As I write this all of you are just waking up and getting the Lords Day started. We have had an amazing GOD SIZE day! There is so much to tell!

Christie with her translator teaching the women….

We arrived at church this morning and I was blessed to join Christie as she taught the women. She did a wonderful job! As service began Hal and Joshua gave their testimonies. Both of them did a great job!

Hal giving his testimony

Joshua giving his testimony

Joel preached one of the clearest messages I’ve heard preach on salvation.

Joel preaching with Pastor Moses translating….

Now comes the most incredible part….go ahead and get your tissues! As I said, Joel preached an amazing message. At the end he gave an altar call. It seemed like time just stood still for a moment and no one moved, then very slowly a man stood up and began making his way to the altar. Joel had no way of knowing who this man was. It was our sweet little Derick’s father. My heart was filled to overflowing with joy!

Derick’s Father and Joel

After service was over we were able to talk to them and we learned that not only did the father pray and accept Christ today, so did the mother, a brother and a sister. Immediately after church we were having baptism and they all went down and were baptized.

Our path down to the water hole for baptism

Derick’s new born again parents and his siblings….

God has shown up and showed off His majesty here in Busia today! We are headed out to a soccer game….Muzungu’s vs Africans…..Of course the muzungu’s are our team….so…..it’s going to be fun to watch! Keep the prayers going….here are some pictures from today.

Me and Mike with our Germany team members…Conny, Jonas, Henrik and Leonie

My sweet Blackshear Place girls…..Christie and Stacy

Sweet men of God and dear friends from Blackshear Place…

Our Blackshear Place team….

All of our team together…three nations…Uganda, Germany and America

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

It’s hard to believe I’ve already been back for a month. God has been working all around me and I’ve been so caught up in Him, the time has just slipped away.

I have a wonderful Arafat update for you. He is truly better….here is a new picture for you. Pastor Moses took him for a ride on his motorcycle! He loved it….I asked him was it more fun to ride one than be hit by one and he laughed!

Arafat enjoying an afternoon riding with Pastor Moses around Busia on his motorcycle

Its been over three weeks now since he has taken anything for pain. He is no longer in the bed for hours during the day, he gets up early and stays up all day. His wound in now about the size of a quarter….a miracle as for the previous 6 months, it was often the length of a dollar bill. All of his body functions are working properly and he is happy and playing all the time. Sometimes I forget how much better he is and it shocks me to see him walk by the window laughing and playing with our other children here. God has blessed us with a miracle. There is no other explanation as to why he is still alive!

The best part of the update though is this. The first week I was back he and I were sitting together just talking about random things. Out of nowhere he said….I’m a Christian now and I want to be baptized! My heart was thrilled…..for a child from a Muslim background to accept Jesus as his Savior and on his own share his desire for baptism is just as much a miracle as his healing has been. Please take some time when you read this and thank God for the miracle He has sent.

I have two prayer request I’d like you to pray. I have a good friend in my bible fellowship class at Blackshear Place, Donna Gabriel. She has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Her and her friend Melanie, both of whom are nurses have been planning diligently to come here on a mission trip and possible make a decision to stay here fulltime. I would like for you to pray for God’s divine total physically healing so some day soon she can make the journey she has been planning.

Another reques: there is a mission team leaving out of Atlanta today from my home church, Blackshear Place headed over here to serve. Please pray specifically for their safety and for this trip to deepen their relationship with the Lord in such a way that they will never be the same again.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Today is my 3rd day back in Uganda and much has happened. My plane landed late Thursday night and I hadn’t been off the plane for an hour when I received the call that Derick was dying. I felt so helpless…..I was so close…back in the country, yet, hours away that couldn’t be traveled during the night.

When my phone rang early Friday morning, I assumed it was a call to let me know he had died, but, it was a call saying he had lived through the night. I was overjoyed to reach Busia late Friday and find him still in this world. The cancerous tumor had taken over most of his face and was coming out of his mouth….he looked so pitiful. I couldn’t really tell if he knew it was me, but I talked to him as if he could hear me…told him how much I loved him and how happy I was to see him.

When we went to bed, he was still the same. I woke up about 2:30 from jetlag and listened to the quietness of my surroundings. It is so quiet here when I get back from the states. We didn’t have power so I couldn’t get up and do anything even though I was wide awake. About 4:30 I heard Dericks Momma cry. I jumped up and went where she was and she collapsed in my arms. Derick had just slipped into the arms of Jesus.

Sweet little Derick…now home with Jesus

While I was holding her, she looked at me and said, he waited to see you before he left this world. I had only been home about 8 hours when he slipped away….and I will always be thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the blessing of seeing him before He took him home to heaven.

The hours that followed brought all different kinds of emotions. Our hearts broke when the father and brothers arrived. Then again as Pam helped prepare his body for burial. I am not sure I could have helped her, although I would have tried if she asked, but instead she gave me the job of taking care of Dericks Momma until they finished the worst parts of preparing his body.

One emotion that didn’t feel normal at first, was a great sense of peace because I knew he wasn’t hurting anymore. Yet, I wasn’t crying and that boggled my mind…I kept thinking…what is wrong me…my heart is broke but I am not crying. Later as I looked back I could clearly see God had given me strength so I could be strong for Dericks Momma. It wasn’t until I called my son and daughter and heard their voices that the tears began to fall and I ached from the heartache of what had happened.

His little body stayed here with us until the family could get a wood coffin built. Then Sezi came and took the body and the family to the place where they are originally from, about 3 hours away…Dericks grandfathers place. Because the family had seen the love of Christ shown through the care given to Derick, they decided they wanted him to have a Christian funeral.

Today, Sezi drove us back there and we were able to take part in his funeral. It was all very sweet, yet sad. His father collapsed at the gravesite and his Momma had to be helped away.

Derick was buried in a field where beans and potato’s are growing…his grave will not be marked…

Both of these circumstances broke my heart and then I noticed an older woman walking away…she seemed as if the burden was more than she could carry. I had not met her, but in my heart I knew she was Dericks Grandmother. As I went to her all I could think about were my children and grandchildren. She was buckling under the burden of not only losing her grandson, but also watching her daughter bury her son. As I held her, the tears flowed freely….I didn’t know anything else to do but cry with her.

One of the greatest blessings for me as all of this took place, was being able to talk to Dericks family about heaven. What an incredible honor it was to be the first one to tell them about our eternal heavenly home. To assure them that if we have been born again, we will one day join Derick…never more to be apart again. This happened in the first couple of hours after Derick died so I didn’t get to give the full plan of salvation…yet, at the funeral today, one of our Pastors here from Busia, Pastor Joseph, preached the service and the gospel was shared. No one accepted Christ today, but I know the seeds are planted. I invited them to come visit with me when they return to Busia….and I will share with them. I pray they will make a decision to surrender their lives to the Lord.

Before I left the states to head back, my son, daughter-in-law and my daughter prepared to do a long distance bible study. Its a study called, Heaven by Randy Alcorn. We serve a mighty God…He knew this study would mean even more to me because He knew He was taking Derick home just as the study was beginning.

A word of thanks to those of you who support me financially. You helped Dericks family with the cost of the funeral. They are truly the poorest of the poor here. They would not have been able to take him back home for burial if Pam and I hadn’t stepped in to cover the cost. Thank you for loving me and caring about what God is doing through me here in East Africa. Thank you for trusting me to represent you here on the mission field.

I have a wonderful update to share about Arafat. He has gained 12 pounds and his wounds although they are still bad, are better than they were. This morning, he got up, got dressed and planned his day to go with us to Dericks funeral. I am not sure how long it’s been since he has been out of the bed, but its been a long time. He did great today….6 hours of travel plus the funeral and he didn’t go back to bed when we got back!

He and Dericks beds were 3 feet apart…so he felt a close friendship with him. He was going to do whatever it took to attend his friends funeral. I took this picture of him when we got back…doesn’t he look great!

Arafat….our continued miracle….

God continues to work miracles in Arafats life…..he has been close to death more times that we can keep up with! I don’t know what God is doing…but it sure is fun watching Him work! Keep those prayers going…..

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Sometimes there are occasions when I travel to the capitol city, Kampala, and return back to the mission house in one day. It’s a very long journey, usually about a 12 or 13 hour trip. On those days I try to take some of my friends along with me as it makes the journey much more fun. Especially when I get to take those who have never been outside of Busia and never traveled to the capitol city. Such was the case on Sunday as we escorted our new Helping Hands Missionary, Pastor Loren Hildebrant back to airport for his return flight to the states.

This trip Eriya and James went with us.

Eriya and James…loving their new cowboy hats!

I love watching as those who get to come along see the big city for the first time…shop for something new for themselves (never dreamed they would chose cowboy hats…but they loved them)…make their first visit into a grocery store….and eat their first slice of pizza.

Eriya’s first bite of pizza ever!

But what I love most of all is the conversation we have during those long riding hours.

James and Eriya are 18 years old and have been orphans for a very long time. They were both first born in their families which is a big responsibility. The first born takes the responsibility of the younger siblings when the parents die. Both James and Eriya have younger brothers and sisters who live in other places because they can’t take care of them, but they have not forgotten them or their role as these others children’s caregivers.

As I asked them about their siblings, both of them replied that their goal is to get their education so they can earn a living and build a house where they can be reunited. Both of these young men have tender hearts and love their younger brothers and sisters. They miss being together.

The conversation eventually turned towards their parents. They told me they love to tell stories about their parents that make them laugh. So I am listening intently as the stories are being shared, and all of sudden James gets quiet and the deepest look of sadness takes over. He said, you know what I don’t like to think about….I don’t like to think about that our parents didn’t know God before they died.

I had no words of wisdom or comfort…I sat in total silence as my mind was trying to comprehend what these boys live with every day…that their parents died and went to hell and they will never see them again. They can get their education, reunite their siblings and try to ensure no one else goes to hell, but they will never be reunited with their parents.

As the days have past since James and Eriya shared their hearts with me, I find myself thinking about those in my own family and my friends who are playing games with their eternity. They know the truth…they’ve heard it over and over again…yet they continue to turn their backs on the very One who created them and gave them life. If the Lord should come back today…they will not go with us…we will be forever separated. Please pray for those in my family and my friends that need to get their lives in order and prepared for eternity….

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Secret Church Blog » Blog Archive » Secret Church 10 – Uganda, Africa – Part 1.

So many of you have written me in the last few days and asked for an update on Arafat. He is doing about the same as my last update. His strength seems to be less with each passing day. I took this picture of him this afternoon and told him I would send it to all you. Please continue to pray for this sweet boy.

A smile for all of you from Arafat

Also, you may remember that the same week we got Arafat, we also received another child named Derick who was near death with cancer in his face. Helping Hands has been sending him to Kampala for chemo treatments and he and his Mother came by to visit us this afternoon. He looks wonderful, his prognosis is still not as we wish it was…but the chemo has helped the tumor reduce and he can now breath and eat better. And as you can see….he is managing just fine with his Mountain Dew. Please continue praying for Derick….he, like Arafat needs a miracle.

Derick sending you a smile….

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary- East Africa

Arafat…the day before he left for the hospital….

I write tonight seeking your prayers once again for Arafat. I’ve just gotten off the phone with Pam and it seems he has taken a turn for the worse, and what hope we’ve had seems to be diminishing. Pam took him back to the hospital in Kampala on Thursday.

His issues remain the same as they’ve been for the past 4 months, he is not healing. He is now down to 40 pounds. As I wrote in my last update, after being fed for over a month intravenously, Pam was allowed to give him small portions of food. Yet, as before, it processes out his incision. Pam said when they gave him the solution to drink before the CT scan, the solution poured out of the incision just like a faucet being turned on.

It is hard to know what specific request to ask you to pray. I find myself struggling with what to say to the Lord…so I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit to intercede for me. You see, this little boy who has lived with us now for 3 months continues to die a slow painful death. Pam said tonight that if the surgeon can do nothing for him, there is no hope and his pain will only increase as his life fades away.

I know God is in control and I know His plans are perfect, yet for us, especially Pam, we are bending under the burden of what the days to come are going to be like. My hearts desire is for God to heal him here on this earth, yet, I struggle with facing the possibility that God may not heal him down here, and we will have to watch him suffer.

Pam is strong and has been the best care-giver anyone could have….Arafat has molded into her heart after caring for him all these months. He is begging for food that she cannot give to him…and today in the hospital, he unhooked his IV’s, climbed out of his bed and found a refrigerator where he thought there would be some food. He did the same thing here at the mission house the day before he went to the hospital. The child is starving and we can’t feed him because of what it does to his insides.

Pam said the test shows the process of food is now circulating in many areas where it is not suppose to be. She said his hip joints are deteriorating because of it, as well as other places.

All of us need your prayers….but I ask specifically for Pam and Arafat. Please take their names to our Heavenly Father and ask Him for His perfect will to be done.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

I write tonight settled back into my Africa home. I am doing well physically and experienced no issues related to my recent surgery during my travel back.

It is good to be back and get back to doing what I love to do! First I want to update you on Arafat. I was so happy to see him, yet sad to see how much sicker he had become since I left. Yesterday was from what I’m told a good day for him, but it sure wasn’t as good as the days he was having a few weeks back. However, today was much better than yesterday.

He has been being fed intravenously for a month now and yesterday was the first time Pam was able to give him actual food. It didn’t set well with him, but today what he has eaten has stayed down and he was definitely in better spirits. His weight is down to 44 pounds which as you can imagine for a 12 year boy, is just skin and bones. In the picture below, he is wearing a boys size 8 shirt, so you can see how it is hanging off of him and its a small shirt. He remains in serious condition and continues to need your prayers. I took this picture of him this afternoon. I told him I was going to write home and give everyone a update on him…so he is truly smiling for each of you! Its a great picture and his smile so describes the boy he is.

Arafat sending you a smile….

We had an incredible day today as the pastors came for their BSI bible training. It was a blessing as they began to arrive and embraced one another like long lost family members. It was obvious they have become close during this season of learning and had truly missed being together while I was away.

Some wonderful folks from my home church family purchased bible covers for me to bring back for the new study bibles we gave them a few months ago. I think this picture speaks for itself…..

BSI Class of Pastors with their new bible covers….thank you Blackshear Place family…they were thrilled! Thank you to everyone who took the time to go out and purchase a bible cover for them. It is a gift they will cherish always.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa

It has been sooo good to be home with my family. The first day after I got home after missing all of his ballgames, I was blessed to watch my grandson Eli pitch in the East Hall baseball championship game

We were both so happy I got home in time to watch him pitch the championship game…

Eli …not only a great pitcher….but a young man who loves the Lord and was also blessed to attend he and my granddaughter Emma’s band concert.

My sweet Emma

I spent a day surrounded by my grandchildren at Six Flags….(sorry no pictures to share….I knew I would get soaked on the water rides so I didn’t take my camera and that proved true) we had so much fun! Of course, going to Six Flags shows my age….I just don’t have the desire to ride all those rides I use to ride! But the grandchildren don’t mind too much…their just happy we’re all together.

Throughout the day they were asking me what the children in Africa would enjoy at Six Flags. It was not easy to answer because our African children have never had toys or their own bicycles so Six Flags would overwhelm them, yet what fun it would be to watch them get on Goliath! Or more importantly get off of Goliath and see the amazement and wonder in their eyes. Of course if my grandchildren had of convinced me to get on Goliath, it might be be fun to watch me get off, especially if you enjoy seeing others experience fear!

Last Sunday, Mothers Day, I was blessed to attend church with my daughter, Dana and her family.

My beautiful Dana and her family….

I know most of you remember that my being in Africa and away from my family on Mothers Day last year was one of my mosts difficult days. So thankful to be a home this year.

Heath wise this week its been a challenge….I caught whatever this virus thing going around is and have spent most of this week in the house…had to have some minor surgery for some questionable skin areas…that added with a trip to the emergency room from what appears to be a gallbladder issue has done me in! Test on Tuesday will determine if the gallbladder needs to come out. Stitches from the skin areas affected will come out on Thursday.

I finished writing that last paragraph and I realized just how petty the things we go through sometimes are in comparison to others. All week I’ve been discouraged because I’ve been sick. Yet on the other side of the world, Arafat is fighting to live.

Today I called Dr Brenda to get an update and the update was not good. Since my last update, he has been hospitalized and had another surgery, which makes a total of 5 surgeries. Pam was only home here in the states for a week, then returned to help Dr Brenda care for him as his prognosis is not good. When I asked them today what we could pray specifically for them this is what they asked:

For Arafat: We must pray for a miracle. He is getting the best care available in Uganda, but his condition has deteriorated to the point that only a miracle from God will save his life. They have brought him back from the hospital to the mission house and are trying to keep him comfortable. He asked to talk to me when I called and after I said hello, he said, you come here…you come here on Tuesday! He has still got that spunk in him although it seemed his voice was very weak. I took this picture of him when I left,

Arafat

I keep it close where I will be reminded to pray for him….please pray for a miracle.

For Brenda and Pam: Pray for God to give them wisdom and discernment in all things concerning Arafat. Decisions are having to be made about what the next steps are and these are issues that would not be easy for any of us to make, but especially for the two of them who have physically cared for him 24 hours a day for all these weeks. They need our prayers more now than at any other time since Arafat has been at the mission house.

Tomorrow I get to go to my home church…there is just nothing like walking through those doors and knowing you are home. Can’t wait to hear the choir sing…to hear Pastor Jeff preach and be part of my Sunday School/Bible Fellowship class. I love lots of things in this life…and one of the things I love most is my church. I would love for any of you who don’t have a place to worship to come join us tomorrow. For some of you who get my updates…I know you also attend Blackshear Place but you don’t have a Bible Fellowship/Sunday School class…why don’t you try our class tomorrow. We meet at 9:30 and our teacher is Jim Wallace. We meet downstairs down the hallway to the left when you come in the lobby entrance of the fellowship hall…I would love for you to be my guest tomorrow! We have a wonderful teacher and our class is full of mission minded believers who are also strong prayer warriors. If you are looking for a place to grow, to serve and be loved…then you will love our class!

I’m so excited that Pastor Jeff has included me in the Sunday night service tomorrow. I hope you can come and join us. He will be talking to me about how God is working in my life in Africa. Can’t wait to share….I’ll be in the lobby before and after services tomorrow so please come talk to me. There are so many of you who write me or support me and I’ve never met you. Please come tomorrow and introduce yourself to me, I wanna know who you are! And for all you that I do know…can’t wait to see you!

Our church address is:

Blackshear Place Baptist Church

3428 Atlanta Hwy

Flowery Branch, Ga 30542

bpbc.com

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

I love to read the writings of Apostle Paul…reading the books in the Bible that God gave him to write is like reading a letter from a friend. One of the things I love to read about, is that no matter where he was writing from…he longed to see those he loved. He either wanted to go to them or for them to come to him. Tomorrow I begin my 40 hour journey home to see the people I love. I long to see my family.

My children….Bryan and Dana….

My Sweet Daughter-in-love…Kim with Bryan

My Precious Grandchildren..Stephen, Eli, Emma, Sawyer, Caleb, Michael, Sarah and Isaac

My church family, and the friends God has surrounded me with. I was packed on Monday….I guess that is a good indicator of just how ready I am to come home. I do not take for granted that when God called me to be a missionary to Africa that He gave me the opportunity to come home a couple of times a year. I think of those who are serving across our world today that have not been able to see their families in a long time and my heart breaks for them.

It’s amazing how things work out in our lives. Before coming to Africa to serve, I had never gone longer than a month and most often a week without a seeing my children and grandchildren. If someone had told me that some day I would live so far away from them and only see them a couple of times a year, I would have said…there is no way. It would not have been something I could have done in my own strength…or anything I would have chosen for myself. Yet, God in His goodness had a plan for me….a plan that would give a healthy balance to both serving Him and being a Momma and a Mommaw. I would have served Him obediently if He had sent me where I could not come home, so I must praise Him for the choices He made where I could see my family more often.

My heartfelt thanks for every prayer thats been prayed on my behalf during this yet another battle with malaria. This time has not been as bad as before. I know the reason is because of all the prayers. I believe when I leave out to head home tomorrow, I will only be dealing with the side effects of the injections…so much easier trip than last time. Please continue praying that I keep getting better and have no reoccurrence. Also, remember to keep me covered in prayer as I travel. I will arrive in Atlanta on Sunday night.

I would love to hear from all of you who pray for me..support me…or do both…while I am home and have the opportunity to thank you personally.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa