Dolwe Island far into Lake Victoria

                                                                               Planning for December Mission

Dad,
           Our December conference venue island is called Dolwe Island, Its a huge island found in Lake Victoria, near Kenya. many miles away from the shores. An 8-9 hours ride in those wooden engine boat when there is
no bad waves in the lake. This Island is in Namayingo district. We expect pastors/elders from many different nearby islands like; Wayasi, Remba, Hama, Mijingo, Sigulu, Lubia among others. Son Bishop Bita James Oloo
 

Setting off from loading stage----mainland Uganda. Prepared for an eight hour journey by boat to Dolwe Island.

Pastor Joshua [left] at midway point to Dolwe Island------four hours to go.

Still hours to go-----notice the wooden bulkheads in the boat.

Arrival at Dolwe shore. "Dolwe" a large Island in Lake Victoria with a population of 40,000.

Groundwork in progress-----Dolwe Island, Lake Victoria, Uganda.

Pastor Mukisa Joshua [center with Red shirt].

                 Dolwe Island December conference groundwork report from Bishop Pastor Bita.

     Dad,
           Am grateful to present to you our Ground work report, This time I was not able to go myself because I was sick so I had to send Pastor Joshua. He started his journey on Sunday 22nd September boarding a taxi from Kampala eastward to Bugiri, then took a boda-boda ride over 45miles Bukimbi near Maluba landing site/beach where he spent a night at pastor Katandi’s house. (Katandi is one of our village pastors and has been coordinating all our conferences in Namayingo district).
           When Joshua was told about the situation of traveling in the lake using a boat in this long journey, he feared to travel alone until we had to ask pastor Katandi and he agreed to accompany him. The following morning on Monday 23rd\11\2015 they boarded the boat from maluba landing site at 9; 30am to Dolwe. They made a stop over at Bumba Island at 11: 50am. Then started again at 12noon and stopped over at Sagiti island at1:30am, Then to the final destination Kandege landing site, Dolwe island at 2:45pm.                                There was too much heat in the boat because it was a sunny day. Life jackets are given to every passenger after they have all entered the boat, and when the boat has set off at least 20 metre away from the shores. They do that because passengers used to steal life jackets when they are given out before the boat has set off. Even during the landing, they collect the jackets from the passengers before the boat lands/reach the landing site. The water was calm when theywere going but on their way back, there was some storms though not too bad.
        They were welcomed with great joy by the pastors who were waiting for them. After taking some meal and some rest, they then started the meeting at 4:50pm. There was 8 pastors representing different islands. We agreed in our meeting on the date of the conference to beTuesday 8th to Saturday12th December. We shall be travelling on 7th so that we may be there in time.
         The state of the Island is not as good as any where we have been organizing the conferences. There are no toilets apart from the nearby bushes, rocks and the lake itself. Accommodation is also very poor. It’s also hard to get a clean drinking water. The organizing team agreed to raise enough money for food for the
conference. They have been holding meetings, and have laid a plan of contributing food for the conference. We expecting more than 200pastors/elders from many different nearby island. Because of the situation and nature of this trip, it’s going to be more costly compared to other conferences we have been holding. We will have to take our tents, simple bedding, Umbrellas to protect from much heat while in the lake, some boxes of drinking water etc.
           The following morning on Tuesday 24th they started their journey backfrom Kandege landing site Dolwe, taking an express root to Bwonda landing site in Mayuge district. It’s not a very long ride on the lake
but it’s a very long ride on a boda-boda to Bugiri or Iganga, where you board a taxi back to Kampala.
 Joshua then had a safe and successful journey back home. Thank you indeed for the great support and prayers for us. Son ( Bishop pastor Bita James Oloo) Jimmy.

 

Dolwe Island, Lake Victoria, Uganda

December 2015

Dolwe December mission report

          We started our journey on Sunday morning. I boarded a boda- boda from Lusenke to Kayunga with all my luggage, packed with bundles of bibles,clothes, reading glasses, my camping tent and other stuffs. Then a taxi to Jinja. Joshua also boarded a taxi in Kampala to join me in Jinja. We boarded another taxi to Mayuge, then boda-boda [motor bike]to Bugade where we spend the night. It was a long and hectic journey that day. We arrived in Bugade at 9:00pm. Bugade is over 20 miles to Bwonda landing site. Then the following day on Monday, we bought the bicycle from one of the bicycle shops in Bugade then proceeded to Bwonda landing site on a boda-boda.
          This is one of the busy landing sites because the boats go to the big islands of Lake Victoria. Few minutes after our arrival to the landing site, the boat arrived. It had to be pushed a little deeper by the Strong men in blue uniforms. After loading all our luggage into the boat, we were lifted by these guys into the boat. After every one of us had put on life jacket, the boat then set off and we started the journey at around 1:00pm. A journey which took us over 4 hours on the lake. We were told that two months back, one of the boat on this rout sunk and over 150 people died including the captain. Only one woman survived. So the leaders in charge of these landing sites forced every boat owner to have double engines on every long rout boat so that it takes less time in the water and to have enough power to drive through the waves easily.  This journey used to take more than 8 hours.

At the landing site before we start our journey. Bishop Pastor Bita in red shirt.

The boat has arrived to take us to the island.

Pushing the boat to deeper water to begin loading.

Lifted into the boat

Bishop Bita-----into the boat.

Bishop Bita------thumbs up.

In the middle of the lake-----another boat alongside.

Landing sight----Dolwe Island.

At 5pm, we landed at Kandege landing site in Dolwe Island. Few meters before the boat lands everyone had to take off the life jackets.  From there also we found men in green uniform this time, waiting to off load both luggage and the passengers from the boat.  Organizing pastors were already waiting for us at the landing site.

          With great joy we were received by them and taken to the venue for our conference. The venue was in one of the church houses found in this busy small town of Kandege landing site. We were given a room to keep some of our stuffs while we set our tent outside to sleep because these rooms are full of bedbugs. In this island we were faced the situation of having no toilets. It was another world to us. The bushes and thicket around is the toilet to everybody.

Sleeping accommodations for Bishop Bita and Pastor Joshua

          Dolwe Island is 7square miles having more than five busy landing sites with serious fishing and Business activities, farming and residential homes. There are many other small and big islands nearby. On Tuesday 8th our conference started and it was a great day.  The organizing pastors’ team did a great work. All the planning was good. We had enough food and every other item needed for the conference. Pastors were not so many on the first day but after the teaching on the first day when we handled the topics of (Temple of God/House of God). The pastors were so touched by the teaching. They have never had any one teaching about the Temple of God the way we teach. All they knew as a house and temple of God is the Church house. They were all amazed to read clear scriptures from even their very own bibles about this truth. It was a great blessing to every pastor and they ask so many question, wanting to know more. Many testified saying‘’truly we need teachers like this, our teachers/preachers do not teach us the true word of God. They even don’t know this truth themselves”.

Conference Pastors

           Pastor Katandi from Bukimbi, Namayingo district and pastor Agrey from Buwuni, Bugiri district joined us in the evening of this day, soon after closing the first day, evening session. So on the second day, news spread to all the nearby churches and pastors and church elders came early enough so eager to listen and learn the word of God. So the conference ran smoothly to the end. We handled different topics like; Warning the Church against false preachers and manipulators, what does your apostle look like?, Truth about the tithe, giving according to the New Testament church, Foot washing, and Praying for the sick among others. Joshua left me on our 3rd day. He traveled on Thursday morning because he had an annual conference which is organized by his church in Kampala. The conference began on Saturday and he is the hosting pastor.

Bishop Pastor Bita teaching New Testament Christianity.

Pastor Joshua teaching on "deception in the Ugandan Church" and how to resist it.

           We taught and demonstrated foot washing and praying for the sick. Pastors and elders happily participated after receiving explanation. We gave out clothes on our second last day; it was such a great and
special gift to them. Pr Ali advised me to buy warm clothes because these people live in the cold of a windy island and they need what can keep them warm. We had that big bundle of clothes as you can see in the photos, and had more than 90 pieces. Everyone in the conference got at least one piece of clothing. The clothes were very nice and of a good quality. The weather was very cold that evening and these clothes were like a real blessed remedy in that everyone was putting on as soon as he/she receives.

Praying for the sick according to James Chapter 1----"if there are sick among you, call for the Elders of the Church, annoint the sick with oil and pray the prayer of faith and God will heal them---"

Clothing displayed.

New Clothing received at every B.F.U conference. Thanks to U.S. donors.

          We did the bible drive and gave out reading glasses and bicycle on Friday. It was another wonderful day full of much joy, sweet trills of the village church women, praises and dancing with joy. Some people even shed tears of joy.  I did inquire from the organizing pastors on how to balance/divide the number of bibles between the three Languages, Swahili, Luganda and English, during the time of purchasing the Bibles from the Book Store in Kampala. The information they gave me did not work out exactly as the way we divided the numbers. So we ended up having 16 Swahili bibles left over because there were more Luganda readers than Swahili.

Bibles ready for preparation and distribution.

Bishop Bita shows photos of U.S. donors

Every Bible stamped-----"not for sale".

100 native language Bibles in all plus recipient of a brand new bicycle which will certainly be used for Island ministry. Bishop Bita red shirt. Recipient of the bicycle, Pastor Watenga Ezra in pink shirt-----he is the man who most labored to make this conference successful. He was chosen by Church consensus. Bicycle donor from Evans Georgia, U.S.A.

150 to 350 power reading glasses------30 pair provided by donors from Evans Georgia, U.S.A.

          The chosen owner of the new bicycle was Pastor Watenga Ezra, he is the chairman and coordinator for the pastor’s fellowship in Dolwe Island. Everyone was so happy for him because he is doing a great work and needed so much a transport means like a bicycle or boda-boda, but they could not afford to purchase one for lack of enough money. So that was an answered prayer to all the pastors and the churches of Dolwe Island. After the Bible drive, the pastors prayed for us on behalf of the entire NTFI/BFU ministries. And they offered a special thanks to God and to us on behalf of Brother Danny (chairman board of directors, all our board members, all donors and to all our praying friends.

Grateful to the Lord------singing with praise.

"Fair well" from the Pastors at Dolwe Island, Lake Victoria [source of the Nile].

          The following day on Saturday morning, we started our journey back from the island. Myself,pastor Katandi Hilary and pastor Agrey.  We boarded the boat at 8:30 am at Kandege landing site. A heavy rain
found us in the middle of the journey and guess what; Passengers had to take care of themselves on their own. I had my umbrella but Pr Katandi and Agrey sacrificed to stay under the rain and allowing me to help cover some babies whose mothers had nothing to protect them from the rain and cold. This was also a real relief to these poor babies. The boat was being tossed by the waves seriously due to the rain storm but after the rain it settled.  We finally arrive at Bwonda landing site at 11:50 am.
           From Bwonda, I boarded a taxi to Jinja safely then another to Kayunga. I arrived in Kayunga at around 5pm, then a boarded a boda-boda back home. Unfortunately I lost my cellphone while riding on this boda-boda. I have struggled and replaced it and the cellphone line. I am yet to replace my main line which I use most for calls and internet connections. Pastor Agrey arrived safely, but pastor Katandi had a bee stung inside his nostril while riding on a boda-boda back home from Namayingo town. He felt so bad but after getting some treatment, he is now doing much better. Special thanks to you all for making this conference a success. We pray that the good lord bless you abundantly.
          We faced serious challenge during the preparation of this conference; I fell very sick with typhoid at the time when I was supposed to travel to the island for the groundwork meeting. So I had to send Joshua, again
when I went to Kampala to do a final shopping for our conference trip, I lost our digital camera, National Identity card, ATM card for the bank and our transport funds. A friend of mine promised to lend me his digital camera for the conference but disappointed me at last. So I had to figure out how to use my camcorder [donated by an American donor] to take photos. But thanks and praise be to God for making our December conference a success.
 Bishop pastor Bita James Oloo (Jimmy).

We regret that all the recipient photos cannot be featured on this page because the page will not accommodate 100 photos.

Look for your donor photo in the photo list we e-mail you-----all 100 photos

December 20, 2015

This concludes our year of ministry in Uganda. Because of the generosity of our donors we have been able to give 9 industrial grade Road Master Bicycles to people who labor in the Churches, 400 quality grade native language Bibles in 3 languages, more than 130 pairs of reading glasses, medical Emergency Funds for the sick who could not otherwise receive medical attention. Abundant food for conference attendees, teaching conferences totaling more than 1000 attendees. Our next scheduled conference will be in April, 2016. See you then. Please go to our Home Page and review the menu. Danny McDowell, Board Chairman, N.T.F.I-----Bibles for Uganda