I find myself for the first time in over a week having time to reflect on all goings on here. Its been another great day as I was blessed to facilitate the third week of Bible Skills Institute classes for our pastors. Today they had their first exam so many were quite nervous when they arrived this morning. They are working hard to learn all that is available for them to learn. It takes about 10 hours per week to complete the required homework, and 6 hours of class every Saturday. Although I am not able to participate in the actual class as a participant since I facilitate, I committed to doing the same homework as them so we are enjoying learning together.

Our First Bible Skills Institute Class

One blessing as we were having our picture taken as a class this morning was that little Arafat wanted to come out and see everyone. It was really special as he gently, step by step walked outside to greet the pastors. He was so happy when they all circled around him and prayed for him.

Our sweet little Arafat receiving the prayers of the pastors

He is doing much better since his additional surgery that was done last Saturday. He stayed in the hospital until Tuesday, then was released back into Dr Brenda and Pams care. He still continues to require around the clock care, but is so much better than he was. We’ve made wonderful memories with him here at the mission house. Here are some of my favorite pictures…..

Precious

Arafat wanting to sleep in the chair in my room and not wanting to go back to bed

This week while I was doing a conference in the Uganda bush, I had the opportunity to meet with the adult literacy class that meets weekly in that area. This is a picture for you to see what your support is doing.

Syonga Literacy Class

I had the opportunity to remind them that it was those of you who support me financially that make their learning possible. In November, none of them could even write their name. They all send their greetings to you and asked that I tell you from their hearts how thankful they are for your helping them.

The last day of the conference I met with the leaders. During our sharing time, the wife of the Pastor who oversees this area of churches, shared that for the first time in her life, she can write her name. Then her husband who was in our meeting smiled and said, tell Joy what else you can write, he just beamed as she told me she has learned to write his name. For all of you who’ve been here to serve, this is Pastor Joseph at Syonga and his wife Anna I am writing about…..so you can imagine his smile as she shared! He is so proud of her….she is in her fifties and for the first time can write their names!

Pastor Joseph and Anna

This group along with our 13 here in Busia gives us a total of 33 adults whose goal in learning to read and write is to be able to read the bible and write the verses. They had all written me a letter and in each letter, they had written out a bible verse. Thank you sweet friends for loving these people that me and the Lord love so much.

Full week ahead coming up as I head to the Kenya bush for a 4 day conference. Please be in prayer for as I am the only one teaching. Its tough to teach this many days with no breaks. I return here to the mission house on Friday evening just in time to welcome our Bible Skills Institute class members. We are going to do Saturdays class on Friday evening. We will have class from 6pm until 2am…..then…..we are joining in Secret Church simulcast until 8am…..what a night that is going to be!

I am so thankful to Angelia Stewart, media director at The Church at Brookhills, and Kevin Spratt, adult event coordinator at Lifeway for making the Secret Church simulcast possible for us here. Please pray that we will not lose electricity and that we have a strong internet signal. We have a generator to supply power for the laptop, but without power for the lights, we can’t see to write in our study guides.

If there are some of you who don’t know about Secret Church, check out the Secret Church website (http://www.brookhills.org/secretchurch/) and find a location near you that is offering the simulcast. It will be an event that you won’t want to miss. My son Bryan and his wife Kim are going over to First Baptist Woodstock to participate. We were all together at Secret Church in Birmingham while I was home in November, so it will be a different experience for our family, doing it simulcast. Can’t wait to see ALL God is going do now that so many are going to have access to the event. For us here, it will be life changing….

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa