Happy New Year to one and all. I would like to bid you welcome to my first blog post of the 2006 season. Church today was very nice. Pastor Josh spoke about how we, like plants, need three special ingredients in our lives to grow. Plants need soil, water, and sunshine. We need spritual discipline (Hebrews 12:1-4), daily food from the scriptures, and one day of rest in the week. A day set aside for focusing on our relationship with Christ. It was a really good sermon. Then after church I got talking to this young Sudanese refugee that is living here in Kampala. So he decided to invite me to his house and I went. I can't believe how little he has and how content he is. He and another Sudanese Christian live in this one room "house" that has a bed and a table. The room was like half the size of my bedroom here. I think I counted 3 cups, 3 plates, and a cooking stove. I don't think I've ever felt guilty about drinking a coke before today. It felt like I was taking their last 1,000 shilling from them. The also made me lunch, which consisted of rich and beans. It was pretty good, considering that I don't like rice. So now I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow and show him my home. I may be a little embarrassed because of how much I have. We sang some songs with them because one of them is a really good guitarist. I learned some songs in Arabic (the official language of Sudan), so that was pretty cool. Then I came home and visited with a guy from the church named Godfrey. He attends the Bible College here. So I had a pretty busy Sunday and now I'm super tired. I didn't get to sleep until 2 am here because of the noise outside. I leave you with a song we sung at church today.

Holiness, Holiness, is what I long for
Holiness, Holiness, is what I need.
Holiness, Holiness, is what You ask of me.
Take my heart, and form it.
Take my mind, transform it,
Take my life, conform it,
To Yours, to Yours, Oh Lord