Love Notes from Uganda

Dear Friends,

Yesterday was another great day at Ilera Community Church.  During the early part of the song service the generator was giving the sound crew a hard time.  They were scurrying around while the congregation was in full swing even without any keyboard or mics.  It was a refreshing sound to have just voices--and then one African drum was added.

They got it fixed and we finished out the service with full power.

The choir was a combination of Otino Waa secondary students, mothers, and community members.  It is so wonderful to see the willing participation.  Even Bella was in the Choir.  (She has been so shy that she seldom spoke to anyone.  So this is real news.)

It It was Carol's turn in the rotation to bring the message and she was tackling "God is in control" and "man's free will".  She must have spelled it out quite clearly that we do have choices to make as we exercise our free will because at the prayer time at the end of the service there were 26 who responded in seeking salvation or a rededication.  Most of them were children.  What a morning.

 

As the final prayer was about to be given an announcement caught the attention of all.  "Line up along the side wall after the prayer if you want to receive free medicine to rid you of intestinal worms."  A large crowd responded to this highly welcome news.
Can you imagine such an event in the American church?  I'm afraid everyone would be offended not delighted.  Cultural differences do crop up in interesting ways. 

~Bob

 

Antoni and Sandra

Back in September we made a video called "The Need." This video took us into the bush to talk to children who are on the waiting list to become a part of Otino Waa. It gave a bit of insight as to what the life of a Ugandan orphan really looks like.

Two of the children we talked to were Antoni and Sandra. They had tragically lost their parents and were living in extreme poverty in a small hut. They couldn't go to school which meant they had very little hope of ever working their way out of poverty.

Today, we are so excited to tell you that they have found a new home at Otino Waa Children's Village! They are enrolled in school, have new, clean clothes and shoes on their feet. They eat three meals a day and are getting settled into their new family. Already the transformation is evident - they are learning English, gaining some much needed weight and smiling.

Although Sandra and Antoni are now at Otino Waa, both children are in need of sponsors.
We have taken in a total of 18 new children in faith that new sponsors will step up or current sponsors would expand their already generous gifts. If you would like to become a part of Antoni or Sandra's story by sponsoring them, please contact us at pathusa@bendbroadband.com

Or click here to sponsor now: BECOME A SPONSOR

We cannot thank you enough for your prayers, financial support, your service and volunteering. We look forward to introducing you to more of our new kids throughout the year. Thank you so much!

Blessings,
-PATH Ministries

Please help us by passing along this story to your friends.

What are you Hiding?

What Are You Hiding?
 
Laura MacCorkle  (originally from Crosswalk.com 9/27/12)
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11, NIV

My parents enrolled me in a Scripture memory program at a very young age. I was only three years old.
I
 remember the very first memory book I had that was specifically for preschoolers. Each letter of the alphabet coincided with a verse:

A: “All we like sheep have gone astray.”
B: “Be ye kind one to another . . .”
C: “Cast all your cares upon him for he careth for you.”
D: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
And so on . . .

My mother worked the most with me in helping me to memorize the allotted verses, and then I would recite them to a “hearer” at my church each week. A “hearer” was a neutral-party person, and in my case it was a fellow church member who happened to be the mother of one of my good friends. She was very kind and when necessary gently corrected me or prodded me along as I would recite my memory verses to her.

As I got older, in grade school, junior high and onward, I began to resent having to memorize Bible verses. It was just another “chore” in my weekly doings, another task to cross off the list. I also memorized Scripture at church: in Sunday School classes, in Pioneer Girls club, in “big church” and later on in the high school youth group and in other Bible studies. 

They were just words to me during those years. I knew it was good that I was memorizing from the Word, but it just didn’t mean a whole lot to me then. Seeds were being planted, but nothing was growing in my heart.  Everything lay dormant.

Until . . .

Many, many years later, something began to happen. After living life my way, after numerous mistakes and poor life choices, I finally gave up and gave in to God.

“Lord, I know you can redeem the years I have wasted. Please invade my heart. Take over. Make something good out of the mess I’ve made.” 

And he did. Slowly but surely I began searching the Scriptures (hungrily and with desperation this time) to help me apply Truth to my life. And the verses I had memorized came back to me! The treasure that had been stored years ago had not been snatched away. It was still there, hidden in my heart. And it was growing! Perhaps I couldn’t recall all of the references, but I knew the words. And I still do to this day. 

Friends, the Bible is powerful. It is so worth your time. And it is our lifeline here on earth. If you want to see real and radical change in your life, if you’re looking for hope in a hopeless world, if you desire to know who God is and if you want to share this Good News with someone else, then get in the Word and start hiding it in your heart. 

I promise you this: as you draw closer to God in this way, he will draw close to you. And you will never be the same.

Remember Isaiah 55:10-11:
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

It is never too late to start hiding God’s Word in your heart. Begin with one verse a week. Write it on a sticky note and place it on the bathroom mirror in your house or the rear view mirror in your car. Speak it out loud, consider its meaning and ask the Lord to help you apply it to your life.

New Shoe Day!!

The other day was "Everybody gets new shoes for the school year" Day!!
 
The kids were so excited and proud of their new shoes. 

And as any parent would know - kids grow so fast!!

Sharon Amony

Sharon Amony

Sharon was born on January 3, 1995. She speaks Luo and English and has two siblings. In 1998 she lost her dad to AIDS. Her mother is alive, but sadly, is slowly dying of the same disease. Despite her condition, Sharon’s mother survives by brewing and selling a potent, local, alcoholic beverage.  Sharon helped her mother most of the time and could be seen also selling it on the local streets.  She lived in a densely populated slum of drunk and sickly people. It was no place for a child to grow up.

 By 2006 her mother’s illness had progressed to a serious state and an aunt brought Sharon to live at her home. The aunt is a school teacher and although she was already caring for many other orphans, she welcomed one more. She made sure that Sharon attended school. During this time Sharon was put on the list to enter Otino Waa.

When space opened up in 2007, Sharon was admitted and now has a new family, home and school.  She is so happy to have a bed, clothes, food every day and to be able to attend great school. She likes her studies, especially Science, English and Social Studies. She wants to be a nurse for elderly people. She enjoys church, praying and loving Jesus. Sharon has lots of friends and enjoys playing games and netball (volleyball) with them.

She is very grateful her sponsors care about her and continue to support her and is looking forward to hearing from them. She wanted to tell them that she sends her prayers and blessings to them.

Send Someone Other Than Me

Years ago as a young adult, a missionary from Africa came and spoke at our church.  My heart was stirred as I heard of the love he had for the people and the numbers that were coming to know the Lord.  I also remember leaving church that day praying and asking God to send someone other than me to Africa.  That prayer has haunted me for years as I saw myself unwilling to serve God in whatever capacity He desired.  I now appreciate how He understood my prayer and had so much more for me.

I am much older now, but God and I have not forgotten that prayer of so many years ago.  Instead of chastising me for my unwillingness, God chose to bless me through the very thing I was unwilling to trust Him in.  He didn't physically send me to Africa - He did it spiritually!  What a wonderful and gracious God we serve!  

A few years ago my daughter and son-in-law, Darci and Sam, had their first opportunity to visit Otino Waa on a mission's trip.  Since then my heart and life have been changed by the stories they have shared about their time with the children in Africa.  They tell of the kids' infectious smiles (in spite of the tremendous hardships most of them have endured), their joy and thankfulness in receiving 3 warm meals a day, their enthusiasm singing to the Lord and learning of His unconditional love and their hunger for learning.

Through the eyes of Darci and Sam, I have been able to see that though these precious children have little (from our "western world" viewpoint), they have found true joy - the joy that can only come from our Heavenly Father.  We, in America, think we are so blessed because of all our material "stuff", but in truth it usually gets in the way of worshipping and loving our Lord.

My joy no longer comes from material things; instead it comes from sponsoring these little ones in Africa.  I have now found a way to invest my money in God's kingdom.  Our refrigerator door is filled with smiling faces and heart-felt letters from the kids.  I count it a privilege to get to know each one of them, watching them grow spiritually and intellectually.  They have brought so much joy to my life.  I look forward to one day meeting these little ones face to face in heaven!

S.M.