This has been a challenging, but interesting, month. We started out in an area called Keyo, of Northern Uganda. We were basically working with people from an IDP camp. We did a children’s program in the mornings and in the afternoons we would go to pray for people in the camp, help bring in the harvest, or build relationships with people in the area. It was hot, we were dirty all the time, and we had to learn a hard lesson about attitude and complaining.
Most of the time children would peek into the windows of the schoolhouse we were staying in. They would hang around, giving us no personal space or “team alone time”, bang on our windows while we tried to nap, etc. On the other hand, we also had a ministry contact that was not very helpful. There was no vision or ministry for the community. For the most part we were on our own as far as making our ministry and praying for direction. We came to a point as a group where we had to have an attitude check and to stop complaining. We tried to show the children and our contact more attention and love instead of holding onto our last little bit of comfort and control. The very last “right” we thought we had. It turns out they were more cooperative (slightly) when we gave them some more attention.
As far as our contact ministry goes, we struggled to find the balance between trusting God for our ministry and having support and vision (there was none) and fruit in the ministry with our contact. How do we measure if a ministry is fruitful or worth it? In the end we decided to end well, but sooner, to spend a week with another contact we have in Gulu.
This pastor we are working with now has been such a blessing. He has a huge vision for his people and for the youth of Gulu. In one week we have been given more direction and support than the whole of the last two weeks. And the fruit is immense…yesterday we saw three people accept Christ into their lives as we sat with them in their office. Praise God! Pastor Peter and Pastor Patrick, co-pastors of Victory Outreach Ministries in Gulu, have a hope and vision for the future of this community and are taking the necessary steps to make this community better. They are such genuine and kind-hearted people and they are doing these things with so much love! Please keep them in your prayers.
