As carriers

throw The Citizen in yards, I will be flying home from three weeks of

mission and ministry in Uganda located in East Africa. Since I write this

column on the other side of the three weeks, I want to anticipate my experiences.

First of all,

I hear that President Bush has plans to visit Africa, including Uganda,

while I am there. Although I am positive my presence will not blip on

the President's radar, I am genuinely glad he is going. Africa deserves

more attention from the super power. There's more to Africa than diamond

and gold mines and bananas.

Uganda alone

could feed all of Africa with a couple of improvements, which could be

facilitated by someone like the United States. They need to mechanize

their farming and build an infrastructure for transportation. The poor

Ugandans can't get their produce to market. If the United States could

spend $80 billion on a war in Iraq, how about spending three or four billion

lifting up a country's ability to feed the continent?

One of the

greatest assets of countries like Uganda is the people. They have many

sharp, intelligent, resourceful, and hard working folks. If there is a

way to do something, Ugandans will find a way. With meager resources,

they have some noteworthy achievements. Just look at the impressive skyline

in downtown Kampala, the capital. The world could benefit so greatly with

an empowered African citizenry. They need our help in building a first

class education system. They need the help of American citizens who would

agree to pay for the education of just one child. Ugandans don't know

what public education is. If you don't have the money, your children stay

ignorant.

I will also

report that of all the American audiences I have ever spoken before, none

are more appreciative as the Ugandan Christians. They have received me

in the past as a direct messenger of God. Funny thing: isn't that exactly

what we men and women of the cloth are supposed to be and to be received

as. They sit on the edge of their seats for the next word. They take notes

on scarce small sheets of paper. They apply what they hear.

Let me suggest

something to the many American churches that are basically dead: sell

your assets and send the money to Uganda. They will get more spiritual

bang for the bucks than we will ever imagine. I know one pastor in Kampala

who makes US $150 monthly. His church of 500 is bursting at the seams.

He and his wife have started an affordable day school for community children.

Plus, he has sent out more than 10 pastors from his church to start new

churches in the countryside. When I visited his church in 2002, he honored

me by asking me to baptize 25 recent converts mostly young adults. In

addition, he and his wife have adopted six children orphaned by AIDS parents.

Finally, I

will share with you and my church that I would like to take a plane full

of folks next time I go. Why? To change your life. To make you appreciate

what you have. To make a contribution to a needy and grateful people.

To see how most of the world lives for most of the world lives in third

world conditions. To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a fertile soil.

Never before has the fruit been so ripe for the picking in these countries

like Uganda.

Would you like

to go with me? Start saving your shillings.

John

Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

Back

to the Top of the Page