Uganda Update #4

1/11/09 11:00am (PST) / 1/11/09 10:00pm (Uganda)
Today was a much needed "Day of Rest", although, we all still feel
exhausted! We all got to sleep in. I woke up at 5am! Go figure. It
was nice, though, looking out the door – which was open right by my
head – watching the sunrise and listening to the interesting sounds in
the neighborhood. We had a typical Ugandan breakfast – tea and bread
– and headed over to meet the rest of the team, where we lounged
around for hours. Traveling wore us out much more than we realized,
and our schedules will not slow down at all beginning early tomorrow
morning, so we took advantage of the opportunity to rest.

In the afternoon, a few of us ventured into Gulu town with a couple
guys that have been living here a few months. It was nice being out,
but I'm still hungry for a bit more interaction with the locals. I
guess after being immersed in several other environments, I'm a little
antsy to feel at home here and to have real relationships and
meaningful interactions with the people around me. I've got to give
it time, and give me time to adjust. So I'm going to be good and
actually go to bed before 11pm tonight! That's a miracle for those of
you who don't know me well.

Tomorrow begins at 7am (or earlier if it was anything like today) for
some alone time. At 8am, we will meet with the Favor of God (FOG)
staff for their daily prayer and worship time. Afterwards, we will
eat breakfast (tea and bread), and then we will head out for the day.
Most of the team will likely head out with a few of the FOG staff to
an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) Camp near the border of Congo,
about a three-hour drive from Gulu. Recently, FOG completed a
Portable Bible School (PBS) session there, and traditionally, all the
graduates receive a Bible. There was a shortage of Bibles at the time
of their graduation, so we are going out tomorrow to distribute those.
Our team's goal is to get some video footage of the ceremony, take
notes of our observations, and interact with the people as much as we
can to learn more of their stories and their journey to, through, and
after the PBS. It will be our first time in a camp, so that in itself
will be an adventure and will probably be a bit overwhelming. Pray
that we will be able to effectively observe, again, with God's eyes
and not our own. Pray that our hearts and minds will be open to see
and understand things beyond ourselves, and pray that God will give us
the wisdom to know what to record and document, and the insight to
know how to best use that information to communicate to others the
realities here.

Alright, I'm wiped out! I hope to send this soon… still waiting to
get set up on the internet here at the mission house. Until then,
I've got to write when I have time and hope that I get to an internet
café eventually to send it. Sorry for the delays… Thanks for your
prayers though!

Jenelle

P.S. Thanks for all the personal emails. I've been able to read all
of them. I only wish I had time to respond to them too! Unless the
internet situation improves, you'll have to just trust that I
appreciate them! Thanks!! ;)

1/12/09 12:00pm (PST) / 1/12/09 11:00pm (Uganda)
The trip out to the camp today was amazing!!! I took tons of
pictures, recorded some music, and got some video footage. I'm
exhausted and don't think I can type much, but…

After the 4-hour drive…driving through camp after camp of huts…we
arrived in Nebbi. Two months ago, there was a graduation ceremony for
individuals that had completed the two-month long (5-day/week, 6
hours/day) Portable Bible School. It is tradition to give each
graduate one Bible. It is VERY hard to come by these Bibles and they
are not just given to anyone. They are a VERY treasured commodity.
Well, circumstances were that no Bibles were available at that time.
The graduates have been SO anxious to get their Bibles, so as soon as
the shipment arrived, the FOG team drove out there. When we arrived
to the village, there were at least 30 people waiting in the middle of
the dirt road waving tree branches. As we approached, they began
singing and banging on drums they were rolling with them on the backs
of bicycles. They surrounded the van and marched with us all the way
in to the church, singing worship songs and drumming with all their
hearts. Wow.

Inside, we had a time of worship and praise, thanking God for bringing
us safely and for bringing the long-awaited Bibles to the grads.
Man…I've never seen so much energy in such a small place. They even
gave me a little maraca and I got my groove on along with all of the
precious and VERY energetic and joyful Ugandans.

After things calmed down, the international visitors (us) were asked
to present the Bibles to the students. I felt like I was stealing
their gratitude that should have more appropriately been lavished on
the staff of FOG who had worked so hard putting on the Portable Bible
School and getting the Bibles to the grads. However, it made me
realize that the staff at FOG are absolutely unconcerned with their
own recognition or praise. They humbly asked us to receive that
instead. Wild.

The grads were called by name, and each one came and shook our hands
and/or hugged us. (I learned much about Ugandan hugging customs
during the ceremony!) I also walked away bearing a much different
aroma than I'd entered with. Nice, huh? Some of the hugs, the
thanks, the tears, were so sweet. Many squeezed us like we had
rescued them and had given them the gift of life. I guess, really, we
had…by the hard work of others, of course. It was crazy to see how
much they treasured the Word of God. Many of them grabbed their first
and only Bible out of my hand and clinched it as though it were worth
more than their life, and several shouted and cheered for joy, raising
their Bible with tears in their eyes.

I wish we recognized the value of God's Word. I was overcome with
guilt and shame for my own lack of reverence for His Word. How many
copies do I have?? And how easily can I access it anytime I want on
the Web…in writing, in audio format…with notes, with commentaries,
with countless translations and study guides?? Yet, how often do I
choose instead to watch a movie, go to sleep early, or push the snooze
button just one more time, and completely neglect to read it? Pretty
rough reality check. Something for all of us to think about.

As we left, I talked with one of the graduates named Jen. So many
nationals ask for money or resources or help. As I tried to encourage
her to make wise use of her new Bible, do you know what she asked me?
"Can you please continue to pray for us? Can you ask your friends to
pray for our ministry here?" As I encouraged her to share the stories
and truths from the Bible with the children in the village, she shared
with me that she is the Sunday School teacher for the children. She
also ministers to the women in the area, providing training and doing
several other things. She was thrilled that since the graduation
ceremony two months ago, three people in their village had accepted
Christ. What an amazing woman…and her only request – that we would
pray. Please pray for Jen and the other 78 graduates in Nebbi (10km
east of the Congo border) that now have their own Bibles. Also, pray
for the next 2-month Portable Bible School that will begin right on
the border of Congo and Uganda on Jan 19th. Riss and I will likely
visit that PBS and participate and witness some of the hands-on
training activities. I can't wait to share about those with you.

OK, I'm exhausted…again! I woke up at 3am this morning and couldn't
get back to sleep. Pray that all on our team would sleep through the
night and wake up wonderfully rested tomorrow.

Tentative Plans for the rest of the week so you know how to pray:

Tomorrow: 8am prayer and worship with the FOG staff. Noon-time
prayer (daily city-wide prayer in the middle of Gulu town).
Afternoon: Visit to Prison Ministry where a few of us will likely be
asked to speak.

Wednesday: ???

Thursday: Interviews with FOG staff. Pray for wisdom in preparing
questions to ask and favor in setting up successful meeting times with
the staff.

Friday: Interview all day with Martin, co-founder of FOG. Again,
pray for wisdom.

Thank you all so much! It's such an encouragement that so many of you
are taking the time to read these. Lots of deep stuff to communicate
today. Will try to share some more fun stories next time I get a
chance. Internet is still sketchy, so thanks for bearing with me.

Love you all!
Jenelle