You have led in your steadfast love the people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy abode.

Exodus 15:13, from the song of Moses










Our last Saturday in Africa was spent at the source of the River Nile. A 3 hour drive from Kampala to Jinja brought us to the point where Lake Victoria flows into this magnificent river. The words of Exodus rang in our ears as we remembered the deeds of the Lord, the wonders He performed through Moses at this same river so long ago. We envisioned Moses as a baby hidden in the riverbank reeds, and, years later, this river as the site of the first of ten plagues that would eventually lead to Israel’s deliverance.

We enjoyed fresh tilapia for lunch!








A short distance upstream, we took a boat ride at the Bujagali Falls. The cataracts were a picture of God’s grace that seemed to flow all around us and the current of His love that carried us to this place.


O the deep, deep love of Jesus,vast, unmeasured, boundless, free;
rolling as a mighty ocean in its fulness over me.
Underneath me, all around me is the current of Thy love,
leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above.

On Thursday, we were surprised by God.

Beth and I awoke on Thursday morning in Kampala with great joy and excited anticipation, though we were not sure why. We unintentionally dressed in the same JAF T-shirts and black pants, and endured team teasing at breakfast for it. Beth gave the team’s morning devotional on 2 Corinthians 3:4, encouraging us to “leave our mark”. We sang as we walked in the sun from the Namirembe Guest House to the school, arriving at the dorms in time to help a room of young girls brush their teeth and get dressed. The morning flew by, busy with physical therapy and wheelchair modifications for me while Beth met with the staff of Sports Outreach International (SOI).



After lunch, Beth and I found ourselves to be the only JAF team members feeling well. Spirits still high, we drove to one of two basketball courts in Kampala with Patrick and Paul, two SOI coaches, for an afternoon of basketball clinics. The first clinic was for some of the disabled students of KSPH. What fun we had practicing skills with the students side by side as our worlds of basketball and disability merged on that court! In wheelchairs, on knees, with shoes too small for their feet, the students dribbled, passed, and shot basketballs at the hoops. The laughter was great and contagious.


The second clinic was for a team of 19-24 year old men. While Beth moved fully into “coach” mode, I was left literally holding the bag of basketballs and equipment on the sidelines. Soon, a group of neighborhood children gathered like mice towards cheese, curious at these Mzungu (white people) and their basketballs. Though my first instinct was to protect what had been entrusted to me, I heard the whispered words “they just want to play”. Gathering them around, I began to copy Beth and run the children through the same drills on the sideline that she had the men doing on the court. Taking our cues from “Coach”, this “team” practiced karaoke, high knee skips, fire feet, and follow-through...SWISH!

When the men began to play a game on the court, Paul spoke in Luganda to the “team” of children and shared the good news of the Gospel. What a privilege it was to meet these young coaches whose life work is to spread the love of Jesus Christ through sports among the slum children of Uganda. And what joy was mine to witness the prayers of these children - their response to what they had heard.

And if all this was not enough, the evening held one last surprise. As our team studied the Sovereignty of God, I received an SMS from John: Yahoo! You passed the exam! You are a Pediatric Clinical Specialist! The rest of the night was filled with prayer and praise as we danced and sang of the steadfast lovingkindness and faithfulness of the Lord!

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1

Vocational Training at KSPH

On our first Monday morning at KSPH, we were given a tour of the school, dorms, and vocational training areas by the Deputy Headmaster, Sam. Since agriculture is an important part of the Ugandan culture, the children and teachers all work in the garden. They grow bananas, popo fruit (papaya), jackfruit, avocados, maize (corn), cabbage, and other crops. Even students in wheelchairs who are able to work with their arms are helped onto the ground and into the garden to do their part.









Another vocational activity taught at the school is cloth dyeing. The students are instructed by Winnie, a delightful woman who was a student at KSPH many years ago. Her perseverance inspired us!

Each Tuesday morning, plastic tarps are spread in the field. Bolts of cloth are laid on top of the tarps; porridge is ladled on the cloth to dry in the sun, or the fabric is gathered for a marbling effect. Dye is then poured on the cloth from a watering can to form the various designs.

Once dried, the bolts of cloth are washed and rinsed in a bucket brigade of tubs and then hung to dry. Each student in the vocational training class is responsible for part of the process.

After being pressed with a flat iron, the fabric is ready to be cut and sewn by the tailoring students. Beautiful quilts, garments, and aprons are sold to provide the school with additional income.

On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable...1 Corinthians 12:22

As we toured the campus on our first Monday morning at KSPH, I noticed a pile of discarded, rusty wheelchairs near the oven in an out-building. One chair, in particular, caught my eye because it had some special components to the seat: a solid seat and back, and side supports. My experience with Wheels for the World has taught me that God can provide what is needed in surprising ways, and I sensed this chair might still be of use to someone.

That afternoon, Amon and I began to see some of the students he works with. One of the students was a young man named Isak. He sat in an adult-sized wheelchair with a sling seat/back, hips bent and swept to one side, and trunk leaned over the armrest. Isak is not able to stand. Amon asked if I had any suggestions for positioning so Isak could sit upright in school. I considered how difficult it must be to learn and to write while leaning over that far. We placed some foam padding on either side of Isak’s hips to fill the gap and took some measurements.


The next morning, Gabbi and I headed to the pile of discarded wheelchairs. We worked for several hours, enlisting Nathaniel’s strong arms, to remove the seat from the base of the wheelchair.

I had the privilege of visiting Isak at his home on Wednesday with Amon, Sam, Kelly, and Rachael. Isak’s family is descended from the local tribal king, his home and the surrounding land had been passed down from generation to generation. The grounds were without paved walkways and not level. There were 12 steps to enter the house from the front, 6 steps on the side, and 3 steps in the back- all without a ramp. The house was spacious with beautiful furnishings that appeared to also have been inherited from family ancestors. When we arrived, Isak was seated outside near the side of the house. We were greeted by his father and his 20 year-old brother who provided Isak’s primary care. We were also introduced to Isak’s grandmother, who was seated near the side steps. As we spoke with Isak and his family, their love for him was evident. Yet, they had difficulty articulating their hopes for him. Amon did a wonderful job of explaining the benefits of proper seat positioning. We demonstrated this for them, and encouraged them to incorporate better positioning into his everyday activities.


With Isak back in school on Thursday, Amon, Gabbi, and I adjusted and bolted the discarded seat into his wheelchair as an insert. With additional modifications and seat straps, Isak was able to sit with his head and trunk in a more upright position.


As I have thought about Isak, I have considered how people with disabilities are often thought of like that discarded wheelchair. In cultures where physical and/or intellectual ability defines value, the disabled are often considered worthless and dispensable. But God does not look at the outward appearance of man, nor does God define a person’s value by their abilities. God looks upon the heart (2 Samuel 16:7). The Church is called to be the body of Christ, with the parts that seem to be weaker as indispensable (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). The provision of this seat insert was a tangible reminder of God’s love for Isak, and that people with disabilities are of great worth, indeed an indispensable part of the body of Christ.

Splint Fabrication, Ugandan-style

There are currently 130 students at KSPH, one of two schools in Uganda for children with disabilities. The classes range from P1A to P7. Students are grouped according to ability, not age. The P1A class is comprised of first time students. Prior to attending this class, most of them have never been in a social setting other than with their family. The teachers are patient and creative, using song to draw the students out and instruct them in English. Activities are modified in each classroom so all students can participate. The children work diligently within their abilities, and success is celebrated with encouragement from teachers and classmates alike. Kelly and Rachael spent their time working with the teachers and exchanging ideas. They shared lots of hands-on strategies to implement all the senses into each child's educational plan, and brought enough supplies to start a resource center.



The children's rehabilitation needs are met primarily by Amon, a young Occupational Therapist with a broad smile and gentle spirit. It was my privilege to partner with him throughout our two week stay. One of the highlights of my experience was our prayer time together each morning, especially the morning Amon took the lead and prayed! He was overwhelmed with the generous donations we brought, and eagerly implemented any suggestions offered.

One afternoon, we practiced splint fabrication. In the US, Therapists often use a material called orthoplast that can be softened in hot water, easily molded, and then cooled to form a rigid splint. The splints can assist in holding the hand in a functional position for writing, eating, and other daily skills. Amon was eager to use the donated splint patterns and orthoplast, as he had heard of such material in school but had never seen it. He prepared a fire in a charcoal grill to heat the water, and we had fun practicing hand splint fabrication, Ugandan-style!

Rehearsing with eager joy, "all that God had done with them." Acts 14: 26, 27

From "Kampala" they took a "plane" and headed home to the city of "Amsterdam" and then on to "Chicago." (In Kampala they had been entrusted to God's care for the work they had now finished.) Upon their return they called the "family" together and proceeded to report in detail all that God, working with them, had done, and how He had opened for the "Joni & Friends" team, the door of faith. (Acts 14: 26, 27)

Last night, Nancy & I had the privilege of "rehearsing with eager joy" to our family & friends, some of the stories that had touched our hearts while in Uganda. One story that was especially meaningful to me was the testimony of Frank "PELE" Ssenyonjo (pictured on far left), one of the coaches at Sports Outreach Ministry. Frank was nicknamed "Pele" because of his superior soccer accomplishments on the Ugandan National Team. His athletic prowess gained him notoriety and financial rewards, but it also left him vulnerable to the dark world of the occult that is prevalent in sports in Africa. Frank shared with me that following a game in which he had scored the winning goal, a spell had been cast upon him which resulted in blood pouring out of his "uncut" toes. Frank felt an urgency from the Lord to fast and pray for two weeks in the mountains, on whether to continue playing for the National Team. To make a long story short, the Lord revealed His desire for "Pele" to leave a successful soccer career and begin work as a volunteer coach with Sports Outreach Ministry. That was eight years ago, and Frank has never regretted his decision. The Lord is using Frank in mighty ways through sports ministry to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the slum children in Kampala. What an encouragement it was to me to see his faith and passion for the unsaved. It was a privilege to travel with him to two of the slums and conduct basketball clinics for the young men who lived there. His willingness to "leave it all behind" to serve Christ was a compelling testimony to me that has left me "inarticulately changed."
Beth

Obedience and Joy

Two weeks ago, Beth and I awoke at dawn to the crowing of a rooster. We pulled the mosquito nets off and joined in the praise, singing and praying to begin our first Lord's Day in Africa. Following breakfast of eggs, toast, and bananas, we headed to Gaba Community Church for worship "African-style". The church is situated on Lake Victoria and is also the home of Africa Renewal Ministries, a partnering ministry with Joni and Friends.


For me, this morning held additional excited anticipation. My dear friends, Sylvia, Nicholas, and Nancy Joy were meeting us. I had not seen Sylvia and Nicholas since their departure from Wheaton in January 2009, and had not yet greeted their 7 month old daughter. If one picture is worth a thousand words, this photo Beth took should speak volumes of the joy at our reunion.


Lively rhythms and praise in both English and Luganda filled the sanctuary. We sang one song that proclaimed, "Jesus is better than all the things you cry about". An elderly woman whose hands had been burned told of the goodness of the Lord. The passionate preaching reminded us to follow Christ's model of submission to the Father's will in full obedience, even in the midst of suffering. Little did we know how God would weave this theme throughout our time in Kampala.


As I stood worshipping with Sylvia to my left and Beth to my right, I thought "Am I really in Africa?" The sights and sounds told me that God had indeed brought us there. But the joy was so great, I thought perhaps it was heaven.

There is a sweetness in the atmosphere

As our team sat in on devotions with our African brothers from Sports Ministry Outreach last Monday morning, we sang together a song with the following lyrics:

"There is a sweet anointing in your sanctuary, There is a sweetness in the atmosphere, Come lay down the burdens you are carrying, In the atmosphere, God is here. He is here, He is here, To break the yoke, and heal the broken hearted, He is here, He is here."

We have only been home 2 days, and already Nancy and I miss the sweet atmosphere we basked in for our two weeks in Africa. It was a life changing experience for our entire team. It is hard to put into words what we gained, but we will make an attempt to convey a few of the stories that impacted us and left us inarticulately changed. We return with full hearts and a desire to continue a relationship with our dear friends in Kampala, Uganda. We are so grateful to our senders; without your prayers and support, the trip would not have been the same. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your "felt" petitions on our behalf.

The blogs to follow, will be our feeble attempt to share some of the stories and pictures that reflected the sweetness of Jesus Christ that we were privileged enough to be a part of as Joni & Friends team members in Cause 4 Life Uganda.
Beth