Poor Uganda Parents Elated By News Of Land Purchase For School Facility

04 June 2011

By Patrick Butler | Resonate News

KYASENYA, Uganda - The congregation went wild at the 150-member church in Kyasenya, 60 miles from Mbarara, high up in the remote hills of the coffee-growing Lwengo district. The attending congregants at the mid-day Monday meeting — not to mention the Parental Care team members themselves — were taken by complete surprise Lwengo by a sudden answer to prayer more than eight months in the asking.

Team leader Dr. Mark Barret had been describing his efforts to the humble congregation — sitting on small wooden benches in the dirt-floor building — his yet-unsuccessful efforts to raise funds for purchasing land adjacent to the church to start a new Parental Care School. The steep hillside community is so remote, it is only accessible by a deeply rutted, rugged and rocky dirt track challenging any vehicle or driver daring to test it. Indeed, one of the two Parental Care vans became stuck in the mud during the daunting drive and had to be pulled out by the other.

Church members had been waiting nearly six hours for the arrival of “the visitors” — as foreigners are often called — greeting them with fresh enthusiasm as the Texas team was escorted into the church with songs and warm, smiling embraces.

This congregation of humble means had been praying for months to purchase land for their school. Barret has sought for supporters specifically for the Kyasenya project. The church’s past has been painful, after the former pastor absconded with the few finances the congregation had gathered.

Parental Care founder and pastor Emmanuel Nnyanzi had been asked in desperation eight months ago to help the struggling church. Nnyanzi gave $ 1,000 so the congregation could buy the land the church building sits on. A new pastor was found and the congregation became one of 45 churches Nnanyzi now oversees.

After much singing, greetings and some messages, Barret spoke slowly through an interpreter, choosing words carefully.

“We love you,” he said, as attentive people sitting on low, hand-made wooden benches clapped and leaned forward. “We have been praying for you often for your school,” because the Lord tells us that if we do not keep growing, we will die. When I see the faces of the children here I think, ‘they should be in school.’’

Vociferous applause erupted from the congregation in response.HOW TO HELP
Send payment via check to: Parental Care Ministries
P.O. Box 131166
Tyler, Texas 75713-1166.
Donations can also be made online at www.pcmonline.org/donate.php. Donated funds are distributed at the discretion of the Parental Care Ministries board of directors. If a project is overfunded, the funds will be directed toward a similar project.

“Much of our work is on our big property,” Barret said. “That’s where it has to be right now. But I am praying for one person, someone who will hear the Lord tell him to help us. I don’t know who that person is, and I don’t when they will respond to us.”

“Right now,” Rocky Gill of the Parental Care team suddenly said, sitting at the front side of the church, his back to the wall. “It’s me.”

It would be fair to describe the reaction to Gill’s interruption as surprise, shock, a second of silence as interpretation was made, then suddenly followed by pandemonium as the entire congregation erupted in shouts of joy, praise and a tidal wave of thanksgiving.

Pastor Emmy said “Ohhhhh” and rushed to Gill’s side, his arms in the air. Unable to stay in their seats, the people fairly leaped toward Gill who was sitting in the front, engulfing him in hugs, handshakes and hearty pats on the back.

The outpouring of laughter and joy was everywhere as the reality of the sudden and totally unexpected answer to prayer was provided in a split-second of time after months of requests to God. It seemed the impossible had happened, right before their eyes.

Later, Gill said, “It was amazing. I was sitting there listening to Mark talk about the school and I clearly heard God say to me to purchase the land. I wanted to wait and tell Mark later I would do this, but thought, ‘why should I wait? Do it now.' When he said, ‘I don’t know who will be the one,' I raised my hand.”

For all intents and purposes the meeting was over. There was simply nothing left to say except a closing prayer of thanksgiving to God for his blessings. The excited congregation was “dismissed” to do more hugging and animated chatting.

The Parental Care team was given a tour of the newly acquired land yards away, and some were surprised that a partly constructed brick school building was already on the property.

“We have prayed a long time for this property,” Nnyanzi said with a broad smile. “Just last week the owner called me and asked, ‘do you still want the property or should I look for another?’ Now we have it. This is wonderful.”

The team agreed, that the visit to the Kyasenya church capped off a remarkable mission to Uganda, though the question was arguable who really ministered to whom. Nothing could have been better, team members said, as a final farewell to Uganda. New friends  had blessed them continually by their warm acceptance and sincere faith.

“That’s the way it is here,” said a broadly smiling Mark Barret. “Until you come and actually experience how genuine their faith and love is here, it’s almost impossible to understand it. They have next to nothing, but they really have everything. They have taught me how to give and I consider them my church.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the last in a two-week series of Resonate News reports from Uganda, where executive editor Patrick Butler has been traveling with Parental Care Ministries.