"Let love explode and bring the dead to life! My God's not dead! He's surely alive and He's lively on the inside roaring like a lion!" – David Crowder
The newly blue school building stands as a lamb perched in a society of lions. Friday night Pauline, who has been helping take care of us at Jesus House, gave us an Egyptian saying to put God's leadership into perspective. "An army of lions led by a lamb can be defeated by an army of lambs led by a lion." Those here at Kyampisi Child Care and Ministry are lambs led by THE Lion of Judah against an onslaught of lions led by the enemy (the lamb). We painted the school building this week bright blue and scribbled funny pictures and such across the walls. The kids should love it! But that building is more than simply a child care ministry; it is the cornerstone of the temple being built here for our Lord and King, Jesus. We have had the honor to sponsor a few kids from the school and pour God's love into all of them for four days. I could stay here for four more years. God's peace is in this place.
Our ministry has been centered on the children, but not shackled to them. We have been able to go into the community and offer encouragement and praise to God for all He has done in our lives. We have been able to clean wells so that sickness derived from drinking water may one day be abolished. We have been able to play soccer with the youth team from the village and we have been blessed by the staff and family here at Kyampisi Children's Ministry.
I want my blog this week to break you. The conditions here are nearly indescribable, but not without hope. At first glance the kids seem happy and content, but then you see the deeper meaning behind their hugs and desire for attention. I will not go so far as to say that they are unloved, for surely they are loved. But they do not know what it is to be carefree and as children they shouldn't know much other than to be carefree. A common theme among conversations on my team is that the kids grow up so fast here. I often sit back and just keep silent for I know that these kids, God's kids, have been forced to grow up before their time.
Witchcraft attempts to hold their village and families in its grasp. Witchdoctors kidnap, torture, and sacrifice these children, God's children, to the enemy. (Do not even get me started on how furious the idea of child sacrifice makes me!) These children grow up hard not because of the food that they eat or how hard it is to get that food, but on the fear that they are forced to stomach day in and day out. It is true that this is not the story for all of the children here, but it is for some if not most and for even one to fear being freaking sacrificed is horrendous! I am writing this to you to break you. To open your eyes to see that our world is sick. Pray for Kyampisi please. If you would like more information on the ministry here you can read all about it on www.kyampisi.org .
I have story after story that daily break the heart of our Lion of Judah heaping pile after pile of fuel for the fire in His Spirit that fights for this community. But, I will not tell here them simply for lack of space and time. Please, if you are so inclined, log onto the website above and read Alan's story. He is seven year old kid who last year nearly lost his life as a sacrifice to the Enemy. He is a real person. Not just another story to try to inspire the "Christian" community that our world sucks. We lived with Alan last week and he is the most inspiring person I know because he is joyful in the Lord and his life. The five inch scar across right side of his head where the ax found its mark is a REAL reminder of how blessed he is to be alive. Pray for him because tomorrow on Monday the 12th he is having surgery to repair the hole in his skull the axe left behind.
I know that these things are hard to think about, but the overwhelming reality is that we cannot ignore them just because they are difficult to handle. True, God brought ME here to see and help with these things and not you, but God also gave me these words to spread what I have seen to you all. I know that God will work through them for His glory and will. Thank you for reading this I love and miss all of you very much, but am peeing my pants for whatever God has in for me next week,
Joseph
