a blog so good it doesn’t need a title

Last Wednesday on our day off I took a day trip to Gulu – a slightly larger city about 2 hours northwest – with Jordan, Darby, Aly, Logan and Carrie-Anne.  We spent the day with our Ugandan friend, Collines, who is a student at Gulu University, was a roadie for Invisible Children in the U.S., and now works with the Invisible Children office in Gulu.  We toured the Invisible Children offices and it was neat getting to see what IC is doing to help repair the damage done by the LRA.  In IC’s Schools for Schools program we learned about the re-building of schools damaged by the LRA and met with mentors who monitor, and encourage students who were affected by the LRA – basically the mentors just guide the students through the trials – physical, emotional, financial of staying in school – which is important because many students here don’t have a family or role models to look to for support.  We also visited IC’s MEND program where women who were abducted by the LRA are taught to be seamstresses and given full time jobs making bags which are sold on IC’s website.  The MEND program was really impressive; the women are given a good wage, financial training, and as a group they have implemented a lending program and a system so that they have access to larger amounts of capital so they can invest or start other businesses.

On Thursday Darby, Makyla, Carrie-Anne, and I went to Child Restoration Outreach – a program in Lira for street kids.  They provide breakfast and lunch for the kids each day, teach them skills like sewing, and have some education and Bible teaching.  Many of the kids are rough and aren’t ready to go to a regular school – they would just fight or skip the classes, so the teacher at CRO has a tough task, but not impossible.  We mainly just spend time talking or playing with the kids, but many of them don’t speak English so it can be frustrating at times.  It is rewarding though, when you can connect with a kid and make them feel loved, give them confidence, or teach them something.

On Friday we said goodbye to the students at Fountain High School where we had been  leading Bible studies.  They begin a monthlong break from school and won’t be back until after we leave.  It was sad to say goodbyes, but I’m very thankful for the time we had together to worship God and disciple them, they encouraged us and it was just fun to hang out with them.  We’ll still be able to see a few of them who live in Lira.

Saturday was a fun day haha.  There are just a lot of ridiculous things that happen in Uganda.  It was the wedding of a couple we know from VOC, Sam and Doreen.  We found out a few days earlier that we were expected to perform as part of the wedding ceremony and reception.  Darby and Brittany whipped up a choreographed team dance for the reception and we practiced an a cappella medley of love songs for the wedding in our free time.  Then we found out on the day of the wedding that they wanted Jordan to be a groomsman haha….apparently one of the other groomsmen “needed to drive” so he couldn’t do it anymore, so Jordan was filling in for him.  The wedding was scheduled to start at 11, actually started at 1 and the reception lasted until dark (I think more and more people kept showing up until dinner was served, after which everyone disappeared).  I’m happy to report the songs and dance were a big hit – they are pretty ridiculous, but in Uganda just about anything white people do is received well haha.  I’m sure a video will be up on Youtube eventually.  Jordan survived the whole day in a borrowed suit in a hot church and the African sun; he has quite the story to tell now.  The day was very festive and fun and while still tiring it was a welcome change of  pace from normal ministry days.

On Sunday Brittany, Logan, Aly, Carrie-Anne, Somer and I went to the prison for their church service.  Jaspher had told me there would be guys there who hadn’t heard the Gospel before so I brought a pretty basic message.  During my preparation the night before, I was trying to come up with something clever or some deep insights to share, but then it hit me that the Gospel carries power on its own and I was really making it too much about me.  I talked about the basics about God making us, loving us, being merciful, but being just, and how we’re sinful, slaves to sin, but then given a gift of new life (Rom 3:23, Rom 6:20-23, John 3:16-18, Gal 5:13, and Gal 5:22-25).  As I was speaking I realized how sweet God’s plan for us is and how unworthy I am to even share that Gospel – but God’s grace is sufficient – I think the message was received well; it’s God’s work and it’s in his hands anyway.

Oh, by the way, yesterday I passed out at the medical clinic while watching some african guy get circumcised….yep that really happened….hahaha – what kind of ridiculous life am I living that I can truly say that sentence?  The good news is that, other than a small goose-egg on the back of my head and an extremely bruised ego, I’m fine. (In my defense I have watched plenty of other surgeries before without any problems haha). It’s actually a pretty hilarious story…so if you want the details be sure to ask me about it when I get home.