God is Good at Ground Zero

Five members from Rock Creek Church returned from Northern Uganda in July, each with a new appreciation for life and a fresh perspective of our world. This pastor came home with this thought: “God is good at ground zero, and Northern Uganda is a ground zero for God.”

Why is Northern Uganda a ground zero for God?

One - Answered Prayer - Never have so many prayers been answered so clearly or so thoroughly as they were this past year for Northern Uganda. It is true that now we “See in a mirror dimly,” 1 Cor. 13:12.  However, it seems that the mirror was a little clearer in Northern Uganda because we witnessed the hand of God in so many ways. Last year we had a goal to implement three phases of ministry including 64 oxen, 1,000 Bibles, and 10 bicycles.  In just one month our church rose to the occasion and raised 18K to meet these requests. This was a significant amount of money for Rock Creek Church to raise and the broad ownership of “Operation Big Ox” was encouraging.  These goals were written in my journal and to see them all so specifically and totally answered this past July was a faith strengthening experience.

Two - Things are better this year -   People in the camps were healthier, cleaner and more hopeful than they were a year ago. You could see it in there faces and in their eyes.  Dr. Matt and I were in the same camps last year and we both noticed the improvements over the past year. It is a tribute to the GRI staff that has been faithfully bringing God’s Word along with medicine to these camps over the past several months. They have become more focused, have more clearly defined their target, and are being successful in hitting that target in both the medical and ministry strategies.

Three - Pastors are stronger - Not just in numbers, but we witnessed an increase in hope from among the pastors at the conference. This year we had almost 80 pastors attend a four day conference.  Pastor Godwin said, “Last year you brought us much hope and we are grateful and better prepared because of it.”  Jackson reminded us that although we may have a church in America, that we certainly have a church family in Uganda that loves us very much.  Francis, who is the leader of the pastors, frequently encouraged us by saying our words were being effective in dismantling the false teaching that is circulating in Uganda.

We purchased oxen, plows, yokes, chains and the rest for under $500 per team and was able to purchase and deliver 13 teams while there. It took some time to purchase and then walk the oxen back into town, but after the pastor’s conference let out we decided to assign the first 13 pastors getting oxen the task of catching them with ropes. It was a sight to behold! The men were appreciative as well as anxious to get their teams back home to begin the training.

Four - Francis Nyang (pronounced Young)  - Coming in contact with Francis has been a true blessing.  I often prayed that if God would have me go to Africa that I wanted to hook our church up to another church so we could support and pray for a specific church planter.  But God had bigger plans and hooked us up with Francis, a man who functions as an apostle and has started over 40 new churches in the region.  An avid soul winner and disciple-maker, Francis has taught me more about disciple-making and how to empower and equip the saints in ways that followed a Biblical model than he could ever know!

Five - It all started with a vow - God used a small vow to make all this connection with GRI, Northern Uganda and Francis Nyang.  Several years ago while attending the Promise Keepers pastor’s conference in Phoenix, Arizona, I responded to a challenge from Bruce Wilkerson to commit to God for Africa.  I went forward and knelt down behind home plate at Bank One Ball Park.  As a catcher, I first wondered what it must be like to catch a 100 mph fastball from Randy Johnson. After that brief interruption, I knelt and said, “Okay Lord, I’ll do Africa.”  Three years later Brian McNeely from Global Refuge International shared his vision with me about medical missions in Burma.  At that time I told him I wasn’t really interested in Burma, but I did make a commitment to God to go to Africa.  Three months later Brian called with a message that they were going to Africa in the summer.  Having made a commitment, it was clear that this was God prompting me to fulfill a vow made a few years earlier. God has honored that simple vow made to Him behind home plate that day and continues to be faithful causing the vow to produce fruit for His kingdom.

This year we want to raise 20K for “Operation Big Ox.”  Five Hundred Dollars will purchase two oxen, a plow, a yoke and a chain.  We are praying for 40 Ox teams for delivery of Summer 2008.  This year for Christmas I would ask you again to pray about giving all or part of an Ox team in the name of a friend or family member.  You will receive a DVD movie that captures the delivery of Operation Big Ox 2007. This will be a good way to help the  recipient of your gift to better understand the impact this gift given in their name is making in Northern Uganda.

Make your Checks to:

Rock Creek Church
Memo: Big Ox
726 Front Street
Louisville, CO 80027

Blessings,

Galen Huck