Sometimes travel is not a straight line! More on that later.

In today’s post, I want to emphasize the importance of partnerships in ministry, especially in overseas endeavors.

The picture accompanying this post highlights some of these partnerships. The top row consists of three brothers from Alabama. Yancy Carpenter is the president of Four Corners ministry and is the chief funding and support agency for all that takes place at Abaana’s Hope, the 100-acre ministry site in northern Uganda. The man in the middle is Bernard Anderson, pastor of Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Auburn, AL. The third in the top row is Jimmy (whose last name I am spacing out right now) who is the founder of the ministry. What they have developed over the years is really remarkable.

There is now a church, Cornerstone Community Church, an elementary school, a farm that is employing methods yielding 6 times the yield than the norm in Uganda. Then there is the PTC – the Pastoral Training Center that we have been assisting the last six years.

We had a lot of good-natured ribbing between the Yankees from up north and our brothers from the south. When Bernard got a little agitated during a conversation, I was able to follow up with a two-hour discussion, which was good for both of us. I felt I understood a bit more life for a child in the south in the 50’s and 60’s. He would see the doctor in a waiting room with metal folding chairs and cement floors. His white neighbors had padded chairs, carpeting and TV. It’s so hard to believe this took place in my lifetime.

Yancy and Jimmy have been instrumental in creating the infrastructure that allowed the PTC to flourish. We had 68 graduates on Saturday, and they helped raise funds that created classrooms, dormitories, library and a new kitchen. We then used these spaces to help train the church leaders.

By the way, the front row in the picture is Mike Evans, yours truly, and Stu Dix. The three of us have probably been on 12-15 of these trips together. We were good friends before and that has only deepened over these trips to Uganda. We figured between the three of us, there were probably 65 trips between us.

Here are some other leaders…

David Hagins is another southerner (by the way, they are all rabid Auburn fans) and a full-time missionary with his wife Jessica and five kids. He makes sure all the day to day things take place such as having a driver pick us up and drop us off at the airport six hours away, western meals cooked every night (we use leftovers from lunch the next day), run into town to make sure we don’t run out of supplies (especially Coke Zero), and a myriad more. We simply show up, study and teach.

Benson, Sunday, and Vincent, three African men who have increasingly taken on more responsibility each year and will be running the PTC now because this movement is NOW and African lead one. Benson is so gifted that he could come to the States and do great. What I mean is not that he is good enough to teach Americans, but that he is gifted enough that he could teach and field questions at a place like FCC effectively.

Other leaders who have taught over the six years: Ben Reedy, Dan Fosterling, my son, and Tim Prince from FCC. Peter Bergeson from FCC New Richmond. Rob Kazmarek from the Bridge Bible Church, Somerset, and Ron Weller from The River in River Falls.

John Blum took a trip with me before we made the commitment to help me map out a process to ensure that an abiding network of African led churches took hold (as much as man can do so). His help created the grid that we followed over the last six years.

The partnerships continue…

Training Leaders International (TLI) provided a cross cultural, tested curriculum that served our African leaders well. Going into each course with a quality curriculum was really helpful. The last unit was on the book of Revelation, and frankly, I avoided teaching this three years ago. I couldn’t hide this time through, but I found the materials helpful to get through the task, but it has helped me in my understanding and approach toward the end of all things. This book wraps up how TLI states all that the Scripture seeks to communicate…

For His glory,

God is reconciling

The world unto Himself

Under King Jesus

The last two chapters of Revelation give us great insight into what this reconciled world will be like. I’m looking forward to it.

Briefly, our travel home has been a bit…you can fill in the words.

We got to the Entebbe airport early, only to be told that our first leg to Brussels would be delayed two hours and would cause us to miss connecting flights. Mike was to be going from Entebbe to Brussels, Brussels to Zurich Switzerland, and Zurich to Naples, Italy where his wife would join him for their 5oth anniversary.

Stu was scheduled to Brussels, Brussels to MSP, MSP to Kalispel, MT, where he would meet up with his wife and drive from their summer home in Glacier National Park, where they worked this summer.

For some reason I was scheduled to Brussels, Brussels to Newark to MSP.

We waited in line (a warm line, the A/C couldn’t keep up) for an hour plus as they came up with alternatives. In the end, Mike and Stu were routed the exact same way, but I got the good news that I would go Brussels to Chicago (stopping in the C concourse to get a Chicago Dog) to MSP.

Our 11:25 flight from Entebbe was supposed to leave late at 12:30, but didn’t get off the ground till 2:00 am making all our plans irrelevant. Our routes became…

• Mike: Brussells to Munich, Munich to
• Stu: Brussels to London to Seattle, Seattle to MSP, MSP to Kalispel. He had (has actually-he and I are still in the air) to fly past his destination twice before landing!
• Larry: Brussels to Newark, Newark to Cleveland, Cleveland to MSP. My time from arriving at the Entebbe airport to the arrival at MSP is/was about 32 hours…quite a grand for my last trip.

We flew United…I miss the earlier trips of Delta. MSP to Amsterdam to Entebbe. One this we came to appreciate is United’s app is quite helpful. We didn’t feel the extra cost was worth it on the front side. I think the savings aren’t so compelling right now.

I am tired. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. I has been so very worth it. I have mixed feelings about leaving Hudson at 12:15 on Thursday for a ten day trip to Poland with my siblings.

I anticipate one final post before shutting down this phase.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

Heading Home!

Today we said goodbye to our on-again, off-again home in Abaana’s Hope, north of Gulu. We drove away from the compound for the last time over a six-year stretch.

Mike, Stu, and I waited in an airport terminal about the size of the Refuge Room, which is shown on the picture that accompanies this post.  We waited for a Missionary Aviation Fellowship plane to arrive and fly and take us to a gravel runway in Kajansi, about ½ hour away from the Entebbe airport. The plane arrived, and we joined two passengers who had already been picked up at previous stops in the 12-passenger plane for the 75 minute flight.

Our pilot was named Andrew, and after navigating our way to our seats, he gave us the safety briefing and made sure we each had a bottle of water. We lifted off and said goodbye to this little patch of earth we had grown so fond of (I know I’m not supposed to end a sentence with a preposition, but I’m tired).

The ride was uneventful as we flew over the lush countryside (It’s rainy season). We looked over the Nile for the last time before things were more populated and modern, and I could see the runway ahead. We landed quickly and quietly and taxied to a stop where we climbed out, got our luggage and jumped in a van for a ride to a hotel to ride out the six hours before heading to the Entebbe airport.

We stayed at the Protea hotel, on the shore of Lake Victoria where we could see the planes taking off from the airport. We had dinner with Kris Mobbs, the man who was our main connection and friend for the last six years and reminisced over all had taken place. He currently lives in Kampala, the capital city and is moving toward other ministry opportunities in the country. We said goodbye to our friend, and it was just the three of us.

On the FCC website, it says this is trip number fifteen. I have actually been blogging for fifteen of the twenty trips to Uganda – what I assume is my last trip here. Unless God changes some plans. I will miss the country, the lovely people, the friendships, and the ministry that we have grown to love in Gulu. It is easy, however, because the Africans are more than capable of continuing the work of teaching other leaders to understand and communicate the Bible without our assistance. They are quite capable and eager to go. These trips are draining, so it’s good that my 67 year old body is done with these.

We are four hours from take-off, and the 24 hour trip will start with a trip to Brussels, where Mike Stu and I will say goodbye to each other. Mike will head to Italy where and his wife Jill will spend some time in Italy celebrating 50 years of marriage. Stu will head back to Glacier National Park in Montana, where he will rest for a day, before he and his will Cheryl will begin their drive back to Baldwin. I will be heading through Newark (a first for me) before, God willing where I will land at MSP around 4 pm and head home. 48 hours later, I will be taking off from MSP where I will be joining five of my six siblings for a ten-day trip to the home of our forefathers, Poland. What a ride!

This is not my last post, but it’s all I got today.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

GRADUATION!

Today (Saturday) is graduation. For three years sixty-eight trainees took two weeks, three times a year, plus meetings in between. Today is a day to celebrate. The people in the picture that accompanies this post are “my guys,” – the group I worked with. The man on the far right is Vincent, who will be filling my shoes in the future. He is more than able.

We sang, led by a choir from our cohort. We heard a welcome from Jimmy, the founder of Four Corners (the ministry that oversees all that goes on here), and Yancy, the current president of Four Corners and Pastor Bernard Anderson, from Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Auburn, AL. We share the guest house with these three Alabama brothers and learned some important uses of the English language. Naked is a person in a shower, and “nekked” is to be in public in a state of nudity. A truly cultural experience.

There were awards for the best servant and student excellence. One of my guys had the best academic scores over the three years. When the certificates were handed out, there was a lot of applause and joy from the friends and family members who made it to the event, and the graduates for one another. They also received a folder with their course work over the three years and nine different books to help them with their library. These books were from Crossway publishing and were donated – a substantial gift to the church in Africa.

Mike, Stu, and I said a few words, and I led a prayer as we commissioned the Lead Trainers who will take over our positions in full when they start to convene with the next cohort in 2026. We were presented with signed pictures and a book.

We finished in song and went out to the lawn for pictures. From there, lunch was served: rice, Irish potatoes, cabbage, chicken, and beef (with intestines in it!). They don’t eat meat here that often. I remember in the past when I’ve asked about Christmas in Uganda and what they like best, the answer is often “we eat meat.” So, this was quite a spread.

I am now back in the guest house, and we were invited to watch the first 45 minutes of the Badgers game that starts at 7 PM (11 AM Hudson time). After that, the TV will be all about Auburn. Our Alabama friends are all about Auburn.

By the way I was up at 3:45 this morning and was able to catch the Hudson Raiders 24-21 win over New Richmond. FCC’r Ben Englund had two interceptions, the last one sealing the win.

We don’t have much to do till Monday when we finally make our way back home. But I have plenty more to share.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

The picture that accompanies this post is called, “The Gate of No Return.” I’ll get back to that shortly.

Mike, Stu and I had another day trip today. Classes are all over. Students are taking their finals and tomorrow is graduation.  We made our way to Fort Patiko. Here is the story related to this infamous place, as told to us by our guide, Ronald.

From 1850-1853 this location served as a market between local Acholi people and Arabic-Sudanese. Due to language barriers, their goods we simply laid out and silently bartered. The Acholi had coveted ivory tusks, and the others brought earrings, bracelets, textiles and other prestige goods. As the ivory supply dwindled, the Acholi lost their bartering capacities.

At the end of the three years, those who entered the gate that was formerly a market, now entered a place that transitioned from a trading post of goods to humans. For three years, people walked in and out of this market door with no problems. After the ivory was gone a hideous change took place and the gate that lead to a trading post became the Gate of no Return.

Once you walked inside the gate, the area that used to be the market (about the same area of a football field) was passed through and they were put into jail. These jails were basically clefts in a rock formation that was guarded by the only way out.

Eventually they were taken out of jail and evaluated. The healthy went in one direction where they were held until they began a 74-kilometer walk, to Nimule, Sudan’s border town. They would then continue their transport further into Khartoum, Sudan, it’s capital city.

Those who weren’t healthy, or ugly (these are the words of our guide), physically handicapped, old, or for some other reason did not get chosen for Sudan were beheaded. Ronald pointed out marks on the rock formations we stood on from the machetes after they went through the neck. They would then roll the bodies and heads off the edge of the rocks where hyenas would come at night and eat them. So hard to fathom!!!

Sir Samuel Baker, a British leader visited Khartoum in 1862 and saw slavery was the industry that kept the city bustling. Later in the decade Baker was commissioned to lead a military expedition with one of the goals being to eradicate the slave trade that was taking place. He took 1700 Egyptian troops with him and took over the area, stopped slave trading in that area and Fort Patiko was renamed Baker’s Fort. Our tour was over.

It is hard to be confronted with the ugliness with which we treat each other. When human beings become commodities-something significant, something sacred is lost. We dehumanize others in smaller ways with regularity.

Recognizing all people of all sizes and shapes, rich and poor, progressives and conservatives, those who think like us and those who don’t, are image bearers who are to be afforded the dignity of those who have been “made a little lower than the angels.”

Some of the very men who graduate tomorrow have relatives who have been mistreated by others in hideous ways (see blog #6). God can do abundantly more than what we could ask or think.

Tomorrow is graduation day!

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

Today, Mike, Stu, and I took a ½ day for some local sightseeing. In the past we tended to get here, teach and get home. The exception was with a first timer we would take an extra day for a safari. This trip we have four days in between our last class and Saturday’s graduation. So we went out.

First of all, we went to Aruu Falls, about 45 minutes from our home base. As you can see in the picture, it is a beautiful location. We paid a guide $18.85 to walk with us to make sure we could maximize our experience and not kill ourselves in the process! Funny thing, he had a life vest on, and we did not…

What we did have was a walking stick to help us on our walk down and back the somewhat steep, rocky and wet path. I only fell once, on my butt, so I was with significant protection. The guide did a nice job of being ready to intervene on our shaky moments. He was so skinny if something did occur he might have been collateral damage.

We made three stops to take pictures on the way down. The place is really breathtaking. You drive up to a park on a dirt road with houses that exhibit significant poverty. Then you go in this park and are assaulted with the beauty, power and majesty of these falls. It’s quite a contrast. We took pictures, posed for others and took it all in. It is something seeing the mist from the falls make its way to the trees and vines, creating a lush environment.

We never got the best pictures we could have because that required a level of agility these three 65+ years old weren’t willing to take (although our only 70+ year old, Mike wouldn’t have needed much encouragement – we didn’t give it). The path involved stepping on two underwater rocks with the water over them moving at a good clip, then walking with wet tennis shoes the rest of the way. A younger group was about 75 yards away taking glory pictures, while we told ourselves we were being wise. The tour guides walked back and forth on the rocks quicker than I had walked on the path to the falls.

I was also surprised by the impact on my legs because of the walked down. My thighs felt rubbery, which really surprised me. I average 10,000 steps a day which usually includes about a one-hour walk (6,000 steps) at a pretty good clip.  I play pickle ball and basketball, but apparently, I don’t do enough hills to prevent rubber legs. The walking stick was really helpful.

The trip up was harder work, but safer. We stopped twice on the way up for another view (of course it had nothing to do with the need to rest!) and took to the second part of our trip.

There is a hill that is only ten minutes from where we live and Abaana’s Hope ministry base. It is called Atoo Hill and is has a very nasty reputation. For those of you who don’t know the name Joseph Kony, he led atrocities throughout Uganda, but his most evil work was in the area where we live, among the Acholi people. Our whole Ugandan adventure has its roots in these atrocities and the calling one couple (Carl and Julie Gaede from FCC New Richmond) had to provide healing for Acholi in Jesus name. Helping those who came to Christ through them is way we came to help develop leaders for churches that existed and needed to be planted.

Kony is long gone from here, but still at large. Four Corner’s Ministry, who is hosting us has put together a video about Atoo Hill and some ministry they have done with the soldiers who were left behind. The hill is now a military base. We tried to go up the hill but were stopped at the gate by two soldiers. We could have driven around the gate, and the gate looks like it would have snapped if this overweight American sat on it. The soldiers had casual uniforms, no weapons with Crocs on their feet. A five-minute video about Atoo Hill and follow up ministry from here can be seen through the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KPaxG-Acz8

The third and final stop was Altima church, which is only about five minutes from here. A student from our last cohort, Denis (that’s how the spell it here) pastors here. He was in my learning group. He lived five minutes away and when we arrived at the church – they sent for him. He was working in his garden with his children who started school on Monday.

I heard his voice “Ah, Pastor Larry,” and I rose and called out Second Denis, which is what I called him because there was another Denis in our learning group. We hugged, heard more about his church and the school and the child development center that made up the ministry there.

We asked about the impact of the training he had that ended three years ago. It was good to hear him report that his sermon prep and delivery are much improved. He also said he apologized to his people for previous teaching. He said he may be coming to Saturday’s graduation to see the next crop of leaders.

When we told him this was our last trip, he expressed disappointment that things may not move forward. We were pleased to tell him that we have every confidence that tried African leadership is in place who can move things ahead.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

“It is done” from Revelation 21:6 declared trainee Beba Stephen (his picture accompanies this post). This is the very last presentation I would hear from this cohort that started three years ago. Each person in my learning group was to give a ten-minute presentation from a text in Revelation, and this gifted musician and pastor was the last, and it is done. I finished the third cohort of training, my 20^th trip to Uganda and I anticipate it being the last one to the Pearl of Africa.

It has been a joy to watch some of the transformation that has taken place in this third journey. Beba is one example of a pastor who has grown in both their understanding and communicating of the Scripture. One of the joys of the approach we took is that “my” learning group of 10 (I started with 13 three years ago) became friends over this process and I have been able to observe their development. We also grew in respect and the ability to tease each other a bit.

There is a sense in which this trip was not necessary. Our vision was to see the establishment of

An abiding network

Of Gospel centered

Bible saturated

African lead churches

I believe this has/is taking place. While Mike, Stu and I were leading one cohort of 31 pastors, Benson, Sunday, and Aggrey (all local leaders) lead another, larger cohort. African leadership is excellent (I was going to write “sound”, but it is much more than that) and already functioning. We have apprentices who shared the teaching load with us and could have carried to the load without us. We came because we were committed, and we wanted to be here for the graduation that takes place in four days.

When the next cohort starts (plans are already in place), there will be more African leaders that will assume the roles we had, and things will continue and grow without us. Two cohorts will continue to operate, allowing a good number of trainees to continually be equipped and allow small class size to maximize skill development. This process has been most rewarding and fulfilling.

My apprentice Vincent is more than ready. He and I split the teaching duties 50-50. After every session he taught, I gave him brief feedback. 90% of what I told him was positive, from teaching techniques to the way he served the trainees. In my final feedback session, I told him he was more than ready, that future trainees would be better served by him than if I kept coming back and my only concern about his teaching—occasionally he speaks too softly.

My honest evaluation of my 10 guys is that six guys did quite well, two did ok, and two either didn’t get it, or could communicate it effectively back to me in English (which may be their third, fourth or fifth language!).

Beba said it correctly “it is done!” He was talking about the revelation that one day all believers will one day see the completed work of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world in a new heavens and a new earth. But his presentation also that my work in Uganda is over.

I’m not done blogging on this trip, however. I will tell you more of what is going on here between now and my arrival (God willing) at MSP and Hudson on September 16^th.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate

My sleeplessness on Friday night/Saturday morning gave me a little gift. I watched Hudson High football live against Menomonie. I attend every Raider game I can, and it’s good to know the two Fridays (Saturday in Uganda) I’m here I can watch the team. FCC’r Ben Englund (we baptized him in the last couple of years) has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery–fun! I got a little airtime as I texted the broadcasters during the game with greetings from Gulu, Uganda.

This isn’t a normal weekend. Saturday was spent in the classroom as we continued marching through tools to arrive at a sounder understanding of the book of Revelation. We are spending a fair amount of time looking at the nature of the symbols that make up the writing, understanding how they anchor to one another and the larger story of Scripture. We are not plowing through the book verse by verse (although we will read the entire book together) but giving them tools to use not only for Revelation but any apocalyptic literature in the Bible. I admitted to our trainees that I have been intimidated by this book and avoided it. It appears that I am not alone in my hesitance.

There are a number of reasons. One is that so many wacky things have been said and done in the history of the church, and I don’t want to add to the confusion. I’m not a big fan of being wrong either. I also don’t do well with ambiguity. I like clarity with more than a hunch regarding what is next. It’s easier to take care of your lawn than to take your marriage to the next level. It’s not simply that there are figures of speech (symbols, word pictures) that are a bit confusing (and crazy!). There is a lack of clarity that is to lead to trust rather than mechanistic certainty. We are part of a grand narrative, and we are not the Author. The question is “Is the Author trustworthy?” The Bible is not a how-to manual for making life work, it is a pointer into what it means to live in right relationship with God, one another, and the world He created and sustains. I want a list–He wants a relationship. I want a next step. He wants me.

Revelation was written by a man in exile because of his faith to a small network of churches undergoing difficulty. John (the author) offers this book to help the church endure its hardship in hope. I sense the trainees gravitate to this writing more naturally than I do because suffering is a more regular part of their lives than mine. For the most part, life works for me. My African brothers struggle more regularly and profoundly. They find the themes in the book encouraging and life giving. Some of them have a relationship with God which is profoundly real in their more challenging setting. Their lives reflect God’s sufficiency in a way that is compelling. I want more of that…but I also want a life of ease. God, I believe, help my unbelief.

Sunday morning, I took a nice walk before attending worship, catching a nap and going out for dinner with the missionaries hear and a few leaders from Alabama we are sharing our quarters with. I thought I had the sleep thing figured out, but it’s now 3:30 am on Monday and I am studying and writing here instead of the sleep that seems elusive. We are teaching that things are the way they are because of the sovereign decree of God. If that’s the case, it applies to my sleep patterns as well. God is up to something in all this that is good.

The picture that accompanies this post is from Saturday’s class on chapters 12-16.

Larry Szyman

Pastoral Associate