Folkerts in Karamoja

Family Update – January 2023

Dear family and friends,

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than three years

now since we moved to Uganda. Karamoja has
become our second home, and the Lord has
shepherded us through many joys and trials,
especially in the past year. We are so grateful for
His faithful presence as we serve here. We pray
that you also will experience His loving guidance
day by day, especially as you enter into the new
year!

Daily life continues to be very busy and full of new

experiences. In November, we said goodbye to our Goodbye party for our teammates, the Knoxes
dear friends and teammates, the Knox family. We
traveled to Mbale with them and spent a few
special days with them yet before seeing them off
on their journey back to the States. Our team has
seen so much transition in the last year, with two
families leaving as well as Angela, the young
woman who ran Karamoja Education Outreach
(KEO), our preschool program in the community.

With Angela’s departure and our diminishing team

numbers, we prayerfully came to the decision
together with the mission board that it was time to
close down the preschool program. This was a
painful decision to make, but we trust in the Lord’s
provision and timing for all things. As things go here The teachers and committee members of KEO
in Karamoja, the community leaders were invited community, going on to accuse us that we were
to the farewell party for the teachers, and they destroying livelihoods and killing childrens’
took the opportunity to slander and blast the opportunities for education. This was very
mission for no longer providing this service to the
discouraging to sit through after a decade of loving
service poured into the community. However, the
Lord provided encouragement in the form of the
retired old headmaster, Tete George, who sought
us out afterward to speak to us. “Be strong and
courageous, and don’t give up serving the Lord
here,” he said to us. “You are under spiritual
attack. These community leaders speak like this
because they are unbelievers. But the Lord is with
you, and He is fighting for you. Tomorrow I am
going to gather the local church leaders together to
pray for you and for your mission.” Those words
were very encouraging, and reminded me that the
Lord continues His kingdom work in hearts and lives
here despite outreach programs that come and go.
This is His mission. He is gathering His church, and
He will be victorious!
In December, James’s parents were finally able to
come for a six-week visit to Uganda. We were
thrilled to have them come and see the work, to
show them around this beautiful country and
introduce them to our brothers and sisters in the
Lord here, and to teach them a little about
Ugandan culture. The children loved the time with
their grandparents too. They helped us with school
and with organizing for our upcoming move, and
they were a real encouragement with their loving,
cheerful presence.
James and his parents
Ministry
As we enter 2023, we are reminded afresh that our
term of service here is drawing to a close.
Technically our term ends in the fall of this year, but
we hope to move a few months earlier to allow for
some rest, time to work through the transition as a
family, and to get the kids resettled before the
school year starts.
With these things in mind, James is mainly occupied
with equipping and preparing his ministry team for
the transition ahead. The young men he has been
discipling these past years continue to grow in skill
and experience as they evangelize, make sermons,
and serve the church and community. With the
Lord’s help, we hope to have them well set up to
continue the outreach work fairly independently
after we leave, under the supervision of Pastor
Julius, a Ugandan pastor who is currently serving as
our clinic chaplain. Please pray for these young men
as they take on more responsibility and are tested
and tried. They are all in their early to mid-twenties
now, completing high school and going on to post-
secondary studies. A few are now graduating and
starting up small businesses or taking up jobs in the
community. Some are getting married, and we pray
that the Lord will help them to stay firmly grounded
in the faith as they start their own families and learn
what it means to be a Christian husband and father.
The Lord is raising up some pretty special young men
here, and we hope that in due time they will be able
to serve as office bearers in Nakaale Presbyterian
Church here.
Loduk Joseph, one of the young men from the
discipleship program, teaching catechism to a
class in the public school
Family Life
On the home front, we are working hard to get
through the homeschool year. Due to our upcoming
move, we hope to be done by the end of April,
which means shortening the school year by two
months. Esther and the kids are working hard to
meet that deadline. So far it’s going well, but it’s
quite intense, especially with the frequent
interruptions and comings and goings that are a part
of life on the mission. So please also keep us in your
prayers for day-to-day patience, joy in each other,
and perseverance as we seek to finish well!
Another thing we get to do while living here is
spend lots of time outdoors. We often go for hikes
on Saturdays, and our older kids have been trying
out rock climbing and rappelling lately with Jed, a
short-term missionary helper who is with us for six
months. God’s creation is so beautiful, and we
continue to be amazed at the wonderful variety of
creatures and the gorgeous landscapes of this
country!
We're pretty sure we found the world's largest stick bug
the other day-- and its camouflage was incredible!
Prayer Requests:
• For our family as we start winding down our
term here – for perseverance, being present
and continuing to serve even though we are
wrapping things up, protection, and
rejoicing in the Lord always!
• For the young men from the discipleship
program and ministry team, that the Lord
may strengthen, protect, and grow them as
they become more independent
• For the church here in Karamoja as they are
slowly learning what it means to love and
serve one another as the body of Christ
• For our teammates, that in this season of
transitions and goodbyes they may continue
to keep their eyes on Jesus and trust in His
guidance as they serve Him here
• For the Lord to raise up others to come and
serve here in Karamoja
Enjoying scenic hiking trips
in the hills around the
mission