Day of Prayer

Florence w/eMi staff at King of Kings

We took a break from our daily work at eMi EA to pray for our neighbors and serve in various ways. Florence (pictured left) started King of Kings primary school which until now floods when it rains. She started the school, and continues to run it, on prayer and God's provision. We were able to help build up the flood spots and make her school more accessible to her and her students, and stop the property from perpetual flooding.

Below are more pictures of our day of prayer and service which included sampling the community water sources and asking people how we could best serve them and the community.

Water source #1

Water source #2

Water sampling 

Abraham

King of Kings primary school

Main water line across the swamp

Thanks for reading! We are still awaiting the arrival of our daughter so please keep us in your prayers. Kayla is doing well and she encourages me as she continues to be at peace and joyful each day. 

More Later!

Matthew H

Devotion

Each day at the eMi East Africa office, we open our day with God's word and prayer. Everyone takes turns sharing a short daily devotion. This week we have been focusing on knowing God; this is the summary of what I got to share this week.

In Hosea 1-3, God tells Hosea, the prophet, to marry a prostitute. Hosea marries a woman called Gomer and she returns to prostitution again and again after the marriage until Hosea finally buys her out of prostitution for good. God orchestrates this to convey his relationship with His covenant people. One prominent theme of this book is knowing and acknowledging God, and what it means to have him draw his people back to himself.

In the rest of Hosea, God's people had been mixing His law with woshiping pagan fertility gods, or baals. The context for much of the story is set in an agricultural land where people depended on seasonal changes to sustain their crops. So instead of trusting God, Yaweh, to provide, they began worshiping the baals, and began thinking that they were giving to God, when really they forgot who God truly was and, as the book describes, play the whore in worshiping the baals.

Hosea 4:6 God accuses his people saying, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected me, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."

And in Hosea 6:3 they are called to turn back to him "Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will com to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."

And back to the beginning of the book, the Lord takes his people into the valley of Achor (trans. the valley of trouble) in Hosea 2:14-20 and speaks to them, revealing his goodness and promises to them. He takes them to a place where they have no choice but to listen to him, hemmed in by their own rebellion and sin, where they can see him as the loving provider that He is.

As we face difficulty, trouble, and especially when our sin is revealed and we are convicted of it, it is the KINDNESS of God that leads us to repent, to turn to Him. From that place is where we can truly begin to know him.

The Valley of Vision- A puritan prayer

LORD, HIGH AND HOLY, MEEK AND LOWLY
You have brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see you in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Your glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up
that to be low is to be high
that the broken heart is the healed heart
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul
that to have nothing is to possess all
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown
that to give is to receive
that the valley is the place of vision

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Your stars shine,
Let me find your light in my darkness,
your life in my death
your joy in my sorrow
your grace in my sin
your riches in my poverty
your glory in my valley

For the King,

Matthew H

I got pulled over

I get to share a unique experience this week. Getting pulled over in America is usually predictable. Well, not here. Mostly because it seems like the traffic laws are mob rule instead of systematic, and its really every vehicle for himself. But, apparently there are certain places that are illegal to make U-Turns. I found that out the hard way on Saturday.

The officer in blue camouflage standing on the side of the road motioned for me to stop by putting his hand straight out waving to the ground. I pulled over and he followed me into the parking garage of our destination only a few meters ahead.
"Are you new here?" He asked with a cracked smile.
"Yes we have been here about a month" I replied, trying to hide my confusion and slight fear.
"Do you know about the U-Turn?"  "No Seebo, could you explain?" See, I have gotten so much great advice for what to do when being pulled over I was able to fall back onto my training. Be polite, be patient, and be patient some more, and keep friendly conversation going. He explained what I had done wrong and told me how to handle getting the fine paid.
"But..." he grinned, "if you cooperate, it will be no problem, I will return your driving permit." See, this is the catch that I have been taught to look for. I replied "Officer, thank you for your help, I will be glad to pay the ticket and bring the receipt to get my permit back. I am being cooperative with you." (They take your license until you have paid, that is how they ensure their fines get paid)

But he looked again with a big, coy smile "IF you cooperate, you will not have to go to the bank." Again I said with an equally big smile, "I understand, and I will be happy to pay the ticket at the bank." After about fifteen minutes of this exchange, and my wife sitting the back seat whispering "He wants a bribe!!" He took my license and we followed his motorcycle back to the the checkpoint and he gave the license to what appeared to be a higher ranking officer.
"Have you driven this road before?" I explained to him that we had just got our car and we had not. "Do you understand what you did wrong?" I quickly fell back on more great advice. "Yes Seebo, this officer has done a very good job explaining to me what I did wrong and how to correctly turn around next time." See, this was a critical sentence as I was able to make the policeman feel superior and wise, which is important in this culture. "You will not do it again next time?" "No Seebo, I understand next time where to go thanks to this officer." He smiled, handed my permit back and said "Nice day!" Which means, see you later!

Before we stopped, Kayla said a quick prayer for us, and it was definitely answered. We laugh about it and count it as a great experience. It really helped us see that we have somewhat learned how to pick up on indirect communication. In all the stress and culture shock, we are learning something.


You can pray for me this week, because I am going though some culture shock, which is difficult to explain. I read David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 today. I remember a man taught on the story and ended with the question what is Goliath in your life, and remembering that God defeats these insurmountable enemies with a single stone, and a ruddy little teenager. Loving people who I cannot seem to understand at all, that is Goliath right now.


Thanks for reading.

Cheers and blessings,
Matthew H

2 Peter 1:3-5 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Eastern Uganda & some pics

Eastern Uganda was a real breathe of refreshing air this week! Mbaletown is home to Mt. Elgon, a beautiful mountain that towers over the surrounding landscape. It reminded me of being back in Wyoming and Montana, which was a good feeling seeing as how we plan to move there in a few months! A real home away from home.

I went to visit Hines Ugandan Ministries who I will get the pleasure of serving as they seek to expand their reach serving the women and children of the neighboring villages. It was a fruitful trip, as well as quite eye opening. Each week, I get more and more of a feel for the desperate need for a ministry to the men of this country, and a construction project is a prime starting point! This week was particularly exciting, as I was shaking hands with some of the men I could potentially get to work with. Many more details will come soon, but thanks for prayers, we had a great trip!

So for now, here are some updated photos of life with the Horne family!

 Micah and I caught a gecko living in the apartment. He loves chasing them and trying to pick them up!

 Micah was teaching me some of the finer things about drawing. He is super creative

 A package from USA! Thanks to all who contributed

 Local transport on our way home from the market

 We found a really nice swing set at a cafe in Kampala, so Micah took advantage















More later,

Matthew H

After a month

Each morning, the sunrise turns the windows in our apartment red as the coffee brews in our coffee press, and I pull out the Bible and pen to write down the days prayers. Roosters crow, and my son starts calling from the bedroom. After a month, things are becoming normal. Routine is healthy, and even amidst all the change, we have fallen into a nice routine. As I walk to work, I am beginning to see familiar faces, people I can exchange a warm greeting with. Down our road, I walk past the piglets, goats, and geese onto the bustling Kiwafu road. Coming from the high plains of Wyoming, I am still adjusting to the humidity, my shirt getting damp on the short walk to our office! As I make it to the gate, and sit down to begin the days work, I realize, this is the new normal.

This morning I found a little time to write down some things. I thought I would share a few here.

1. I have learned how to drive on the left side of the road, and that pushing your way into oncoming traffic in order to get into the next lane is not only appropriate, but expected.

2. I have learned that I am more judgemental than I care to realize or admit. That makes it real hard to find friendships that mean anything.

3. I have learned failure. The more willing to fail I become, the more I learn and trust in the grace of God. Making mistakes is important, and I am amazed at how forgiving Ugandan people are toward my ignorance. Humility comes from failure.

4. Actions speak louder than words.

So now as life is starting to seem normal, I look forward to embracing routine, making more friends, and getting my hands dirty. And failing, more and more.

People have been contacting us to tell us they are praying each day for us here. Thank you so much, and we are seeing God answer you each day. Please pray that we would submit to Jesus as our King each day, for continued health for Kayla and our next child, and for me as I will be traveling this week.

Cheers and Blessings,
Matthew H

ps Kayla's post this week is a good one. Check it out!

www.homemadeimperfection.blogspot.com

Kampala week 3

Right now, through the bedroom window pour in sounds of a Sunday worship service. Luganda chorus, drumbeats and melodic bell melodies break the ambient bird hoops and conversing pedestrians. It is an amazing sound to say the least and it is common to hear similar bursts along any given byway here in Uganda on a Sunday. They can even continue after the sun sets! It is a reminder to me that, thought we are in the midst of a lot of suffering and poverty, people are worshiping God for who He is, not for where we are.

I said in a previous post that part of what I find so beautiful around here is the order that seems to emerge from the chaos. It helps me remember so much about who God is, in that even when the power is out, my son has a fever, there are cockroaches everywhere, and the untold stories of unspeakable injustice is happening outside of my door, God is not silent, and He is not idle! He works, and His word goes forth, redeeming His creation. Isaiah 55:12 says "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hils before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Redemption is all around us, being carried out by the Word that goes out from the author of redemption!

As week three comes to a close, if finally feels like we are getting our feet under us here. I drove Kayla and Micah to the super market yesterday, which goes to show I am understanding my way around this city (or at least our small part of it), and can successfully greet and say farewell in Luganda. More importantly, we are settling in as a family, something that has been a long time coming. Thank you for prayers for us. Please continue to pray that we might be an example of God's love and grace to those around us, and that we would continue to grow in faith in the word of God that does not return to Him emptiness.

Here are some photos from the week.

If anyone can identify this freak of nature, I would like to know what it is

Traffic in Kampala, Boda drivers will do anything to keep moving

Biggest snail I have seen

The Psalm 23 Unisex saloon (pronounce salon)

People will often add a bible verse or a christian reference to their business name here, so some of the name combinations are pretty funny.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers and Blessings
Matthew H

A week and no words

Putting the second week into words...how do I! It was a week filled with long power outages, a sick child, my first full week at the eMi office, a day at Music for Life, and a weekend taking a deep breath with my wife, playing with Micah, and getting to know our neighbors more and more.

Every morning at the office, we open with a devotion and prayer, seeking the Lord as a staff has been incredible and essential. Spending the day at music for life involved helping a plumber install a water chlorinator for the kitchen. It was awesome to see the Lord use eMi, and a local plumber to bring clean drinking water to 150 kids and staff members!

After a full week, we were able to unwind as a family. Our weekend was filled with much needed rest, family prayer, and reflecting on our experiences and what we have learned so far.

Here are a few pictures of common things around our home.

Starting our days o I wanted to post aff, we need some coffee. This picture describes the necessary equipment, minus the coffee grinder. From right to left, a water filter, coffee press, and kettle. I have had some delicious coffee here, and it is extremely affordable!










This is an average sized avocado. As you can see, it as big as my sons head (well, almost) and Kayla scored 6 for under a USD!!


Like I said, putting this last week into words has been a challenge. Along with cultural adjustments, I am starting to understand a lot of the corruption and injustice that is rampant and even culturally acceptable. Please pray as Kayla and I are following the Lord to enter in and stand in the gap for those affected by it. We are confident that our faithful God loves justice, and loves showing grace to the oppressed! Also, praise God that we have found a great congregation to worship with here! Also, pray for Micah as his little body is adjusting to the new climate, and getting teeth all at once!

Maybe next week I will be a little more descriptive but for now, weelaba!

Blessings,
Matt