Thank you for your prayers for me and the pastors as we traveled to Nairobi by bus for the Eastern Africa Conference on Orality. The travel was very good and we enjoyed our time together and the training we received. The theme of the Conference was on how to use the stories from the Bible to teach in oral-based societies. The training was very timely as we have been working to develop the curriculum that will be used for the training program set to begin in the fall. Sometimes our Western approach to education is not very effective on this side of the world. Our goal for the upcoming training program is that those who come will be able to grasp the truths of God's Word and begin to live their lives in obedience to the Lord. Telling stories is a very good method for teaching doctrine here, and it is also the way that Jesus taught. The doctrine of justification, for example, is taught very effectively through the story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14. The story of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10), the wee little man, teaches very simply and clearly that Jesus loves people and wants them to be saved. Again, the Conference was a tremendous blessing and I believe it will bear good fruit for the Kingdom of God in Uganda.
Thanks for praying for Rhoda and the kids as well while I was gone. They had a good time here and even survived the whole week with a rat in the house! (It is dead now...)
Many blessings on all of you,
Nate & family
