Mission to Uganda and Rwanda - September 2013

​Dear Friends and Family

Greetings in the precious and wonderful Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

​"For 'whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.' How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:13-14

​​We are so excited to be out here on this Africa Overland Mission in the field energized and empowered by your prayers and support. The countryside offers the most spectacular views and sights that I have ever seen; the people are beautiful, interesting, and hospitable; the ministry has been effective, appreciated, and rewarding. Yet we are also looking forward to getting back home to see our friends and family, to enjoy a home-cooked meal, our own bed, and a washing machine.

We have been on the road for more than 6 months and there is one more month to go. We are currently doing ministry in Burundi, which is the 9th country out of the 11, which we have planned to serve in. We have travelled more than 22,000km and have conducted more than 370 meetings.

We appreciate your constant prayers for us as we continue to minister.

"Send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. Sever any tie, but the ties that bind me to Your service and to Your heart." David Livingstone
 
Unshakeable Generation
We have had a very successful and effective time of ministry in Uganda, at the Bridge of Hope Ministries, where we had the privilege of being guest speakers at their annual 'Unshakeable Generation' church conference, where we preached at 8 meetings. This was a wonderful opportunity to speak about Enduring Faith and True and False Conversions; 'The Way of the Master' proved to be a very effective. 

Much-Needed Rest
We have had an amazing opportunity to get some much-needed rest and recuperation at a lovely campsite next to the Nile River. We were blown away by the breath-taking views, tranquil atmosphere, and colourful sunsets. After 5 months in the field and 2 gruelling months in the harsh conditions of South Sudan, this was a most welcome break!  

Exhilarating Adrenaline Excitement
While enjoying the blissful serenity of the peaceful and tranquil Nile River Explorers campsite, our attention was captured by the loud and bold advertising board which read: "White water rafting down the Mighty Nile River". This was an opportunity not to be missed! What an exhilarating experience it was! Being tossed about in a small inflatable raft we plummeted down steep rapids; being flipped upside-down by surging waves, which hurled us into the raging waters - causing us to gasp for breath as we were churned under the water as if in a vicious washing machine. This was immense fun!

 Mountains of the Moon
We then headed west towards Kasese, near the Congo border, where we conducted a week of intensely appreciated seminars. This is where Mount Rwenzori is located, which the locals call ''the Mountain of the Moon", because of the snow-capped peak. Kasese is right at the foothills of this mountain. Our contact person here had completed the Great Commission Course in 2011, which was where I first met him. He arranged a very busy schedule which kept us on our toes from morning, till late at night.

Grateful Repentance
We were blown away by the immense appreciation that was expressed for our ministry in Kasese. Pastors and community leaders were so eager for us to remain as their "personal missionaries" and offered us rooms, houses, and land. Some pastors confessed that they had been out of God's will and declared their immediate repentance. "Kasese needs this message to be heard" they told us. "Please come back" they urged, "please, do not forget about us".

Rolling Hills of Rwanda
Next we headed south for Rwanda, which is a very hilly country with beautiful green trees covering the hills in some places, and in most other areas, rich agricultural lands cover the hills like a dense patchwork quilt. The roads wind through these hills, zigzagging around tight curves, up over the hills, and down into the valleys. Most of the roads are either in a very good condition, or somebody is busy fixing them. 

Kigali
Kigali is one of the most organised and cleanest cities that I have ever seen in all my travels in Africa. The traffic lights work and people obey them, both pedestrians and drivers! There are policemen, on what seems like every street corner, and they are helpful and effective. There was no litter anywhere - even in the poorer areas and taxi ranks. 

Encourage and Equip
We met with one of the members of Christian Action Network from neighbouring Congo. We spent some time with him and some of his church leaders, fellowshipping and encouraging them in their ministry. We were also able to equip them with boxes of Gospel literature, Leadership and Discipleship training books, and valuable DVDs and audio CDs. I spoke to them about Christian Action Network's bold new initiative called Reformation FIRE. They were thrilled to hear about this and excited to become a part of this noble effort. 

The Work Goes On
Please continue to pray for us as we continue to minister in Burundi. Please pray that God will give us many effective opportunities and that He may continue to grant us the Grace and strength needed to fulfil our missionary calling - we will not be able to do anything good, or worthwhile, unless He enables us."… for without Me you can do nothing" John 15:5 

Thank you

We are intensely grateful for every one of you who support us in prayer, finances, and encouragement. Thank you for posting encouraging comments on our Facebook page. We appreciate your partnership in the Gospel.If you would like to see some pictures of our ministry and follow us as we travel, please visit and 'like' and 'share' our Facebook page: Watson's Missions

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

In His service - and loving it!

Michael and Renee Watson

Missionary Field Worker
Frontline Fellowship
P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725
Cape Town South Africa
Office: +27-21-689-4480
Email:  [email protected]