Grasshopper Plague at CMM (and other really good things too!)

Where do I begin? What a week! What a conference! What a fulfillment of the vision to help pastors go to the next level!
First, the numbers: 1,014 pastors and leaders in attendance; 469 first timers; 11 speakers from California, Texas, Australia and Kenya with 400 years of combined ministry experience; 5 afternoon workshops; largest offering ever given in any conference; 5 days of seeing God’s glory fall!
We had a couple of miracles the day before the conference started. The weather turned from cloudy and cold to warm sunshine and it never rained all week. Then after having a plague of grasshoppers every night (biblical numbers), the night before the start was their last night. We swept up hundreds of grasshoppers and once the Ugandans arrived they asked for them and then cooked them and had a feast. It is a delicacy in Uganda. So I guess all things work together for good.
If I had to use one word to describe all that happened it would be “overflow”. It started the first night when we filled the dorm, the classrooms and any available place to put a cot. We rented tents and filled them with cots to accommodate all the pastors. We had almost 400 sleeping in tents on cots.Then the next morning after all the day scholars arrived along with more pastors who traveled Monday night, the pavilion overflowed. Once again pastors were sitting outside the covered areas. However it was so uplifting when we started praise and worship to see the pavilion packed from side to side and along the outside area with hungry men and women.
We were blessed to be able to handle such a large group effectively. Due to so many improvements, changes and building, we were able to feed over 1,000 people in less than an hour. With nearly 400 in tents the shower/toilet building was awesome to have for those in the tents to use. We had more than enough cots for the overflow. The sound in the pavilion covered the place perfectly with all those outside hearing everything that overflowed. The new generator with the automatic switch was awesome. During registration we had a number of laptops and workers checking in pastors from all over East Africa in a quick and efficient manner as having access to such technology and training on Excel, etc. (thank you Debbie) that the overflow did not slow us down. The bookstore was a place full of joy and excitement. Due to so many at this conference our book supply was hit hard and is in need of some replenishing soon. Our concordances are finished as well and September conference is ahead.
With so many things working so well as we administrated such a larger number of delegates, the main/best overflow happened in ministry.For this conference we partnered with Saddleback Church from California as they do ministry here in Kenya and have a team of pastors they work with. After meeting and connecting with one of Saddleback’s missions leaders we decided to partner together for the June conference. From the first note of praise, through every general session and every workshop the Spirit of God was prevalent and moved powerfully. The pastors received thousands of pages of handouts and notes, thousands of books were given away and the praise and worship was amazing. As my dad used to say, “I am under the spout where the glory comes out”. Lives were changed, Pastors were healed, transformed, renewed, strengthen, encouraged, equipped, empowered and left overflowing with God’s Spirit and blessing. Touch the leaders, change the church; Touch the church, change the nation.
Thanks once again to every one of you that gave books, resources, money, computers, etc. Your contributions are making a huge difference and I believe this conference started something that will continue to grow and have an impact in these nations.
Ronnie and Debbie
PS…testimonies to come once we can rest, read them and type.
#NowBoarding #Flight2018 #500for50
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