BRIDGE THE GAP MINISTRIES. ..TIM & JILL WAY

Dear family and friends,

Not too many months ago I stood in a small but deep valley, gazing up at steep slopes covered with banana trees, millet, and other African vegetation. I was with a small group of men and women of God, discussing the Lord's work in this remote region. They told me of the great need for church leaders to be equipped for ministry. We celebrated Israel, one of their number who had completed studies with is in Masaka after two years of sacrifice and hard work. This determined young pastor had convinced us to come to his home area and meet with other ministers about the possibility of bringing the school of ministry there. It was a great privilege for me to meet these servants of God serving Him under difficult circumstances, but in great love and perseverance. I learned that of the numerous similar valleys in this region to the one in which I stood, many do not have life-giving churches. The people living in such places have to walk miles over steep and high hills just to meet together with other believers and hear God's Word. There is no consistent witness to the love of Jesus for the people who live there; few if any alternatives to the witchdoctors when problems arise. These are clearly lands in which the devil has held sway for a long, long time. Many people are bound and living in spiritual darkness and despair. Our prayer is that through the school of ministry, the Lord will raise up and equip people to take God's message of love and grace to these tough people of the mountains. My heart is absolutely filled with the desire to bring God's love to people who are "without hope and without God in the world" (Eph. 2: 12) I have seen people living in such despair, not knowing that hope and life are a prayer away. I've heard people tell of their remote home areas where people are suffering, living in fear and bondage to sin, with no church there to show them Jesus. It breaks my heart, and I am compelled to do what little or much I can to help. For right now the way that the Lord is allowing us to be part of doing just this is through the school of ministry. Through this outreach, people are going out with God's message to many places of darkness where there is little light. People who live in despair will be given hope. The bound will be set free, and the lost will come home to their heavenly Father. As we penetrate more and more areas with the school of ministry, God's light will spread into more and more dark corners. This is already happening. Participants have reported God's strength and blessing in new ways in their ministries as thy have reached out more and more with the power of God's Word. One of the pastors on our team has planted more than a dozen churches, each of them a center for God's love and power in their area. Others are also doing great work. THE FAMILY Wow! We have had an incredible time in the States over the past months. It's been a terrific furlough, filled with great times with friends and family, refreshing times of being in the presence of the Lord, and times of learning and growing through seminary classes, church, time with some great people of -God, and so much else. By the time you get this we’ll be back in Uganda, Lord willing. Our departure date is Jan. 25th arriving in Uganda on the 27th. Please join us in Prayer ...That God will empower us to be faithful witnesses and teachers & that we will be a living demonstration of His love & power. The Lord will provide a house and vehicle for us. For our health and safety, for the people of Uganda and East Africa ...that God's light would shine brightly in every city & town & village.