Archbishop and Phoebe Orombi

It is a privilege to be in ministry with Archbishop Henry Orombi. We have had some long talks about the state of the Episcopal Church and he is unwavering in his stance. We are very blessed to be under his leadership at this time of spiritual confusion in America. He will be a voice to the nations for righteousness. We were in a meeting recently with the Archbishop and an orthodox Bishop from America who was visiting East Africa. The Bishop from America said, " We need the strength of the African Church to stand with us." Archbishop Orombi commented, "It is going to cost you a lot – the church ( in America) will have to sacrifice." The Archbishop continued, "We are standing here to guard our faith."

The funds for the Church of Uganda that will be needed to replace the money from ECUSA and other unorthodox dioceses and churches is a prayer need for the Archbishop. While this is of concern, the Archbishop stands on the Word of God as Truth and will not turn a blind eye to Scripture. He said, "It is not a sin to be poor."

Many of you prayed for Phoebe as she studied for her "O" level exams. Her determination, perseverance and prayers enabled her to pass the exam. We praise God for His faithfulness. Phoebe is traveling to Kenya to participate in a SOMA mission with Pastor's wives. She will be speaking on prayer. God has given her an intercessors heart. Please pray for her next week that she will touch the hearts and lives of these women and that God will use her words to stir their hearts to pray in a new way.

Daniel Orombi, the Archbishop's son, was in a car accident in March. He had surgery to mend his broken leg which is healing, but he is still walking with crutches. His first week in the government hospital was an amazing experience. The antibiotic he needed was "finished" and I went to a local pharmacy in town to purchase the medicine. Then the hospital was unable to do an x-ray the day before surgery because the hospital was out of x-ray film. Daniel was transferred shortly thereafter to the International Hospital. Please continue to pray for his recovery and healing.

The Archbishop and Phoebe have a committed intercessors group who gather weekly to pray for them. It is a source of spiritual encouragement and we praise God for this group of people. God is providing all that they need! Please pray for strength, wisdom and discernment for Archbishop and Phoebe. Please pray for financial provision for the Church of Uganda and for the replacement of funds that have been provided by ECUSA and dioceses/churches which are not taking a stand for the truth of scripture .

Worship Foundations Workshops and Preaching

During the past two months I (Phil) have led Worship Foundations workshops at three Kampala churches, and have been preaching a series on worship. I received an e-mail from a worship leader who attended the worship seminars in 1994-95. She encouraged me when she expressed the teachings have shaped her leadership at All Saints Cathedral. What a privilege it is to see the fire of the Holy Spirit burn brightly! The Lord is opening many new doors of opportunity to bring renewal in the worship of the Church of Uganda. This summer I am organizing a new three-week certificate course at Uganda Christian University on Worship Arts. My vision is to impart a Biblical understanding of praise and worship, and the powerful purpose of music and the arts in worship to accomplish our mission to the nations. Please pray that the Worship Foundations teachings will continue to open the hearts of church leaders to encourage the Holy Spirit's power and presence in the lives of Ugandans.

Congressional Delegation and Kitgum

Through a friend in Washington, I (Jennifer) was contacted by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI.) I was asked by this Coalition to coordinate their trip to Uganda. The purpose of the trip is to determine ways in which the United States can support the efforts made by Uganda to treat the issues that have alienated children from their families and help identify ways in which permanent, safe and loving homes can become a reality for more orphans in Africa.

This delegation arrived in Uganda last night for a 10 day visit. U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu will arrrive on Monday night and we leave for Soroti on Tuesday morning. Archbishop Henry is hosting a luncheon for about 40 people in honor of the Senator. The Prime Minister is expected to attend as well as the Minister of State for Ethics, who is a strong Christian. Also attending will be directors of NGO's which deal with the issues facing orphans. Please pray for this luncheon as it will be mostly non-Christians attending. Pray that the power and presence of Jesus will be evident as they enter the Archbishop's garden and that the testimonies will stir the hearts of all attending. We have invited Watoto Children's Choir to sing and the former street girls I work with will perform a traditional dance. One of the girls will give a testimony of how God saved her from a life on the street. Asha, is an orphan who just graduated from law school and is one of the young leaders in Uganda that I disciple. She will also give a testimony about God's grace in her life and how He has provided for her in the most difficult of circumstances.

The delegation was scheduled to visit northern Uganda, but recent events have overtaken our plans. The headlines in the New Vision two weeks before they arrived stated, " Kony Targets Americans." Kony is the leader of the Lords Resistence Army (LRA). This is the group that has been the fuel for the 17 year civil war. The American Embassy sent out a warning to all Americans not to visit northern Uganda. Thursday night the Bishop of Kitgum, Bishop Ben Ojwang, was abducted by the LRA along with everyone living on his compound. He was able to escape and ran into the bush where he hid until morning. He was beaten in his home and most everything he owned was stolen. Jennifer spoke with him last night. He is recovering in the hospital and will be released in the next few days. So, we are very disappointed that our trips to Kitgum and Gulu have been cancelled.

The UN has called this 17 year conflict in northern Uganda "the world's biggest neglected humanitarian crisis." According to the UN, the LRA has abducted more than 10,000 children since June 2002, the highest number since the insurgency began. The UN estimates that there are over 50,000 children who are called "night commuters" – leaving their village homes nightly for the city in order to prevent being abducted by the LRA.

"You can't give up on us," one of the leaders in Kitgum said to me when I told her I would not be able to bring the delegation to northern Uganda. Our hearts break as we watch these people suffer in ways that seem unimaginable. We both feel committed to helping the people of Kitgum, however in light of recent circumstances we are not sure how to proceed. God has spoken to my heart in the deepest way and we know that we must do something for the children. We have been invited to go to Kitgum in June for five days of Bible teaching to church leaders and to begin the plans for the night commuter shelter. The Bishop has invited us to stay in his home where Jennifer stayed with Phoebe in April. This is the very home where he was abducted. Please pray for wisdom for us as we consider if we should still go in June. Pray for the people that they will not loose hope and that the children will receive the protection and care they desperately need.

David and Owen

David is just about to finish his semester at Rift Valley Academy (RVA) and he has had an incredible experience. One of his former teachers has been discipling him by meeting about three times a week and taking him through the "Sonship" program. David will travel with the RVA choir on tour as a teaching assistant and then return to Uganda and prepare for his month in the Congo. He plans to stay with his best friend and his parents who are veteran missionaries there. We are praying for safety and Holy Spirit wisdom for the Congo mission. It is still very dangerous in some parts of the Congo. However, we know that this could be an amazing chance to share the love of Christ and learn from these precious people who continue to suffer. I'm sure you can hear the concerned heart of a parent – so pray for us!

Owen has his buddy from kindergarten coming to visit in July. These guys are really looking forward to spending three weeks together and we are excited to have Mark visit us – he is like another son! Owen is enjoying many aspects of boarding school, but there are still some adjustments. He misses home and we continue to miss his joyful presence. Please pray for Owen to make good friendships and for him to adjust to being away from home. Pray that God will mature Owen's faith and let the bumps he experiences in adjusting to boarding school mold and shape him in an incredible way.

Please pray with us that:

• David and Owen will develop a special bond as they grow in Christ during their experience together in Kenya
• The Lord will bless our marriage with renewed strength as we draw closer to Him
• He will raise an army of missionaries from the Church of Uganda to impact the world for Christ
• God will continue to provide financially for our mission to Uganda