Sunday was a good rest day for the Amy For Africa team in Uganda. Restful and somewhat nostalgic for me.
We attended Victoria Baptist Church in the morning and that is where some of my nostalgia comes into the story. Victoria was the church that the late Harold Cathey founded more than 25 years ago. My in-laws, Fred and Alva Boggs, played pivotal roles in the Ugandan ministry of Harold and Beverly Cathey as their best friends and fellow laborers.
Of course, Bro. Cathey was the pastor at Unity Baptist Church from 1975-1991. He married Beth and me, baptized our oldest child and was the pastor when I was ordained as a deacon. We supported his ministry in Uganda where he not only founded Victoria Baptist Church but also the Global Theological Seminary in Jinja.
AFA’s ministry can easily be traced to what Harold and Beverly Cathey accomplished in Africa. He was planting churches and putting theologically trained pastors in these churches.
While our missions were somewhat different, with AFA’s focused on building schools in Uganda, the foremost goal for both of them is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.
While I had been to Victoria on another trip, this was the first time I’d attended a church service there. Having my brother, Tim, preaching made it that much better. As always, he gave a strong message to those who gathered in the uniquely designed and strikingly beautiful church building.
Tim’s day continued Sunday evening when he was a preaching guest on an Ugandan Christian radio station. He also took his first boda (small motorcycle) ride and liked the thrill of it (welcome to Uganda).
Several people who knew the Catheys and my in-laws were honored to make the connection after the service. I’m always proud to say that I’m the son-in-law of Fred and Alva Boggs. That’s because there are no better people anywhere.
Fred’s role during the building process was at least partially putting some shingles on the roof of the church that is probably 40 feet high. Fred was 70. He has told us that you could see Lake Victoria from the top of the roof. I’m going to take his word for it.
Alva’s banners that she made in 2000 are still hanging in the building and some of Unity’s old lights hang from the ceiling, too. I have to admit, taking photos of those banners that still looked amazingly good put a lump in my throat. I love my mother-in-law and know the love that she put in those banners.
I took photos of the outside of the church while on a walk last week and told my in-laws that I could feel their spirit and the Catheys as we passed it. The work that was done during that season of their lives will have eternal impacts and continue to resonate today in Uganda. My in-laws still talk fondly about it as important moments in their lives. They are big fans of the Amy For Africa ministry, too (and Chris and Amy are big fans of them!)
Now it is as if the baton has been passed to Amy For Africa. Both Harold and Beverly Cathey and Chris and Amy Compston have this in common: They are uncommon missionaries who were obedient to God’s calling on their lives and were and are being used in mighty ways.
May God continue to be glorified.
MARK MY WORDS 2 