BibleWorks Short-term Ministry

Not unlike the western world, East Africa has a vibrant spiritual world, false teachers, misinformed church leaders, and people who are not well trained in using their Bible in Sword fighting (Ephesians 6:16). In response, we organized a single-day lesson for ten coastal Kenya communities to uncover how the Bible came to be and how it can be used to reveal the truth about who God is. Click here to learn more about the program and the seven questions we answered.

A short-term ministry team of three traveled to each location and ministered what participants told us was a very simple and essential training necessary for equipping believers to mature their understanding of God’s Word.

• We ministered at 9 churches (1 church rescheduled for September).
• We ministered to 264 adults, dozens of youth, and even more children (some of our content is child friendly).
• We provided 87 Kiswahili Bibles for those identified as being most in need.
• We received a total of $71.45 as a sacrificial offering from BibleWorks participants for Bible Translation & Literacy in Kenya.

A special note about the offering we received, add to that $24.00 that was given to Emmanuel Baptist Church for lunch food and returned to us because they catered for their own expenses. Praise God for Pastor Raymond's wisdom and understanding (and application of what he's been learning).

Christ Formation Church Kaloleni

Jesus Jubilee Church Bamba

PEFA Church Ganze

Light of God Evangelism Centre Tandia

Reconciliation Evangelism Centre Kanani

Emmanuel Baptist Church Hadu

Faith Gospel Pentecostal Ministries Langobaya

Kagombani Baptist Church

Mountain of Glory Church Ganda

As a result of this ministry opportunity, we believe people were not only equipped to navigate that great big book for themselves, but they also received freedom from ignorance, cultural strongholds, confusion, and oppression. Thank you to each one of you who made this ministry possible.

If you would like to match the sacrificial offering of $71.45, you may do so at https://www.btlkenya.org/ or at https://giving.surprisedbyhope.org/

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Bibles and Bags for Pastors in the North

All 28 pastors in Paidah at Ojiga Presbyterian Church were very excited to receive their first Bible in the Alur language along with a simple tote bag made by a lovely and obedient woman from Lamont CRC. If that wasn’t enough, 14 pastors in Nebbi received two Bibles each with the commission to give them to active church members who didn’t already have a Bible for themselves.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to spread the Word in the local language because of the sacrificial giving of those loving friends and family at Beaverdam Baptist Church in SC. I pray that God would return your gift tenfold!

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Church Leadership Meeting

Sunday evening would be my last ministry responsibility in Marereni and in Kenya. Leaders of those churches founded by Pastor Tsofa came together for an evening of encouragement and teaching. We talked about some basic principles in establishing the church, as well as some leadership principles, character qualities, and the role of their wives in their churches.

Pastor Tsofa loves his wife and he acts like it. In a culture where public displays of affection are frowned upon, rather than pretending she’s a stranger, he acknowledges her role in the church and his life at every opportunity. He loves her. His agenda for our time together often included some ministry teaching about the role of women in the church and marriage. I love seeing he and Elizabeth together and remembering that people who saw Rick and I together knew that we loved one another too.

Several of these pastors didn't even have a Bible in their own language from which to preach. Thanks to Beaverdam Baptist Church, they do now!

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Lango Bibles for Lira

The Bible Society of Uganda offers Bibles in dozens of the 50+ languages spoken here. Somehow I expected them to be fully stocked and was disappointed when only 18 Bibles in Lango were available and when I couldn’t find any in Alur without ordering them. Apparently I should have ordered them about six months ago to be sure they arrived in time for traveling to Lira and Nebbi.

Thank you to Paul who coordinated the Bible project and Beaverdam Baptist Church who gave selflessly so that people in Uganda who don’t even earn the cost of a Bible in a month’s time can have access to the Word of God for themselves.

The lady in this photo testified that she loaned her Bible to someone whose house subsequently burned down along with her Bible. She was unbelievably grateful for the way God restored his Word into her hands (she really was very happy, it's customary not to smile in photos).

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Bugembe Bibles

More than 15 boxes of Bibles were donated and shipped by my friends in South Carolina. But there are only so many extras to go around. The Bugembe Prison men were always thankful to receive their gift and sometimes the eyeglasses that helped them see the small Bible-like print. But this time, my friend wished for Bibles in the local language for her birthday and so very many of her friends responded.

I had the privilege of being present when these spines were cracked and to hear the expressions of appreciation flowing from the men. Carpenter John, the prison chaplain, delivered the message about putting on the full armor of God, and it became obvious that some of the men could hardly read. Not only that, most of them were uncertain about how the book/chapter/verse system between the two bound covers worked. Goodness the things we take for granted.

A simple teaching about how the Bible is organized, who the major authors are, how the books are organized, and the like is definitely in order. Carpenter John was concerned about doing such a teaching given the turnover in the prison, but I encouraged him to proceed so that we might teach even one how to be closer to God through the Word. If you have any tools or suggested simple curriculum to help with an introduction to this big Book, we are eager.

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Bibles for Bubembe

I love bringing Bibles to people of Uganda. I’m so thankful for all those who sacrifice to make it possible. Bubembe Island doesn’t have population turnover like the prison, but those who didn’t receive Bibles last time were eager to receive them this time. The headmaster joined that group of desirous readers just as the Bibles ran out. Sad. Somehow I’ll be sure that headmaster has a very good Bible from which he can easily share stories and lessons with the children.

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Bibles in Kamuli

The sitting room of their house is also the workspace for the tailoring program which is also the sanctuary for the church. The story of the moneychangers crossed my mind as I entered this truly multi-purpose room. Familiar blue chairs stacked in the corner resemble those of almost every other church in the country. What better place to provide a set of Bibles than for those attending church here. Thanks to friends and family at a church in South Carolina, we left a box of Bibles for the church and a box for new believers. Augustine was so thankful for the plethora of gifts so many of you provided to help establish and grow the little Kamuli church.

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The Proclaimer

The Bible was only recently translated into the Karamajong language and can be purchased for a hefty sum in Kampala. Yet so many of the people in Karamoja speak only their heart language and cannot read. The Proclaimer, the audio version of the New Testament, is the perfect tool in this situation. The device can be played using solar power or a hand crank and can be heard by hundreds of people simultaneously.

I presented this gift to Pastor Patrick and Pastor Martin, who were so grateful for how this tool would help bring the Word to people in the surrounding villages. We played the audio Bible in Karamajong just outside the compound where the women were preparing our meal and were excited to see the interest from passersby. I believe with an introduction to the message and the tool, people will begin to comprehend the story of Jesus at a new level. Pastor Martin has been charged with identifying the best way to use the Word of God in his village with his people and I look forward to hearing testimonies of success when I return.

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Can You Read the Bible?

Once upon a time in a class I took way back at the very beginning of my education journey, our team did a presentation on John Wycliff and the first English translation of the Bible. I don’t remember much about that presentation except that we delivered some creative message using the board game of Monopoly. I never really…I mean really…understood the value of that translation work until now and at that only a slight grasp. Can you imagine only being given the Word of God as interpreted and translated by the leaders of the Catholic Church (that was the issue prompting translation at that time). At that time, these leaders (not to the exclusion of so many others) were primarily interested in promoting their own agendas and a few people who knew better took on this major project of translation.

About the size of a brick, amazing!

Every day I take for granted the ability to read the Bible in English. Heavens, I take for granted the ability to read the Word of God for myself. I realize I need lots of help understanding what it all means, but in the end my interpretation and understanding is between me and the Holy Spirit. I can NOT imagine having never read or even heard the Bible in my own language. I just can’t imagine.

Many of the people in Karamoja, and thousands of other places around the world, have either never read or heard the Word for themselves or they’ve heard the Word through translators and interpreters, much like the Catholic Church did for us 400 years ago. I am certainly not implying that anyone has ulterior motives, to the contrary. Many people bring messages for the Karamajong, but there’s something about hearing for yourself.

As I prepare for this pastor’s conference in Karamoja, where I’ll deliver biblically-based business teaching, I’m also preparing to deliver Sensible Shoes to the children there. I’ll wash their little feet and fit them with the shoes you sponsor as I teach them about walking in the way of love from Ephesians 5:1-2 (check out the blog post). My prayer is that the leaders would see this act of love and work alongside me to do the same as the Word of God plays in their heart language.

How? Faith Comes by Hearing makes this gizmo called a Proclaimer. This Proclaimer has:

·         An installed microchip containing Scriptures in the heart language.

·         A battery that will play for 15 hours and can be recharged enough times to play the entire New Testament more than 1,000 times.

·         A built-in generator and solar panel to charge the battery.

·         A sound of digital quality and loud enough to be heard clearly by groups as large as 300.

Watch the blog toward the end of May for this blessed event. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces as they hear the Word in their own language and I pray they are moved to know Him more.

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Sewing Machines for Konoweka

Hmm...which one to choose...

I’m kinda proud of myself. I figured out how to get two sewing machines and their stands from the third floor below ground up to the busy main road and then to my car without help from anyone I know. Not so proud that I relented on the prices thinking that I must have been mistaken about what I paid for machines last time. Did you know some machines don’t come with zig zag and that those that do cost twice as much? Yikes.

The ladies were thrilled to get their new machines and put them to work immediately by making the dresses from the pattern and fabric your sponsorships provided. I purchased their first dresses, which gave me the opportunity to offer feedback so that their dresses improve in quality as well as to get them started in managing their money (tithing, purchasing more material, contributing to the sewing machine maintenance fund, paying themselves a salary, etc.). I hoped to give these dresses to some girls in the slums but my trusted boda guy wasn’t around and I didn’t dare have someone else take me. I saved them for next time.

This woman often declined to lead Bible study because
she could not read her Bible. With her new large print Bible
and a pair of glasses (thanks to my SC friends) she was
almost jumping up and down. We couldn't get her to
stop reading and participate in the study with
the rest of the group.

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Kakira Prison

Carpenter John has been invited to serve as chaplain to many prisons in the Jinja area but his time is only so expansive. This man gets paid nothing but spends almost all day almost every day ministering in some way. His family struggles for food and education but he continues to serve God in a very faithful way.

Kakira Prison, like Bugembe Prison, is for short term sentences and our second visit allowed us to gift every prisoner with a Bible. I spoke about the fact that the Bible is a love story and that God’s love continues in the living Hope from 1 Peter 1:3-4. John translated into Luganda and then another man translated into Kiswahili. Sometimes I forgot to wait for the third translation but I think they got the point.

Our hope is to expand the skills development training modeled in Bugembe Prison to Kakira Prison so we asked the prisoners about their certificates and other skills. Again, tailor, cobra, and shoe shine rose to the top. Our hope now is to provide this prison group with the supplies needed to begin the training program. They’ve heard about the success of the Bugembe program and are thankful and excited about what could happen in their little prison as well.

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More Bibles for East Africa



Nine boxes of 160 Bibles arrived from six churches in South Carolina. With thanks to Paul and Pastor Phil, these Bibles will reach a variety of places throughout East Africa. But first…to get them home from the post office. The process is somewhat tricky and goes something like this:

1.      Walk to Clock Tower Post Office box and check for the slip of paper indicating that a box has arrived (pray that they all come at once, which they don’t usually).

2.      Boda with said slips to the main Post Office on Jinja Rd (it’s all uphill from Clock Tower and about 1 km distance).

3.      Wait in “line” for Rachel, who knows me by name now.

4.      Debate with Rachel’s manager about the charges given that the slips say the boxes were delivered on one day and that the papers were NOT in the box until after that (i.e., thus the fees should be reduced).

5.      Wait for staff to retrieve one box at a time and plunk it on the high counter.

6.      Pay the negotiated post office fees, pay no customs fees on Bibles.

7.      Push all nine boxes to the low counter for customs inspection.

8.      Wait for the customs person to open each and every box and inspect the content. Books are not subject to VAT but the trail mix stash is…they overlook it.

9.      Reseal all nine boxes and hoist them to the security counter.

10.  Security checks the slips against the box numbers to be sure the right boxes are leaving the building.

11.  Figure out how on earth to get 9 heavy boxes to the car, which I refuse to drive in central Kampala.

Really, it’s always an adventure and one I’d never want to miss. Thank you to six churches for lovingly providing the Word of God in East Africa.

Beaverdam Baptist Church

Elizabeth Street Church of God

Clinton First Baptist

Lydia Pentecostal Holiness Church

Fairview Baptist

Bellview Baptist

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Bibles for Lira

Thanks to six churches in South Carolina, I had plenty of English Bibles to distribute in Lira. I left the method up to the discretion of Pastor Patrick. He felt that the pastors ought to be the first to receive the gift. Often Pastors who have gifts to distribute are accused of wrongdoing (hording) by their peers and Pastor Patrick was wise to be open about how the gifts were given. Even if I were the one to give the gifts, he might likely be suspected somehow. The pastors were so thankful and so very excited about their new gifts. The changed and exchanged until each one had just the right translation to meet his desires.

As the gifts were distributed I gulped when a Bible was handed to Bonny, a blind man. Yikes! Ought I to have been more sensitive about the possibility? I hadn’t felt prompted to become a Bible distributor in equity but I had felt prompted to deliver the generous gifts I was given. What happened next surprised me though.

Bonny testified that he believed receiving this Bible was a sign that he would see again. He quoted the Scripture about Jesus healing the blind man and spoke confidently that his sight would be restored so that he could read the words of God for himself. We prayed for Bonny and continue to stand alongside him in his belief for healing.

As so often happens, Bible recipients (particularly pastors) make a humble request to have Bibles for their churches in their own language. Lango I the language spoken in this area but they said the Acholi language had more words and would be closer to the original. Additionally, some kind of audio Bible in the local language would also be helpful for those who cannot read.

Anyone willing to research the resources available in Uganda for these kinds of Bibles would be greatly appreciated. I know the Bibles can be purchased for about $25 each (books are outrageously expensive here, they’re a luxury) but perhaps we can find organizations that supply them free of charge.

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Kakira Prison

Kakira Sugar is one of the most popular brand names in Uganda and I recently learned that the name is simply based on location. Apparently Kakira is the name of a town here. Kakira Prison is no different…named after the town.

Carpenter John was invited to be involved with Kakira Prison the same way he is with Bugembe Prison but the dates and times conflicted. As a result, Pastor Emmanuel serves as chaplain there and the two men remain partners in their efforts to minister to the people in prison.

A short introductory visit there allowed me to deliver a few Bibles as well as to talk for a few brief moments about having hope. We stood on the “porch” – a ledge wide enough to hold a small handful of men – during this introduction. Carpenter John and Emmanuel have hope that we’ll be able to start skills development training in this prison like the program in Bugembe Prison.

Please praise God with me for what he will do in Kakira Prison to help the prisoners learn skills that transform them into productive members of their community, their country, and the body of Christ.

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Bibles in Bugembe

The children who surround me with hugs when I arrive at Robert’s house received their gift of pocket size New Testament Bibles during my last stay. We blew bubbles, ate Cheese Nips, and generally said good-bye…although I doubt they realized I would not be back for some time. I wonder…did they miss me the next week?

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Bibles in Buwenge

The church/classroom doorway fills with curious little faces. Who is the mzungu in our far-away village? One week we blew bubbles during break time. Another week we blew up balloons. This week I gave the pocket size New Testament Bibles to these children. We read a few verses about hope and then they ran off with their new treasures. Hmm, what will we do next week?

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Bibles in Bugembe Prison

Let me help you with your luggage, Robert said. When he opened the boot I saw the two boxes of Bibles sent by the church in South Carolina and asked if he had use of Bibles in Bugembe. Robert paused and looked at me… Bugembe Prison houses just under 100 prisoners at any given time and Carpenter John is the chaplain there. My friend Robert introduced me to Carpenter John and mentioned the Bibles. John paused… Robert went on to explain that earlier this week he asked John to price Bibles for the prisoners and found that the cost was out of their budget. Yea to God for having sent these Bibles at just the right time!

When we stepped through the front door of the prison building I saw an open gate separating the prisoners from the front reception hall (a small room about 6’ x 8’). The gate was like those used to close off businesses in the mall but this one opened from the side instead of sliding down from the top. This gate looked as though a truck tried to drive through it and stood wide open. At the floor I saw a woman crouched on one side and a man crouched on the other. Robert informed me that a wife was visiting her husband. No private visitation rooms…just squatting there with an open gate between you and all the world listening in.

A small group of prisoners filed out and headed to the courthouse just across the yard. I observed that the traffic police on Entebbe Road are more well armed than the prison guards (who seemed not to be armed at all). Following a brief discussion with the OC (something like the warden), John, Robert, and I passed by the sleeping quarters and stepped into the courtyard where the prisoners were gathered all dressed in yellow. I couldn’t help but sense the resemblance to Alcatraz.

I’ve never done prison ministry before. Do I shake their hands? Do I stay far away? Ignorant but convicted that God loves these men and women and that under grace they deserve to be treated with respect, I began shaking the hand and offering a warm greeting to each individual. Formal introductions were made and a worship song with accompanying drums rang out. I love worship in Africa, even in the prison!

I talked about John 1:1 and how Jesus was the Word and that Jesus could be found in the Word. I talked of 1 Peter 1:3 and that Jesus is the living Hope and that the Word is alive for us today. I then talked about 2 Timothy 3:16 and that all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching. After setting up the Bible gift-giving and before distributing, I told the story of these Bibles and that each one had significance to the giver, that prayers for these men and women as receivers were sent along with these Bibles. In the end, Robert and John commented “well-done.” I don’t know if that’s true but I do know that I felt a stirring in my Spirit after that visit. Wow!

I didn’t have enough Bibles for everyone but I asked John if any of the Muslim people asked for and received Bibles when I handed them out. He replied that they did. Yea again. What a wonderful opportunity to water the seeds already planted by Carpenter John.

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Konoweka Bibles

“Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 2:1-10.” Typically the sound of pages fluttering would fill the room. However, silence filled this small church. The group of women meeting at the Konoweka Orphans and Widows Hut are learning about entering God’s presence thanks to a set of Bible study guides donated for their use. Unfortunately, they cannot turn to the Bible verse because most don’t have a Bible where they can meet with and learn about God.

The loving folks at Beaverdam Baptist Church felt led to collect and send Bibles for these ladies and wow did they ever send Bibles. Five huge boxes arrived; each box carefully stuffed with Bibles, bookmarks, and personal notes to the ladies. I just got a message that six more boxes are on their way. What an amazing gift!

I explained to the women that these Bibles appear well-worn. In some of the Bibles the leather was cracked, the pages were written in, or the paper turned yellow. We talked about what the gift of heavily used Bibles really means. People in the United States tend to keep their Bible for a long time. They write in it, pray from it, and sometimes carry it wherever they go. They record their names, births, deaths, and other important events. These books are not just any books. What all this Bible wear means is that the most treasured items were sacrificed just for them. These Bibles had owners, they have histories, they have life.

The women debated over who would get which Bible – some loved the KJV translation, some needed the larger print, others wanted the blue Bible whose specific history was known. They hugged these Bibles to their chests like they were defending a football.

Yea God! Thank you for putting all these people in my life – Konoweka and Beaverdam.

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