Heaven Has Gained

We just got word yesterday that one of the little boys from our Arise Africa orphanage in Uganda passed away from malaria-related issues.  His name is Emmanuel, and he happens to be the little boy that my sister Joy was sponsoring at the time.  Emmanuel has a twin brother who is suffering from TB.  It has hit the staff at Arise very hard, as you can imagine (not to mention my sister).  In just four short weeks, Tasha and I, my brother Smooth and his wife Kelly, and 9 others will be there in Uganda to share the Gospel and to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Pray for them as they are struggling right now.  And pray for Joy as well.  She became very attached to this little fella during her summer at the orphanage.

In addition to the heartbreak at the orphanage, Charles Mwbazi, a Ugandan pastor/evangelist and one of my good friends, is currently in the hospital in Kampala with heart complications.  Please pray for these dear people and all that they are going through right now.  Disease, sickness, and death is common-place in Uganda, but it never gets any easier for them to endure.