Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > Africa2 > Missionary in Africa |
|
Praises from the Bush/Prayer Requests : Karamojong Street . The Queen is coming to Uganda! Queen Elizabeth and heads of states of over 40 countries are converging in Uganda in a few months. In an attempt to “clean up the streets” before the dignitaries arrive, the government has transferred 230 Karamojong street from the capital city to the bush in Karamoja. Some have never known how to survive in a village, so the new life is a shock. We are now caring for about 130 of them, putting them in boarding schools beginning a discipleship programme with them and feeding and clothing them. They are doing well, and many are interested in the Lord, some have already gotten saved in the last few months. We are seeking sponsors to help them with their school fees. See photo of some of the attached also. Pray for: Adjustment for the as they come off the streets and move to the rural villages Spiritual growth as most have never heard the gospel before and many Spiritual warfare, as many have been exposed to violence, abuse and witchcraft Peace Programme. God is doing amazing things in our peace efforts here in Karamoja! We had some visitors from Rolling Hills Community Church and Good Shepherd Community Church visit us a few weeks ago to launch a peace initiative between the warring Pian and Bokora sub-tribes of Karamoja. It has had some amazing results! The two sub-tribes want to leave the old things behind now and move towards peaceful co-existence. They have vowed not to revenge on one another, and even to hand over any culprits that continue to stir up contention or raid cattle in the area. They have also admitted that they have failed in bringing peace because they have not looked to God and have not been willing to glorify Him in their lives, nor to forgive one another. Both people groups are now organizing to transfer their homes into the abandoned No-Man’s- Land which has been uninhabitable due to the long standing conflict. The trek will take 5-8 hours through the bush, where hundreds of their people have died in conflict. This land is very fertile, and has not been utilized for more than 30 years. They will form a joint village and keep their livestock together, such that the area will no longer be known as Bokora people or Pian people, but they will have one identity. One of the first things they would like to do is to start a church, to ensure that the community focuses on God and not on themselves. The migration will begin on Monday, the 15th of October. Please pray for us. We have army to guide the group across the no man’s land, and we will stay with the group for 4 days in the site of the new settlement (camping in tents and under trees). We expect about 70 people from each side. During that time, they will survey the area and begin to formulate strategies and plans for how they can live together peacefully and how to avoid the future escalation of conflict. Our verse for the programme is Isaiah 1:18 “Come let us reason together”. Pray for: Security in the migration to the new settlement (It is called “Naryamiryam”, meaning “the place of coming together”  Continued movement towards peace and reconciliation on both sides Government support of the process Good weather! 150 people sleeping in the bush in the pouring down rain would not be so good! Figuring out how to group camp with 150 warriors and tribal leaders in the bush (food, bathing, drinking water, sleeping, meeting, etc.) Flooding! North East Uganda, where I live, is rapidly going under water! Sun spots they say. We have many swamps which drain into Lake Kyoka and Lake Victoria. Those swamps are now becoming extensions of the lakes, and have cut off most of the roads into Karamoja and Soroti. We were cut off completely for about 2 weeks, food began to go scarce, fuel was no longer available, schools had to close. A few days ago, however, I prayed about it and decided to travel through the overflooded water (my Land Rover has a snorkel and can drive in deep water) to come out for a break and to have a spiritual retreat with a friend. On my way, a bus was partially submerged on the flooded road. After several hours of waiting as people struggled to move it, we pulled it out with the Landy winch and everyone could then pass through! Praise God!! I’ll be going back today to Karamoja. What is normally a 3 hour drive is now at least 10 hours. It’s good I have my silly Poodle for company! Pray for: Safe and wise traveling across roads that have been washed into the swamps Slowing of the flood waters so that they can drain. Many homes are going underwater. The cows are swimming up to their shoulders in their pastures! Help for the flood victims. We would like to begin to take food and provisions to people in the flooded areas, but many are only reachable by boat now. Many of the crops have been destroyed in the floods, so famine is inevidable next year. 
|
|
