We’re back! Thanks so much for your prayers. The Ugandan mission was greatly blessed. After a long journey we began ministry on Wednesday, January 18. I preached at the outdoor crusade Wednesday night. The next day we went to a schedule of conference meetings during the mornings through early afternoons, and evangelism at night.

 We ministered in an interior Ugandan town called Bugiri, and realized that there was a very strong and very visible Muslim presence there. In fact the Muslims had had a crusade of sorts of their own just prior to our meetings, hoping to counteract any “damage” we might do. Besides that they sent some of their people to the meetings to intimidate any of the Muslims from coming forward to receive Christ. And they even snuck onto the outdoor venue before we arrived and threw condoms on the platform. It was also reported that many of them were involved in witchcraft (a kind of Islam / witchcraft combo) and tried to use their various powers and magic to keep us from stealing any of their people or influencing the town toward Christ.

 They were not successful! Muslims still attended the meetings, although they stood or sat on the outskirts, rather than standing or sitting in front of the pulpit. And while many would not come forward for fear of being persecuted or killed, we heard reports afterwards of how they gave their hearts to Christ where they sat or stood, and showed up in the local churches the following Sunday. Also some received healings. It is our practice to have people who have been instantly healed come up on the platform and give testimony. One pastor came and told me, “Many people have been healed, but refuse to come up on the platform out of fear. They are Muslims and fear the other Muslims seeing them on the platform.”

 Churches throughout the area nearly all reported significant increases from people who had been saved throughout the meetings. Perhaps the greatest physical miracle we saw was when a madman, nearly naked and wearing only tattered filthy clothes, wandered into Benedicta’s ladies meeting. At first some of our men attempted to drive him off, but he wanted to hear, so they gave him a place to sit in the back. Later as Benedicta was praying and telling the people that the Lord was moving just then, this man suddenly gained his right mind. His first words were, “Where am I, and what am I doing in these dirty clothes?” He was completely restored, so much so that to talk with him you would never know that he had been totally out of his mind. That night, as Benedicta preached in the crusade meeting, he came forward and gave his life to Christ.

 Thanks so much for your prayers and support of this mission. What a blessing it was to see the power of the gospel upon both individuals and this community!