When two hours doesn't mean two at all...Day 5

We are packed full in a small bus driving home after a day in Tororo.  Normal to

life and roads here, our two hour trip took four and our 8am departure was more like 8:30, so in a way we were early leaving and late arriving and well...that is Uganda.

Gorillas gave us a welcomed interruption and no one minded sacrificing a peanut butter sandwich to draw them close for pictures. 

Pastor Roman, Chayah's pastor had planned the day for us, which included stopping and praying at a pond hungry for catfish.  The feeding routine was demonstrated and we were pretty surprised when a ringing bell brought them to the corner and the surface of the water.  I suppose that answers the question, "do fish have ears?"  We were shown a business plan and the details about how to begin this kind of thing.  It takes 8 months for a catfish to reach maturity and barring difficulties, yields about a 50% profit margin. 

We pulled into Tororo about 11:30am and the church was only about 1/3

full.  We split up into groups and headed out to visit and share the gospel with people.

  I was treated to a classroom of primary students who sat dutifully and listened to who Jesus is and his gift of salvation. 

The darling group wanted to gift me with a dance in return.  I loved it.  Their serious faces made sense when my interpreter explained it was  the traditional dance of suffering.

I just hate that.  It doesn't seem right that there is enough suffering in their lives to warrant a dance. 

Each group met back at the church with reports of what they had seen, who they had talked to and how God had weaved his way in the pairings and placement of each group.

We sang and danced, word got out as the rain came pouring down...and then they came. 

We ate lunch then Evan opened our afternoon by teaching on Philemon and the abundant grace and compassion of Christ. 

We split into four groups, Men, Women, Youth and kids.

Each of us took a turn teaching and answering questions as best we could.  We closed the day with more introductions of our team, more singing and some dancing.  We were

given gifts of corn and peanuts and we were so grateful. 

Uganda is challenging everywhere.  Everywhere you look, struggle and suffering screams "UNFAIR" to us.

Compassion doesn't feel like enough, planning to pray for a community we met and

leave behind seems inadequate because we have seen faces, individuals.  But He

is trustworthy and faithful.

An hour into our drive home, everyone started singing.  Truthfully Branden got the kids to tap out a beat with empty water bottles.  Chris joined in with a rap and now for an hour straight we have listened to a van full of beautiful voices singing praise music with such exuberance.  Different ones taking turns as the soloist.  I admit that when I am listening to Chayah's kids, sound travels through my heart before it reaches my ears, so harmonies sound angelic.  Pastor Roman, Pastor Brian will not be left out and everything from behind my front seat position is music that can carry a spirit heavenward. 

Wish you were here to hear it...but then again this two hour bus ride back will be anything but two.

The Tiger at Chayah-Day 4

Last night we sat around the dinner table later than usual processing what we've seen this trip.  New faces and names, familiar stories and hearts aching to figure out why a caretaker leaves children to fend for themselves.  Mothers, grandmothers...just overwhelmed and somehow feeling the escape is acceptable.  I don't have any idea what they predict will happen to the children left behind.  I don't have any idea how this has be come ok with anybody, but as
widespread as it is...something is terribly broken deep inside of everyone involved.  We see the masses and know it is happening...but to see it up close, with a face and a name and tears...its far too much.  We press on moving as God shows us his next step for us, but our humanness breaks under the weight of what is left undone.  Faith doesn't easily satisfy when it means walking away from a young boy hungry for both food and love.  God help us know our place and part.


About this time in any trip, things change.  Our body clocks are reset to Uganda time, and any awkwardness in the re-entry at Chayah melts away.  Its beauty to our regulars when we see the barriers melt away between the team and the kids.  Both sides are equally anxious to play, work side by side and feel free to talk and wrestle and entertain each other.  

Today's schedule included devotions for 3 groups and then projects.  

 Kristen and Rachel began the first of the sewing projects and found Judith and Sarah to be diligent in watching, learning and hanging in there to get patterns cut.

  Dann, Branden, Janet, Micah and Yoweri headed into town in search of chicken coop supplies including wood, tin, and wire.

Rashid happy to be hanging with man stuff.

Matt, Jonathan & Rashid

Matt stayed back and worked on getting some of our power tools rewired and back in working order, and repairing a lamp light that was broken in Saturday's soccer game. He was shadowed by a very curious Rashid and Jonathan, at one point attempting to use the power sander as some type of head shaver.  

Sarah and Jesca

Chris drew a crowd with art supplies on the front porch and I taught and then helped supervise candle making. 

Dafine, Kwagala, Sharon & Brenda

Maureen pouring "Frankinsence & Myrrh"

Elijay watches the girls

Wax was melted about a pound at a time in a type of double boiler to 180 degrees over a charcoal cooker then set aside to cool to 140 degrees. Each one that was patient enough to sit through the melting and cooling process got to choose a scent and poured  about 4 tea cup candles. 

Kwagala, Doreen, Dafine

A few busied themselves preparing the wicks and we made our way through about 11 lbs of wax today. 

The late afternoon antics were probably the most entertaining and instagram will have to be your source for photos as one of our own dressed up as a tiger and ran around the yard chasing screaming kids...until he started tossing candy and then the roles reversed and the tiger was chased with such excitement everyone stopped to watch the fun.  

Clothes were sorted to be given away and the gang loaded up for a quick visit to Solomon's property.  He and Janet came back to the hotel with us and we were able to hear his story once again.  The compassion of one woman who saw the mistreatment and devalued life of one little boy, and did something.  Solomon is one of the most grateful people I have every met.  

Things are beginning to get a little weary here.  The days begin with enthusiasm, but our energy is running low by days-end and we fall into bed hoping God will refresh us for tomorrow's plans. Its part and parcel of this type of trip.  Every team, every time has the same attitude, to meet every opportunity with hearts willing to give beyond their own strength...giving their all becomes more taxing, and still God provides anew every day.

Tomorrow will be an early morning as we leave the hotel at 8am, drive two hours and participate in a conference.  You wouldn't waste a prayer on us if you have a few minutes to ask God for a message and the filling of the Holy Spirit.  Each of us feels pressed and stretched beyond ourselves in tomorrow's roles as teachers and musicians.    We trust Him...just no confidence in the flesh.  Its the best place to be, but we'll have some anxious moments anyway.

Monday is in the books and the we'll sleep off the activities of today anticipating another long day in Uganda...surrendering everything we have and trusting God for the outcome.

Sharon

Righteousness is a gift

Its Sunday and we donned our finest and headed to Chayah.  Church, under the covering of the garage, was set up and ready for us and from the first song to the last we were reminded of God's faithfulness and blessing at Chayah. 

Each group presented their song and dance and Sharon shared a message today about righteousness.  We were encouraged in the truth of it.  God makes us righteous as a result of our faith, not by our behavior.  We choose whether or not to walk in it, but the gift has been given.

In the hour between the service and lunch we dug out a city-printed car mat that gave way to lots of traffic jams and familiar vroom-vroom sounds. Little cars and plastic people moved their way between the 8 or 9 small bodies that were crowded around.

We met with a young woman who would like to work for us.  Its a challenging time in that way.  Building staff to prepare for growth yet not sure when we'll have the room for another or larger family.  She expressed a common willingness to leave her young daughter if need be, to live at Chayah.  Its difficult to understand and impossible for us to plan that way.  It would be a day position or a place for both of them.  I cannot imagine being prepared to leave my children in order to provide for them.  At the same time, we understand how few options there are here as the unemployment rate stretches towards 80%.  

A deck of cards and some spoons drew others to the table for games.
Branden took the hint that the youngest two boys love to wrestle and made a couple of new best friends or at least mat-mates! 
Evan met with Pastor Roman and made plans for Tuesday when we head out early to Tororo for a one day conference.  We had planned for a day of visiting and evangelism, but instead we have been asked to help teach three groups...men, women and teens.   Kristen has agreed to organize us in some sort of skit to present, a powerful tool here, but out of the comfort zone of most of us.  I suppose that is part of the surrender and serving.   Its not that we are unfamiliar with drama, its just that normally we don't plan it!   Gifted or not, we'll make an attempt and pray God uses our efforts.

We headed back to the hotel and Dann and I stayed to sort through the suitcases we brought to prepare for our projects this week with the kids.  The rest of the group ventured out to the 'Source of the Nile" for an afternoon boat ride, grateful for a cooler afternoon. 

Tomorrow we are back at Chayah for the day, then stopping by C.O.M home's new property to see their progress as they prepare to build.  We are hoping Solomon, a friend and Ugandan board member, will join us for dinner and to share his life story.  Rescued and raised as an orphan...he prepares for his wedding this Saturday!  As God would write the story...he is marrying the daughter of a tribal King... an orphan marries royalty and he couldn't be more nervous or excited!  

We're back in Da Nile!

Saturday morning delivered us to the gate of Chayah and we entered to the singing of Chayah's children and a sign for each of us, held up as the dancing and smiles welcomed us.  Our visiting team members got the grand tour and we reconnected with our amazing cooks out back. 

 Red Rover broke the ice and brought quickly brought our attention to the warmth of their joy and the powerful heat of the sun.  They did the laughing and we did the sweating!

 Rachel forged the communication gap with games and dancing as soccer cones were turned into head baskets. 

There are just some things the kids have learned to expect when we come and swimming in the Nile is near the top of their list.   Nothing beats the sound of giggling children and familiar smiles of our own.

 Brenda poses for us...one month before her 13th birthday.  Her father showed up on the 13th birthday of each of 2 older sisters.  He brought with him men, much older and prepared to pay for the child brides...willing to sell the innocence and childhood of his daughters, we are grateful God brought her to us and surely her birthday will be a celebration of intervention by our merciful God.

 We spotted this guy floating in a boat made of banana leaves...what???

 Matt helped Elijah, 4 years old, get safely across a bridge made of tree trunks.  I may or may not have needed the Captain to help me...grin. 

 We hiked back up the hill, worked up an appetite and enjoyed a delicious lunch.

A few gladly stayed behind to rehearse some music with Evan and Pastor Roman and his wife Susan joined us at Chayah for lunch.  

Our plan for the afternoon was to load up and head over to the new property, walk its perimeter and pray over each section.  Again and again we asked God to make the land a place of fertile soil for the a place of ministry to the area.  As the temperatures baked us, and the uneven ground challenged our footing, we climbed the gentle slope to the top corner, took in the beauty around us and were filled with gratitude and excitement.  

We split into 4 teams and headed out to meet our neighbors, share the gospel and heart the hearts of the people.  There was a commitment and fortitude required this afternoon and a motivation by God's spirit as the heat sapped our physical energy.  We met back near the guard's house, shared the stories of a few neighbors and what we had seen and heard.  There was a building excitement as we began to sense God's strategic choice in this new property.  

One young man, Jackson, seemed especially searching.  He had experienced living on the street and other difficulties and had moved to the area as the caretaker of cows and sheep.  In his early 20's, he was trying to "settle" his life, lonely and without a plan for his future.  His discouragement made us long to bring him home, mentor, and encourage him.  

Another man found sitting on the side of the path we walked talked of others who had spoken to him before.  Whether is was demonic or mental illness, he described a practice by a cult here of counterfeiting the act of baptism, by putting someone under water.  He describes this as the moment "they" took his soul.  "I'm a dead man walking among the living, speaking only to the dead." 

Another group spoke for quite some time to 4 boys, two teens and two10-year-olds, one in particular who broke down as he talked about his mother leaving them alone, abandoning them months ago. The older boys work for others in their gardens trying to provide food for their family, no school, no protection, just surviving.   Another family of 5, a widowed woman raising 4 children displaying the desperate struggle of so many.

God has a plan for us here.  We are anxious to watch it unfold, excited about reaching out and loving in this new place.  We could use a few more shade trees on this little plot of Uganda, but we sense such purpose here.  I pray He is as anxious as we are and brings all things together quickly.  We are all still burdened by the four brothers we visited yesterday, without an adult, without food, without soap and quickly again without much hope.  Chayah's home cannot accommodate these 5 boys...our very small 10 x 10 boys room already sleeps 5, but we pray and consider every other option to help them press on.  God help us.  

Kakira...an introduction Day 1

Friday brought with it mild temperatures, manageable humidity, breakfast and then sorting through some suitcases to gather clothing for the families we would be visiting today.

Janet and Sharon met us early and we were grateful to have some time with Pat Mendoza whose experience, pursuit of justice for vulnerable children and encouragement have paved the way for us.  “Amazing testimony by Mama Pat this morning. She has been a missionary in Uganda since '94 and is part of CHAYAH's legacy. She has fought the good fight and given up everything, been chased by Rebels and had to minister in disguise. What a gift she is to us and our ministry.” #chayahhome.  Her passion many years ago, burdened as she watched a young boy being used as a house servant, has had her every which way but lost from the grip of Gods calling.  The half hour we had with her left us thinking it would take a month to learn all she could teach us, about both children in this of the world and the faithful God we serve.




We studied Hebrews 1 together and prayed for our day and those we would see today. 


We left the hotel in two vans, stopped for rice, sugar and soap.  These would be gifts to families along our way today.  Chayah supports 10 children who remain with their families.  10 could be a hundred, could be a thousand.  Children were in school today, so we stopped by to see them in the middle of the day and quickly became both the entertained and the entertainment! 

 It’s a tricky thing to have checking to do, people to visit and the gospel to share and be such a spectacle.  We don’t yet know how to accomplish the former without the latter, so we press on the best we know how and pray there is a message in some of the madness.


The two youngest of our group packed their backpacks today with tiny toys and were so eager to distribute them when our calculations told them it was safe.  There may be 8 children in our sight, but pull out a piece of candy or a trinket and 8 can become 20 can become 40 in no time.  Though we stood close by visiting with moms, at one stop Micah was overhead calling out “Hey I could use some back up over here!”. 

At each stop we tried to give some clothing, sugar, soap and encouragement.  We prayed for God to come alongside the ones that were discouraged or sick and prayed against the alcoholism that has drowned so many minds.  
  We went back to the home that was built last year for 5 brothers being raised by a grandmother.  She left two weeks ago, and hasn’t been back.  She left them without food or soap.

 The twins Robert and James, the youngest, were at school.  
One boy was missing all together.  David was found hiding in the bushes afraid we would be angry that he wasn’t at school and Peter the oldest was out trying to work for people in order to provide food for his brothers.  

Micah and Elton gathered the children nearby for bible stories and the team prayed for them while the rest of us shook our heads and fists in frustration.



We have done everything we know to do to help these boys survive and go to school, get medical care and enough to eat only to find that their own grandmother has squandered what has been provided and left them alone with nothing.  Peter has missed the last 3 weeks of the term and will miss the end of term exams next week as he has taken over the care of his brothers.  Every day and bit of effort he put into his own schooling this term will be lost without the passing of the exams.  Already behind in school, this 15 year old man-child will at best repeat and at worst give up, humiliated and burdened.  I am so sorry we were not able to talk with him today, see him, pray for him and try to find another way to help him finish his childhood and education…I fear neither of those are realistically possible.




It was difficult to leave.  We tried to stock them up with snacks from our bags, rice, sugar, soap and some money to buy more food.  We have someone lined up to check on them in a few days but are praying there will be some more permanent solution and help.  They were the faces we saw today, the ones with names and details that were right in front of us, but knowing that there are so many more is impossible to forget.




We headed back into the busier part of Kakira town, purchased some fabric for projects next week and visited at the home of our Pastor.  We have been praying for him that God would  heal his family and he humbly and gratefully told us all the ways that has happened over recent months.  A father of 6 daughters and a son, he has a perfect balance of enthusiasm and sense of humor as he talks about them and it is clear that his calling as a loving father is what brings such tenderness and care for our own Chayah children.
 



A loud thunderstorm played in the background of our meal with his family and a certain couple of Muzungu boys entertained little ones with their antics outside in the red clay dirt-turned mud.



Exhaustion hit late afternoon, everyone took an hour to refresh and then we did our best to debrief over dinner as our droopy eyelids took on minds of their own. 



Tomorrow we head to Chayah…introduce some of our very favorite children to some of our very favorite people!  Day 1 and that’s a wrap!  

Please pray for us tomorrow as we spend some time in the afternoon visiting our neighbors at the new property.  Please pray for opportunities to share the love God has for them.

 

 

 

"When love takes you in...everything changes"

Today is Monday...the day before we get on the first flight...three days before we get off the last one.  Oh, there is a international date line thingy that makes that all sound like we will be lost in space for a few days, but history proves, and you could pray

 it all works out just fine.

Thursday's afternoon walk down the steps of the plane will make weary travelers come alive with excitement and the line to get our passports checked will feel way too long.  We'll move to the baggage area to retrieve 20 suitcases each filled to the 50lb limit of every thing we wanted to take and so many so generously gave.  Clothing, shoes, toothpaste, toothbrushes, DVD's, books, and on and on.  Pray we can count to 20 and

grab every bag 

through travel-blurry eyes before we exit the airport.  We'll look like pack animals with those 20 suitcases and then

balancing 10 backpacks with 10 carry-ons each bulging at the seams with our first-world necessities. Someone will sneak over to the currency exchange window at the airport to trade dollars for shillings and math skills get crazy from here on out with every dollar bringing 3,000 shillings and our driver asking for 150,000 for fuel.  "Divide by three and drop zeros" will run through my head a thousand times over the next weeks as we try to keep from over-paying under the pressure and humidity of Uganda.

We'll meet our driver, Chris and Janet, our Ugandan director and house mom, outside the terminal doors and first hugs will make it all worth it...we'll feel that way until the

 two hour drive to Jinja turns into 4 or 5 

and then we will want to throw ourselves out the window and shout "NEVERMIND".   All of our coping skills for being cooped up, will have been exhausted and no amount of leftover sticky candy in the bottom of a bag will help.  

We are, at that point, sleep deprived and sweaty messes, but we'll be tempted to look at our "suffering" as some kind of holy offering, pat ourselves on the back and smile at our willingness to sacrifice on this long bus ride.  Our self pity will last until we look out the window and realize once again that being given the opportunity to serve here is a gift TO US by God himself and perhaps the ones walking along this same road carry water might have a better perspective on this hardship.  

Truth be told, we may even engage in some prayerful negotiations that look something like this..."we'll go to the ends of the earth for Him, but if He would just drop us there by helicopter or something instead, we'd be so much more grateful"...oh I kid.

We will be accompanied this trip by TWO boys, cousins by birth, who will forge a new bond together over the next two weeks.  I dare say there is a very small number of cousins that can say "remember when we were 9 and 10 and went to Africa together?" 

 Pray for their hearts and minds and health

 as they are asked to keep up with all that is required in a trip like this.   

In addition to the boys and the regulars, we will be serving alongside four who have been called and have committed to following the Lord on this trip.  

Our hearts are always touched by our love for Uganda, but often it feels like a weight too heavy to bear to experience the suffering of many.  We are "fixers" here in our first world culture.  To stand in the midst and not turn away is often difficult.  

Jesus is the greatest need EVERYWHERE and we have an infinite amount of Him to share.  It's overwhelming to talk to, pray for and then walk away from suffering, with shoes on and our own hunger satisfied.  Burdened and overwhelmed and staying in the thing is faith-building-God-dependent stuff and is always more than we can humanly bare.  

We need to know what He is asking of us in every situation and the courage and wisdom to move that way.

 Please pray for health, strength, and against the plans our enemy has already laid out for us and that every heart, both theirs and ours will see Jesus, hear His love and that He will be glorified.  

Steven Curtis Chapman..."When Love takes you in"

 You can check our website for more information or to donate to the work of Chayah Ministries .