seems so difficult, as naturally selfish people, to give up some of our things and a lot of our time and most especially our privacy. As a westerner, I occasionally find it very difficult to share my home. When God blessed us with our wonderful home in Uganda we made a deal with Him; we agreed that we would never send anyone away but would provide a place for all visitors. We usually have a long term guest or two at our home along with the occasional short term visitor and the very occasional drop by visitor. Many times I do not feel so bad about sharing my food or giving the guest a bed to sleep on but I find it very difficult to share my time and privacy. I have been rude and unwelcoming on occasion as God challenges me to keep my end of the deal. I wonder what people thought of my Christianity let alone my work as a missionary when I was rude and unwelcoming.

I realize even more, as we come back to Canada, how many in our culture guard their homes as impenetrable castles where a month-in-advance appointment is needed to be made to get through the front doors. Even more difficult is the aspect of giving up our time. We would rather give the local food bank some money or tinned food than give up some of our valuable time to engage the needy in relationships that might actually transform us and them!

By sharing our possessions and our time we are showing love and faith. Love gives up things for others and faith says even though this act of giving things away decreases my stock of things and eats up my time  I will trust God that in the end it will bless me. Obedience always leads to blessings. My most treasured blessing is the joy and peace I feel when I share my possessions and time.

Hebrews chapter 13 gives us as believers some simple and transformational rules for us as God's children. In verse 16 it says "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." I think this verse gives us the key to giving up things (sacrifices); if we are seeking to please God we will be more willing and likely to give up things. If we are focused on pleasing ourselves we will find sharing very difficult.

Remember the joy you feel when you share something? We were designed to share. Sharing allows us to partake in God's overflowing love -- a love that doesn't run out of things to give away!

Have you forgotten how to share? What do you find most difficult to share? God will be pleased as we learn to share all of what we have been given by Him.

Developed means Developing

One of the first things I noticed about being back in Canada was the good shape of the roads. But I also noticed a lot of recent repairs and current repair projects under way. It occurred to me that having such smooth roads is one of the benefits of being part of what we call a "Developed" country. I could easily see the ongoing work that was being done to keep the roads in such a "smooth" state.

 Unfortunately, many in Uganda (our other home) see development as a stage you reach; paved roads -tick, clean running water - tick, available quality medical care -tick, good telecommunications- tick. These are just a few items that would be on the mental list of a country trying to reach the "Developed" status. Trouble is, development is not a stage but a mentality. To have smooth roads you have to keep filling in the cracks and pot-holes and eventually widening and rebuilding when the need grows. To be developed means to keep developing, to keep making things better. It is not merely about reaching a certain stage.

 To keep things in good condition and in good working order there has to be systems and forethought and a constant will to fight the forces of decay. Most of these qualities lack in the "developing world". This is one of the reasons why there continues to be such a gap between the the so-called "Developed" and "Developing" parts of the globe when it comes to physical infrastructure.

 Let's leave paved roads and running water behind; they can't really change people anyway. However, the principle of developing is important. In our spiritual walk with God through this life we need to keep on developing. God wants to keep changing us -- getting rid of the cracks and damage created by sin and putting in us the strong foundation of His Word. It is one of the joys of life to watch God slowly change us and transform us. If we've been at it long enough, we realize that the spiritual work of development is continuous. Good enough, God has a plan and forethought for developing our lives -- do we have the developing mentality or do we think we have reached the "Developed" stage and the work is done?

This body works!

So many times we hear stories about how the church, Christ's body, is more like a dysfunctional family than the loving and caring group of people it should be. Well, I've got to tell you about our home church and how much they care for us! Not to glorify them or say that our church is better -- no, to show that God's love and Spirit is alive and well in His Body, the Church. We are returning back to our home town of Abbotsford, B.C. for a year long furlough.

We have had a wonderful almost-four-year term here in Uganda and are ready for a rest and a recharge and a revamping. Of course getting our clan across the world is no small feat but how about finding a house, furnishing for the house and a vehicle for such a family of ours is also no small task. Our church body has helped with all of this and more! It all started with a plan though. Recently our leaders felt it necessary for each missionary family to be appointed a "Champion" from the congregation to represent the missionary and their ministry to the church body and to help see that the missionary's needs are met both at home and on the field. We have a wonderful Champion called Mary. She and her family have spent years abroad so they know what the challenges are for a missionary family to re-settle. Mary helped to find us a suitable home and, with a little help from her family, she even helped to pay some rent and the damage deposit. Mary is part of our Life Group (a cell group/Bible study group) with whom she shared our needs and they have come together to help off-set some of our rent costs and to help furnish the home. Our Missions pastor has been in constant contact with us to see how our needs are being taken care of. Another man in our church is busy trying to locate a 8 passenger vehicle for us through his work as a car salesman. A local branch of the MCC thrift shops has agreed to furnish our home freely with whatever they can give us.

We are SO blessed! I mention all these details to show how we have been cared for in the most practical of ways. We will not struggle like many missionaries with "fitting in" in our church or Life Group. I hope sharing this account of our church's love for us will encourage you to see what you can do in your local expression of the Body of Christ. When we serve and love each other the the world will know us by our love for our brethren. How do you show your love for Christ by loving and serving in your church?

High Fives at Ugandan Immigration

"More time wasted, more money wasted.." these were thoughts that loomed in the back of my mind as I drove back to Kampala for the umpteenth time in the last couple months. I have been trying to complete the renewal process of my work permit so that our continued stay and work in Uganda is legal. To counter these negative and faithless thoughts i have been practising my two minute prayers. A few of my missionary buddies and i meet together to encourage each-other to encounter God in our daily lives. I suggested we take the David Allen's Two Minute Rule and apply it to our prayer life. The Two Minute Rule goes something like this: if there is something you can do in two minutes then do it immediately. We thought, well, we can pray about anything in two minutes so we can be filling our day with Two Minute Prayers; thus we would be able to watch and experience God work in our ordinary circumstances. My weekly trips to immigration were perfect chances to practice my two minute prayers. For those of you who have dealt with being a foreigner anywhere or having members of your family who are foreigners to the country where you are living, you will understand the difficulties and frustrations of immigration issues. In Uganda you can then add the high levels of corruption and inefficiency and you have what cooks up to be a pretty stressful situation when you go to the Internal Affairs office in Kampala. As the anxiousness would surround me and possible negative scenarios would run through my mind I would send up my prayers for success at the Immigration Offices. I caught myself getting dragged into the doubting and negative posture that most foreigners put themselves in when at Uganda Immigration. I asked God for forgiveness for my low expectations and continued to pray for good results. Today, the lady who works in the work permit office saw me and recognised me from my numerous other unsuccessful visits. When I showed her my file number on my crinkled sip she quickly had my Work Permit Assessment in hand and passed it to me. I was relieved and overjoyed! I rhetorically asked her "Are high fives allowed at Immigration?" I passed my open hand through the metal bars and she gave me a high five. I was glad that the my permit had been renewed but I was also glad that God had been slowly working in the undercurrents of my heart to actually include the immigration staff in my celebration instead of being antagonistic towards them. Have you seen God change your heart through two minute prayers?

Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom Through Farming

Did you know that there are 1 billion people in Africa? Did you know that out of these 1 billion people 3 billion are Christians? No, that’s not a typo and yes, that doesn't make any sense. Amazingly, although Africa has been saved three times over (when you compile evangelistic statistics from the continent) for all of our salvations we have not seen the effect of the salt of the earth on the societies and cultures of Africa. At our Farming God’s Way trainings we often ask our participants “Why is there both a high level of Christianity and also high levels of disease, corruption and wars in Africa? Could it be that the gospel being preached is not the true gospel; a gospel that produces practical change and spiritual fruit?” In Africa we have a “conversion” gospel where people become Christians for a whole host of reasons. But most do not understand the Gospel of The Kingdom; the gospel that Jesus preached; a gospel that calls people to repentance and obedience. Most Africans know a false, perverted or diluted Gospel which preaches health and wealth to those who follow Christ; not a gospel that requires humility and obedience. The Farming God’s Way curriculum provides an amazing entry point to demonstrate to people that God is not only interested in all areas of life but he rules the world and all that is in it. Many are surprised to know that God has something to say about farming. After a few sessions they catch on. As we wait in line for tea or lunch delegates have asked me “ …what about family God’s way? What about marriage God’s way?” -- I can tell that they have started to get the point. God rules over all the earth and He cares for it as well. He also has never revoked his first commandments to mankind of being fruitful and caring for the earth. Once we discover that we are ultimately stewards of the earth and all that God gives us we have started to understand our role in His Kingdom. It is difficult work fighting false gospels, especially when they are so prevalent, but it is good and rewarding work because we are able to see real and lasting change.

Bumpy Roads

If you've ever been to Africa you will know that we are famous for our bad roads. One such bad road exists like a barrier between me and one of my training groups. It is called Kamuli Road. It is a 67km road that has been under repair for over two years yet has yielded only about 12km of smoothly paved road. The rest is in various states of disrepair with sections of dusty dirt road but mostly just the old paved road eaten away by a minefield of potholes. 

Recently, as I was heading out to train our group of farmers headed up py Pam and Allen McEvoy (https://m.facebook.com/pamela.mcevoy.9?refid=46),( who are doing great work helping the locals to pick up the tool of Farming God's Way) I had to endure the infamous "Kamuli Road".  While I was trying to dodge the countless pot-holes I heard a slight "ping" from the back of my Isuzu. Just a few meters and several loud bangs down the road and I knew what had happened; my rear coil spring had either totally broken or had popped out completely. In disgust I didn't even bother getting out to check. I detoured to a parallel dirt road which I hoped would be better. It wasn't. A couple hours later of nursing my car over the bumpy terrain I arrived in hot dry Kamuli in front of the church where I was to teach at. The car was slumped over the left back tire. Further inspection showed there was no spring to be seen; it had completely" jumped out" (as the locals say). 

Discouraged, I set my attention on the training ahead. Although Allan and Pam had organised the workshop very well, only a fraction of the delegates had arrived and the time for starting had already passed. I felt another wave of discouragement sweep over me. How were we going to work with people so reluctant to keep time and prioritise the days activities? Along with the waves of heat and dry dusty air the waves of discouragement kept sweeping over me -- my enthusiasm levels were pretty low.

I have often felt like this at the beginning of a training but God has always been faithful to raise my energy and hope as I start to deliver the good news that he has put in my heart. Sometimes, this is an answer to a quick prayer other times it is God's faithful love coming through for me when I haven't even thought of asking Him for help. How much more the help is appreciated when I've asked for it!

The bumpy roads and discouragement remind me of the resistance that we often feel and encounter as we do what God wants us to do. I am reminded that we must keep scattering the good seed and let God bless it where He sees fit. If we only scatter seed where there is no resistance  we may stick to putting nice ideas on Facebook and Twitter and never get out to those who don't even know Who and what they need.

I hope you have discovered the role of resistance in your life too. It's like the waves crashing on the bow of a boat -- they only beat against the bough when the boat is moving forward.

NB-- Just make sure the resistance is not from God -- then your efforts will be futile!

If you'd like to read about the role of resistance in your life here is a great post one of my favourite bloggers Michael Hyatt: http://t.co/0OoeE0v5jN

  

Posted via email from The Sperling's blog

January Newsletter

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Hello Friends,

Here is our latest newsletter.

Enjoy.

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Eleven years

Today, as a write, Jane and I celebrate 11 years of marriage! These 11 years have been full of troubles, trials, fun, joy, arguments, agreements and everything in between! Our marriage is a tribute neither to the greatness of Jane’s love for me nor mine for her; God has been the one who has been so faithful, showing us the way to love each other and to glorify Him as we try to give Christ His place as the king of our hearts. We are so blessed, especially by all of our children, the fruits of our marriage. They bless us every day and we pray that they will be arrows in the hands of our Maker; going much further and doing much greater things for The Kingdom than we could ever have dreamed.

Here is a little bit of a song by Malcolm Guite to reflect my feelings for the day:

They Don’t Make Movies (Out of Love Like This)

“You can’t photograph fidelity, or merchandise restraint,

Your inner beauty won’t be selling soap.

And sometimes from the outside it might seem that love grows faint

On the inside it’s renewed each day in hope.

So there’s nothing on the surface to attract a stranger’s gaze

There’s not photo-genic posed romantic bliss,

Just two people staying faithful through the darkest winter days,

But they don’t make movies out of love like this.”

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How do you hide something from a Ugandan?

t's a joke that often comes up as I teach Farming God's Way in various communities -- "How can you hide something from a Ugandan?" The answer to the query --" by putting it in a book!"

Don't worry, I'm not laughing at the expense of my African brethren. They, too, tell this joke to poke fun at themselves. 

The point is this: there is not a reading culture here in Uganda. People don't commonly read books as a past time or for pleasure or even to gain more knowledge. In fact, if you say "reading" here in Uganda it is synonymous with "cramming for an exam". "I am reading my books" says a secondary student, meaning, that she has been cramming for an exam.

As I teach farming I realize that my job, at times, needs to go much deeper than just covering my material. I need to teach people how to study; the value of reading to educate themselves. Even the great Apostle Paul requested for his "parchments" when he was in jail. Many of my students suffer from a lack of some simple knowledge which could be easily acquired if they would (in some cases, could) read. Spare time is spent reading newspapers and listening to the radio -- which may keep them up on current events but may not help them find solutions for the problems they face in their every-day lives.

Modern literacy started with the printing press first used for printing the Bible with the goal of putting the written Word of God into the ordinary farm workers' hands. In our day we (those who have access to libraries and the internet) have so much to read. And read we must --  in order to stay educated and informed. But in all of our reading we need to remember that the ultimate reason behind reading is to be able to understand God's Word which has been preserved and kept within the sheath of written languages.

So, as I teach people to farm, I also encourage them to pick up the habit of reading -- and most importantly reading God's Word. Here they will find not only information but power and truth to lead them to the Author of The Book and the Author of Life.

"It is foolish to go to human puddles and forsake the clear crystal stream" Cecil J. Blay

What do you read? Why do you read? How does reading enhance your professional knowledge? Leave a comment below...

Posted via email from The Sperling's blog

October Newsletter

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Here's our latest newsletter.

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Untitled

Jul 2012 newslet.docx Download this file

Here is our latest family Newsletter.

Enjoy.

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Farming God's Way at Amazima (http://amazimaministries.blogspot.com)

MAY 31, 2012

Farming God's Way

Earlier this year, Amazima had the opportunity to host a very unique training seminar at our land in Buziika called Farming God's Way. 

Although Uganda has seen much urbanization in the past few years, the majority of Ugandans are still subsistence farmers - working tirelessly to provide only what will feed their family. Uganda's two rainy seasons and plentiful sunshine should mean that these families can grow plenty of food to sustain them throughout the year.  Unfortunately, poor farming practices and a loss of motivation has left many fields in poor condition, and families are struggling to find enough to eat. Amazima's sponsorship and feedingprograms are doing a great deal to relieve the current crisis, but we are always working towards making a more lasting impact by empowering the people of Uganda to participate in changing their lives and their community.

Farming God's Way (FGW) is not an organization, but a resource to teach improved and sustainable farming methods to local farmers based on Biblical principles.

For three days, a certified trainer came to Buziika and instructed 12 local farmers in the methods taught by FGW. The largest component of the training is minimal or no tillage (turning/plowing the land). Like in America, farmers in Uganda typically completely turn over the soil before each planting season - the only difference being that they use a hand-powered hoe rather than a gas-powered plow! FGW leaves the soil unturned and only digs holes at precise intervals where the crops will be planted. The weeds and crop residue from the previous planting season are simply cut down to maintain a mulch cover on the field. This not only drastically improves water retention but over time also injects critical biological matter back into the soil. 

There are three pillars to the Farming God's Way methodology: 

          1.  Management

                    Do everything on time

                    Do everything to a high standard

                    Do everything with minimal wastage

          2.  Technology

                     No plowing

                    100% mulch covers (referred to as God's Blanket)

                    Practice crop rotation

          3.  Biblical 

                    Acknowledge God and God alone

                    Consider your ways

                    Understanding God's all-sufficiency

                    What you sow, you shall reap

                    Bring tithes and offerings to God

                    Stake your claim

The final day of training included the planting of a demonstration garden. A ten-by-ten meter plot was laid out prior to the seminar and all the participants were able to practice the skills they had been taught the previous two days. It was a great time of learning, both of new farming techniques and about the Gospel. Many of the students were not regular church attendees and one student was actually a practicing witch doctor!

An average Ugandan farmer produces 280 kg of maize (corn) per acre. Utilizing FGW techniques, that same farmer can produce 3,000 kg of maize per acre!

 

Our garden was planted next to a pathway leading to the next village so that as many people as possible can see the results and become interested in FGW.

Amazima staff member, Patrick Ouma, will be following up with the class participants to see how they are doing with the implementation of the training in their own fields.  

We sincerely hope and pray that the seeds that were planted - in our garden and in the students' hearts - will grow and flourish!

To learn more about the Farming God's Way resources, 

visit their website here.

Special thanks to our FGW trainer, Chris Sperling.  Without his heart for the farmers of Uganda and his mastery of the local language, the class would not have been able to take place!

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A day in the life

I woke up early and was out the door by 6:30am. I made my usual stop at Igar which is a petrol station just east of the Nile. I put some dieselin the Isuzu and ran inside for a coffee and a couple muffins. Not quite Tim Horton's but the coffee woke me up and the muffins filled me up. I started my 100km drive on the highway that heads west from Jinja towards Kampala. It is called a highway but it is difficult to get over 60km/hr let alone 80 as there is so much truck traffic with hundreds of big trucks carrying containers and fuel from Mombasa and Eldoret on their way to Kampala or through Kampala on their way to South Sudan, West Uganda eastern Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and even Western Tanzania. Many are overloaded and in rough shape so the going is pretty slow if you get stuck behind one. Given that many of the drivers are on a local drug called mailunji or marijuana and are overtired and rune trucks in pretty rough shape there are a LOT of accidents involving large trucks ( I calculate one truck off the road/accident per trip to Kampala). So I try to balance speed and caution as I head west. 

As I near the urban sprawl of Kampala I head North west on a dirt road that I found on Google maps the other week which cuts of a few miles of traffic plugged road as I head to Kira farm just north of Kampala. 17 minutes later I am back on a tarmac road heading north where i will meet another winding paved road that takes me through a rural area just north of Kampala. I enter Gayaza and head north again at the round-about and after a few kilometres if nice tarmac I turn off Zirobwe road onto a bumpy access road which takes me up to the beautiful gate of Kira Farm. It's 8:30 and two hours after leaving home and 100km of driving I am ready to help over 25 students plant theirexperiential gardens that we had prepared a couple weeks ago together. Kira farm is the location of Amigos Worldwide which gives technical training to disadvantaged youth, most of whom have come fr

om the region where Kony was active or were even child soldiers or slaves under him. They are a pleasant group of students on the whole but not without the usual attitude struggles of young people everywhere. Each student is taking a technical course (carpentry, mechanics, tailoring,etc) in addition to being taught Farming God's Way. The idea is that they can go back to their home area and create their own wealth through having self employment and farming the rich land where they are from.

The students are mostly eager to plant their gardens with a few dragging their feet and trying their best to find somewhere on the campus to hide. But they know farming is important and most will have grown up on a farm or near one. Farming to many youth is just a a lot of hard work with little income. With FGW we are trying to change that. Farming definitely is hard work; but we want that hard work to result in higher yields grown on better soil so that farmers can have a sustainable profit! We are teaching them how to take care of their soil so that their soil will take care of them -- and their grandchildren!

We first plant one sma

ll garden together so that each step can be observed carefully. Then, all of the students disperse to their own 6 x 6 meter plots. With each student having their own garden it is very quickly evident who listened and who didn't and wh

o is lazy and who is diligent. Through the simple process of these experiential gardens we will be able to disciple the students through their strengths and weaknesses meanwhile guiding them to learn the basic principles of all farming. The gardens are soon planted and just a few of the slower students are left out in their plots. Mulch is brought in, covering the garden, completing the last step of planting. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

After a nice late morning tea break with some of the British staff I am off to a nearby research station to collect improved seed. Most of the staff at Namalonge are friendly and willing to supply me with free samples which I willingly wait for like a boy i

n a candy shop choosing his favourite sweets.

 At the end I leave the extensive farm property (which a colonial era golf course) with samples of improved cassava, sweet potato, a plethora of bean varieties and some maize. I am very happy with my treasure and start my 2 1/2 hour journey home thrilled that we have starting stock for our seed bank project.

By the time I get home it is getting dark and I am happy to see my wonderful family -- but it has been a full day and I am happy to be part of such ordinary yet profound work as we train people how to farm and how to depend on God in simple and practical ways. Even the seed we have obtained is part of God's all sufficiency that He will express to the farmer as it reproduces "after it's own kind" for many years to come!

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