No Movember

Some of you will be sad to hear that there is no “Mo-vember” in Uganda, where the majority of heads are shaved. Most of you will be relieved. Australia is getting warmer, America and England are getting colder, and Uganda has heated uncomfortably, but generally remains the same.
 

Bye-bye Rozmus Family

At the beginning of the month, Steve and Kelly hosted the most beautiful Thanksgiving Celebration for Amuleni’s adoption. They invited all of the people who have been significant in his livelihood since the days he was put on the street 7 years ago. We were able to hear stories from shop owners who would feed and bathe him; long-term workers of Children’s Restoration Outreach (organisation that helps street kids); Deidrah, who runs Answering for the Children, who he stayed with before the adoption process began; school teachers; and non-biological relatives like Fausta, Ashley and ourselves. It was a great way to appreciate these caring people and have us all witness the variety of people that God used in Amu’s wellbeing. Surely that boy has a future to hope for!

We spent our final, bitter-sweet, day with them on Friday 17th. By 6pm the house and all their belongings were cleaned, packed, locked up and ready to move on. It was very sad to say good-bye, of course because we love them and we have offered mutual friendship and support over these past few adventurous years. However, we are joyful because they can now live in the US, and share themselves with beloved family and friends that make up the home community they’d left behind. There is a time for everything.
As Steve and Kelly said, it was hard to pull themselves away from what they thought was a long-term plan on working in Africa, but they realised they got a deeper satisfaction from relationships and community in the US. Dreams are certainly dynamic.

For those of us who trust in the Lord we hold onto the hope that:

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed... In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:3,9 

Sorry Fausta

Then on Sunday I got a call during church that Fausta had broken her leg and was in hospital. We went straight from church to the clinic. Poor thing broke both bones in her lower right leg when the boda (motorbike) she was on ran into a car. The doctors at Main Hospital don’t work on Sundays, so she would’ve had to wait overnight to be seen. Fortunately, Bryan had taken care of a girl from ATK who broke her arm so he knew where to go. We called Richard, a taxi driver I’ve been using since 2008, and got her transferred. Her leg is now in a full cast. I was touched by the Karamojong community: Fausta had 17 family and neighbours visit and wait with her; plus Ashley, Bryan and I. I pray Fausta will have quick healing and patience over the coming weeks with her limited mobility. Bryan has continued to take her to the hospital for a follow-up x-ray, wound examination and extra plastering on Saturday, and to examine the wounds under the cast today. What a guy!

To Kenya

Last week I stayed in Nairobi with David (our wedding minister), his wife Lucy, his uncle Michael, Amos and Ruth.  Due to the full house, I slept at the Healing Hearts and Nations guest house two doors down. I followed David around to the school and college he preaches at regularly, and got to see him fired up in ministry mode. Actually, to be fair, I think David’s always in ministry mode. He has energy to talk to anybody and everybody, and it ends up being surprisingly Spirit-led. When we were coming back from Bookshine High School, a lady with her boys that he spoke to turned out to be refugees from Garissa. They fled after her husband got killed and had come to start afresh in Nairobi. Crazy! So David and the Principal were able to get her connected with schooling options for the boys, pastors, as well as help them with transport to where they were going (same direction as us).  Other than that, we just hung out and had fellowship amongst ourselves. David and Lucy took Michael and I to Kazuri for a tour of the hand-made clay bead and pottery factory. They produce quality and stunning clay items, especially the beaded jewellery (of course I would think that), which provide employment for 340 widows and single mothers.

Bryan Preaches in Nakivumbi

Though I was tired from travelling all Saturday by bus, I did manage to get up in time to escort Bryan up to Nakivumbi. Cliff had invited Bryan to preach at the new ATK church plant, which Bryan accepted. Previously, the Nakivumbi residents were transported to Nawansega to pray from the main church every Sunday. It was lovely to see some of the Project Lydia ladies, ATK ministers and children again. We received a very warm welcome, especially Bryan who spent some years there.

Bryan has preaching engagements for the upcoming two weeks also. The first with Kibet in Kenya, the second at Fred Muwanguzi’s church. Then Duncan returns and we plan to spend some time at Kasozi Village (where we took Rebecca) over Christmas.

Jinja Pregnancy Care Centre Update

This week is our last week of the Jinja Pregnancy Care Centre (yes, the name has changed) full program. The next two weeks the ladies will just come for the food bags and checking the babies’ health. Then we will have a break over Christmas. The mums who need formula for their babies will be supplied enough for the weeks we don’t meet – thank you formula donors! The health lessons we give are so vital – nutrition, anemia, safe water, disease, and numerous other topics that educated people take for granted – and the ladies are getting better and better at preventing and responding to health problems in their babies.

Another challenge the ladies face is separation from their families and employment opportunities. I couple those issues together because some of the ladies don’t know where to stay or how to have rent money to live alone. Mary whose 8 months pregnant and was staying with the “husband’s” family, and Lydia who has twins and was staying with the “husband’s” aunt, are the two this week who have been told to move out. Last week Shamim asked us to pray with her for rent money because they need to move too.  Then there’s Harriet who stays with the rather difficult (understatement) non-biological aunt. They didn’t finish school, don’t have business experience, and don’t have business families who they can work for. As they say here: ebizibu! Problems!

This photo on the left is Lydia with Kennedy Waiswa and Kenneth Tenywa. I feel tired just watching her with the twins. They’re lovely, but as 10 month olds have a combined weight of over 18kg. If one is breast feeding, the other demands the other breast. She carries one on her back, tied there with a sarong or shawl fastened above her breasts (that’s how they do it in Uganda, in Kenya they tie it over one shoulder) and again at the waste; the other she carries in her arms.  I look forward to their growing independence on her behalf.

But there are also the positive stories. Magdalene, who has a rent supporter, was always in quarrels where she stayed but Sarah (the social worker) helped find her a place just outside of town. Sharon has moved to stay with her older sister and is able to help sell clothes. Annet was staying with her elderly grandmother, but can stay with her mother again. All of the babies bar one, Eseza, are gaining weight.

This is Magdalene and John Jacobsen, or J.J. (affectionately named after Bob’s father, Carolyn’s father in-law). Magdalene’s legs are disabled, making childcare and work difficult. Just two weeks ago, Magdalene took J.J. for a chest x-ray after a persistent cough. It turns out he had an early stage of pneumonia and tuberculosis. He is now on the standard six months’ treatment. Magdalene has been rejected by her family and J.J.’s father does not offer any support, nor is he around.

The Rest of This Week

Sarah and I will complete the JPCC program in Nyenga tomorrow, but continue to provide food and health checks as with the Jinja groups. Bryan leaves for Kenya with Kibet on Thursday. I will go and get the apartment ready for Clarice’s mum and sister to stay in from that afternoon. It’s Clarice’s mum’s third time in Uganda, but the first for her sister. Clarice is very excited. I will also enjoy time with them. On Friday we’ll take the first of the four groups of CARE4Kids children to the swimming pool (we split the kids into 4 groups based on families), where they shall receive Christmas presents from Nat’s raffle. I’ll send photos – Nat put together the best box of gifts! Thank you ladies! Thank you too to the donors who enable me to take the children swimming to make an event of it.


That’s what’s going on in our world. We still haven’t come to a conclusion of what we’re going to do next year. We count ourselves blessed because we have so many options. Furthermore, we rejoice now for the vision that is to come. As David preached when I was in Kenya, God bought us at a great price and He wants to get value out of His purchase, so we can trust God that if we prepare ourselves for productive lives He will deliver. David used a scripture that is close to my heart when thinking about life; It even inspired me for this week’s Bible study with the JPCC women:

"Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman then of her who has a husband," says the Lord. "Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in desolate cities. DO not be afraid; you will not suffer shame..." Isaiah 54:1-4a

Take care this Christmas season. Best regards to all, from Emily