Prolapsed Disc (Slipped disc)

Some of you have been asking how Simon is doing.  He is still not doing well and has been diagnosed with an acute prolapsed disc so he won't be flying for a while.  MAF has taken him off the flying schedule for three weeks but, if a miracle happens (always possible), then he can resume his flight duties again before then.

I have to say it has been a bit of a rough week.  Simon was in a lot of pain on Tuesday so much so that even the doctor, who is a man of very few words, said he is suffering alot.  He suggested an injection of morphine to help him manage the pain.  It did help and he has been able to move around a bit more.  Since then he has been attending the clinic for massage and manipulation each day.  Please pray with us that he would find relief soon and also that he would be able to sleep better at night.  The lack of sleep is catching up :)

Thanks for those of you have been praying.  We know God allows these things to happen for a reason so we are trusting Him for the days ahead.  With that in mind let me leave you with some verses that have been very helpful in recent days from Romans.

Romans 8:28-37

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁰ And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”^[b]

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[c] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Stuck in Bundibugyo

Two weeks ago Simon flew to Bundibugyo.  This town is located to the West of Uganda on the border with Congo on the other side of the Rwenzori mountains.  It was supposed to be a quick flight and a short day for Simon.  However what you plan and what happens in actuality is sometimes very different.

There had been a lot of rain in that part of Uganda in recent days and had rained the whole night before Simon arrived.  This meant the airstrip was very wet.  The following photos will show what happened better than I could explain :)

One stuck plane!

Sweeping the loose grass aside which added to the problem

Thankfully there is always somebody around to help you out a tight spot

Thankfully more help came....

The 4WD vehicle did the trick and Simon was able to get the plane out the mud and loose grass

Malaria and back problems

If you have been wondering why it has been a bit quiet with the Wunderli's it has been because we have been battling on the health front.

Just over a week ago I had the symptoms of a bad flu which turned out to be malaria.  Due to us being out of Kampala for one night it seems likely that is probably where I picked it up.  Thankfully I am on the right side of it now and there is no more of it in my system.  Praise the Lord!  Not something I want to repeat although I still think I had milder symptoms that Simon did when he had it :).  I have to say I am grateful that is was me that got it and not Joshua or Zara.  Don't wish it on anyone.

Last week Simon was loading a plane for his trip to Congo and hurt his back in the process.  It is most likely a trapped nerve or slipped disk.  He went for treatment for it three times last week and will go again this coming week for another three treatments.  Fortunately or unfortunately, whatever way you want to look at it, he is off on holiday this coming week so it doesn't interfere with MAF's flight schedule.  However, our health issues did interfere with a prospectus holiday out of town for a couple of nights.  We will play catch up at some point :)

If you think of Simon please pray for healing.  Pray also that the doctor would have wisdom in the treatment that he gives and that Simon would find relief from it soon.

"Hurtling along on the edge of chaos"

The title to this post came from a sermon that was preached at our Church.  You can listen to the sermon series on their web page which you can access on our side bar under Freedom Church.  The sermon series is entitled "The Great Locomotive".  Sometimes our lives are like that here in Uganda where we feel like we are on a fast moving train.  This is not necessarily a bad thing and we are enjoying what God is doing in us and through us.  However, it might be the reason you haven't had a blog post in a while :)

I started a new season in Bible study in September.  It has been amazing how God has led in these studies and the things that are coming out of them.  With the two National Ugandan groups we are going through the book of Exodus, chapter by chapter, verse by verse.  We are learning a lot from the life of Moses and all that he had to deal with in his life from growing up in the courts of Pharaoh to tending sheep owned by his father-in-law, Jethro to then being the leader of the Israelites.  God has incredible plans for our lives if we give Him the freedom to reign.

In the International group I have ladies from all over the globe with different backgrounds and stories to tell.  We are currently going through "Lord, teach me to study the Bible in 28 days" by Kay Arthur.  This enables us as ladies to have the tools to study the Bible at a deeper level and to glean the nuggets of gold that are for everyone to find if we take the time to dig.  During this study we will dig deep into Jonah and the book of Jude.

A good friend of mine here in the MAF Uganda programme, Marieke Verboom, has joined me on this fast train ride in teaching the Bible.  She has a passion for God's Word and to see ladies thrive in that.  Before the summer I asked her if she would be willing to take on one of the groups and lead it. At the end of the summer, after some prayer, she decided to take on the MAF office ladies group.  Yesterday was her second time to teach on her own and she did a great job.  We are a good team and she also facilitates one of the groups in the International Bible study (yes its growing and needs to be split into two groups :))

I had a "dream" for these Bible studies at the beginning of September but only the bare bones.  This past week I added some meat to them as the Lord led.  I share these with you below.

•  I want to develop these Bible Studies further – stretching people further than they have gone before
• I want to develop them deeper – no surface studies but digging deep
• I want to increase our numbers – because of this people are encouraged and it widens our learning because of hearing other people’s experiences.
• I want more accountability within the group – praying for each other at a deeper level….sharing the good times and the bad times…..relationships that are deep enough that there is always someone you can be open and honest with whatever it might be and be corrective when necessary.
• I want people coming with an expectant heart of what God is going to say to them, - Is this happening?  Do you hear God’s voice?
• I want lives that are going to be changed because of proactivity, - When God speaks what do you to do with it? Are you living in obedience or are you shying away from God and His leading?
• I want peoples’ faith increased – Do you trust God more because you have an increased knowledge of Him?  Do you have a passion to see your faith increased?  Are you being proactive about it? 
• I want peoples’ dreams realized in their own lives. – What is your dream?  Have you realized it?  Are you living it?  Write it down and work with all your heart to achieve it even when there is obvious opposition.

If you think of it please pray for these Bible studies that, not only, will we have head knowledge but that it will become heart knowledge and it makes a difference in our lives.