My Trip to The UBF NE African Summer Bible Conference in

Kampala UgandaAnd the spiritual lessons I learned.

By: Kevin Jesmer

8-1 to 8-9-12

Uganda

Some basic facts…

• Population: 32,370,000• Language: English, Luganda, Swahili• Predominant Religions: Christian, Islam,

Traditional• It is an “Outpost of hope in East Africa”• Progress towards peace and improve tourist

facilities• Green rolling hills, lush rain forests• Snowcapped mountains, majestic rivers and

massive lakes and even volcanoes

Other facts…

• 1,000 species of birds• Savannahs with herds of elephants • Highest concentration of primates• They value families and clans• They value prosperity, spirituality, education• Greet by tapping back of wrists together. This

means, “Peace”• Weather is always in the 70’s and 80’s all year• People are friendly, curious and happy to talk

There are some concerns however…

• 1 million Ugandans are HIV positive

There is lots of potential for economic growth but…

• There is corruption

• There is a need for land reform

• The public, free healthcare system in in shambles.

• The educated want to leave the country

The Contents Of This Presentation

• Part 1: The Journey To Africa• Part 2: The Bible Conference• Part 3: My Post Conference Experience• - The Bethesda Clinic• - My visit to Mulago Hospital• - Makerere University• - 37 people went on safari• Part 4: Opportunities for mission • - The Healing mission• Part 5: Prayer topics-including hardships of missionaries

I needed to go.

• Matthew 28:18-20• “And Jesus came and said to them, “All

authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (ESV)

Other Reasons Why I Needed to Go…

• It has been five years since I went outside of the USA on a Christian related mission

• I was concentrating on surviving and paying the bills etc. This is important, but it never ends.

• My wife had gone on several international journeys. Now it was my time.

• In my heart I knew I needed to go. God’s will.• I needed to vision to be a missionary (if not long

term then short term)

There were many fears in my heart

• I was fearful of the cost. (about $2300)

• I was fearful about being a victim of violent crime and being kidnapped for ransom.

• I was fearful about getting diseases.

• I was fearful about Islamic extremists.

• I was fearful of enduring the discomfort of travel.

• This is called….

A type of Xenophobia

• Definition:

• : fear of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign

God wanted me to really overcome.

• There was an Ebola outbreak and three people had died of it, right where I was going!

“I can’t go there…I will die!”

But I Was Reminded, “Have Faith In God!”

• Mark 11:22-23,

• “22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him”

Have Faith in God meant to me…

• God will protect me• God wants to reveal to me his wonderful

work and his glory• I will grow in faith• It will be an adventure of a lifetime.• The journey will “jump start” me spiritually• I will be source of blessing to Ugandans• I will overcome XENOPHOBIA

So...Why Not Go By Faith?!

The Journey to Amsterdam

Airport Meditation Room-a must see-

Why I was so impressed about this ministry.

• It was quiet place in a busy airport• I got to help a senior Iraqi woman and pray

for her• I could be a Christian witness among

praying Muslims and yoga practitioners.• I could pray with two Dutch volunteers.• They offered me coffee, cookies, any type

of support I needed and even money• In any airport…find the chapel & pray!

Things I learned in Amsterdam

• 95% of the people boarding the plane to Africa were Caucasian.

• I believe that most were missionaries. • There is a huge European presence in

these African nations. (from colonial days)• There is a huge need for the gospel and

therefore a huge number of Gospel workers from the west.

• Watch out for pick pockets.

Stranded in Kigali, Rwanda for 18 hrs.

More fears flooded my heart. More xenophobia. These were my

thoughts..

But God proved all my fears groundless…

Off to Entebbe Uganda, courtesy of KLM & RwandAir.

More Fears….

But God quickly showed me how foolish my fears were through the

goodness of the people…

Don’t live by fear…live by faith!

• Mark 11:22,

• “And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.” 

Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”