Mission Complete

As expected, things got crazy on our final count-down before returning to New Zealand. Time was of-the-essence, as we tried to finish up the Cell Point system while life was dotted with good-bye dinners, departure medicals, winding-down ministry and packing our bags.

Good Bye Dinner with IT & Volunteer Staff
On our last night in Uganda, we went out to dinner with the IT Team, a couple of our fellow volunteers, and our volunteer coordinator. It was great to have a chance to appreciate each other.

We received some really nice going-away gifts. We had so much fun with these guys and we will miss them a lot.

So, How Was Uganda?

Discipleship "Overnight Celebration"
It was hugely satisfying for Jordan to attend some of an all-night worship service, whose audience consisted of the hundreds of people who graduated the discipleship class, including his group. We know we will enjoy lasting relationships from this time.

Cell Point (Trial) Finished!
In the last half-hour of our IT work time, we published the completed, live trial of the Cell Point System.

For us and the IT Team, it was hugely rewarding to see 'our baby' running. We have high hopes for this system saving hours of fuel and pastoral time for Watoto every week.

IT Classes Started at Bbira
Another exciting result of our trip is the kick-start of the IT classes at Bbira children's village. With John keeping the flame burning with this one, we feel privileged to have piloted the launch.

Children's Church
It was wonderful for Julie to be involved with Watoto children's church. We attended an afternoon retreat with the children's ministry team during our last week. They are such a high-quality team. Julie looks forward to receiving a DVD of the Christmas Cantata children's play which she has helped audition, edit and direct.

Overall
We are overwhelmed with how God has used our little visit to achieve so much. We have personally grown heaps through new ministries, like teaching, hospital ministry, enduring difficult situations in an unfamiliar country, and through encountering the Spirit of God in the African people.

We will miss Uganda. It certainly has its up-sides!

Arrival Home

On our first day back, we met our family and came back to Julie's parents' house. They were all ready for us to camp in the back yard, complete with campsite modelled after the recent "occupy" protests!

Now, we get over jetlag and reintegrate into New Zealand life. We look forward to sharing all the experiences and enrichment we have received during our time with Watoto.

You have all done so much for us in supporting us to live in work for Watoto in Uganda.

Thank you!


Here is a collection of our 'sign spotting' photos from the trip (click for the gallery):

Gulu

We spent 4 nights in Gulu, in northern Uganda, a little while ago. Northern Uganda is very beautiful, relatively quiet and the air is clear; it was a welcome change from Kampala.

Our main reason for visiting Gulu, was to witness the work of Watoto's trauma rehabilitation team and their work with the IDP (Internally Displace People) community. The IDP camps were created so the government could control the Acholi people when Joseph Kony was rampaging through the area. There is a lot of bitterness and hurt among these communities. Although the people are now free to leave, many of them stay in or frequently return to the camps. The infrastructure of the camps, including schools and clinics, makes many feel, "this is where life is".

The Watoto trauma team go to these camps and run two-week courses. The first week is about psychoeducation and teaching people how to forgive build their lives again. The second week is only for people who indicated in the first week that they wanted to know Jesus personally and it focuses on developing that relationship further.

One day of our visit, we went up with the trauma team to one of these IDP camps to witness the last day of the second part of the course. The Watoto team gave out Bibles and encouraged them to continue meeting together. The people at this particular camp had been especially eager to have Bibles. They wanted them more than any other material thing, so it was a great privilege to be there when they received them with such excitement ("Ieieieieieieieieieeee!").

The people who had been through both weeks of the course then told stories of how their lives had changed. Then, some of them wanted to sing and dance, so they did.

Afterwards, we got to play with some of the children. Jordan swung them around and Julie showed them pictures of themselves. There were many giggles all around.

Everybody had a great time, which is cool considering we couldn't understand each other's language.

 

While in Gulu, we took the opportunity to explore Watoto's ministries up there. We got to visit the church, the babies home, the children's village and Living Hope, where marginalised women (usually AIDS widows or LRA escapees) are taken in and taught how to make cool stuff to sell, how to read and write and how to responsibly deal with the trauma they have experienced.

Setting off in the evening rain with some fellow volunteers. We were trying to find some boda-bodas to take us out for a last dinner together. Boda-bodas are motorcyle transport. Watoto volunteers are forbidden to use them in the big city but, in Gulu, the roads are quiet, the drivers slower, and boda-bodas are the only public transport! It's a fun way to get around.

 

We are so glad to have been able to go to Gulu and see the things that are happening there. God is certainly doing a great work.

Flocking loud

So, after numerous requests, we have recorded a flock of the goose/megaphone/pig birds for your listening pleasure.

It turns out it was not the marabou storks. We got a photo of one, and to the best of our judgement, the culprit is of the ibis species.

For the most faithful reproduction, turn up your speakers until they distort horribly.

Sideline Headlines Part Two

The Children's Cantata
I (Julie) have been helping to direct the young actors and actresses from Church who will be performing in the Christmas Cantata at the end of the year. It had been quite a fun experience with characters such as “Meat”, “Chicken” and “Vegetables” telling the Christmas story. Alas, we can not stay to see the finished production but I am enjoying the time I have and am looking forward to watching the DVD.

Chlidren's Church

I have also been involved in Children's Church on Sunday mornings. I am usually one of about five facilitators in the 4-7 year olds' class. This is quite a new experience as there are more than 60 children in just that one group! What I do changes from week to week, but it could be telling a story or teaching a memory verse or something like that. Some of the children are afraid of me because I look so different to them but some enjoy the novelty value.

Computer Classes

For the last couple of weeks, we have been producing material and teaching computer classes to young high schoolers in Bbira, one of the Watoto villages. Bbira is a beautiful village.

 

The name means "forest", and there is a forest of tall trees, which give the village its character.

The shady spaces between the trees make a great hangout.

After we showed the students how to open Microsoft Word:
Girl: It's not doing anything.
Julie: That's because it's waiting for you to do something. This is like a piece of paper that you can write on.
Girl: Where's the pencil?
Julie: (pointing to the keyboard) This is the pencil. See? You can write stuff with it.
Girl: Wow! That's cool!

Most of the children there had never really used a computer, so we had to start by teaching them how to use a mouse. It is really fun to see them get so excited by basic computer concepts. The first thing we taught them was how to use Paint. When they started drawing their first lines, the room was filled with giggles and expressions of delight.

John is the IT guy at Bbira (also assisting other villages), and also an ex-teacher.

He is very excited about the IT classes we have been piloting, and he has committed to "carry the torch" to continue the classes. Next year, a proper IT cirriculum will be aquired, exams and all.


Prayer & Praise

• Thank God that we have been able to have such a wide and varied experience of Watoto and its ministries.
• Thank God for a safe trip to Gulu, and for all we saw there (blog incoming!).
• Thank God for all the people's lives in which we've been able to be involved, and the blessings which have gone both ways.

• Pray for John as he takes over the IT classes, that God will really enrich the children's lives, and John's through these classes.
• It's crunch time, organisationally, socially and practically as our return to New Zealand draws near. Please pray for smooth sailing.
• Please pray that the IT team will be thoroughly successful in continuing to develop the Cell Point system as they adjust to us no longer appearing the office each day.

The Source of the River Nile

On Saturday, some friends of ours very kindly took us to see the source of the River Nile. We went out in a boat to visit the place where the Nile comes out of Lake Victoria. It was very beautiful.

 Look! A reptile from the Nile! It's a WILD ANIMAL.

Some of the water for the Nile flows from Lake Victoria and some comes from underground springs.

We saw wild monkeys! Everyone here thinks it's crazy that we hadn't ever seen monkeys outside a zoo, so now we can be in the club.

After that, we ate some fish that was very fresh and tasty, as far as fresh water fish goes. The fish was fried whole and we had to take all the meat off it with mostly fingers. Yum.

By the way, as we write this, we are in Gulu! That's in Northern Uganda, where the conflict happened with Joseph Kony and his rebels. We even saw the school where he grew up. More on that in another post.

Prayer and Praise

• Thank God that as our trip draws near a close, we are feeling like our hopes were fulfilled and we are healthy.
• Please pray that each precious day we have left will be productive, and we will be able to leave the Cell Point in a good place for the pastors to begin trialing it and the IT team to continue developing it.

God is Good

A little story for you, by Julie.

We mentioned in our last post that we have had a problem with bed bugs. We had actually had that problem for probably about 6 weeks before we realised what was going on. By the time we found out where all the itchy bites were coming from, we had endured a fair bit of suffering. We had tried spraying some things, which helped for a little while, but the bugs always came back because that's what bed bugs do. When we found out what they were, how they like to hide in tiny little cracks and crevices, how difficult they are to get rid of and how much blood they suck, we started feeling very discouraged. Bed bugs are like a cross between ticks and headlice. They suck blood like ticks (minus the corkscrew nose) and they breed and spread like headlice (minus the living on your head thing). We were already very tired and we didn't feel like we could handle this.

On the Saturday before last, we had been in church during the morning while I did some Children's Cantata stuff and we really didn't want to go home. We couldn't face it. So, we checked some movie times for the local malls. These malls only show about three or four movies at a time and most of the time, we are not terribly keen on the choices. But on this Saturday, God made sure the movie that we really needed to see in the name of emotional wellbeing, Johnny English: Reborn, was playing. It was such a wonderful breath of fresh air and we laughed the whole way through it.

After the movie, we were lured into an electronics shop with a "3D World by Sony" sign. The 3D wasn't operational, but we did see three T.V. screens showing scenes of New Zealand! Not only that, but they were scenes of Auckland, places we know and fresh and clean ocean. We told the shop attendant that our city was playing on the T.V. and he watched it with us. He was amazed at the lack of dust and we found that rather amazing as well. Among the scenes was a shot of the ferry I used to ride to work every day! There are only about 2 boats that look like that in all of Auckland and one made it to an electronics shop in Uganda. I was so happy to see it, I shouted "That's my ferry!" I knew that God could see us and that he cared. We also knew that, before too long, we would be back in the ocean and there are no bed bugs in the ocean. =)

The final icing on the cake was dinner. There was a grill we had seen before but had never been to and we decided to give it a try. It was part of a butcher's shop, which seemed promising. It was amazing. Definitely the best food we have ever had here. There were many tasty vegetables and the chef knew how to make a dignified well-done steak which is quite rare (haha). I have recently discovered that my one of my biggest, if not my biggest, love language is being fed. If somebody gives me good food then I feel loved and taken care of. I know that this dinner was another gift from God.

The bed bug battle continued, but we found that we could face it a little better than we could before.

So that's my story. Thanks for reading. Your regularly scheduled program will continue shortly.

Sideline Headlines Part One

Hello, everyone! We are glad to finally be updating you. The next two updates should give you an idea of why we have been so busy. Here is part one about what we have been up to, besides our IT work.

Discipleship Class
Discipleship class at Watoto is an intensive small-group-based study of the Christian faith. Attendees spend time learning the essentials as well as unlearning 'toxic religion' they may have picked up along the way. Jordan is a facilitator for one of these groups, meeting once or twice weekly, and keeps in-touch with the guys between.

A couple of TXTs Jordan has received:

"Hi Jordan, good morning! I Just woke up with this big desire to say thank you. Thank you for who u have been to us as a group and to me as an individual. Thank you for being there. God bless you."

"Hey Jordan! Praise God! I really cant thank you enough for today. Thanks for being passionate about the works of God and thanks for ministering. God will bless you so much. I loved the talk and the food also. Thanks again brother. And regards to Julie."

He co-facilitates with the other leader (in the red). Jordan is passionate about helping new believers experience what Jesus says in John 8:32, "the truth will set you free", and these classes have been a great avenue for this.



Jordan does Hospital Ministry

Wow, this is a tough calling. This is a big part of the vision I had for coming to Uganda, and it has definitely impacted me. Going and seeing people in such dire straights, really gives you an appreciation for your circumstances.

I have joined an experienced Ugandan Christian in going to pray for the sick, encourage them and talk about God's love for them.

Eventually, I also lead the Discipleship Class to come and experience this ministry. In the public hospital here, people are lucky to get a bed, and if no friends or family come to look after you, you don't eat. Not to mention medical care may well be insufficient for the (dire) needs.

 It has been very humbling trying to bear a message of hope to people in such circumstances. Nevertheless, we were privileged to see several people give their lives to Christ, and I look forward to hearing of answers to prayers as people are followed up.

Coming up in Part Two...

• Julie has been facilitating in Children's Church and helping prepare for the Children's Cantata at the end of the year.
• We have begun teaching computer classes for young high-schoolers at the Bbira children's village.
• One of our IT team will be taking us to the source of the Nile this weekend!

Please Pray for:

• Wise use of our last month here.
• A swift death (for the bed bugs which have been discovered in our home!). It is really tiring us out keeping these horrid critters at bay. Please pray that the soon-coming fumigation and other measures will be 100% effective.
• The Cell Point website getting operational and in good condition before we leave.

Praise God for:

• The Cell Point system coming together.
• Good people who have helped us get around.
• The amazing experiences we have had!