From our friend and global partner in the gospel
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Joshua Dickenson

Dear Friends and Family,

I have another urgent prayer request to pass along. I am stuck in Kampala registering my truck with the department of motor vehicles and I am urgently needed back in Bundibugyo. The short story is that the registration of my truck has fallen directly on the changeover from an old to a new registration system for Uganda. The original processing time was supposed to be 5-10 working days, which would have had the registration completed in June, before the changeover. However, the registration was delayed due to a misplaced e-mail from one of the agencies, causing the entire process to be complete, except the printing of the vehicle registration logbook. Since the logbook was not printed before the July 1 switchover, my vehicle had to be re-registered in the new system. However, the agency handling the new registration process has not processed any new logbooks yet due to problems with the new system. It has been over 15 working days since the process began and I have spent a lot of time waiting in Kampala. And there is currently no timeline that I know of for the process to finish.

This weekend a new urgency has arisen in Bundibugyo for me to return. There has been civil unrest between two people groups in my district that has turned into public demonstrations, the burning of motorcycles, and the intentional sabotage of the main public water system that I work with (that serves Nyahuka, Picfare, and Butoogo regions). The demonstrations have cooled, but the water system remains non-functional (the damage was done at the source on the biggest and most expensive parts of the system). Note this system in total supplies a population of over 30,000 (estimated). I have great concern that if the system remains non-functional that there will be an outbreak of waterborne illness (a few cases of Cholera have already been suspected in the district). Supplies for the repairs of this section must be obtained in the capital, where I currently am, but I must be able to transport them and myself back to the district.

Please pray urgently that:

-The registration of my vehicle would be expedited and finished ASAP so that I can return to Bundibugyo

-The situation would continue to remain calm in Bundibugyo and that essential infrastructure would not be damaged

-For the safety of me and my teammates who a ministering in Bundibugyo (we don’t currently have reason to believe that we are in any danger)

-That temporary measures would be able to be put in place by local technicians until I can return with for a permanent repair.

Thank you all for your prayers. I’m behind on responding to all of my e-mails, so I appreciate your patience if I haven’t gotten back to you yet.

In Christ, who is able to get vehicles registered and calm the hearts of men-

Joshua Dickenson, Ph.D.

Water Resources, Development, and Quality Consultant

World Harvest Mission

Bundibugyo, Uganda

As we have seen the Arab Spring turn into a scorching summer throughout many countries in the middle east, we are also beginning to hear more and more about the difficulties faced by minority Christian populations in those regions. Even where somewhat democratic regimes have offered promising hopes for religious freedom (as in Indonesia), the pace of persecution is stepping up around the world. A recent article by the Gatestone Institute provides an up-to-date summary:

Muslim Persecution of Christians: May 2012

Unlike those nations, such as Saudi Arabia, that have eliminated Christianity altogether, Muslim countries with significant Christian minorities saw much persecution during the month of May: in Egypt, Christians were openly discriminated against in law courts, even as some accused the nation’s new president of declaring that he will “achieve the Islamic conquest of Egypt for the second time, and make all Christians convert to Islam;” in Indonesia, Muslims threw bags of urine on Christians during worship; in Kashmir and Zanzibar, churches were set on fire; and in Mali, Christianity “faces being eradicated.”

Elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa—in Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, the Ivory Coast—wherever Islam and Christianity meet, Christians are being killed, slaughtered, beheaded and even crucified.

To read the rest of this article click here: Muslim Persecution of Christians: May 2012.

To read more about Christianity and Islam, check out the July / August 2012 issue of Modern Reformation “The Cross and the Crescent

Samuel Payne Emmons arrived at 11:19am. 5lbs 6oz, bigger than expected. He and CJ are doing great! We are so happy and blessed.
–from proud daddy, Tyler