Yes, we all are still alive and doing great!

Hello everyone,
Please forgive us for being out of touch. This past month we have hosted 2 teams from the US and on top of that the internet has been "not there" as they would say in Uganda. WHOA! It has been so busy for us full-time staff from America and also for our Ugandan staff, but also it has been such a blessing working with these 2 past teams. The second team will head back to America tomorrow and then next weekend we will receive our final summer team. What a whirlwind of fun it has been. Both teams have been very flexible and willing to serve in whatever ways possible. That is so important here in Africa as all of our plans are usually thwarted daily. All team members plugged into either abstinence, ministry, or HIV/AIDS and community health. Speaking for the HIV medical branch, they have given us a huge jump-start to our new HIV program. Thanks to all of you for your continued prayers. God is moving in HUGE ways here in northern Uganda. Please keep praying! I have been pressuring this last team to share some touching moments and stories with me so I can share them with you on the blog. I hope to post some of those stories in the next few days. Stay tuned... Thanks and PRAISE THE LORD!
Shaunessy

The Team Has Arrived!!!

The team arrived from their long journey yesterday evening. I know that God brought each one of them here to do a special work and be glorified in it! It is going to be an exciting next couple of weeks. This morning the team is walking the dirt road between Opeta and Otwal. It really influences the Ugandans when we get on their level and just work or walk alongside them. Many of them actually think that the munos aren’t capable of walking more than half a mile or riding a bike. J I’m sure they will be seeing many beautiful smiles as the people laugh out loud at the peculiar sight of the girls walking.

Today MariAnne, Becky, and I are going out to recognize Alibi which is the first of three PRICELESS classes graduating this week. Alibi has always been so difficult to work with and I am proud of our teachers, Anna Betty and Hilda Mercy, for stepping up and sticking to this class and making it a success. Today, Becky is getting to witness her first graduation and is the guest speaker in the ceremony which is serious business here.

Tomorrow we will partner with the teams and have a rally in Opeta to follow up with PRICELESS girls who have gone through the program, disciple mothers, and raise excitement and awareness for the Biblical concepts we are teaching. The teams are preparing to go talk to them about truth, honesty, their tremendous value and identity in Christ, forgiveness, and honoring their temple. Also this week, our nurses will be going to schools and teaching on HIV/AIDS education. Pastor Walter has planned a program for Matt, Kevin, and himself to be carrying out this week. Please pray this week for hearts to be softened and open to the life changing message they will receive.

-Bethany

Can you imagine?

Do people still get stoned? Yes. Do mobs with sticks, guns, rocks, and spears still exist? Yes. Are there places where such punishment is accepted and considered normal? Yes. Are there places where desperate parents think more medicine is better and go from one place to another seeking help and ignorantly give a deathly amount of medicine? Yes. Do children still die of simple, preventable diarrhea? Yes. Are there people who happily and joyful dance to the Lord then take their loved ones to the witch doctor for poison and believe in superstitions? Yes. Are there places where sex between family members is considered normal? Yes. Are there places where a child is raised thinking that lying is an acceptable normal part of life and it becomes so second nature they never think of consequences? Yes. Can someone truly believe HIV can be caused by shaking someone's hands, sharing sleeping quarters, or is a curse from an evil spirit or witch doctor? Yes. Are people truly still shunned because they have a sickness that happens to be called HIV? Yes. Are there young children who call sex, innocent "playsex" and suffer the consequences from this accepted past time the rest of their lives? Yes. Do girls drop out of school at age 12 because they don't know what to do about puberty changes? Yes.
20 years of war can result in a lot of unimaginable norms. These are just a few we see here. Many people are moving back to their villages since there has not been an attack from the LRA recently. They have moved back before. We pray this will be the last time and that they are not forced to flee back. There still is no peace treaty signed and talks continue. When Pastor Walter shows a Jesus film they all come back ready. I believe up to 700 came just to Opeta and many came to know the LORD! The constantly changing dynamics and the extreme rawness, (like the sound of a gun shot followed by vision of a mob, or watching a baby take its last breath), can make it difficult to work. We are rewarded, however, by so much thankfulness and love. The people are grateful and the harvest is ripe.
Is there anything that is impossible? No, the word of God says "What is impossible with man is possible with God" Luke 18:27
Let me tell you a story. The story begins with a 5-year old girl named Winnie. Winnie's mother went to our medical clinic for help last Thursday. Dr. Tom knew she needed immediate help and asked that she be transferred into town. Winnie looked so tired, so sick, so miserable and was so easy to love. Your heart goes out to her instantly. She, her baby brother, little sister, and Mom went to the best hospital in Lira. We arrived on a cool, rainy dark late night. I sang praises as we waited in the dark until someone came to help us. We were able to continue to visit with her and her family through this past week, provide for their needs while she received care, and love on them. Our wonderful Jackson always takes such good care, checking on anyone that is brought to the hospital and helps provide for their needs. Wednesday, when I went to check on little Winnie, she continued with no improvement and struggled even with the effort of breathing. There was not much else we could do but pray for her. I talked with her mother, Ester, through a staff member at the hospital who translated. I was able to share the gospel to them. Ester with her beautiful grace-filled eyes, told me she decided last night she wanted to be saved. She told me how some people came and prayed with her the night before. During that morning visit she prayed a prayer to repent, accept Christ and give her life to Christ. We also prayed healing for Winnie. We got word the next morning that little Winnie had passed away. Her suffering had ended. Sometimes God does not bring healing, but He is still sovereign. Sometimes understanding for the reasoning of a child dying is not there. Sometimes what we ask for does not happen. We still praise God, we still give Him glory and honor. He gives and takes away but blessed is the Name of the Lord. Jackson helped arrange the details of obtaining a casket, food, and other basic necessities for the family during this hard time. When we arrived the next morning Ester started crying. I tried to sing a song of comfort to the mother and stayed by her side. Our tender-hearted driver and mechanic, Okelli, helped place little Winnie into a casket and take the family on the long ride back home. On the drive the mother verbalized how love was made evident. Pastor Walter, with his quiet, strong, compassionate, caring heart, escorted the family home and prayed for them. On the drive home that day, it was obvious we were rocked; life is so fragile here. We were not able to save Winnie, but we were able to love on her family at least a little. We were able to share the gospel and through God's ordination, Winnie's mother came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as her savoir. becky

Growing

We have internet-yay!
We also have 6 classes currently in session, with the teachers that trained under us now having their own classes. I love going to the camps to observe the teacher's interactions with the students and their enthusiasm at what they're teaching, and being showered with mangos every day because "the students love you". Because we have invested so much into these women, they have the ability to make us really happy and pleased with what they're doing, or make us so disappointed and sick to our stomachs- and they do both... We have 9 totally different teachers with different pasts and backgrounds and teaching styles, all coming together for the main purpose of spreading the gospel of Jesus, and when they finally catch on to that goal that goes beyond just teaching abstinence, there's an obvious change in them, and in the way they care for their students.

One of our best teachers, Semmy, had only 5 students show up to the first day of class because it was on a Friday. Fridays are market days here, so most parents make their children help with the selling of goods. When only 5 students came to Semmy's class, she was so upset that she nearly cried, and had knots in her stomach that made her nauseous. So that evening, she rode her bike around to all her student's huts and spoke with their parents, and the next day, she had almost 30 students come and was so excited and proud that they were all there. Another of our teachers had to be suspended from teaching because of a lie she had told during the initial interview, and when we told her of her suspension, she actually cried because she didn't want to disappoint her students.
It's so encouraging to see when our teachers invest in their students like we invest in them. Managing 6 classes, 9 teachers, 120 students, and 16 student teachers who are also training to work with us in the future, are keeping Bethany and I busy and challenged and pulling on God for discernment every day, and we appreciate your prayers and ask that you especially keep our teachers in your prayers. Some realize this and some don't, but they are now in positions where they are changing people's lives, and with that comes attacks and struggles that we have been sorting through together, but they need a lot of prayer to make right decisions in their own lives.

We thank you and we are always praying for you, our support, as well.

-MariAnne

Uganda Bound

Hi everyone,

I am currently in London waiting for my flight to Uganda. I have served previously with GRI twice in Thailand and now twice in Uganda. Anyway, I am excited to get on the ground and get to work, there is so much to do. As many of you know we have 3 teams coming this summer back to back in May, June and July. I will be coordinating all of the projects and logistics for all three teams. I would appreciate your prayers for myself and the teams as we seek to show the love of Christ to those living in the camps. I will be in touch...

Thanks,

Seth

--This is me last summer in Uganda.

A word picture

By God's grace the work here continues. Praise the Lord! It’s so hard to put into words what you experience here in Uganda. I thought I would just share what comes to mind to give you some word pictures……

Power outs, rain storms, dust or mud on all your clothes, feet that are always dirty, baths that show just how much you really needed it.

Corruption every where, scheming and deceitful plans brewing, needs everywhere, wolves in sheep’sclothing, hidden witch craft, people asking of you everywhere and most of the time.

Extreme, chaos, raw life, thinking you don’t know anything, overwhelming feelings and thoughts, your mind constantly going and running through the day and days ahead, simple errands taking you all day, constantly trying to find the balance of “letting go”while trying to manage and plan, struggling in the culture to gain respect as just a “Girl” (singlewoman).

Simplicity in life, an acceptance of sickness and death as a part of life, dirt being worked and plowed,the old being burned away for new seed and fertile soil, fields being planted for survival and fruit,hoping the harvest will be plentiful.

Lizards and spiders on the walls as a norm, mosquito nets, huge flying bats in the trees and even in the ceilings squeaking away at night, frogs appearing in the toilets, mice and huge bush rats the size of a large possum, cattle with two-three foot long horns being led through the streets on a daily basis, goats/pigs/chickens dodging the cars while for some reason trying to cross the roads, birds singing and calling during the night and morning, dogs howling, roosters crowing, sleeping in just a thought.

Daily repairs to the vehicles with the occasional expected delays on the side of the road, surprising the people when we choose to “foot” in town, riding the bike into town to pick up meds, taking the long driveout to the camps appreciating the time to gather one’s thoughts and pray, looking out at His creation and Glory, the open skies showing his majesty.

Starch, starch, and more starch, more fried food than you have ever eaten, beans and rice turning into one of your favorite meals, avocado, lemon/limes,tangerines, passion fruit, and mangoes in our yard.

Evenings with no T.V., some nights with just candles and the blanket of wondrous stars, thursdaynight bible study with other NGO’s at our house, Sunday volleyball, card games, reading, talking, singing, dancing in our house, night walks, frisbeeand football in the front yard, taking a “break” from the front yard games after two broken bones, starting a vitamin and calcium dietary requirement in the house.

People laughing at you when you have no idea what they are saying or laughing about, remembering how joyful laughter is cross culturally and what good medicine it is, riding in the back of the truck and enjoying the sun and open air while everybody yells “Muno, Muno, Muno” (white person), a comfort in the simplicity, not minding the unfamiliar, the new “norm”somehow being normal, enjoying the life of Africa.

Dependence, seeking, desperation, calling, and praying increasing through every part of me in Jesus, a desire to see His name glorified, a desire to see His people helped, a desire for Truth to His people, a desire for His people to come to Him.

Seeing the hurt, seeing the desperation, seeing the people, seeing the needs, seeing gratefulness, seeing people being empowered, seeing and meeting those willing to give all they have to help others, seeing the hearts, seeing what God has done and is doing, seeing fruit, seeing dancing/jumping/ and praise to the Lord, seeing a little boy who did not feel loved taken to the hospital and provided care, giving him the opportunity of basic health care, loving on him and cherishing his smiles and tenderheart.

Learning to love far deeper, being humbled in so many different ways, making friends and enjoying the people, laughing, crying, struggling, finding those that have given themselves to Jesus and are serving Him with their heart.

God’s creation bringing Him glory and shouting His Name, hearing the orchestra of His creation from the rain and thunder storms to the crickets and bullfrogs, hearing His praises from beautiful faces.

New believers turning their hearts to Jesus Chirst.
becky

The Vehicle Stops, but God Doesn’t!

This is a perfect example of how God uses every opportunity when we make ourselves available to Him. Last week, we were racing along the road to a medical training event to be held in one of the IDP camps. Suddenly, we noticed smoke pouring out of the vehicle’s tape player, and eventually the entire engine. Slowly, our truck rolled to a stop on the side of the road. Our radiator was broken and spewing coolant all over the engine. Thankfully, our resourceful driver Okelli knew what to do. We pushed the truck about ½-mile to a nearby stream where we used water to cool down the engine. He then had to take the radiator out of the engine and back into town to get it fixed. By the time we were on our way again, we had waited on the side of the road for over two hours. Wasted time? Not at all!

The place where we stopped was a local watering hole used by many local women to wash their clothes and gather water for cooking. Our nurse, Becky, seized this opportunity to serve. Greeting them with an “apoyo,” she asked if she could help wash their clothes for them. Although hesitant at first, one of the old women eventually agreed. Within minutes, Becky was kneeling on the ground, hand-washing an old woman’s clothes for her. It wasn’t long before this relatively strange activity drew a crowd of interested youngsters, eager to see what this white person was doing.

But that’s not the end of the story. God opened up the door for Becky to talk to these women about the person of Jesus Christ. Our pastor Walter soon joined in the conversation, laying out the gospel and dialoguing with them. Before I was really aware of it, an evangelistic meeting had begun. By the time it was over, a young child had accepted Christ as Lord! Praise God! He is never wasteful. I shouldn’t be surprised, though, because that’s just how creative God is when we give ourselves fully to Him!