to all the living...

there is a banner that hangs behind the platform in Suubi's main hall.  it reads -
Eri bulimulamu waliyo esu esuubi. 
which in English means -
To all the living there is hope.  Eccl. 9:4

Suubi is how you say "hope" in Luganda.  so, in essence, i live at Hope Village.  this verse caught my attention when we first moved here, and it has since settled deeper and deeper into my heart.  here, i am surrounded by countless testimonies of redemption and restoration, so that i can never doubt the miracle of hope.  in the community around me, however, hope can seem hard to find.  one day this week, i came home from an episode involving a witch doctor, a missing baby, and a shattered mother.  (i know that sentence begs for an explanation, but you will have to forgive me.  i'm afraid anything i write about it now would sound sensational.)  i have struggled this week with feeling like "how can there be hope when there is no justice?"  so, this morning, during Sunday worship, i studied the verse some more and let it burrow deeper still.  i am reminding myself today that justice is coming, but  hope is here now.  in every situation there is hope, my friend.  if you are breathing, there is hope.  if your story is still being written, there is hope. it is for all the living.

if you don't feel very convinced of that, then please let me introduce you to Isaac.  Isaac is a former child soldier for the LRA, and he is one of the boys Thomas wrote about in an earlier blog here.  awhile back, he asked T to help him write his life story.  so, for many afternoons, he would come sit in our living room and dictate while T typed.  this is his story.  it is long, but it is worth every minute you take to read it.  please read it, and let God remind you of how unrelenting His hope is!

Odong Isaac Testimony

Childhood- 

            As a child, my world was only as big as my compound.  I knew of my father, my uncle, and a few other friends and relatives in my village.  I was born in the village of Kalongo in northeast Uganda.  My life is full of close calls.   I almost died of scurvies around age 3 but a kind soldier shared some medicine with my mom and it saved my life.  In those days, our land was being terrorized by armed bands of men called the Karamoja.  By the time I was 5 my family was using me as a look-out by the road.  It was my job to warn everyone in the compound if I saw Karamoja coming.  Once I saw them coming while my family was cooking a meal.  My parents grabbed the pot of food and we all fled to the bush for five days.   Later, the Karamoja even beat my father and stole 100 cows from our family. 

One distinct memory I have from childhood is a very sad one.  When I was about age 7, the Karamoja came through our village and neighboring communities.  They corralled all the people into one place.  Children were separated from parents.  The Karamoja then began to interrogate and terrorize adults and children in our community to learn where they kept cattle and livestock.  I even watched them beat some people to death.  No one could stop them because they had guns and we did not.  It was a terrible week for our community.  People were beaten, stripped naked, and tortured for several days.  Finally the Karamoja left us to bury our dead and count our losses.  These years were desperate times for many people in north-eastern Uganda.  Government soldiers were not available to protect us.  They were only used to protect cities and trading centers.  Many people tried to look for a way to leave and start their lives over.  Some traveled to Kampala, some to Gulu.  But many ended up staying or returning to their family’s land because it was too hard to make a living if they left the village.  My family often depended on the generosity of others just to eat a meal.

I started school at age 6 and I discovered that the world was in fact a very big place with many different kinds of people.   Uganda was a very unstable place during my school years.  Soldiers could not be trusted.  Sometimes we would skip school for a week because we feared to travel.  Sometimes we would arrive at the school building and find it empty because others were too afraid to come.   I grew up in a culture where alcohol and drunkenness were common.  I learned to avoid my father when he was drunk.  I feared his anger.   I even remember one night when my father threatened to burn my mother to death in a moment of anger.  From that time on my father was in and out of my life.  He was not faithful to my mother.  He often worked and stayed in other villages.  I went months without seeing him.  My mother took me to Catholic church with her as a young boy.  I enjoyed going to church and behaved very well when I was there.  I did not attend church enough to know the ways of God but I knew that God was good and that I could pray to him.

 Abducted-

            The LRA abducted me when I was 10 years old.  The year was 1997 and it was during  2^nd term of my Primary 3 school year (around July).  My mom had sent me and my sister to live with our uncle in a nearby village of Pagoo.  Pagoo was about 15 kilometers from Kalongo.  The children in our area had been sleeping in the bush at night for fear of the LRA rebels.  But this particular July night we had decided to stay in our uncle’s home with his wife and a few other children.  Our uncle was gone to another village to make a purchase.  I awoke about midnight to the sight of fire all around.  The LRA had come to Pagoo and they were burning every home.  They demanded  the children to gather outside.  They forced my uncle’s wife back inside and burned her with the home.  Many people suffered the same fate that night.  Outside I found many (hundreds) of other prisoners- mostly boys, bound to a rope in a single line.  Younger boys and girls were simply told to walk alongside the older captives because the LRA knew they would fear to run away.  Men were either severely beaten or killed.  That night I carried a sack of maize flour for one particular soldier.  He wanted me to personally serve him by carrying his things so he tried to hide me from the rest of the group.  He hid me long enough to spare me at least one beating that the other children received but soon I was discovered by the commanding officer and forced to join the other children in their labors.  We walked many kilometers with no shoes and no shirt.  They took us to Sudan to a mountain called Himotong.  I often prayed during those days that I would make it back home alive.  People died of exposure, wounds, sickness, and beatings.  We mostly ate cassava.  It would be five years before I returned to Katongo.  They gave me the name Samuel.  After two years I finally received a gun. 

      I did not see my sister much, maybe once a year.  She survived the ordeal but came home with a baby girl.  Children who tried to escape were brought back to camp and murdered at the hands of other child soldiers.  Some were trampled to death.  I spent much time fighting during my final two years.  The LRA taught us to always run towards the enemy.  I know it is the hand of God that spared my life during these times.  We traveled as far as Gulu and Lira fighting government forces.  Most of my five years with the LRA was spent in Sudan.  I only spent about one year in Uganda.   During our time in Sudan we captured a group of about 80 people from a certain village.  The LRA quickly realized that these people practiced a form of occultic witchcraft.  This was offensive to the LRA soldiers so we marched them to a certain field some distance from our camp.  They were all blind-folded and told to get on their knees.  Then they were systematically executed by gunshot.  This included men, women, and children.

            Feb 2003 was the turning point for me.  I had been left in our camp to guard new children who had been abducted as well as supplies.  The government forces raided our camp and everyone ran for their lives.  When we regrouped, our commanders demanded to know where our supplies and prisoners were.  We had little to show them.  We had left everything behind.  They beat us severely – twice. Then they informed us that we would have to go into battle without a gun until we could find one from a dead soldier.  At that point I determined that I was ready to go home.  Another thing that influenced my decision was some disturbing news I received from a new prisoner.  One particular boy whom the LRA had just recently abducted was from my home area.  I began to ask him about people and we in fact shared many acquaintances.  I asked him about my mom and he informed me she was dead.  This made me want to go home.  I decided that even I should die at home like my mother- rather than die out here in the bush.  So I began considering how I might leave.  I spoke with a couple other young men about leaving but they were hesitant.  So I determined to keep the matter to myself. 

My opportunity came when they sent a group of us to Kitgum to steal some food for our camp.  Fighting had been fierce.  We had been moving a lot.  The LRA soldiers were tired and decided to send some of us younger ones out without them.  We left in the evening to walk towards town and I knew that I would not return.  Once we reached the edge of town I told the others that I would check a certain house.  That was my moment.  I never looked back.  I knew that they could not look for me long because we were on the edge of town.  I traveled a little distance and slept in the bush.  I was excited but still very fearful.  If I met government soldiers or LRA as I traveled alone I could be killed quickly.  For one week I traveled without eating.  I was nervous, relieved, and very anxious.  Many people ran from me as they saw me coming.  I eventually hid my gun to draw less attention to myself.  The fact remained that anyone who saw me could immediately tell that I was a soldier from the bush.  I learned to counter my own fear by instilling fear in others.  If I approached a group of people I would simply tell them that the LRA was coming behind me and that they had better run.  At that point they would be too busy running to give me any trouble.  Once, two men followed me and I had to pull my gun on them.  They ran when I brandished my weapon and I continued my journey.  I finally reached my uncle’s home in Kalongo.  I found a young boy there that I knew and asked him of my uncle’s whereabouts.  He brought my uncle to me and my uncle immediately began to ask about my condition and health.  I learned that my mother was indeed dead.   She had suffered from heart problems after we were taken.  I cried for my mother many nights.   

Life after the bush-

My uncle was content to leave me be but his brother reported my presence to the local police station.  The next day a plain-clothes officer came and spoke with me.  He asked me about my experience in the bush.  Then he took me to the police station for interrogation.  I was terrified.  They asked me many questions about my movements with the LRA and where their camps and supplies were.  All I could do was cry.  I did not want to be part of the war anymore.  I simply did not want to talk about those things.  I couldn’t handle it emotionally.  They took me to a large army barracks some kilometers away where they had received other boys from the bush like myself.  I was denied food, interrogated, invited to join the army, and they even threatened my life if I did not give them information about the LRA.  Once again, all I could do was cry.  I told them to kill me if they wanted.  I had been living on the edge of death for so long that I was tired of running from it.  Finally someone came and instructed them to send me to a World Vision project in Lira for boys like me.  I stayed there for some months and was treated much better.  There I received some counseling.

I returned home to my uncle.   It was one year after my return that we learned my sister was alive.  She came home from Gulu with a baby girl (fathered by an LRA soldier).  The next two years proved extremely challenging.  I wanted to go to school but now I was 5 years behind.  I completed Primary 6 and 7 during the next two years but it was a difficult time.  My uncle’s new wife did not like me.  She reminded me often that I had been a ruthless killer in the bush.  I learned to just be silent around her and many others who despised my past.  Then I learned of a school near Gulu especially for boys like myself who had returned from the bush.  It was called the School for War Affected Children.  I was glad to leave my uncle’s home and try a new environment.  At this school I was given the chance to learn construction.  I was also exposed to some church choirs.  I loved listening to and singing with choirs so much.  It was also at this school that I heard a true gospel presentation from a guest speaker.  My first genuine faith in Christ happened during this season.  In 2008 some people from Watoto began visiting our school and talking to us about Christ and Watoto Child Care Ministries.  We were invited to join a Watoto village outside Kampala called Suubi.  The conditions in our school had degenerated and Watoto sounded like a good opportunity to me. 

I spent the next three years of my life living at Suubi village near Kampala.  Suubi is home to 1000 students plus house-moms, teachers, ministers, and staff.  In Watoto we lived in homes of one mum assigned to eight students.  I enrolled in Hope Vocational School and continued to learn construction.  In Watoto I learned many things about serving God and living a life that pleases God.  We had church services, cell groups, school chapels, and life-skills lessons to help disciple us as believers.  Suubi is a beautiful and peaceful place.  I am grateful for my time there.

Some people are curious about the changes that Christ has made in my life.  Most men my age in my village drink much alcohol and remain angry at people who have hurt them.   But being a Christian  has taught me to let go of the pain in my past.  I choose not to focus on the bad things that happened to me and my family.  I choose to focus on my future.  I want to have a strong family.   I want to bring healing and hope to other people.  I know that I am forgiven and Christ has told us to forgive those who sin against us.  Therefore, I am going to pursue what is good with the rest of my life.   I know the pain in my past is a testimony that I can use for God’s glory.

another reality

Her name is Mercy.  She came to me about a month ago carrying her 3 mo. old baby, wearing torn clothes, and with haunted eyes.  I was in the middle of cooking lunch and not feeling very hospitable, so instead of inviting her in, I stepped out on the balcony to talk to her.  She explained that someone told her there was a mzungu (white person) living at Suubi, so she had come looking for a job.  She is not the 1^st person that has come to me wanting employment; most Ugandans can’t believe that I don’t want a housemaid or nanny for my kids.  So, as I start to explain that I’m not interested in hiring, she asks if she can tell me her story.  I go add water to my boiling potatoes and come back out.  I wasn’t ready to invite her in, but I knew I had to listen…

Mercy grew up as Jemilah, a Muslim girl in Tanzania.  She came to Uganda with her mom and her mom’s new Ugandan husband when she was 19.  A few months after arriving here, her mom died of a sickness.  Jemilah was alone here now, and had no contact with her extended family in Tanzania.  She soon met a young man, they fell in love, got married.  She and her husband lived in the village with his family and had two daughters and was expecting their 3^rd child when her world took a devastating turn.  One night her husband went out to buy milk and never returned.  3 days later his body was found by a field worker, mutilated.  It came out that he had been murdered by his half-brothers who resented the fact that he was first born and would receive the family inheritance.  (archaic I know!)  Jemilah was soon visited by the same family members and was “abused” and threatened to be killed if she didn’t leave the house and village immediately.  At this point in her story, she pulled back her blouse to show me the scars of where they had beat her that night with a panga (like a dull machete).  A local pastor gave her enough $ to have transport out of town.  She left with her two girls and a small bag; she was 7 mo. pregnant.  

So, this was only 5 mo. ago.  She is now widowed at 26, living in a stranger’s unfinished house (think shed with no walls) in Maya, a community a few kilometers down the road.  She digs randomly in people’s gardens with her baby boy tied to her back.  On the days she is able to dig, she makes about a dollar.  Her daughters are 6 and 3.  The oldest one has sickle cell disease, and you would have a hard time convincing anyone she is older than four.  She had left her girls that day with a God-sent lady in her community called Mama Blessing.  Mama Blessing is her sole friend in the world.  

She concludes her story explaining to me that she changed her name to Mercy after her husband died, because that is all she was asking from God... for mercy.  Her words to me: “I became a Christian when I married my husband, but, in those days, life was good and I never thought about God.  Now, I pray to God all the time so I will not go crazy.”  Then, with pools of tears in her eyes, she again begs me to give her a job.  I don’t need to say how my heart was wrenched and I wanted to give her moon if I could.  But I have lived here long enough now to know that my charity is best done through the hands of Ugandans.  Every time I walk into the community, people look at me with hungry eyes that tell me they want me to be their savior with white skin.  Many will lie and manipulate and do whatever it takes to get that.  It was obvious that she was desperate, but I still was not sure if I could trust her.  Call me cold and cynical, but living here 11 mo. has made me much more guarded in these kinds of relationships.  I’m kinda beyond the warm fuzzies I used to feel passing out stickers and candy on short-term mission trips.  So, I hugged her, prayed for her, and promised her only that I would talk to my Ugandan cell group about her.  I drove her down to the main road, bought her a few groceries, and took back to where her girls were with Mama Blessing. 

In an attempt to make an already long story short - I have befriended Mercy, taking baby steps and praying for wisdom along the way.  I give her transport money to come to church every Sun, then I take her home – otherwise it is a 2 hr walk for her.  (which is what she did when she came to my house the 1^st day!)  She visited our cell for the first time last week.  I am praying that they will share my burden to help her.  I am hoping to help find her a job here at Suubi in custodial work.  I am learning to trust her and she is patient.  

Today, I spent the whole of my morning with her.  She called me telling me she was very sick and had a bad toothache.  After bringing her to Watoto’s clinic, we found out she had an abscessed tooth that needed to be pulled immediately.  There is no dentist around here, so I gave her enough money to take a taxi van into Kampala and to the hospital and get it pulled.  She again left her children with Mama Blessing.  I wanted to take her all the way into town, but we had previous commitments this afternoon.  She thanked me profusely but I still felt terrible leaving her beside the road to get a taxi, with the fact that she was feverish and had not eaten in two days.  But this is normal in Uganda. 

I still have a hard time comprehending it, but everything about Mercy is too normal here.  To me, to you, her story is horrifically tragic.  But to most Ugandans, I relate to them her story and they tssk and shrug. She is not so extraordinary.  I am far removed from the reality of my Western world, but there is still another reality of life that I am not very acquainted with.  

It struck me hard this evening as I was looking through a new magazine a friend just recently sent in a care package.  I was ecstatic get an American magazine – what a treat! – and I’ve intended to slowly savor this taste of home.  But, to be honest, it tasted weird to me – now – here – with Mercy’s face in my mind.  Every other page it seemed…

 LOSE WEIGHT!  Well, obviously, that is rather a non-issue here. 

LOOK YOUNGER!  I wonder how many weeks it has been since Mercy studied her reflection in a mirror? 

STRESS LESS!  Here, the mantra is just to survive today.

The reality of my world growing up was so secure and stable that the reality of those less fortunate seemed like a far- away exception.  Now, I am 30, and I am finally realizing that, no – I was in the small exception category.  Our Western media and pop-culture dominates everything so strongly that we feel most of the world must be like us.  But WE are the minority, my North American friends.

 To quote Randy Alcorn  - If you have sufficient food, decent clothes, live in a home that shields you from weather, and own some kind of reliable transportation, you’re in the top 15% of the world’s wealthy.  Add some savings, two cars (in any condition), a variety of clothes, and your own house, and you have reached the top 5%.  You may not feel wealthy, but that’s only because you’re comparing yourself to the mega-wealthy.  (Law of Rewards)

Now, I am comparing myself to Mercy and the millions of women she represents in Africa, Eurasia, Asia, South America…

I am not struggling with my responsibility.  I settled that a long time ago.  I am struggling with how to put my responsibility into action – here – in this new reality I find myself in.  Is it even possible to “share a cup of water” and guard my heart at the same time?  Is it ok for me to ration my resources so I won’t be taken advantage of?  I think yes.  But, then, it is NOT ok that Mercy and her babies are sleeping on the hard dirt without a mattress tonight.  I don’t have good answers, so I am using you as my sounding board.

All I do know, is I am grateful, deeply grateful, for a new reality to adjust to.  Because it just makes me long for the REAL reality that is coming.   I am disenchanted with the American dream and the images in my magazine.  I am already wearied by the pain and injustice here.  But both are fleeting in this shadow land.  What we call LIFE is just a portal.  Aren’t you so glad there is a higher reality than this?

So,  thanks for listening … and please say a prayer for Mercy tonight. 

make Him smile

Ok – I’m ready for a late afternoon respite, and it is high time I post something on this blog.  So, I’ve got my cup of tea and a ripe mango, and I’m in the mood to catch up. I just came back in after taking Reynah for a walk… I am a tired Mama!  But she is still going - now playing with her “deeshes” and a bucket of water out on the balcony.  I say I took her for a walk, but, actually, today I decided to do something I should do more often.  I let her take ME for a walk.  

Really, I felt like she deserved some special attention.  The past week –no, the last month -has been rather like a marathon.  Four Purity Events for over 1,000 students, Rocket Camp, and two weddings – it has for sure been a blast!  I told T recently that I felt like our 1^st few months here, we were just like sponges.  We were just soaking up everything… the Ugandan culture, the Watoto culture, new names to learn, how to manage the inconveniences of living here, on and on… and I feel like we were about as useful as sponges too.  But, now, I finally feel like we are finished soaking and are ready to give something back.  So, yes, the Purity events have been fun for us and very fulfilling.  But the schedule hasn’t been too fun for a 2 yr. old.  

Call it mommy-guilt, but I knew I should do something with Rey that she would consider “fun.”  But then I was feeling a little selfish too.  By the time the boys were finished with school work and lunch dishes were cleaned up, I didn’t want to pull out play-doe or crayons.  I wanted to get out and enjoy the lovely afternoon.  The problem is that me taking Rey for a walk is rarely fun for her and usually exasperating for me.  Suubi is a big place with lots of hills; I end up carrying her up the hills.  I want to go from here to there in the most direct, efficient way; she prefers LOTS of detours and finds something to distract her every 45 sec.   Then, there is the obvious fact that she doesn’t really walk.  She skips – she bounces – she twirls - she jumps – but she’s still too young and undignified to just walk.  

So, I determined that today was HER walk, and we would do it as she desired.  And I told myself that I was not allowed to say, “Hurry up!” even one time.  She was to enjoy her adventure, even if it only took us 30 ft. away from home.  I was going to enjoy her enjoying herself.  Once I made that my main objective, it wasn’t hard to do.  She is very easy to enjoy.  And once she figured out that she had my full attention, she was “feeling her cheerios,” as my mom used to say.  She pranced in circles around me and laughed over apparently nothing - except for the fact that she knew I was amused by her, which made her very happy.   We picked a few flowers and counted a few clouds.  She stepped on every bug she saw, just like her brothers have taught her to do.  We had deep discussions about Old McDonald’s Farm and the names of all of Dora’s friends (Dora the Explorer that is).  As she stood beside the road and made “moo-ing” noises at the cow in the bushes (yes, around here, cows hang out in bushes), I marveled over how long her hair is growing.  I wondered about where in the world she is picking up all her new expressions?!  (Her latest one:  ahhh…I fink I better need to haf sum chocalat.     …ok, well, I guess I know where she probably got that one from!  Ha!)

We just simply delighted in each other.  I felt delighted and proud that she is mine.   She could somehow sense that delight, and it lit her up.  She wouldn’t understand any eloquent words if I tried to tell her how proud I am of her.  But my smiles and kisses are all she needs.  While we meandered our way back home, I thought about how I should delight in my kids more often.  I should delight in my husband more often.  It’s not about being anywhere special or doing anything special.  It’s just about being…together.  And, then, came an even more poignant thought – how long has it been since I delighted in God or felt His delight over me?  The honest truth is I’ve been too busy.  I’ve been busy doing stuff for Him.  I’ve been teaching sessions to these young girls telling them how God delights in them (Isaiah 62:4), He is crazy over them, He’s pursuing their heart every day.  But, sadly, for me, I haven’t succumbed to His pursuit in a while.  

I think too much about what I have done or what I am planning to do.  However, right now (btw, this blog was interrupted by baths, and supper, and bedtime rituals, so it is now late in the evening) I am thinking of David’s prayer in Psalms 51 where he requests, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”  I think about this verse often, actually.  How interesting it is that you can have God’s salvation, but not the joy that should go with it.  It’s our own fault.  And isn’t restoration of joy found in that mutual delight between us and God?  He created us so that we crave His affirmation.  Just like Reynah doesn’t need a lunch date at Chuckie Cheese, she just needs the affirmation of my attention and smiles.  I give her that affirmation because she is mine.  Unlike me, God is the PERFECT parent who is always attentive, always noticing everything about me, smiling down at me even when I’m not looking, overflowing with love for me, just because I am … His daughter.  There is nothing more I can do to prove myself worthy of His delight.  So, I will delight in the warmth of His delight.  And I will try to be more like Reynah – not so proud.  So that in His attention I find my full identity and in His smile is my complete joy. 

Worth Celebrating!

- posted by Thomas

            “God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”  These words in the New Living Translation of Philippians 2:13 pierced my heart several years ago while I was still in Tennessee.  What a powerful and encouraging thought to consider God’s commitment level to my success as a believer.  Living holy lives is supposed to be a celebration of grace and Spirit, not a cut-throat competition between humans to see whose discipline and self-control rank first.

Many young people have fallen prey to lies, deception, shame, and guilt in the realm of moral purity.  Instead of being hopeful and excited about God’s plan for their lives, they bear the dreadful burden of disgrace and regret.  It did not take us long in Africa to discover that teenagers here are not-so-different than the ones in the US.  Beneath beautiful Sunday smiles on our villages lies another world in which adults are not invited to enter.  That world is full of drama, gossip, and cycles of sin.  In March of 2011, when we first visited Watoto, we talked with our supervisor about the discipleship needs that he felt were  needed on the villages.  Teaching and encouragement in the realm of sexual purity was one of his first replies.  We shared with him the model we had used in youth ministry to deal with those issues:  weekend purity events that combined fun, teaching, interaction, Biblical truth, accountability, and celebration.  Pastor Doug’s (our supervisor) eyes lit up as we described the purity events we had done in Jackson.  He asked us to plan on spearheading such an event on the villages ASAP. 

In November of 2011 we began making serious plans to have purity events in the spring of 2012.  We quickly realized that it would take thousands of dollars and about 3.5 suitcases worth of supplies from the US to do a purity event here with excellence.  God in his sovereignty was (as always) one step ahead of us.  We casually mentioned to some of our long-time friends and ministry partners, Hugh  & Lisa Dear, that we sure wished they could come help us do a purity event for Watoto.  Their response was not a light chuckle or passing comment about wishes or “ifs.”  They instead wanted to know how soon we could nail down dates.  We entered 2012 with 2 dates in April and veteran ministry partners ready to fill their bags with supplies.

 Hugh and Lisa Dear with us at the Subbi ceremony

In January I began teaching our youth ministry team here at Watoto the truths God had led me to about sexual purity.  They were overwhelmed.  They glowed with excitement at what these truths could accomplish in the lives of young people on our villages.  By February we had decided the Purity events on our villages would be the biggest discipleship events of our calendar year.  Momentum was building by the day.

Part of our purity event program involves students receiving purity rings as a symbol of their vows to live a pure life before God.  The vows are not a legalistic list of do’s and don’ts.  Rather they represent a covenant between young people and God to be  Spirit-led in their pursuit of purity in every aspect of their lives.  There is a strict “no jewelry” policy for Watoto schools but our administrators graciously amended the rule because of their respect for our event.  The students here were very excited about the possibility of receiving rings.  However, many of them were intimidated and confused at exactly what a covenant of purity would mean for their daily lives.  We spent many hours in March preparing them for the event with discipleship sessions about purity and relationships.  By April our villages were literally abuzz with anticipation for the events.  

 Students preregistering for the event

With roughly 900 students age 13 or older on our two villages we realized that the financial implications would be huge.  The 2 events became divided into 4 events- two on the villages for high school students and 2 off-sight during Jr. High camp.  Mika and I stepped out in faith and committed thousands of dollars of our personal money to make the events happen.  Then God responded by moving the heart of our pastor (yes, he is still our pastor!) Randy Carter to lead Northside Assembly in Jackson, TN to partner with us by taking an offering to subsidize the events. 

            On Easter weekend Hugh and Lisa Dear arrived in Uganda with 150 lbs of rings, covenants, prizes, programs, and decorations dispersed among their suitcases!!!   Hugh told us he felt like a “pack-mule for God!!”  These events were left as voluntary for our high school students because we recognize that purity only works for those who are hungry for it.  We had an incredible 98 % participation on both villages!  Thanks to other friends in our Northside family we also had videos and power point presentations delivered in time for the event.  On April 13-14 and 20-21 we had two amazing purity events!!!  These events were executed with a level of excellence that was new to the youth ministry team and many others.  We combined music videos, live dramas, a variety of speakers, prizes, illustrated sermons, and Truth into one incredible weekend.  The event ended with a formal ceremony where students dressed their best and spoke their vows before their peers.    Then they signed purity covenants, received rings, took pictures (which is really special here), enjoyed refreshments and danced!  

 Thomas teaching a session called "Race Cars and Flowers," explaining the differences between sexual desire in guys and girls... and the dangers when the two are put together carelessly

 Vow Ceremony at Suubi

Students at Brira saying their vows 

Cupcakes, g-nuts, and juice for everyone!

Both events went so smoothly it was almost scary.  We know that Great Grace was upon us.  We are now preparing for round 2 – Jr. High Camp but we are still glowing with gratitude at what God is accomplishing in and through our lives.  Two days after the event, Hugh Dear and I were walking across the High School campus.  A 17 year old boy ran up to us from his class and held his ring up with a huge smile across his face.  “This is the best thing that has ever happened to me!” he exclaimed.  Countless teens have approached us with tears in their eyes to tell us how grateful they are for the events.   Why share such a long blog?  Because so many of you have prayed for us and partnered with us financially.  We want you to know that God truly is allowing us to experience FRUIT  here in Uganda.  THANK YOU.  Your prayers have brought health, wisdom, provision, and favor to our lives.  Your gifts have been joyfully sown as good seed in fertile soil.  If you have any questions about these events or our upcoming schedule feel free to email us and ask.

 Some students with their Covenants of Puriy

"Celebrate Purity 2012"

 as i've been promising, here is an update on what our ministry-focus is right now.  of course, we continue with our other ministry responsibilities each week, but this upcoming event certainly has most of our time, energy, and attention at the moment!  we are so excited about the momentum and favor God is already blessing us with as we get ready.  i'm copying an email that we sent out to our support network earlier... 

The reason for this update is actually to inform everyone in our support network about our upcoming purity events.  During our season as youth pastors in Jackson, we found purity events to be powerful tools for discipleship.  Many teenagers (even those raised in church) easily find themselves confused, frustrated, and ashamed in the realm of sexual purity.  Sensual media, pornography, peer pressure, broken homes, and loneliness have made the battle for purity very intense in this generation.  Teenagers in Uganda are no exception.  It only makes the battle more difficult when you do not live with a biological family.  When we first mentioned the concept of purity events to our pastoral leadership they eagerly requested that we organize purity events for our Watoto villages as soon as possible. 

             

We are excited to inform you that on April 13-14 and 20-21 Watoto Villages Suubi and Bbira will experience their very first sexual purity events entitled “Celebrate Purity.”  Our dear friends (and long-time ministry partners) Hugh and Lisa Dear are actually coming over from the US to help make these events happen.  On Suubi Village, where we live, there are 500 teenagers.  Bbira has about 400.  The purity event involves dynamic teaching sessions about our sexual identity,  God’s plan for sex and marriage, living free from addictions and destructive habits, and scripture’s high calling of purity.  These events will end with formal ceremonies where students publically declare a vow of purity, sign a purity covenant, and receive a ring as a symbol of their decision. 

 People here are super excited about these events and our goal is for them to be the best discipleship events ever hosted on our Watoto villages.  We are asking our friends and partners to be in prayer for these events.  Many people in Africa have heard of abstinence, but few understand purity.  We are asking God for open hearts and open minds.  We are also asking you to consider making a special financial gift towards this event to help us with the burden.  We have already committed to spending thousands of dollars on this event (rings, books, prizes, t-shirts, food, etc) but we want to give you the opportunity to join us in the grace of giving.  Many of you already understand how financial contributions to our ministry operate.  You can simply send a check to Northside Assembly of God, 27 Oil Well Rd, Jackson TN  38305 and write  “Uganda-Purity Event” on the memo line.  We thank you in advance for your partnership.  Please know that we don't take it with light appreciation.  Every month, Northside Assemble sends us a contribution report for our account, and each month we are left speechless with  gratitude.  It is truly a privilege to be your hands extended to the least of these in East Africa.

 here's our lively team of youth workers who help us make discipleship happen every week

they are already wearing their purity rings (since they are all single) 

and proudly declaring their commitments!

pot holes and potty chairs

... these are some the glamorous things occupying my mind lately.  i feel like i should have written at least 6 posts since my last one, because life has been so interesting.  but, as you see, i haven't been that industrious.  i think i will spare words and just post lots of pictures, as i attempt a whirlwind update.

BIG NEWS!!! - we have a vehicle now!  (a Toyota Liteace Noah) it arrived last month (ordered from Japan), and our life immediately changed for the better.  now comes the exciting adventure of learning to drive here... thus my new appreciation of pot holes.  i've discovered there is an art to assessing a pot hole as it is approached in a moving vehicle.  one must be able to quickly judge it's depth and determine the speed with which to "take it."  or if it is so enormous that it must be avoided all together... then there are other factors to consider such as  - is the on-coming vehicle also swerving to miss a pot hole on HIS side of the road, or will the boda driver behind me take this opportunity to pass me ?? (never mind that we are going up a steep hill - that is the most tantalizing time to pass!) 

we took this pic earlier today.  you can see the thick layer of dirt on the van -courtesy of dry season- and the impending rain clouds in the background.  the rain came shortly after this, and it has been a cold, hard, steady rain all evening.  March has officially brought us the end of the dry season.  as everybody back home posts comments about spring time, i am still trying to get a grasp of the "seasons" here on the equator.

speaking of equator, we finally did the tourist thing and went to visit it a couple of weeks ago.  we live only about 30 mi from the equator, so taking a short trip there seemed a good way to celebrate having our own wheels.

other things we have celebrated - our little Reynah is now 2!  we are in the throes of potty-training.  the cost of diapers here make me very motivated to get her out of them.  we're making good progress... though i still breathe a grateful sigh at some point each day that all our floors are concrete.

she is such a delight - truly life personified.  she hangs tough with her big brothers, joining in every wrestling match and demanding to also hold every gecko and grasshopper that they catch.  but she loves her baby doll and "peeety dresses."  she really is a mix of sugar and spice, and we all love her to pieces!

we also celebrated a very special accomplishment with Josiah and Judah last week.  they both completed reading their "Bible" - the same illustrated Bible that i spoke of in an earlier post, which we gave to all the Watoto moms.  this was something we challenged them to do on their own, and they completely devoted themselves to it!  i can't say how proud we are of them.  we've watched their little seedlings of faith grow stronger and rooted in the last few months.  many mornings i've seen them sit down with their Bibles, without being prompted, in those minutes between breakfast and "school-time."  and many times, they have convicted ME, when i was rushing into my day without pausing for any quiet time.  of course, have no illusions... they are little boys, full of plenty of mischief and ruckus... but they do make us proud.

 so, we rewarded them with a special dinner at a restaurant in Kampala, where they could eat a very boast-worthy meal of wild game meat.  because, you know, these kind of bragging rights are quite important when you are 6 and 8.  ok, well... judging from the crazy things their Daddy has ate, these bragging rights are important to a boy at any age! 

Judah enjoyed a meal of Wildebeest, Blesbok, and Springbok.

Josiah ordered the dish called "Hunter's Pot" - surprise, surprise.  it was similar to Judah's with some Kudu and Impala thrown in. 

Reynah didn't really want to eat; she just wanted to chase the bunnies

we wrote each of the boys letters, telling them the reasons we are proud of them and all the ways we notice them growing up.  

all in all, i think it was an affirming and memorable day for them.  

then, i could write a whole separate blog about mine and Rey's trip home... and post another 20 pictures!  it was just wonderful to be with family, and, even though it was crazy busy, and i didn't get to see everyone i wanted to - i enjoyed every minute of it!   the wedding was beautiful and the bride even more so.  ok... i won't post 20, but here are a few, because you must see to agree with me...

 

 i'm sure at this point you may be "pictured out"  - but i did warn you! :)  hopefully, now you feel a bit updated on our family life.  i'll try to blog again soon and update you on ministry-life.  now, it is after midnight here... and my bed is calling.  there is nothing like going to sleep with rain on a tin roof!  ~good night~