Uganda Trip
Along with Aki Miettinen, we represented the team in Uganda’s mission work. Pastor Aki reports below aboutthe nearly three- week long work in Uganda.We arrived in Entebbe around midnight of 12.4 where we had meetings that same morning. On Saturday, the police chief, Brian, picked us up from Kampala’s surrounding area in Nansala province. There we held a six- day vision casting and leadership seminar in the World Mission International center. The long period of blackout disrupted the program, although my speech continued even without the microphone.
On Tuesday, we visited Major General Akawalo’s area in a center called ‘Operation Creating Wealth’ which situated in Kampala. He also leads in the ‘Joint Forces for Christ’ organisation (military, police and prisons). During our time together, Major General Akawalo expressed his interest in continuing with the GNN trainings in the future. We heard about an area called Karamojong that is rich in natural resources, but the tribe living there are belligerent.
On Thursday we distributed certificates to 25 participants at the Nansana seminar and the following day to the police barracks in Entebbe airport. There we had an interesting session where we heard how “men and women in uniforms” take the Gospel to Somaliaa among others.
Sunday morning in Kampala, Pastor Arto spoke nearby Luzira prison in Gospel Mission Church’s service while I spoke in Uganda’s largest slum area (100,000 inhabitants) in GMC’s Kasongola slum church.
Venue changed due to heavy rain
Due to the heavy rains, the soft pavement on the way to a two-hour journey to Nagasongola’s military barracks turned into a five-hour drive to Mubende in west Uganda where we stayed in our familiar accommodation place.
The week in Mubende covered 5 radio programs and daily coaching for the director of the shelter from Kenya and a village meeting at a coffee plantation.
Mission seminar was held on Saturday for 47 pastors. After the Sunday service, we had lunch and left to Entebbe for the night.
Despite the challenges and changes in the program, the core purpose of the trip was fulfilled.
