And to love mercy and to walk humbly

What can 7 SOI volunteers and 30 local Ugandans from the village Gulu do with some rope and steel beams?

I was awe struck as I watched in wonder while a 3 ton steel water tower was lifted, rotated, and raised into the air only to land perfectly amongst 4 holes in the ground formed for the legs of the tower.  How is this possible with only 2 utensils and a few shovels? With the formation of our own Ugandan set of OSHA rules, Patrick’s experience with hoisting telephone poles, YTs fish knots, and some barefoot Ugandans, the tower was raised in a genus book of world record time – only 2 hours.

While towers and fish knots were being put together the other 9 SOI volunteers that joined us on the Gulu farm were whistling while they worked and weeded a plot of land equivalent to two football fields!

Transferrable skills from the states were also utilized while LP helped to council 20 local teen moms with, Ester, a woman from a neighboring village, whom is best described as a modern day Lazarus. Lives were changed, towers were raised, and people came together… all before lunch.

After some fish tacos and mouth watering pineapple back at the hotel we were on the road again heading to LaGutu village.

There we were greeted with a tour of the ministry center and local school that had recently been built with the help of SOI. The school has 256 children and 4 teachers with 85 kids to a classroom. One classroom is the size of 2 small tee boxes or a quarter of a tennis court.

The tour continued down a path to a home where we engaged with 6 children whose father had passed away and their mother left them behind to marry again. The home was owned by the “Moza” of the family, or grandfather. The 3 huts were homes made of dried grass for a roof and measuring only ten feet in diameter. As I peered into one of the huts I found myself in awe once again and trying to comprehend how 6 children and 2 grandparents could sleep in such small quarters yet be so thankful for what God has given them?

The tour continued down a small dirt path with blades of grass as high as cornfields. This narrow trail directed us to one small and simple, yet eloquent hut where we met by one strong, courageous, yet humble 26 year-old man named Dennis.

As he ran up to greet us in soccer cleats, no shirt (and yes, quite easy on the eyes according to the females in our group) and basketball shorts I imagined this young man fitting right in with local 20 something’s back in the states. While he may have looked as though he fit in America the story he proceeded to tell us made me realize just how unfitting his life in Northern Uganda has been.

Dennis shared with us his experiences of living in his village during the war that took place not far from where we were only 5 years ago. Dennis explained to us how his father had been beaten to death with 2x4s by the LRA and how he and his family had been forced to watch. He explained to us that months later these same men kidnapped him. Once taken to the camps by these men he was shot 3 different times and taught to kill others. As Dennis’s story unraveled he began to tell us how God used him during times of trials and tribulations and how grateful he is to know the grace of God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

As I sat and listened to a man younger than myself speak of God’s magnificence during unfathomable pain and loss I realized how small and minute my problems are back home… and I wondered how God could do this to a man of such faith?

Later that afternoon we traveled to the village of Puqwini for a pick up soccer game. As the game began more and more Ugandans began to gather around the field. With a village of only 400 people over 100 showed up for the game. To say soccer is important in this country is like saying Ohio State is a better football team that Auburn… and we all know how farfetched that is! Needless to say, soccer is the sport of Africa!

Our game score today improved against the locals tying 2-2. Kudos goes to Pastor John for his score on a penalty kick and MVP was given to Joanie for incorporating karate kicks into the game – they both have quite the moves! Once the game finished up each SOI volunteer spoke to the village about why they came to Africa and what they hoped for their small village of Pugwini. With over 60% of the population being kids prayers were raised to uplift the children and keep them safe, blessed, and knowing God’s love.

As we finished up our discussions and taught all the children of Pigwini the infamous game of Signs the sun began to set (what a site that was to see in Africa) and we slowly made our way back to the vans.

As the day came to a close I noticed Dennis collecting his things on the soccer field. I walked over to him and asked him one simple question, “Why do you still have faith in God when all these horrendous things have happened to you and to others you know? ” With a look of almost sheer confusion Dennis stared right back at me and said… “No, no – how do you not see? God has been merciful to me.  I was shot 3 times and not once did it hit my bone. I have much to be grateful for and much to praise God about.”

Wow. How convicted I feel to be surrounded by these Ugandans that are able to give so much, yet have so little. How thankful I am to share such an amazing God with them. How humbled I am by Dennis and what he has taught me… what he has taught us all.

-Kelly Bennett

New Albany

Once again the New Albany team served alongside Gulu Community Church today.  We traveled to Agung village (a remote area where the Gulu team had planted a church) to conduct another medical clinic.  On the way to the clinic, we visited the district “hospital” (a small thatched-roof structure with no equipment) and learned that a doctor works there once a week and prescribes medicines that neither the hospital nor the patients can afford.  When we understood this, it made sense that people had walked for upwards of three miles to be treated by American doctors with free antibiotics and ibuprofen.  As I looked out on the endless line of people baking under the mean equator sun my eyes filled with tears.  So many impoverished children and families, so little access to the medical care (and water, and electricity, and on and on).   The only difference between us and them: the geography of birth.  Yet there was also much reason to rejoice.  God is moving in Agung and villages like it because of GCC and their sacrificial work on behalf of the poorest of the poor.  People are coming to know Christ and lives are improving.  At the end of a very hard day, we had helped many families and demonstrated the tangible love of God on behalf of a church that will have a tremendous impact on the community.

The evening finished with a fabulous dinner at Pastor George and Irene’s home along with the leadership of GCC.  Hospitality in Uganda is beyond description – they were unbelievably generous with their food, their words and their gifts (we received some warrior figures and a zoo’s worth of animal wood carvings as a token of their appreciation).  We also were able to provide two laptops, a projector (for showing the Jesus Film in the villages) and an iPad for Pastor George.  The love and partnership expressed in the room tonight will not soon be forgotten, and I am amazed at the grace of God that allows a small church in New Albany Ohio to play a part in the powerful Kingdom work of a church serving the outcasts of the world 8,000 miles away.  What an awesome privilege.  What an amazing God.

Pastor David