From Pader:
I just finished watching the movie “Blood Diamond” and I must say it takes on new meaning being here in Africa. If you have not watched it, I would highly suggest it, but don’t expect to come away with warm fuzzies. There is much to reflect on from the movie, and I think much of the story is similar to what people here in Pader and Northern Uganda have experienced over the last 10 years.
Northern Uganda was 5 years ago, in the middle of chaos. The LRA, or the Lord’s Resistance Army littered the terrain of Northern Uganda. If you have heard of the organization called Invisible Children, and their mission you will begin to understand what I am talking about. The LRA was and is led by a fanatic who was going village to village both killing and recruiting members. From my understanding if you watch the movie you will atleast get a picture of what it was like. Towns became full of people from surrounding villages who the government told they could no longer protect. Children in particular would walk up to 5 miles a day just too sleep in town in order that they may sleep in a safe place, somewhere they knew they would not be kidnapped and turned in to child soldiers. Sounds dramatic but this is real.
If you are anything like me, you have heard these stories, but they seem a million miles away, almost fake even. And even being here it doesn’t seem real. But I come more and more to a realization that it is real. There are and always will be facts that are hard to accept and this seems to be one of them. There is a documentary I have heard of based of the incidents in Northern Uganda called “My first murder was my family.” The story is about children who were taken and at gunpoint forced to kill their parents or family members. I’m not sure I want to see this documentary.
I’m writing about this not because its pleasant but rather because I think people’s stories deserve to be told and people deserve to hear the truth. I have been reminded yet again about how easy my life is, and better yet, how safe it is.
Many people in the area don’t really believe in a God, or at least not in a God who comes as a “saviour.” What after all has he saved them from. Part of me is speechless when I think about this, but there is another part of me who knows that these people need to hear the TRUE story about Jesus Christ and what his sacrifice for us has truly meant. Perhaps these people can find God inspite of what has happened.
One of those people is named Poyad. Poyad is a young man who I believe is about my own age. He was captured by the LRA along with 5 other men, one of whom was able to escape. Because they had “allowed” their colleague to escape the commander said they were to be killed by a spear. It was at this point that Poyad said a very honest prayer,” God, if you are up there, please keep me alive, let me make it out of here alive.” Poyad and 2 other of the remaining five lived, sadly two did not. They were killed in front of him. He currently is trying to earn a living as a boda boda driver, these are people who cart people around town on motorcyles and bicycles. We were able to share about Christ with him and we asked him if he would like to accept Jesus into his heart. He said he would; because he knows god is real, because he is alive today.
Northern Uganda though is no longer in a state of chaos, more like a disorganized mess of sorts, but progress is being made, and there is much to be thankful for here. The LRA was run out of Uganda in 2006 by the national army and has not been allowed to return. The LRA is currently in Congo and there is legistation coming to Obama very soon that would put military troops on the group in order to find and disband the LRA.
We have been going door to door here simply to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, and I suppose there are few places that need it more. NGO’s in northern Uganda are a dime a dozen, and they are helping, but there is still much to be done. Namely in the way of economic development, people need jobs to earn an income. Our pastor is fearful of the NGO mindset he feels is setting in with people being given too many handouts. Why work, when people will just given you stuff. Please join me in praying for Pader, Uganda. Prayer for hope, and prayer for jobs, prayer for life and prayer for Pastor JJ our contact. He is an extraordinary many who though only 32, is making an impact here in Uganda. He has planted a church and he is working hard to let people know there is hope in a saviour and his name is Jesus Christ.
