Helping families of Moses and Adam

Moses’s family and children
Kibo Group
Langford / Kimeze Memorial Fund
604 S Redwood Ave
Broken Arrow, OK  74012

Langford Family Fund
East County Church of Christ
24375 SE Stark
Gresham, OR  97030

Jinja Emergency Fund (for emergency travel for missionaries)
Rochester Church of Christ
250 W. Avon Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48307

Moses’s funeral was last week. Read about it at Clint Davis’s blog, Between Two Worlds. Adam’s funeral is Wednesday 10 am, Memorial Road Church of Christ. The visitation is 6-8 pm Tuesday.

Adam and Moses

They have biblical names and, like these biblical heroes of old, Adam Langford and Moses Kimezi have been pillars of faith. They died Tuesday in a tragic vehicle accident in Uganda.

Read more at our Jinja Missions web site

Moses Kimezi’s funeral was yesterday. Mark Moore and John Barton flew in from the states to attend with more than 500 others from Uganda who loved and appreciated this self-less man of God who was a carpenter and a manager of our Source of Life Cafe. He was indeed a source of life and will be incredibly missed. He leaves Irene, his wife, and three children.

Mark Moore and Moses Kimezi became friends ten years ago and this is what he said at his funeral: He said that peopple might think that Moses became the type of person he was because of being around missionaires, but for Mark that wasn’t the case. Mark said that he is a better person after being around Moses.

Marnie Moore wrote this about Moses:

Through the years I honestly never saw the man do anything selfish. Nothing, period. He was always helpful to me when Mark wasn’t around, loaned me money almost weekly, and continually worked as a peacekeeper amongst all of our friends. He was strong, constant, loving, encouraging and full of grace. He was patient and kind to our kids, and was especially patient and kind to me. He advised me and helped protect me. Mark and I have often spoken through the years, especially since leaving Uganda, that we have so much admiration for him.

Adam Langford was the kind of person that people were drawn to, whether children watching him balance a soccer ball on his foot, coffee growers he was helping the day he died, Source Cafe employees he worked alongside. Adam was in Uganda to proclaim good news to the poor, and he died in a tragic way but the love and joyful way he lived his life will make an indelible impression on Ugandans for decades to come. I know my Ugandan brothers and sisters will not forget him.

The funeral for Adam is being planned now in Edmond, Oklahoma as his body is being flown back to the states. The date for the funeral has not been determined because of the uncertainty of the day his body is to arrive in Oklahoma.

You can read more about Adam’s outlook on life and his mission in his online journal.

Ice Storm 2007

We’re covered with 2-3 inches of ice in Tulsa. This morning a young man who is going for military training wants to be baptized. So I’m meeting him at Garnett and we’ll baptize him around 1 pm today. Sometimes the love of God in a person’s heart (and perhaps the fear of God, I do not know the heart of this young man that is driving him) is unstoppable.

My prayer for him is that, just as Jesus received the pleasure of the Father and the glory of the Spirit descending upon him, this young disciple will experience that moment of God’s presence.

I’m profoundly disappointed that we had to cancel “The African Children’s Choir” concert. Yesterday was a grueling day for those who helped plan the event, and thanks to Carol Brown in particular, who helped me work through dozens of details and made sure the children were cared for, and special thanks to Global Outreach Church that helped accomodate the children extra days and to Garnett members who offered to keep them. The choir directors preferred the children stay with families they’d already stayed with after the Wednesday concert at Global Outreach.

We are talking with the African Children’s Choir office about re-scheduling on this tour, so stay tuned.

Jill and I were proud yesterday of our ten-year-old, having worked incredibly hard with a whole index file of spelling bee cards, did not win the school but after some sadness about getting out, held her head high and kept it in perspective. I love spelling bees and they are tense, so we were nervous for her and disappointed when she went out.

African Children’s Choir at Garnett in Tulsa

Garnett Church of Christ is hosting the internationally renowned African Children’s Choir. They appeared on the Jay Leno Show and have appeared at the G8 Concert and other global events. Their singing was recently featured in “Blood Diamond.”

If you are in Tulsa, the state or nearby state, please join us in “letting the little children come” and welcoming them as Jesus would welcome them.

We want to help those attending to become more aware of global suffering and provide several “next steps” such as water well drilling, micro-credit programs, and children sponsorship that we can all participate in.

This is more than just a free concert by an incredible international group, we want to humble ourselves to receive from the children the gift of beautiful music and to return the blessing with our awareness, action, money, and our very lives.

Garnett Church of Christ, 12000 E. 31st St., Tulsa, OK
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Boise State

Last night’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with Boise State vs. OU was a forehead bopping surprise, mouth open wide unbelief game. I’ve followed the Sooners since von Schamann’s “the kick” in 1977. Even got to watch the 2000 undefeated Sooners play FSU when we were in Uganda, via satellite.

But I don’t want to talk about the Sooners this morning. I saw a Boise State Broncos team that executed plays so well that it was a pleasure to watch them. The former junior college with the blue field and no respect came to win and did it with style and class. They played excellent defense and were able to move the ball on Oklahoma with running game and passing game. Ian Johnson, a sophomore, was an inspiration leader and a mature running back who ran patiently behind his blockers, then he proposed to his head cheerleader girlfriend after the game on national television. Standout quarterback Jared Zabransky said, “I’m sure it probably wouldn’t have been as romantic if we would have lost.”

The Broncos kept the lead through the first half and as expected by most people, the Sooners more than just made it a game but tied it. With a minute and a half to go the Broncos had one last chance to re-take the lead they’d held all game. But Zabransky immediately threw an interception and the Sooners ran in for a score. The air went out of the Broncos, now down by 7 with a minute left . . . Zabransky said his coaches and fellow players said they believed in him and the offense and they went back on the field and moved down the field then scored on a play that we used to call “the OU special,” a pass then pitch play that was beautifully executed.

The game went into overtime and OU immediately scored. Then Boise State, back against the wall again (not that OU’s wasn’t at times, but remember I want to write about Boise State!), came to fourth down and scored on a play that had Zabransky in motion left and a backup quarterback throwing right into the end zone.

Then came the amazing and gutsy play that shows the difference between champions and “also played” teams: everybody went right and Zabransky faked a pass right then handed the ball behind his back to Ian Johnson who sprinted left and scored and was never touch and had no blockers in front of him. The play was ingenius and the line blocked well to pull it off.

I recorded the game so my kids could see it, and they’re watching it now. I think I’ll go watch it again. Jacob will be from here on “doing the Zabransky” handoff behind his back after he sees this. I know he will . . . because I’ll be teaching it to him.

ESPN: Johnson pops the question after wild Fiesta Bowl win