Uganda Bible Project Blog

Thank you for following our blog and being a part of this project. We’ve already raised enough money to provide Bibles for 354 people but we need your help to reach our goal of 2500 Bibles. I wish you could see for yourself the joy and hope that these Bibles are bringing here in Uganda. Every person, every story, is so unique and encouraging.

Please help us continue to share the need and impact the lives of people in Uganda. It’s more than just donating money. Here are four ways you can get involved:

Pray. Pray for those contributing Bibles, those distributing them, and people in Uganda who have an opportunity to read God’s Word for the first time.

Give. Buy a Bible for someone in Uganda.

Share. Become an advocate. Share the need with family, friends, and your church. Invite others to get involved. Share in the story.

Follow. Keep following this blog and also follow us on Twitter and Facebook. See lives changing in Uganda.

Lance Briggs on Twitter: http://twitter.com/lancebrix

Facebook:http://facebook.com/ugandabibleproject

Thanks again for your support. Kennedy and I are headed to Kenya for a few days, stay tuned for more updates later this week once we return to Uganda.

-Lance Briggs

We passed through the inner gate of the prison and headed toward a group of over 150 inmates crowded on wooden benches under a pair of mango trees. Across the distance I could already hear drums, voices, and homemade instruments as they worshiped and sang together. Their weekly church service had already begun.

I was visiting the prison with Joseph and Emmanuel of The Bible Way, one of our new partners in Bible distribution. I was introduced to Joseph last week and he shared with me how their ministry is reaching out to prisoners with discipleship resources and Bibles. The Bible Way distributes over 100 Bibles to prisoners every month and they still don’t have enough Bibles to meet the demand. The scope of their ministry is limited only by their resources.

The Bible Way produces a series of 12 booklets on discipleship, the Bible, and Christian living. The first book is entitled Who is Christ. Every booklet ends with an examination form which is submitted for grading before they receive the next booklet in the series. After completing the fourth booklet they receive a Bible in either English or Lugandan.

As we approached the gathering of inmates under the mango trees we were welcomed and ushered to a bench at the front of the group. Joseph offered an opportunity for inmates to step forward and share a testimony of what God had done in their lives and immediately hands shot up and 13 men stepped forward. I’ve rarely seen such enthusiasm to publicly share testimonies of God’s work and blessings. Joseph later shared with me that they never have a shortage of people eager to share, and more often than not they have to limit the length of testimonies just to have time for the rest of the service. It was moving to hear these men get up and share stories of how they are being blessed and transformed through Christ. Many of them even see their incarceration as a blessing.

As a guest, Joseph gave me a few minutes to introduce myself, share part of my story, and encourage the men. As Joseph stepped up to share his message, one of the chief prison officials arrived and sat down next to me, opened up his Bible, and began taking notes. What an amazing image: a prominent member of the prison staff joining the inmates on small wooden benches under a mango tree for a chance to study the Word.

Joseph shared the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15:11-31) and offered an invitation for anyone to come forward and return to Father just as the son had in the story. 15 men stepped forward, prayed to receive Christ, and were given their first booklet from The Bible Way. As they progress through the series they will learn more about what it means to be a follower of Christ.

We closed our time together by distributing more Bible Way booklets to inmates who were progressing through the 12 part series. We also gave away Bible to those who had reached the fourth booklet. It was amazing to see the joy evident on the faces of the men as their names were called and they came forward to receive their new materials.

The entire service, Emmanuel was translating English to Lugandan (or vice-versa as needed) so that everyone at the service could follow regardless of which language was stronger for them. The cool part about Emmanuel’s story is that only a few months ago he was an inmate at the very prison we were visiting. After being released he went to work with Joseph at The Bible Way to continue his discipleship and reach out to men just like him. I wish I could share more of Emmanuel’s story with you now, but it will have to wait for another post.

It is exciting to see the different opportunities we have to meet the need for Bibles here in Uganda. It is not just about people who need a Bible for themselves, but also those who want a Bible to give to someone else.

Last week Lois came to the church office seeking a Bible for her friend John. John lives a floor above Lois in the dorms on campus. Lois has been reaching out and building a relationship with him over the course of the semester. Kennedy also knew John and shared that in past conversations John had been critical and skeptical of Christianity. Now through Lois’ perseverance and friendship he is interested in exploring the Bible for himself.

Yesterday after church I caught up with Lois in the fifth story lecture hall where United Faith Chapel worships each week. I asked if she had an opportunity to give John the Bible she had picked up earlier in the week. She shared that not only had she given him the Bible, but he had even come to church with her for the first time. Please pray that God will continue moving in John’s heart as he reads the Word. I look forward to meeting John and sharing more of his journey with you.

Thanks for helping to equip Lois with Bible so she can reach out to John

Kennedy Kirui

After picking up over 200 more Bibles this week it wasn’t long before more university students came to us in need. David, Harriet, and Conzesa came to the church office of United Faith Chapel across from the campus of Kampala International University because they had heard that they may be able to get a Bible. They are all new believers. I sat down to talk with them as they passed around a pen and each printed their name in the front cover of their first Bible.

David shared with me some of his story. He had accepted Christ two weeks ago, and then in turn shared his new found faith with his friends Harriet and Conzesa. They didn’t have a home church yet, and didn’t know anything about United Faith Chapel. However, they had heard that they could get a Bible at the small building across from campus that serves as the church office, affectionately called the Palace.

The amazing thing about David, Harriet, and Conzesa’s story is that they came to the Palace not knowing anything about United Faith Chapel. Yet, we were able to offer them more than just Bibles. We were able to build relationships, tell them about all the events the church offers throughout the week, and invite them to join our community.

Conzesa, David, and Harriet with their friend Edwin from United Faith Chapel.

We were able to buy 200+ Bibles today at Biblica’s Uganda office. Biblica has been working to produce and distribute Bibles for over 200 years.

Preparing for a Student Impact Festival on the campus of Kampala International University tonight with Eternal Impact and United Faith Chapel. Here is a video from our last festival in 2005. Thanks to supporters of the Uganda Bible Project everyone who responds to the gospel tonight will receive their own Bible!

Yesterday was a day I have been eagerly anticipating for a long time. After countless times sharing the need for Bibles and telling stories of the people who have inspired this project, we were finally on our way to buy Bibles.

Kennedy and I drove to the the Uganda office for Biblica (formerly International Bible Society) to meet our contact Christopher for the first of hopefully many trips to buy Bibles. Kennedy contacted Christopher a few weeks ago to let them know we would need a large quantity of Bibles. However, I don’t think they quite understood how serious we were. We were prepared to buy over 300 Bibles but had to settle for 84. Their entire stock in the styles we needed. These 84 will be plenty to get us started, and another shipment arrives from Kenya tomorrow.

Already, university students have heard the news and have begun coming to Kennedy’s office seeking Bibles.

Fredrick and Justin, both new believers, receive their first Bible from Kennedy before heading to an evening Bible study.

Our friend Christopher, at the Biblica:Uganda headquarters, boxing up our first 84 Bibles. We are eagerly awaiting their next shipment from Kenya early next week.

Bibles provided only a couple months ago. Already worn, studies, personalized, and loved.