Ministry Insights

Uganda Summer 2013

Newsletter #3 / June 1, 2013

Greetings from Uganda!

Since we have been in country we have hit the ground running and today was no different J. Saturday is not normally a school day for the children at Sanctuary of Grace but we had a special assembly about purity for the boys and girls in grades P4, P5 and P6 (it’s the equivalent of Grades 4, 5 and 6 but further behind the education system in America).

In the culture here certain subjects are considered inappropriate to talk about especially in public and even in most homes. I was so surprised to learn that even the mothers of the young girls don’t talk to them about puberty and all the changes that come along with growing into a young woman so when that time comes most girls have a skewed impression that they have done something wrong or are sick. It truly broke my heart to hear about some of the struggles that these young people go through on a regular basis. From being beaten, abused and run off from their homes to being raped and used by others just because of their vulnerability and gender…it goes on so often and since we are not immersed in it every day we tend to live with this “out of sight, out of mind” attitude. I also think we take for granted the security that comes with having a tight knit family that is open with each other regularly, shows true affection for each other and is there for spiritual support through the difficult times in our lives.

Now as a whole there were so many good things that I saw happening today as the conference continued throughout the morning but if I am honest with you it is so easy for Satan to make me question whether or not we are really getting through and making a lasting impact with these children. Having said that I will tell you that God knows my heart and was gracious enough to open my eyes to see a group of young girls from the conference that stayed behind after they were dismissed to copy down information they had missed. After seeing this it was so apparent to me how hungry these children are to learn and grow which was not only an encouragement but a confirmation about God’s sovereignty. God says in Isaiah 55:11 “so shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

In anticipation of another opportunity to glorify God—Good Night! Jen Decker

Favorite Moments—Amos Kiser

My favorite moments of visiting Uganda are singing with Meri and Hank (2 of the Rieger children). It is always fun praising God not just to praise because everyone else is doing it but because it is what He wants us to do. Another fun time was VBS with all the kids from the culture I came from and seeing how happy they were that they were singing with Mzungus (white people). I also love cooking with Maddie Rieger because we always cooked things that everybody on the team loved to eat. The most fun thing was playing and singing with Henry and George Rieger. I enjoyed listening to the kids laugh and sing and praise God, it made me feel joyful that the future of Africa might have more Christians than now. I also learned that a lot of people in Africa are tempted to do wrong and more deaths are happening than people know about. I would like for more people to pray for Africa because when people think about Africa they think of poor people who need help with food and money but there is more than food and money that these people need they need prayer, help and God. I am happy that Keith and Lisa are making an impact to change the future of children in villages in town and in orphanages.