The message of grace is being received with great joy here in Uganda at both the pastors’ conference and at the national youth conference. Pastor George Nsamba’s words today to the congregation:

“I have seen many Americans come to Uganda over the last twenty years, but I have never seen anyone have the impact that Derek and Isaiah Six are having. The way they conduct themselves in ministry is bearing great fruit here. Many come and confuse us with their words and bring warring between pastors and churches, but you bring a message that is transforming us and bringing us together. Further, you not only bring the Word but are supplying clean water tanks that are blessing churches and communities all over Uganda. We are so thankful for you.

The messages Derek has shared are different than anything you ever hear in a youth conference in Uganda. Most of the time, you hear messages that tell youth what sinners they are, how useless they are, and only give them rules to obey, but Derek and his team are teaching us that if you stay close to Jesus [and His grace] then you will be transformed and be able to become all that God wants you to become.”

Obviously, I am blessed by these words, not because they commend me or my team, but because they show you the hunger for the message of the grace of God.

FATHERLESS NATION I continue to be amazed by the orphan spirit on this nation. There is a young man here named Daniel (once had a Muslim name) that has an amazing testimony. He received Christ as a teen in a Muslim family and though all was against him, he did not deny Christ. I have allowed him to accompany us to several outings, and he is already calling me “Daddy” as his Muslim father abandoned him. This is just one example of a fatherless nation who have lost their fathers because they have been disowned (because of Islam), abandoned (because of poverty), rejected, slaughtered (by Idi Amin or the LRA), or whose parents have died of AIDS or other diseases. Pray for them, that God would reveal Himself as Father and through His church would rise fathers and mothers in the faith.

KAYUNGA GIRL IS GOING TO HAVE SURGERY! Last blog, I told you about “Scovia” in rural Kayunga…a young girl who has been suffering for two years because she broke her leg and back, and her shin bone has been protruding six inches out of her lower leg. She can’t afford treatment, or even the transportation to get to the hospital 3 hours away in Kampala. We have made some progress, as we met with a doctor in Kampala, and showed him the pictures of the girl’s leg. He’s agreed to help her get on the right track. Our team has taken up an offering from our own pockets, and we’ve raised the money for the girl to travel to Kampala, and get her to this doctor. He will examine her condition and get her connected with the right surgeon. Thanks for all your prayers and emails! Some of you directed us to the very people we are now working with! Keep Scovia in prayer, that the surgery will go well.

Youth conference ends tomorrow then off to Jinja for a trip on the Nile and village ministry in churches and some villages where we’ve put water tanks…then home!!!

Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support!

– Derek Joseph Levendusky

I have been here in Uganda now for a week and it has been an intense and fruitful time! The Ugandans are so gracious to us, receiving our ministry and the provision of the water tanks with unique (for us) expressions of gratitude. Last week, we received a cow and two guavas, and today we received a chicken. We were in a bush area meeting with pastors to discuss putting in some water tanks, and they bound a rooster’s feet, and gave it to us as an offering. As I write this from the internet cafe back in Kampala, the poor thing is laying on the floor of our van outside. I think we may offer it to the youth at the youth conference we are doing tomorrow. That, or we’ll have an African friend prepare it for us at the guest house. As we have all purchased African machedes, our photographer, Ryan Morris, wants to do the honor of chopping off its head. Other highlights:

“SLUMDOGS” Our outreach to the slum orphans began with a bang. No sooner had we gotten out of the vehicle than a thief stole our first aid kit out of the van and took off running. Collins, who works with the street children and was hosting us, chased after him into the slums. When he caught him, a mob formed to kill the thief as they began beating him right in front of us. Collins talked them out it, and instead called the police, who took him away. The outreach was very moving as we shared music, spoke God’s Word to them, and fed them two meals. We were overcome with compassion and sorrow as we interacted with these poor children. Thankfully, we also got to see the orphanage inside the slums that rescues some of these children from the streets. The children clung to us as if we were their fathers and mothers.

HELP SCOVIA As we were praying for people at a rural conference in Kayunga, a mother approached us, begging for help for her daughter Scovia. She lifted up her dress and showed us her lower legs, revealing a bone sticking six inches out of her leg. All the wounds were scarred over, as the injury had happened two years ago, and the mother wasn’t able to afford any medical treatment. The sores that remain around the exiting bone are too grotesque to describe, but suffice it to say, we all fear for the little girl’s life. We were outraged that she was not able to receive any medical attention, so we told her broken-hearted mother that we would let our friends in America know about this to see if we can raise support for her treatment. We’re also looking around for solutions in Uganda. Please pray that this poor little girl can live through the agony and infections long enough to get treatment. What if she was your little girl?

EYES OPEN TO THE GOSPEL As everyone that knows me understands, my personal life mission is to “help people experience the grace of God through His Word and His presence.” Coming to Uganda, it is my passion to impart the word of grace to believers and unbelievers in this fatherless nation. Many are testifying of coming to a saving knowledge of Christ, and many believers are receiving a revelation of God’s grace. The response to the Word has been enormous! In Kayunga, they begged us to return again next year and bring the word to them again. We are just thankful that “the word is being received with gladness.”

I’m also personally blessed by the team’s growth on this trip as their eyes are being opened to God’s heart for the nations. We’re here with a team of 9. Up next is the national youth conference and then ministry in Jinja, the source of the Nile. Thanks for your love, prayers, and support! If you still wish to make a donation to support our work in Uganda, you can donate online at www.isaiahsix.com or send your gift to: Isaiah Six, P.O. Box 10A, Lima, NY 14414.

I’ll blog again soon!

Derek Joseph Levendusky

I’m writing this from Dubai in United Arab Emirates in the heart of the Islamic world. We’re resting for the night before we take off in the morning for Uganda.

When my roommate Ryan Morris and I got to our room, we read Psalm 2, which says, “Ask of Me and I will give the nations as your inheritance; the ends of the earth as your possession.” Then we prayed for the Islamic world and also for those we’ll be ministering to in Uganda. Isn’t that an amazing verse? When you ask God to bless you, he sends you to the nations to reap a harvest!

Every time I’m in foreign nations for Christ, I hear His small still voice say, “Derek, I’m glad you’re here.” Please join us in praying for “the ends of the earth for our possession.”

One of the joys I get to have on this trip is to be leading a team of 9, several of whom have never been on an airplane, let alone a short-term mission! This is such a great environment to mentor other and just watch God work in their lives as they see the suffering in the world, and watch God move through us in the nations.

Again, I thank you for your support and prayers! I’ll send an update from Uganda!

All for Jesus,

– Derek Joseph Levendusky