Reaching out

A Stop at the Equator on our way to Masaka


One of the homes we visited


Alice Sharing a word


Simon Preaching at Church


Praying with the Sunday school kids


Church building


Story time in the room they have school


Teaching the children scriptures


Playing games with the kids


Memory teaching the kids a new song



This past weekend a group of 12 people loaded into a van and headed to a village near Masaka. About 100 km west of Kampala, Streams of Life Church has planted its first church plant back in January. The team was made up of members of Streams of Life Church, UJV staff, volunteers and 6 children. We came together with the goal of going and encouraging the new church. It was an excellent opportunity to work with Streams of Life Church and give opportunity for the children to preach and pray for people. We arrived Saturday afternoon and were able to spend our time ministering to about 80 children who attend their Sunday school program. We had a great time reading them stories, singing, playing football, teaching scriptures and praying with them. That evening we went and visited the different homes of those in the congregation. Entering into small round huts and being received so well as we prayed for the families and encouraged them. The team was blessed with 3 chickens, Matoke, sweet bananas, plates, cups and baskets. It is very humbling to receive such gifts from people who have so little. They were so grateful and so hospitable. We were able to gather clothes, and bring school books to bless the church with. I was so touched when the kids at the UJV came with their bag of clothes and toys to give to the people in the village that have so much less than them. Many of the kids in the village cannot not go to school because they cannot afford school fees, and the ones that can the level of education in this area is not the best of quality. You can find kids even in secondary school that hardly know how to read. The church has been given a piece of land to use until they can afford to buy land of their own. On this land is a small house where the Pastor stays in one room and in the other room they have begun a school for younger aged children. They have up to 60 kids that come and squeeze into the small dirt floored room to meet for school. The church itself consists of stick poles, and tarps for a roof. I remember commenting to another volunteer from the United States saying I have never seen a church like this in North America!

Sunday morning our team led the service and all the UJV kids took a turn sharing scriptures and a word. I was amazed to see them all sharing from the bible and preaching to the church. Keep in mind that less than two years ago these same kids were still in the IPD camps up north. They could speak very little english and certainly could not read or write it. With no parents or money for school fees they really didn’t have any hope for the future. But now, less than two years later they are reading, writing, and understanding the bible, so much so that they can share it with others. Wow! God has brought them so far in so little time. Now instead of being the ones in desperate need, they are going and ministering to people who have greater needs than them. Isn’t that how the gospel is suppose to be? I realized the real need for this church when almost ¾ of them put up their hands to respond to the question “who does not have a bible?” We are so blessed at UJV to begin to reach out and bless others as we continue to be blessed.

Just over two weeks ago the UJV received quite a shock. The morning staff came in to find that the office had been broken into. Three UJV laptops were stolen and money from the cashier’s drawer. Unfortunately it is believed that the ones who have taken from us were on staff with UJV. Certainly a disappointing turn of events, no one expected such a thing. We are praying that everything will be recovered! One of the greatest losses has been the amount of information and work that was on the laptops that were stolen. God is our redeemer and we are trusting in Him!

This week the children are doing exams at school. At the end of the week they will be off school for a four week holiday. During the holiday time we are able to offer the children different programs depending on where we feel they would benefit most. The children seem to be growing up so fast and we really feel it is time to begin to educate the older children on their bodies and the changes they are experiencing. Yes the UJV is going to be full of teenagers before we know it! We will also be helping some of the kids who need extra help in school. It isn’t all work on the holidays, there will be time for sports and choir events. As well as taking the kids to the new land to plant and dig. Speaking of digging we are proud to announce that the first seeds of corn were planted this past weekend on the new land! We are moving forward!!