Closing Remarks from your Pastor

Dear Eastwood Family,
Today as I write to you, our team has finished our ministry assignment, and some are enjoying a well deserved rafting trip down the Nile River. We will soon be coming home. What an unbelievable week in Kagadi, Uganda working with our church plant that Eastwood helped establish two years ago. The church there is alive and growing, and it won’t be very long before it will have its own elders and deacons. What a privilege it is for our church family, Eastwood, to be a part of New Life Presbyterian Church in Kagadi in its early development. My prayer is that God will make this into a vibrant church for His glory.
The last sermon I preached at Eastwood on a Sunday night was the great promise from Matthew 16 that God would build His Church and to think He is using our team as His means to do is a precious privilege indeed. There can be no higher calling for us at Eastwood as we seek to expand Christ’s Church into all the world.
I want to relate to you how proud I am of each member of our team. One by one they have worked and prayed diligently that God would use them and He has. To the ladies on our team I begin with Jenna McCollough. Jenna is a returnee from two years ago and as she did before, she served our team with constant words of encouragement. She never complained. She exuded so much wisdom in her quiet and godly demeanor. She seemed to always have an appropriate word for the occasion. Thanks Jenna for setting the standard high for our team. Lindsey Dennis, soft-spoken sweet Lindsey, exemplified great courage as she shared the gospel for the first time, in addition to giving her testimony when called on to do so at a moment’s notice. It was so refreshing for all of us to see the way God used her especially in the lives of children. I am “pumped” about her teaching 5th grade at Eastwood School. “Lindsey, you are a diamond.” Mary Grace Owen, our youngest lady on the team, was amazing. She never feared anything. I can see her one day being a missionary, going down the Nile River with crocodiles and hippos right beside her boat, and she is seeking to befriend them. She even caught a bat in our hut. That brave spirit has made her an awesome, bold witness for Christ. She gave her testimony in a HIV ward at the local hospital with such compassion that she and all of us were crying. Is that not her mom, Beth, made all over? What a tender heart God is working in Mary Grace! Watch out ECS. You’ll be hearing from her soon with a great challenge regarding our mission here in Uganda. Alexis Johnson was a great addition this year, and I had the great privilege of being in her hut. She helped keep our blog intact to keep you informed on what was happening here. She kept me laughing all the time with her “witty” personality. I could never “one-up” her on anything. The Lord definitely used this trip to help her into becoming a godly young woman. She was such a blessing to me personally. Stephanie Coppock, a true heart-felt, “I feel your pain” kind of lady who can cry for the Ugandan people like no one I know. At our team meetings she blessed us with her practical, loving applications that pierced our hearts. Thank you so much Steph! Alex Giuffre, what a lady! Her quiet, godly demeanor fit so well her feminine “ballerina” personality. She oozes gracefulness and kindness. Our team benefited so much from her presence. She is a true princess for Christ. Thanks Alex for modeling godly charm. And finally, my wife, Chris. What can I say? She added so much to our team that I personally could not have made it without her. The Ugandan women loved her. They thought she was “hot stuff” because she was the preacher’s wife. I agree whole heartedly. Chris’s love for everyone on the trip humbled us. This “FarmLinks Lady” didn’t mind getting in the deep “trenches” of peoples’ lives. Thanks Babe, I love you.
And now I get to tell you about my band of brothers who found out upon arrival there sleeping quarters would be quite a distance away from the rest of the team. Their conditions were less than desirable. But hey, this was a mission trip, and we heard no complaints from these brothers. They were “commando” all the way! The even had their own P.T. (pit latrine). Pit latrine…hmm. Reminds me of “Pastor Presents” from last year.
Matt Wolfe, our fearless leader, who from day one in organizing our trip, quietly served behind the scenes. Aside from being our financial administrator, and trip photographer, and an all around “go-to-guy” (he was the money man) he was invaluable to all of us. I thought I could never love a guy who wears earrings and flip-flops, but believe it or not, “I’d take a bullet for this guy.” Matt Wolfe is one of my heroes, even though he is a constant source of irritation to his pastor. Jk! J.R. Owen, no way can I say in words what this guy means to me. His quick wit and godly advice kept me laughing as well as helping me see through deeper issues that were at stake with our ministry. His leadership in helping us as a team cannot be measured. He could assess a need faster than you could blink your eye. Then before you knew it, he had met the need himself. That’s a true servant. He took on projects in feeding and assisting the poor, but more so, God gave him a passion for the work of the church here in Kagadi. J.R. is already strategizing about next year. His sweet wife Beth didn’t make the trip this year, but you would have never known it. Beth was remembered by so many, and what a mark she left. A day didn’t go by that some Ugandan didn’t ask about her. We thought about erecting a sign on a billboard that said, “Beth is not here, Get over it!” “J. R., you are a blessed man”. And then there’s J.R.’s son, Spencer, what a pillar of strength for Christ he has become. This man doesn’t know when to stop his “train.” Sharing the gospel has become a passion for him. One night after a crusade, I looked around and there he was with a group of guys surrounding him. It was obvious to me that he had pursued them to share Christ. Spencer has a tender heart that bleeds for people. I know he is excited about putting this passion and zeal that is in his heart into practice when he returns to Montgomery. His pastor is so proud of him. Matt Phillips, our gospel-machine doctor, was amazing using his tremendous gift of evangelism. At times we didn’t know where he was. You guessed it! He was beside some tree or sitting at a table sharing with someone about Christ. He befriended a guy (an atheist) from London, England staying at our facility and for hours witnessed to him over a period of several days. Our team was “blown away” with Matt’s love for Jesus and his love for people. Matt will make you cry when you watch him in action. He also assisted many with medical needs and what compassion he displayed. His son, Daniel Phillips, made up our team as well. Daniel was our youngest member, but don’t let that fool you. For an 8th grader, he has a passion for his Lord just like his dad. I really enjoyed having some time talking with him on the trip about spiritual matters. Watch out Trinity School! He is fired up for his Savior. Austin Gaines, what dynamite for Christ. His zeal and tenacity to spread God’s message was such a challenge to me. Aside from his frequent laughing attacks with Spencer and Soren, I would want this guy on my team any day. He doesn’t even know what “tired” means. He is faithful to do whatever you ask of him. He added a lot of insight to our group. I saw him at times show great compassion for the Ugandan people. That reminds me so much of his father. Auburn University is going to be blessed in having Austin this fall. And last of all, Soren Geiger. Soren has the “golden tongue” on the team. Just like his mom and dad, he can communicate his love for Christ so effectively. This guy is “all go”. Kids were always holding onto him, and he never missed an opportunity to extend Christ’s love to them. This young man is “one godly dude”. Why is he moving to Michigan? Come on, John & Dawn, what’s the deal??? You mention Soren’s name and our team thinks of “blameless character”. May the Lord use this young man greatly. A side note here – Soren won the push-up contest among all the guys. These feats took place around midnight every night in the men’s hut. Congratulations Soren!
This was the group that you, precious flock of Eastwood, sent to Uganda. I have been honored to serve with them. We laughed, cried, saw the best and worst of each other, but God, by His grace, used us. I am, along with them, forever committed to expanding Christ’s kingdom in this country of Uganda. As your pastor, my convictions have deepened to pray for and work toward Christ building His church here.
Our team ended our discussion last night with asking God to deliver us from all the “clutter” surrounding our lives, clutter that impedes us in being “sold out” for Christ. We are all making some definite applications in the way we will live back in Montgomery. By God’s grace and His enabling, we will do so. Pray for our team that Christ’s love for His church will consume us in coming back to our city.
To quote John Piper: “I plead with you, as I pray for myself, set your face like flint to join Jesus on the Calvary Road. “Let us go to Him outside the camp and bear the reproach He endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Heb. 13:13-14). When they see our sacrificial love – radiant with joy – will they not say, “Christ is great?”

To God be the glory. Your humble servants,
Pastor A and the team