Leaving Adjumani...

I can't believe we only have four days left here in our beloved N. Ugandan town. I'm having a hard time grasping that in about thirteen days I'll be back in my hometown starting to have conversations about what life was like here. It just doesn't seem possible. I do have peace about leaving...it is definitely time to go. We had a wonderful goodbye celebration at Liberty Baptist church last Friday - the church we worship at most Sundays. And, it really helped me to feel the sense of closure that I have needed. Many of the people we have worked alongside and love were there to celebrate what God has done in these last several months. It really wasn't a time of sadness, but of praising and rejoicing in God's goodness to all of us. And, it was beautiful to hear the cheers of agreement that we are all one in Christ, and will remain together in spirit and in prayer.

Our pastor, Pastor Henry, shared a message about the will of God and how we answered the call to come to Adjumani even though there were many uncertainties and many reasons that people told us not to come. I really believe that one of the most meaningful things to the people we've been living life with is that we came and stayed even though things can never be certain up here in terms of peace and security. And, there are also the realities of sickness and the extreme hot weather in the dry season (December through March) that make it so many people choose not to stay or even to come at all. I'm not trying to puff those of us up who did come to stay for some time. I'm only trying to illustrate the way God speaks through solidarity and sacrifice of the things that help one to feel secure in this life. It's really incredible...It truly is about entering in and genuinely "being" with people in their daily lives - sharing in what makes life for them - good and bad. It sounds too simple, but I've found it is where so much of Christ's teachings come to light.

So, in these last days, we are trying to spend time with all of those we love dearly. I can't believe the relationships that God has invited us into here, and how it really feels like we will be together in heart and spirit even with the great physical distance between us. And, that will become even more meaningful because communication from the U.S. is going to be difficult as many of our friends don't have access to computers, post office boxes, or even money to use their phones (some have pay-as-you-go cell phones). We have found ways to get letters or other things to them, but it will take a lot of time and patience. We are all at peace with it as we have no other choice and it will make the communication we do have very sweet. And, most importantly, it will drive us to pray much more for our community here as we won't have their words to tell us how they are doing.

Sunday was our last morning to worship with our dear friends...there will be many "lasts" this week...but, many "firsts" are to come as I leave with a completely new perspective on life and my walk with Christ.

I'm not sure if I'll blog again while in Uganda...We'll see. I'll leave you with some photos of the people I've spent time with in the last few weeks...Blessings to all!

Esther, Palima, Jaclyn, Savior (Palima's son), and myself playing with the camera on Jaclyn's computer.

Our dear friends, Annet and her daughter Freeder (pronounced "Frida"). We spent time with Annet and Freeder in Bible study and sharing each week.

We got to visit the place where Esther was raised in Dufile of Moyo County. Pictured here are many of her family members who still live there (as well as Esther - the one with the big smile - and her two little girls).



Jaclyn and I with Pastor Henry's wife, Regina. This was the last day we spent with her as she left for sunday school teacher training in Yei, Sudan the following day. She is a dear friend to us.

This is Sunday's wife, Betty, with their son, Anzo. Betty is pregnant and due in March. We enjoyed a day of just sitting together, chatting about life, and playing with their children.


This is Morris Taban from Amazing Grace Orphanage holding baby Nancy. Jaclyn and I got to spend the night at Amazing Grace a couple of weekends ago...what a treat it was to hang out with the kids into the evening, singing/praising, and then watching 'Ratatouille' together.



This is our dear brother, Pastor Dominic and his wife Consy, and son, David. The woman on the left is their church's women's leader, Margaret. Dominic really is a good friend and light of Christ in Adjumani.

Our goodbye celebration on the 23rd: Here are many of our friends waiting in line for the delicious food that was prepared by several ladies that morning (chicken, posho, beans, beef).


Children of both Liberty Baptist church and Ciforo Baptist church performed some sweet goodbye songs for us at the goodbye celebration -To hear those children sing and to see them dance is such a gift.


We invited the traditional Madi Dance Troupe to come and perform at the celebration. It was wonderful! Jaclyn and I also got into the circle and tried our hand (feet) at it...pretty humorous:)!


There were several farewell speeches made by pastors in the Madi Baptist Association which were very heartfelt, meaningful, and encouraging for all. But, I had to get a photo of this pastor who decided to salute us in saying farewell...I've never been saluted before! ;)

Jaclyn and I receiving farewell gifts from some of our dearest women friends at Liberty Baptist and in Adjumani. They presented us with small water pots (the kind that were traditionally used for carrying water) that were made by a woman at her home in Adjumani. We were also given a traditional broom that is made from the grasses near their homes.


There are so many more wonderful photos and stories to share, but I'll have to come and have coffee with you to do that. ;) Love and blessings to all!

A most precious gift...

Before Christmas (okay, yes, this entry is a bit late... :), Jaclyn and I took a trip to Kajo Keji, Sudan so that we could spend a few days at one of the sister orphanages to Amazing Grace Orphanage in Adjumani. Jaclyn's friend, Matt Besser who works with Samaritan's Purse in Yei, Sudan, was kind enough to come to Adjumani and then take us to Kajo Keji. It was a nice ride up - we even crossed the Albert Nile on a ferry - in order to get to the district that borders Sudan.

Our time at St. Bartholomew's was so blessed. Jaclyn and I got to stay in a tukul right on the compound and it was wonderful to hear the sounds of the children early in the morning as each day began. There are about 84 children there ranging from just a few months old to the early twenties. They were orphaned for many reasons due to the war in S. Sudan, or parents who were unable to care for them due to poverty, sickness, or even mental illness. I was struck by the peace at that place. Yes, we were only there for a few days – but, there was something special about the 15 full-time staff who worked there. They seemed to genuinely love the children, and there seemed to be a spirit of contentment among them even with the many, many hours of work that they put in.

Oh, the children. They were beautiful. Just as it is with the children at Amazing Grace Orphanage, these children have a sense of beauty about them that is almost angelic. It’s not that they are perfect – there is still bickering, crying over small things, dirty faces, and all of that – but, when I think about the fact that these children have lost their parents, that they might sit and wonder why and have no answers, and still they manage to love, play, smile, and laugh…I wonder. I can only thank God for the way He has brought them to a place where they are genuinely loved and cared for as His beloved children. It was therapy to my soul to hold, hug, and play with many of the children each day. It’s amazing how hand games, tag, and singing songs are so fulfilling for these children. We could have done each of those things for hours. J It was wonderful… There was even a flash rainstorm which was license for running around the whole compound and dancing in celebration of such a rare occurrence at this time of year.

We spent a lot of time at the babies home which housed all children under 5 years old on the compound. All we had to do was sit down on the mat they had outside and soon we were both covered with at least 3 babies trying to find places on our laps or in our arms. Yes, it was heart wrenching to see these little ones need so much attention. But, it was such a gift to be there with them, and the strong desire to love and play with them drowned out the reality of their situation in life – at least for the moment. The mama’s taking care of these babies worked tirelessly. I’ve watched friends with one child and how tiring that can be… So, to see only 3 or 4 mamas for about 15 to 20 babies of all different ages under 5 – constantly feeding, bathing, changing dirty diapers, washing clothes, comforting – need I say more! One of the children, named Nejun, is five years old with something that looks like cerebral palsey. His basic needs seemed to be well taken care of, but it also seemed like it wouldn’t hurt to spend some time just holding him. Such simple moments…and, yet, Christ is so profoundly in them.

Our time in Kajo Keji, Sudan also held some other very special times. I was able to find the mother-in-law – Jerisa - to my Ugandan friend, Edith, who lives in Portland and helped me a lot with a Sudanese refugee mother of seven. After asking a few folks at the main hospital where Jerisa’s brother works as a night guard, we were escorted to where she stays (only in AfricaJ could you find someone in this way). She had no idea I was going to show up, and it was great because she recognized me right away (I had spent time with her in Portland a couple of years ago). She told us that she runs out of her tukul every time she hears a plane overhead hoping it’s someone from America coming to see her. Priceless. Fortunately, our friend Annet, who is the nurse at St. Bartholomew’s, was there to help translate as neither Jerisa nor her brother could really speak English. I was able to bring the little suitcase of things that Edith lovingly sent with me for Jerisa which was also a great delight to her. The day before we left, we got to have tea with Jerisa and her extended family, and also had a chance to hear more of her difficult life story. Before leaving them, we had a chance to pray together…another sweet time blessed by Christ.

Just a few hours before we met Jerisa and her family for the first time, we had the opportunity to go with Annet to visit her father in the hospital who had been bitten by a cobra in his tukul a couple of weeks before. We took a brother’s heart fruit (sort of similar in taste to a jackfruit) to share with he and his wife. It lit my heart up to see him smile at these young mzungu visitors who wanted to spend a bit of time with him. Annet told us that he hadn’t eaten much since being at the hospital so it was wonderful to see him eating the brother’s heart fruit with great enthusiasm. We had a chance to pray with him as well as a couple others Annet knew in the hospital.

On our way into the area at the hospital where Annet’s father was we met a little boy who looked to be about seven or eight. His side was bandaged along with part of his arm, and we learned that he was epileptic. Annet asked him what the bandages were from and he said that he had had a seizure (from epilepsy) and fell into a fire. While we were with Annet’s father, we saw the little boy, Ivan, come into the room. It’s hard to admit – especially after you read the rest of this story – that the first thing I thought of was that he’s probably coming in to ask us for money…But, instead, He looked up at both of us, held out his hand, and offered a 200 schilling (less than fifty cents) coin to each of us. Jaclyn and I looked at each other incredulously and then, with lumps in our throats, we tried to get him to take the coins back as it was obvious this boy and his grandmother had very little. Annet translated our wish to him, and he replied that this was his gift to us and he wanted us to have it. That’s it. I wish I had a picture of Ivan’s face as he said this to us…He was a vessel of Christ…trying to teach us more about the undeserving love and incredible grace we receive from Him constantly. I can hardly think of a more humbling moment…

An hour or so later, after we had visited a few others in the same hospital, we came across Ivan’s grandmother again. She took us to Ivan who was in his hospital bed, covered by a mosquito net, and trying to get to sleep. He stretched out his little hand to us and we held it as we prayed for him. I will never forget Ivan, and his great gift to us which is sitting on my shelf as a 200 schilling coin.