New Well....New Hope

I know that most of you have never been to Karamoja.  It's not a place I ever expected to go either.  I have to admit I was a little afraid when the idea was presented back this time last year.  God wanted me to go though.  He kept opening all the doors, and presenting the opportunities so that I could do no less than obey.  When I went, it was all I had expected.....barren wasteland, hot, poor.  But it was also much more.  It was a place where God had placed some of His children.  A place where hope was needed.  A place where they were all but forgotten by most, except God.  They had been in a several year drought and little was able to grow there.  Skinny cows, skinny people, no baths.....you could smell it.......but no available water makes for those things.  I was convicted by God for the needs of these people.  But what could I do?  The needs were so great, and all of them were things that only God can provide.  I am not a rich person....I'm barely middle class here in the U.S. I don't have alot of influential friends, and am not connected to those with great financial means.  If you really think about it, I'm not even on the rich side of faith either.  I remember feeling totally overwhelmed by the needs, trying to figure out just what to do....how to help.  I remember words coming out of my mouth...."We'll pray for rain for Karamoja".  I don't know where that came from, but it had been said.  My faith wasn't strong enough to believe that God would hear my prayer for rain for Karamoja, especially after about 5 years of drought.  But, He did.  Within 3 months of that visit, they got rain.....not because of my weak faithed prayer, but because God is faithful...because He knew their need.  He just allowed me to witness it, to experience it, to see Him answer prayer.....He knew my weak faith.....but I think He also knew my desire to obey Him.....so He let me in on His grace and mercy to Karamoja.  After that glorious rain, the once barren wasteland was beautiful and green.  Cows got fat, and food began to grow.  We were able to return in September and do a medical clinic with dear friends in the medical field.  They, like me, were very reluctant to go initially.  But when they made that decision, God also worked in their lives......they have now committed to a long term relationship with the people of Karamoja.  We were able to drill a well in one of the villages recently.  It was just completed last week.  This too, was a miracle!  The company that drilled the well, had been doing so in several other locations in Karamoja, only to come up dry.  This well.....it was a gift from God, through the hands of His children....this well, it not only hit water, but such an abundance of it that it will provide clean drinking water, hygiene, irrigation, and cattle watering......God's water.  When God sends people somewhere, it is never a wasted visit.  When my friends were introduced to Karamoja, God touched their hearts......they responded with love and generosity.  One thing I know......God does not half do anything, and He never wastes opportunities.  Everything that God does brings honor and glory to Him, and it always blesses those affected by it.  It all sums up in Isaiah 41: 17-20  "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none.  Their tongues fail for thirst.  I, the Lord, will hear them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.  I will open rivers in desolate heights.  And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.  I will plant in the wilderness the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle and the oil tree and the pine and the box tree together, that they may see and know, and consider and understand together, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the holy One of Israel has created it."

All I want for Christmas....

How quickly this year is passing.  As I have heard Laura say about leaving the U.S. for a trip to Uganda, Christmas will be here in three sleeps and a wake up.  

Have you made your list, done all your shopping,  gotten a headache trying to think of just the right gift for that certain someone on your list?  Here's an idea.  It's the gift that keeps on giving; prayerfully giving forever.  One of our sweet and generous sponsors recently asked for this gift for Christmas.

What does Linda want for Christmas?  That's what her 98 year old mother in law asked Linda recently.  Although she normally tells her mother in law that she doesn't need or want anything, this year she asked for something.......she told her husband, Don to tell his mother that she would like for her to sponsor a child through Mercy Uganda.

Linda sent Laura an email saying this.....pick two children and just let me know the price....depending on the village and the school and whether a child boards or not the cost can be between $150. and $325. as a general rule.  When I get the pictures and information from Mercy Uganda, I'll visit my mother in law and tell her she is sending this child to school for me as my Christmas gift.  I'll do the same in January with the other child and tell her she is sending this child to school as a birthday gift to me.  She'll be pleased.  I'd like for at least one of these children to be a girl.  


Here's the rest of the story about Linda and her love for these children of Uganda.  Linda sponsored her first child as a gift for someone in her office.  She is carrying this on as a tradition.

So what's on your list this year?  Makes you think doesn't it?  I know it made me think about my own lists.

Merry Christmas

 Be looking for a recap of the year 2010 soon!

Good way to help!

Wow, time is flying and we hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We now look forward to celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have much to be thankful for here at Mercy Uganda.  After our banquet, we now have another well being drilled in yet another remote village.  Clean water!  What a blessing and how hard for me to imagine life without water just flowing from a faucet.  But such a bigger blessing to see those who are so grateful to pump water, clean water.   The new well will be like the one below that was recently completed.

Mercy Uganda now has a medical team that goes with the group to conduct clinics and provide much needed medical care in remote villages.

Mercy Uganda is so thankful for any and all contributions to help the women and children of Uganda.  We now have another, very simple way for you to give.

We GoodSearch and GoodShop for Mercy Uganda.
Raise money for Mercy Uganda just by searching
the Internet with GoodSearch.com , or shopping
online with GoodShop.com.

Really, that's all you have to do.  Search just like you would with any other search engine.  When you sign up for GoodSearch or GoodShop, you will be able to put in the charity you want to give to and then every time you search or shop, Mercy Uganda will receive a donation.

What an easy way to help the women and children of Uganda!  Thank you for all you do to help and encourage these people and most importantly for your prayers.

Water....clean water!!

The Lord has provided clean, safe, and accessible drinking water to the remote village of Kyamagemule.  One year after we prayerfully began our fundraising efforts, God has given us a well.  Through many prayers and the generosity of many people, God brought health, safety, and so much more to them.  During a clinic we were a part of in Kyamagemule, I, and several ladies met with the women of the village to share testimonies.  One of the ladies stood up and began to speak in her native language. Through the help of a translator we learned that she was expressing her gratitude for this gift of hope to them.  She said "now no more children have to die drowning trying to get water".  We didn't know that a child had, not so many months ago, drowned in that muddy watering hole that used to be their only source for water.  To see the villagers all gathered around to see the first flowing clean, clear water come out was amazing! To watch children fill little water bottles and to be able to see through it because the water was so clear was a gift from God.  I am thankful that God gave us water.  I'm glad he gave us Henry Mello, our director for Mercy Uganda in Uganda.  He would not let the drilling company stop drilling after 60 meters, 70 meters, 80, and 90.....finally at 101 meters, about 300 feet, water gushed forth and the blessing of health and hope began.  We knew we would find water because God had already provided everything else, the money, the drilling company, everything.....He never stops short of what He is accomplishing.  I am thankful for that!!  We are now starting a new well project for another remote village....Kokoro, a village in Karamoja.  This will provide a way to irrigate crops in a very drought stricken land.  I know God will guide this effort too.  Please pray with us and for us as we move forward on this next well project.

There and back!

Time has flown......a team that went to Uganda a couple of weeks ago is headed back and should be in town tomorrow, probably dragging due to the time difference!

This team has been serving in Uganda for the past two weeks.  Barb and Laura are on the far left....Barb is a volunteer and member of the board and Laura is director of Mercy Uganda.  To the far right is Dr. Dietrich and some of his staff, who went to conduct medical clinics.

Stay tuned for many exciting stories of how God worked in through this team!  

Scars

When I was in Uganda in June we visited a new hospital in the Entebbe area.  As we sat there I was observing the multitude of issues the children had, from deformities in their legs to cleft palate, to burns.  There were a couple of little boys that came in with their upper bodies healing, somewhat, from burns. A friend who was with me said that a large percentage of the burns seen in Uganda have been intentionally done by stepmothers or other relatives.  I don't think that was the case with these two boys but we are helping a young lady who most definitely was set on fire on purpose.  It is horrible to suffer from burns, it is even worse when those burns were caused intentionally by someone else.....it is even worse when you are not taken for treatment for those burns and then, four years later you have no visible breasts and your arm is melded to your side making it unusable.  To further add to the pain, this young lady suffers chronic infections and bleeding from some of the areas that never completely healed.  As a social worker I wonder where the justice for this girl is. I wonder where the punishment is for those who inflicted this pain, and those who ignored the suffering.  As a Christian I am appalled by the evil that lashed out at her in this way, and I am compelled to do all I can to help her, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.  Her wounds go deep in every way.  This was done by an older sister who was angry because she didn't want to do her chores.  This was ignored by a family who didn't want to get the older sister in trouble.  This was ignored by extended family who knew this had happened, the pain she continued to suffer, and yet, they did nothing to help.  Only recently, when they wanted to appeal to the heartstrings of the generosity of others through sponsorship for school, was she ever brought to us.  That, in itself is a blog story for another day.  This young girl's pain goes back before the burn, and continues beyond the burn today.  Her father abandoned the family when she was little. Her mother died a few years ago and she lives with extended family.  Her older sister continues to be violent toward her and the family does not intervene.  We hope to get this young lady to safety and are working on medical care for her even now.  Please pray for her, for her safety and her healing.  Please pray that God will provide a safe haven for her from the years of pain and abuse.  Please pray for her older sister and her family, that God will change their hearts.  Please pray for us as we partner with doctors and individuals to help this precious girl.....God is our Great Healer!

Suffer the Little Children

 (Picture of multi-purpose room at Eseza's school)

People often ask how I can go to Uganda and see the things I see, and not break down.  Well, I do, at times, break down.  But the things I see, the things I experience while working with women and children in Uganda, are things that God uses in my life to break my heart for the things that break His heart.  He uses these experiences to grow my faith, to humble me, to keep my heart tender.  The new picture you see as our header is of a precious little family of children.  The oldest girl, Eseza, or Esther, is only 6 years old.  Those are her three little siblings with her, Tracy, Viola, and Senfuka. Their mother and father both worked in the stone quarries making about fifty cents a day.  The two parents together making less than one dollar a day to feed this little family!
Eseza's mother died this past year.  She was at work in the stone quarry when some of it collapsed on her.  The father, being left with 4 small children, and having to continue to work, pulled Eseza out of school to care for her younger siblings while he went to work. He works all day, every day, 6 days a week. This little 6 year old girl roams the neighborhood with little little siblings, and no food.  Daddy comes home in the evenings and then tries to find what he can to feed them on the little money he makes.  I know that I would have trouble feeding my family on that amount of money.  You see, Eseza had been in one of the schools with whom we work on our sponsorship program.  I visited that school recently, on my June trip to Uganda.  I was able to talk to the headmistress who graciously took me to this child and her home.  These beautiful little children are who Jesus talks about when he says "suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven".  Children have a very special place in the heart of our Saviour.......we should give them a special place too.  Mercy Uganda is working closely with this school to provide a way for this little girl to return to school, and for her and her siblings to receive food and care.  The father agreed to let the children live at the school with the headmistress as caregiver, and Eseza able to learn again.  This arrangement is not perfect.  The school really does not have a boarding section yet, rather, all the children who are orphans there sleep in a multi-purpose room, used as a classroom by day, and lodging by night.  Some do not have mattresses or mosquito nets as they can't afford them. They sleep on the floor with no protection from the mosquitoes that carry malaria.  Food is in short supply.  However, the headmistress, precious lady that she is, and her dear husband, have a small garden where they grow food to help feed the children.  Mercy Uganda is working with them for ways to expand their ability to provide food through more agriculture, and through livestock that we hope to be able to provide over the next several months.  We are also working closely with them to help tie into the water system to provide more, and better water for the children, and are looking to the future for how we may help them expand through building an orphanage.  Yes, some of these are far into the future, but some are now, things that we can do to make a difference even in small ways as we seek God's guidance and provision in caring for His little ones.  We are prayerfully working with the father of Eseza and her siblings, so that he will be encouraged to be an active part of their lives and their care, and that he will come to know the Lord who loves him, and loves his children.  Please pray for Eseza and her family, for the headmistress and the school. Please pray for Mercy Uganda as we seek to honor God in our work with them.  Please pray, too, about how you might be a part of this ministry work with this little family, and many like them.

(Eseza, Tracy, Viola, and Senfuka in front of their home)

A Gift Toward Self-Sufficiency

We just returned from a 2 week trip to Uganda and, as always, were blessed and ministered to by the very people for whom we seek to minister.  We were blessed to partner with some ladies in the U.S. who provided the resources we needed to purchase sewing machines in Uganda.  We were able to purchase 7 of them and they were distributed to 4 geographical locations, 3 in Kyamagemule, 2 in Karamoja, one in Kawuku, and one in Kajjansi.  Because electricity is often an issue, the sewing machines are equipped with foot pedals that allow the ladies to sew without electricity.  In each of the areas where ladies received the sewing machines, there was great excitement and hope, as the ladies each realized the potential this gives them for generating an income for them and their families.  In Kyamagemule (which is also where we will be drilling the well), the ladies begin training this week on their sewing machines. We will also be working with them in developing a technical program which will build upon this new project, and eventually will add more areas of study.  In Karamoja the ladies in a small church will be the core group to begin this program of sewing.  We are also excited to tell you that one of the young ladies that received a sewing machine had just graduated from a sewing program in Uganda and was given a small space to start a business.  She grew an orphan in a local orphanage and from there finished school and got a diploma.  She was knitting sweaters for our sponsored children in Karamoja, and now has added making uniforms to that list.  Not only has the sewing machine allowed her far more opportunities for self-sufficiency, but it has now involved her in ministry work with Mercy Uganda. What a blessing!  Through God's grace and mercy, and the gifts of others, we were able to provide Mary with resources to help her build a small business, and involve her in helping others too. 

The Team is in the field........and the fields are ripe for the harvest!

Laura traveled to Uganda on June 8 and is busy!  She had lots of plans.....updating sponsorship information, meeting with the Minister of Ethics to talk about child sacrifice and many other things.  Whatever God places in her path she's ready to do! 

Playing with Lawrence......he's come so far in the last year!

Some of the work being done....As unbelievable it is, these are desks in a classroom.

New desks being built......

This is Kato....as you can see he needs some orthopedic work.  Laura will go with Kato to have x rays and see that the orthopedic surgeon gets them.   The last trip included an orthopedic surgeon and two ladies from his office.  He saw Kato and wanted x rays.

One day in the not so far future, Kato will get his much needed surgery.

There are several teams that go to Uganda from our church and other churches.  Below, Roth is in  Uganda with his wife and daugher each using their talents in different areas. Roth takes a break from   building desks and buildings to hold a little girl while Lauren, shows her her picture on the digital camera screen.  Lauren is living in Uganda right now and working in many areas.

There is much work to be done and many hands and hearts are needed.

The plans for the well in Kyamagemule are coming together and being finalized.

Children are being seen for medical concerns.

Children are getting sponsored so they can attend school.  Many of the sponsors sent gifts and letters to their children. 

Ugandan people are learning to build and to take care of themselves.

God is working in wonderful ways through Mercy Uganda.  Thank you for your support!

Stay tuned for many great stories of changed lives and lots of pictures when Laura returns.

Blessings

I will be making another trip to Uganda in just a very few days.  Because of the generosity of so many people, Mercy Uganda has been able to provide many things.  Children are in school, who, otherwise would not be able to attend.  Cows are being purchased to help remote villages start over after a series of things left them devastated, roofs are being repaired even this very moment, sewing machines will be purchased during this trip, and some much needed medical care will be given to a number of women and children.  Something I continue to learn in life is this.....we tend to view our struggles as things to run from, things to pray that God will rescue us from.  What I am learning, though, is this....those very hardships mold us into more compassionate people, give us cause to lean more on our Heavenly Father, and strengthen our faith.  I see the needs in Uganda and how overwhelming they are.  I also see the faith of so many in Uganda, even in the very midst of the hardship.  Then God gives me glimpses of His tender mercy, His blessings in their lives, and ours.  I see how He uses the lives, the experiences, the struggles of you and me, and then works through them to minister to our sisters and brothers in Uganda.  I was looking at the pictures of the damage from recent storms in Karamoja and could not help but think back to January when I was there.  They had not had rain in 5 years, and were in the midst of a long and difficult drought.  All of the cattle from the 2 remote villages I visited had been stolen by raiders....around 100 head of cattle.  They were hungry, lacked resources to start over......and then......the rain.  Yes, the rain has damaged some roofs.....but God is providing for that too.  What is so significant is that the rain has turned a dry and barren place into a beautiful green and fertile land once again.....God's blessing!  God led precious sponsors to this ministry who have helped get 10 of the 31 children who need sponsors, into school.  Blessings....they are all around us....sometimes we forget how to see them, sometimes we don't try.....we get wrapped up in the pain of the moment and miss the tapestry God is weaving on the other side.  I'm learning,by God's grace...I'm learning!

Amazing Privilege

Over the past several weeks I have been "forced" to slow down a bit as my daughter and our precious 8 month old grandson have spent nearly 6 weeks with us while her husband, a navy diver, is off on a submarine.  I tried to balance grandmotherhood, substitute teaching, and the work needed to carry on the ministry needs of Mercy Uganda, and have felt, at times, overwhelmed, tired, and definitely inadequate.  This blessing of a daughter and grandson in our home as led me to pray more and stress less. It has drawn me back to where my focus needs to be....on God.  I would tell myself often that God's work goes on with or without me, and He certainly does not need me in order for Mercy Uganda to continue.  As I have slowed down my pace a bit, prayed more, savored the short term blessing of "company", God has, in His grace and mercy, been teaching me, yet again, that it is about Him, and Him alone!!  Then, this morning as I was doing my quiet time, I read a devotional by Charles Stanley.  I want to share a small part of it with you because it spoke volumes to me.  Here is an excerpt from that devotional  "One of the most amazing privileges that the Lord gives His children is the opportunity to participate in what He is doing.  The One who needs no help and has the power to do whatever He wants calls us to labor alongside Him to accomplish His purposes on earth.  Because He knows we need a higher goal in life than building our own personal kingdoms, He offers us the chance to take part in building His."  I knew that, and have pondered over just that very thing so many times as I have prayed for and sought God's will in Mercy Uganda.....this was just what I needed to read.  It put all of those inner thoughts and struggles, those ponderings into a perspective that gave me a peace and comfort about my roles, and the fact that God does not need me.....rather I need Him....and it is an amazing privilege to be a part of Mercy Uganda......it is also an amazing privilege to be a grandmother spending time with her little ones.

I may struggle to do all I feel I need to do, but what I really need to do is focus on the Lord, seek His face, hold His hand, and trust Him......I am way too weak and inadequate....God is all sufficient, and all powerful.  I really do love the fact that I am too weak......it helps me see Him so much better, cling to Him that much tighter,  experience His power and glory, and His amazing work so much more too!  My desire is to be close to Him, serve Him, grow in Him.....and be a vessel of His love to others.  He has allowed me to be part of Mercy Uganda as much to grow me in Him, as to minister to others....amazing privilege indeed! Thank you Lord for allowing me to labor alongside You in the work You are doing in Uganda.  (The pictures you see...in order...are: grandson Hudson, visiting Jajja; Papa and Jajja with our other grandson Brayden; cousins; our daugher and grandson; Sam Kisembo, a Ugandan friend who was visiting the U.S. recently; and lastly, two precious children, like many of whom have no parents or grandparents)
                                                    

Building Hope--Sheltering Ugandan's

God seems to continue to open doors of opportunity for Mercy Uganda to minister to the precious people in Uganda.  We have recently been faced with two situations involving shelter.....and roofs. One in the Fort Portal area and one far from there in Karamoja. Both involve storms, damage, and a very real need for help with safe and secure housing.

Mercy Uganda has been a friend to Pastor John Kalenzi and his family for about 2 years now.  Pastor John is a wonderful, humble, and gentle man with a very dear wife and children.  He pastors a small church in Rwengoma, a village in the Fort Portal area of Eastern Uganda.  When we were there in 2009, Pastor John invited our team over for lunch after church one Sunday morning.  His home....very humble and poorly constructed had holes in the tin roof, and  bricks that were beginning to wash out from the rain.  Now, two years later, we learn that a serious storm damaged crops and properties in that area, and claimed hundreds of lives.  Pastor Kalenzi's home was one that was destroyed. 

We are now partnering with pastors and churches in the U.S. to raise the $3,500.00 needed to build a new home for John.....a home with a good roof, good walls, a concrete floor.....a seemingly large project for such a small amount of money.  We are currently working with Pastor John in getting a plan drawn for his home, and will have a team go in September to build the home, which will take about 2-3 weeks.  We have an individual here in the U.S. who has agreed to go and lead the ranks on the building of this home, and we are thankful.

Recently, severe storms hit the Karamoja region, where we visited in January. Some of the homes that were heavily damaged were those of the pastor, Phillip, and some were the homes of some of the children in our sponsorship program.  We found out that it would only cost $2,500.00 to repair all 7 roofs...5 are thatch, and 2 are tin.....and this price also provides a way to replace bedding, and cooking supplies that were destroyed.
We have already received $1,500.00 of the $2,500.00 needed for that project and our ministry liaison, Gabriel will go and oversee the construction work on the roofs himself. 

I am so thankful that God has placed these needs before us, and that He has already begun placing individuals before us who are helping us meet those needs.  Please pray for Mercy Uganda and for those God has placed before us.

(

(the pictures are:top to bottom: Pastor Kalenzi and his family; the Kalenzi home; one of the homes with thatch roof; Pastor Phillip with Gabriel)

GIFTS

 Sewing machines......we hope to purchase 4 this summer

(

(A young lady showing off her newly learned knitting skills...tools and yarn were provided, along with teaching)

I have often heard the saying, "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime".  How true that is.  Mercy Uganda has been involved in so many aspects of life in Uganda that sometimes we have to take a deep breath and evaluate it all.  Everything we have and do, all that we are, comes from God.  He allows us to be stewards of all He provides.  This includes our involvement in the lives of others, in using those resources to expand the kingdom work.  It is so easy to just give someone something, knowing that they need it, knowing it will help them.  Some things are meant as a gift, straight up.  The emergency medical care for Julius and Alex are examples of that.  The ongoing therapy and help for Lawrence is important in that it provides a way for him to learn and become independent.  The child sponsorships are that way as well.  An education is one of the most important things one person could offer another.  It provides hope and a future, a way to learn and to "eat for a lifetime".  The well project is such a gift.  This simple act will provide generations with  better health, and therefore, hope and a future.  There are some things, though, that we can do to help in the teaching, by providing one thing, and then teaching the use of the one thing.  Sewing machines.  Did you know that in Uganda the sewing machines are non-electric and controlled by pedaling?  This makes sense because electricity is a luxury most cannot afford.  We can purchase a sewing machine for $100.00 and teach a lady in a poor village how to sew. She can then use that skill to provide for her family.  We hope to purchase 4 sewing machines this summer for ladies in particular villages to help them, and to help begin a vocational program for others.  We also hope to raise the support needed to send a young lady to nursing school.  She wants to start a clinic in a poor area.  She is a Christian,a and an orphan girl who grew up in one of the poorest parts of Africa... Karamoja.We are also working on support for a dear Christian young woman to go to law school in Kampala.  Uganda needs Christian women, advocates for the lives of women and children in that country.

(Lydia, seen in this picture with our liaison Gabriel, left,  and friend of Mercy Uganda, Ronnie, prepared for nursing school)

(This is Irene, and her husband Alex, with Nathasha, newly adopted to save her life....Irene hopes to begin law school in August)

So you see, sewing machines, education, these teach a "woman to 'fish' so she can feed her family for a lifetime". Investing in God's children, that is a wonderful means of stewardship, and service to God.
Please pray for Mercy Uganda, for the women and children God has placed before us, and for the whole villages that are positively impacted through what God is doing in and through our efforts, and the love and support of those who walk alongside us in the ministry work.

Grateful Hearts!

I am just constantly amazed at the way God provides!
 

Debby over at Just Breathe had a give a way recently.  To win you just had to leave a comment and she used a random thingy to choose the winners.  One of the things you could do was to pick a $50.00 gift card or make a contribution to your favorite charity.

I was over reading and to my surprise and great joy.......one of the winners, Carrie at Cottage Cozy won and asked that her prize be donated to Mercy Uganda!  A check is on the way and let me tell you, Carrie, what a precious and wonderful thing you have done and how much it means to us.

In Uganda, $50.00 can do so much more than it does here in the United States.  It can go a long way towards medical bills, badly needed medications and supplies.  $50.00 will buy two mosquito nets with $10.00 left over! Mosquito nets prevent malaria!

From these sweeties and many more, a big thanks to both Debby and Carrie!  Like the loaves and fishes, God will multiply that $50.00 for His glory!

A Simple Act of Generosity

(The pictures are: top left: my husband mark and a child of Uganda; next is Julius, wired money helped with his emergency medical care in Mulago hospital; then you see Gabriel with sponsored children of Karamoja, the wired money allowed them to start school right away; and next is Lawrence, we regularly wire money for his ongoing therapies and appointments with eye specialists.

It is amazing what a small gesture can do....how a small act of kindness can start something much bigger.  For years, my husband and our son have collected aluminum. I would complain about the bags of crushed cans beside our garage. And then, last week my husband Mark, laid $17.50 on the counter and said "this is for Mercy Uganda". I asked him where this came from and he told me "from the cans I cashed in". We have been struggling with the funds necessary to wire much needed money to Uganda.  As a young and not-so-rich ministry, it really affects us to pay $45.00 every time we wire money. We never ask our recipients on the other end to help absorb this cost because they are already in need of the funds we send.  The needs are so great there, that every little amount of money makes a tremendous difference.  Then it occurred to me......this aluminum collecting could be our ongoing project to fund the wiring fees.  We just started getting the word out, and are already getting businesses and individuals willing to begin collecting for Mercy Uganda.  We may even have an old aluminum boat donated!  This simple act of generosity.....this $17.50 given to show support for the work God is doing in and through Mercy, has opened a door of opportunity for us as we continue to send much needed funds for medical care, emergency care, sponsorships, and more.  I just love how God takes the faithfulness of others and fertilizes and waters it, and makes it grow for His Kingdom's work.  Please tell your friends about this project.......we pray that it will continue to grow and continue to provide a way for us as we seek to serve the Lord in ministry. 

Alex and Irene, and the story of Job

I have read the story of Job many times.  It is a story that makes me pray that God will not see fit to test my faith in such a way.  For many years, and even until recently, I would read that story, and the part that always stood out was that of how Job lost all of his children, and in the end God gives him more.  In my mind I would always say, "but that doesn't replace the ones he lost". Then it occurred to me, that God always has a far better thing than what I can wrap my heart and my head around.  He wasn't replacing those children, He was increasing Job's number of children.....his first children who died still live....they are in heaven. Now Job will have a double portion of his precious children for all eternity in heaven with him. Yes, I know it is so hard from an earthly perspective to think that way. We miss those children.  We want to be with them, to hold them, to love them, to talk to them.  But what is time on earth compared to eternity?  This made me think of Alex and Irene and all that has happened to them in recent months.  They got married just a few short years ago.  He got a job going to Iraq. A dangerous job, not a well paying job, but a job and in Uganda those are very difficult to come by.  His job led him to Iraq for a year. He left and Irene was pregnant.  She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl whom they named Omega.  Omega had a heart condition and Irene and Alex desperately sought help for her.  There was none.  Omega died at 3 months of age, before Alex could make it home to see his baby girl for the first and only time.  As they mourned the loss of Omega, Alex was due to leave again, this time to Afghanistan.  Issue and issue came up that prevented him from leaving. One of those issues was severe kidney stones that led to him being hospitalized.  We think to ourselves....how many problems can one young couple endure?  We pray to God for Alex and Irene.  We are all trying to make sense of the endless struggles of this precious young couple who desire above all things to honor and serve God, even in the midst of pain and suffering, of struggle and uncertainty.
Then, amazingly......God doesn't replace Omega, He has her with Him waiting for the day she will be reunited with her parents.....and increases Alex and Irene's family by giving them a baby girl who had been born around the time of the death of Omega. A little girl whose mother died shortly after her birth, whose father loves her but cannot care for her.  A little girl with some health problems due to malnutrition, but a beautiful little girl.  Job came to mind again.....all he lost, God gave back......Alex and Irene.....God is doing much the same thing. I praise God for His awesome and unfathomable ways....I am thankful that He has a plan and a purpose for his children....plans not to harm them, but to help them....plans to give hope and a future.
Please pray for Alex and Irene as they minister to the needs of this beautiful new daughter of theirs...Natasha. (Please pray for Alex and Irene......they so covet your prayers as they seek God's will in their new family, in Alex's work, and as Irene seeks to return to law school. Mercy Uganda is seeking sponsors for her education.....Uganda needs Christian attorneys....Irene is someone God has great plans for and will use mightily.  Alex is a mighty prayer warrior who puts his trust in God....they are true friends of Mercy Uganda, partners in prayer.....they are always here for us, we want to be here for them as well)
To see a video of Alex and Irene with baby Natasha, go to www.youtube.com and type in A New Baby Girl

God, the Great Healer

 

  
(The pictures above...a beautiful, disabled girl in Karamoja; Grace, a 4 year old orphan with AIDs and open sores; and Kato, a 13 year old orphan with a severe leg deformity....we are working on providing surgery for him).
The pictures in this blog are only a handful of the many with whom we are involved.....
A person could easily become overwhelmed by the needs of the precious women and children in Uganda.  Hunger, clothing, shelter, clean water.......and medical needs.  Those alone can be an emotional weight around your heart.  We see so many children with AIDS, children with serious malnutrition, deformities, malaria......and the list goes on.  The same is true of the women, and often they are left to raise their children on their own, while struggling with medical issues......many have lost their husbands to diseases, many of the medically needy children are orphans.
This is one of the things that drives us to keep on keeping on when we feel emotionally spent, when we feel physically drained......when we wonder where the next dollar will come from when we are providing medicine, or emergency medical care, or needed surgery, or even ongoing help to those whom God has placed before us.  One thing I know.....these are God's children. He loves them.  He cares for them and will provide what they need......that means He will also provide what we need as we minister to them.  It is such a privilege to know these children, these women.  It is such an honor to be involved in their lives as we seek to be instruments of God's love in their lives.  Please pray for these beautiful children of God....please pray for us as we seek to minister to their many needs, their sometimes overwhelming needs......there are no needs too big for God!

T

The hands of Rose....a beautiful lady around 50 years old who has a quickly progressing, degenerative form of arthritis....she has gone from fully active, to nearly bed ridden in 3 years.

 

                                                                          Beautiful Rose 

Join Uganda in praying for Mercy Uganda

 This is Alex and Irene, and their little boy Alpha....dear friends to Mercy Uganda

 People wonder what draws me so deeply to Uganda......there are many things, but I must say that one of the most profound things is the faith of the Christians there.  A few weeks ago, before my January trip to Uganda, I felt discouraged and even shared with others that I felt I only had a half of a grain of mustard seed of faith......I too easily forget just Who is in charge.  I too easily forget that God owns the "cattle on a thousand hills".  I too easily forget that "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world and those who dwell in it".   Our dear Ugandan friends, who have so little and experience so much pain, suffering, and loss, seem to remember those important things so much better.  They see God's work in Mercy Uganda in ways that I cannot grasp.  They see what God is, and will be doing through this ministry......sometimes I can't see past the little bank account we have.  Mercy Uganda is honored to have such dear friends who are committed to praying for us.  Please read our ministry liaison's information below.  I pray that it will encourage you to join them in praying for us.  We need your prayers!

A

 A beautiful group of children from the church that Alex and Irene attend.....our prayer warriors!

the information below is from Lauren, our ministry liaison for Mercy Uganda, who is currently living in Uganda...

Our dear Ugandan friends, Alex and Irene, along with members of their church have committed to praying for Mercy Uganda.....we need those prayers, and covet yours as well.....we want to honor and serve God through Mercy Uganda.....

Tonight Alex and Irene brought some people from their church over to my apartment to have a prayer meeting for Mercy Uganda.These really are some prayer warriors--there's so much faith behind their prayers. Some of the specific things we have been praying about are the following:

* That God will show our ministry the needs He wants us to meet
* Wisdom in who we as an organization trust and associate with (there is a lot of corruption here)
* That God will provide land for Mercy Uganda to start a guest house and other projects
(the guest house is a project we are seeking God's will in....it will provide an income for the Mercy Uganda which will be used to minister to those whom we serve there.  Mark and Laura are prayerfully considering if this will be how and where God wants them to be...to live)
We're going to be meeting at my apartment every Friday afternoon to pray for Mercy Uganda. You can join us if you like. It starts at 5pm Uganda time, 9 am Central time ;-).

Please pray for us........

 

Child Sacrifice and a Sovereign God

You may have seen the news in the past few weeks about increasing child sacrifice in Uganda.  It's hard for us in America to imagine a place where witch doctors sacrifice small children, but they do and we need to bring them to light.

Our sponsored child, Frank, was abducted by witch doctors....here he is...

You can read all about him here.


Frank was taken by witch doctors while walking to his grandfather's house.  Many times I have tried to imagine the terror of one of my children not showing up at their destination and having no idea where they were or what had happened.  I can't imagine what must have been going on in Frank's mind and the terror he must have felt knowing what these vile people had in store for him.


Now witch doctors choose children because they are pure and perfect.  Upon examining Frank, they discovered a scar on his stomach from surgery he had as a young child.  He was rejected and probably ran all the way home to a very relieved father!  


What the witch doctors considered an imperfection was in fact our sovereign God's way of saving his life.  It was no coincidence that Frank had that scar!  God has a plan and purpose for Frank's life and witch doctors can't stand in the way of God's plan!


Please pray for the children of Uganda.  Pray for their parents as they keep closer watch on their precious children and live in fear of them being abducted and killed.


And please, pray for the witch doctors, that they may come to know the One who made the only perfect sacrifice. 

Don't Give Up On Children

Sometimes it is easy to turn our heads when we see a child in need.....when we see a child who needs more help than we, perhaps want to offer.  When I first saw Lawrence, he was a little boy with a crossed eye, naked, and very dirty.  I rode past him every day, not thinking about what is really going on in his little life.  Then one day, as I rode comfortably passed Lawrence, the Lord spoke to me.  It wasn't an audible voice, but I knew He was getting my attention.  I was suddenly drawn deeper into this little boy.  I really saw him for the first time that day.  I became burdened to know more, not because I am such a caring person, but because God cares, because God loves Lawrence He wanted me to love him too.  
Most of you know that over the past year we have been working with doctors to find out about Lawrence, to learn what his needs are, physically, emotionally, mentally.  Test after test was done on little Lawrence and they all came back saying that there was nothing neurologically wrong with him that would prevent him from eventually, with the help of therapists, to learn to eat and talk.
We also found out that his eye could be corrected with surgery.  What good news! What a blessing!
The day in February of this year that I left Uganda to come back to the U.S., our ministry liaison in medical and health, my dear friend Henry Mello travelled 6 hours to Mbarara with Lawrence and his grandmother for Lawrence to have eye surgery.  We were thrilled that this was going to become a reality for Lawrence.  He was taking a step forward in his journey for health.  

The other day I found out from Henry that the eye doctor did not do the surgery because Lawrence
is "mentally retarded".  Now, this doctor had never met Lawrence before, and did not know any of Lawrence's history.  How easy it was to label him as mentally retarded and then not provide the needed surgery.  This made me sad and angry.  First of all, who said that Lawrence is mentally retarded?  He is a 5 year old boy who had a fever from malaria at age 1 that left him unable to eat or talk, and then had a grandmother who lacks the knowledge or resources to find help for him from the start.  He had 4 years of no therapy, no teaching, no medical assistance, no one to help him or his grandmother get help.  That does not make a child mentally retarded.  And even if he were mentally retarded, does that make him less deserving of something in his life that will improve it?  God did not place Lawrence before us for him to be labeled, given up on, and then forgotten.  God loves Lawrence and has a wonderful plan for his life.  He is already responding to therapy, our ministry liaison is working on providing nutritious foods for Lawrence as well.  

Lawrence is a beautiful, precious child of God.  I will never give up on him.  I am convinced that God brought him before us to help him.  That is what we will do.  I serve a God of miracles, a God who loves His children.  Who knows.....Lawrence could one day become a great preacher!!
I want to be there to hear him preach.....