What we’ve been up to
Ok guys well we have had the grand finale of the Ugandan mission and we’re now well and truly immersed in the Kenyan one. After a very bumpy ride (that’s an understatement) on a bus for 16 hours we arrived in Kenya. We will spare you the gorey details of the journey but lets just say it was (we’re trying to find an appropriate adjective without sounding offensive) tragic…mental…probably not even legal and the bus conductor, well he’s another story! He definitely needs saved but we’re leaving that job to the next crazy mazungo missionary that braves his company for the duration of the trip from Uganda to Kenya.
So scanning back through the pages of our blog it looks like we have some catching up to do. You guys may have been wondering where we have been. So here’s what we’ve been up to:
First there was the building of a boarding house at Butaguya primary school, in Jinja. There we made bricks for the new boarding house as well as teaching English, maths, law and order and agriculture (yeah can you believe it, it would appear they knew even less than us, which we thought was impossible) to the children. Using music, dance and drama we taught the children, one popular song that I (Lorna) taught them was 'Singing in the Rain' ; if you don't know this song, let me tell you how it is done. It is a fun action song that makes you end up dancing about with your thumbs out, butt out and tongue out...! Don't worry guys we’ll teach you it when we get back, you’ve plenty time to prepare yourselves. (For the record I’m –Erica- having nothing to do with this insane Main madness). Jinja was wrapped up with sad farewells to Eliza, Emily, Steph and Derek (Deeko, Spikey, Blondey, Eliza’s other half…literally joined together, cute boy, action man, Cargill, Car Gill, Gill fixy car man).
Gulu
Then, as if we weren’t cream crackered (nackered) enough, we went to DP. Nothing and no-one could have prepared us for what lay ahead: the giggggantic c c c c c mission at Dwelling Places in Kampala. For six weeks we, alongside Buchan, Heather and some more crazy Weegies (Gilliian, Donna and Craig Gillian) taught the children the production of Peace Child. At the end of this time they performed the musical at Pope Paul Theatre (pronounced Popey Paule if you’re even heading there on a Boda Boda and never let them charge you more than 2000 Ugandan Shillings!!!) For those of you who have not been keeping up to date with the blog (shame on you) Peace Child is a play about two tribes (Wannapeepee and Sopongi) who are separated by a raging river and years of hostility. One day a TV crew for the western world arrive on the banks of the river to make a documentary (Ha, Mazugos trying to make a difference in Africa…sound familiar?). They come up with the brainwave of building a bridge to unite the two tribes and so the two sides immediately prepare for war. Until one night the chief of the Wannapeepee tribe has a prophetic dream. An ancient warrior appeared to him, commanding that his firstborn child must be given to the Sopongi’s as a peace offering. The Chief follows the command and the two tribes unite; at long last peace reigns among them.
So that’s what was written in the script but what the children of DP did with the material was just amazing. Yes there were hard times. Children are so playful and discipline was sometimes hard to get. We would turn our backs for one second and half of the children had jumped up into the tree to pick mangos, whilst the others were chasing chickens. God has given Erica (I didn’t write this about myself Lorna did honest) a very special gift of training children to be disciplined and near the end of the rehearsals the children were actually all standing in their circles ready for voice and drama training; now that’s a miracle!
The staff at Dwelling Places commented that the children had learned so much and it was a real blessing to us all that the children themselves actually thanked us for being so crabbit and never giving up on them. This play was so successful and the natural talent that God has given these children to sing and dance was something spectacular; these kids are going to be “international stars!” Back stage after a day of performing, hidden from the audience by heavy stage curtains the children’s (and staff’s) excitement could not be muted. Their cheers, claps and appreciation of one another and admiration for what they had achieved was evident in their beaming smiles. “Well dones” were passed around the stage and it was then that Rita Nkemba (Director of DP and generally an amazing, inspirational women) challenged the children. “Do you want to be international stars?” She probed. The question was met with some disbelief. Some of the little ones, still reeling from the excitement of the show, giggled and shouted “yes”. But the prospect of becoming a star, achieving their dreams and taking this show to the nations actually silenced most of them, or at least those who understood the weight of her words. You see for many of them this was the first time they were seen as stars. It was the first time their voices had been heard and what a way to begin. The seed has now been planted in their young minds and they know that nothing is impossible because they rely, totally and utterly, unconditionally, superdooperly on God. The God that took them from the gutters (literally) and placed them under those lights on the stage.
Back to that stage and the fiasco that was trying to arrange lights! Stage manager (Lorna the Great and her squad) were met with many challenges. As well as getting the costumes made, stage props and backdrops took alot of prayers, patience… more patience and a bit more patience. Try organising costumes for 50 African children who all have at least five names each! As always God provided everything that we needed and feedback on the show has been amazing! We will miss these children so, so , so , so much but we know it’s only a matter of time before we, and you, will be seeing them in Scotland…watch this space!
So ‘Peace Child’ is finished. After such a huge project there’s sometimes a lul, some peace and quiet, time to reflect…chillout even? We even jested that we’d miss the 6am alarm clock call, the repetition of dances and endless singing under the sweltering sun. Ha that’s a laugh. Next morning we were up and raring to go. This time we were headed on a journey we hadn’t anticipated…sorry folks we left it out of our itinerary. Gulu:
Back in the Venga bus we packed our wee bags (seriously pair of pants x1, sock x 0 and a couple of smelly t shirts and that was between the four of us!) and rattled our way to the middle of nowhere. (Francis you still have some explaining to do young man!) What was supposed to be a four hour journey took approximately eight hours. Someone fooled us into thinking there may actually be roads to travel on…ney luck chucs it was pothole heaven.
But we made it! Gulu and even the journey turned out to be worth every second. It was a mini project that God called us to do. Gulu is a district in Northern Uganda. For the past 21 years it has been terrorized and destroyed by rebels known as the Lords Resistance Army. During this time over 50,000 children have been abducted from their homes, their schools and their communities. The so called `’army” have used extreme violence with the aim of overthrowing the government and gaining power throughout the whole of Uganda. The rebels justify their demonic behavior insisting that they want Uganda to be run by " God ". We are struggling to understand what kind of God would ever commit such atrocities and vulgarity. Their actions are intended to make the government listen to them. Entering villages in the night the terrorists snatch innocent children, burning homes and killing many, or most of the villagers in the process. They demonstrate their power by cutting off people’s limbs, noses, ears and lips, leaving them maimed and faceless. They then march the kidnapped children into “the bush”. There they set about training them to kill. Equipping them with skills necessary to use guns and matchetes purposefully to destroy others, even their own families. Injected with heroine and drugged with cocaine the children are brainwashed into believing that if they flee from the bush or defy the rebels they will suffer in hell or worse still the rebels will kill them. As a sign of alligience to the “army” they are made to kill siblings, their mothers, fathers and other family members. One story we were told was almost unbelievable. Three children were taken from one family and on their journey to the bush camp (sometimes they are marched for weeks and months away from their homes, drugged so they can not remember the route nor find a way to escape) one child refused to continue any further because she was physically exhausted and unable to walk. Her siblings were then ordered to eat their sister; to bite her body until she bled to death.
Pastor Michael, the gentlemen from Gulu who hosted us, spoke of the massacre that took place in his village. He told us how in one day he and his family buried the other 400 villagers who had been slaughtered by the rebels. The job took them from 9 in the morning until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Not a days work we can try to comprehend.
We had the opportunity and privilege to speak to some of the people living in these camps, the survivors of these atrocities; some of the 1.6 million people who have fled their own homes in search of safety. We saw victims without limbs but what was worst of all was seeing people without hope. These survivors live in “camps”. Yes, they live there and they have done, some for over 21 years, the duration of the war. We struggle to live in makeshift accommodation for a few nights before we become uncomfortable, homesick and irritated. But these people have no alternative. Although they were set up for the people of Gulu to protect them we found that even the camps themselves are dangerous and so the children remain vulnerable.
To create a picture of what we saw imagine thousands of little mud huts, no bigger than an average family’s kitchen table, regimented across acres of confined land. For three decades they have been trapped there which means that in some cases third generation children have been born there; they know nothing outside camp life. They are not living they are simply existing and trying to protect themselves against the next attack. We spoke to one elderly gentlemen who voiced the frustration he now feels in trying to persuade the youths in the camps to return to their original land, the land their ancestors owned. “You see they do not know how to live as a family. They know nothing of how to conduct themselves within a home. All they know is public life. A camp where everything is exposed”.
Gulu is generally peaceful now but the devastation the war has left is vast. The government encourages these people, who have been displaced for so long, to return to their “land”. Some don’t even know where it is let alone how to live on it. And what is there from them when they return? Nothing.
Ok so the picture we have painted is bleak. It sounds hopeless. But we have been there. We have cuddled the naked children, their bodies clothed only in flies and yet we are more hopeful than ever. Amongst the cries the people spoke of the miracles God has performed. As we handed out token gifts of washing soaps and basins to nursing mums we recognized something more. It wasn’t what they were receiving that was important to these people it was simply that we were there: the fact that they are not forgotten.
But we have left so what remains? KPC Gulu for starters. A few months ago we attended a Hillsongs conference in London. To be honest it was a bit of a stress (for some more than others- smack bang in the middle of folio deadlines- stress is not even the word!) but we went nevertheless. One of the main speakers was Marilynn Skinner (a pastor, from America, serving in Kampala with her husband Gary). She showed a film about child soldiers and talked about Gulu. For the remained of our time in Scotland we received emails asking us to pray for Gulu because “God has plans for that place”. Ok right, we put it to the back of our mind. Occasionally, when we remembered, we’d pray for the children we’d seen on the big screen that day although we tried to erase the painful images she’d exposed us to.
Little did we know that a few months later we would be face to face with those images and we would see the God that she spoke about. The God that reminds us that even if our own mothers abandon us, God never will: ” Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget I will not forget you.” Isaiah 49:15.
And so we have seen that Gulu is not forgotten nor are the people there. God took two random, dizzy, Scottish girls all the way there for goodness sake. He is making sure that the world takes notice. That you notice. That’s why he chose two with the biggest mouths. (Excuse us while we argue who has the biggest!)
More than this he has made promises to these people, and let us tell you they’re holding onto them tight because they need them to get through each day: “ The poor and needy search for water but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” Isaiah 41: 17
So Marilynn Skinner can testify that her prayers, and the prayers she asked us to pray, have been answered and are being answered on a daily basis. The church KPC have planted there has only been in existence a matter of weeks and already it is attended by over 600 adults and over 300 children. So many infact that they are building a larger facility to cope with the children: the children flocking to Sunday school; children whose siblings have been stripped of that opportunity because instead of the church grabbing them, the soldiers did.
We spoke to Alan, one of the pastors at KPC Gulu and he said something very significant: that as a church we must reach the children because they are the next generation. They are easily led. Wait doesn’t that sound familiar? Haven’t we read that somewhere before? Try in the big book you read on a Sunday maybe? It was the man on the cross who said it: blessed are the little children!
But another leader recognized the vulnerability of children: Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lords Resistance Army; the man who kidnaps them and leads them into the bush. He saw that children are easily led and what’s more they are powerful. So are we willing to introduce the children of Gulu to Jesus or will we leave them in the hands of Joseph Kony?
So often on this blog we find ourselves at a crossroads. What can we do? Well this time we’re not giving you the answers. We’re asking for some. We would love to continue to be involved with the work in helping the people of Gulu in whatever way we can. But lets just start by praying because it looks to us like it will take more than just our human efforts to sort this one out! God is the solution.
Thank you all for your support Erica and Lorna xxx
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Drama, Drama, Drama!
With only five days until opening night, well day: our first show is a matinee, we have become completely obsessed, possessed, depressed (only joking) by Peace Child! The children are still working hard to make this show a success. This weekend we have spent every waking minute advertising the show and selling tickets- there are still some left so if you happen to be in Uganda next weekend then let me know, seriously! They have sung in churches and shopping malls literally from dusk until dawn, without complaint, and I think everybody is just about exhausted- but we’re keeping going.
You see we are here to teach them the music, the dances and how to act. Although they are learning everyday and the show is improving song by song, act by act, scene by scene we are also learning. Let’s consider how a show is put together- I told you I can’t think of anything else. On stage the children are told how to act. They are told what words to say and what songs to sing. Yet even though they are given a script; and they are given direction from the team, they instinctively put their own flavour and unique personalities into each part. For starters they deliver each line with Ugandan/Glaswegian accents and songs are sung in Lugandan with a special Bo’nessian twang. (It really is a show not to be missed.)
Putting the children under the spotlight made me think of my life as a Christian and how I would feel and how I do feel about having my faith on stage. I suppose this blog is a bit like a stage in that you are watching our journey (our story) being told. Some of you may enjoy it, others will be like the critics on the opening night (hopefully not too harsh) and some of you may even recommend it to a friend. I really pray it’s the latter!
Anyway, thinking of our lives on show. Where are you on the stage? Have you a main part in the church? Do you say more than others for example or are you part of the chorus? This part, as the children have found, is equally as important to the success of the show. If one member of the cast chews chewing gum (let me tell you it has happened during rehearsal…never again!) they stand out and not for the right reasons. In doing so they let the others down. But then again there are members of the chorus who stand out because they are supper doper fandabydosey on the stage and we can’t help but be drawn to their performance. Are you that person? Are you ready for a small speaking part or maybe even a solo? Is God trying to give you a wee bit more limelight but you’re shying away? Or maybe you think you need a bit more practice before opening night (ba-boom-chi- I love all the wee clichés that come with Drama- I was born to be a Diva!)
We have been explaining to the children that there are lots of ways to perform. It is interesting to watch what was once a bit of a rabble, or should a say disorganised group of amateurs, become a professional and very talented cast. Where once we had to scream over the top of the noise (Even Margaret Hunters teaching tips didn’t help in this situation!) now they correct each other. They are accountable to each other and they want each other to do well. Where once they giggled and teased those with parts now they applaud their brothers and sisters efforts. So that’s what’s happening on our stage but what’s happening on yours? What’s going on in your church? Is everyone sharing the load, playing their part? Are you mocking those who are struggling, criticising them or do you take time after rehearsal (as our children do) to encourage them and help them learn their parts? Just a thought.
Then let’s think of the director of the show: God. You see the father is there to direct us. He gives us our script and even gives us boundaries (the commandments) to protect us and make sure it’s a good show, just like the perimeters of the stage. Ultimately though what we do when the lights are on us and the curtains go up is up to us. How well do we learn our lines or in other words do we read and understand our bibles? This is something I’ve really been finding relevant especially as on a daily basis I find the children around me memorise scriptures for fun! Do we get by, by simply ad-libing and busking our way through life or do we study our lines (the word) carefully and try hard to understand it? When we stumble do we discuss it with others, apply it to our own lives? More importantly are you playing your own part or do you look at others and want theirs? You have been given something to do; you have your own important part God wants you to play so start practising it, perfecting it adding your unique flavour to it. For a while I looked at others, whether in church or at work or even among my friends. Their roles all looked so exciting and professionally polished. It wasn't until I realised that they were working hard to have that success that I saw that, that was what I had to do too. So now no matter where God puts me on the stage I know I want to play that part to the best of my ability and I want my part to glorify him.
Sometimes proclaiming to be a Christian is like putting yourself on stage ready to get tomatoes thrown at you. People immediately have expectations of you and others are simply waiting for you to trip up. My advice to you would be to keep going. Keep practising your part cos at the end of the day at least you’re on the stage: they are still in the audience dreaming of being where you are!
Enjoy the show I know with God as the director it is sure to be a success!
You see we are here to teach them the music, the dances and how to act. Although they are learning everyday and the show is improving song by song, act by act, scene by scene we are also learning. Let’s consider how a show is put together- I told you I can’t think of anything else. On stage the children are told how to act. They are told what words to say and what songs to sing. Yet even though they are given a script; and they are given direction from the team, they instinctively put their own flavour and unique personalities into each part. For starters they deliver each line with Ugandan/Glaswegian accents and songs are sung in Lugandan with a special Bo’nessian twang. (It really is a show not to be missed.)
Putting the children under the spotlight made me think of my life as a Christian and how I would feel and how I do feel about having my faith on stage. I suppose this blog is a bit like a stage in that you are watching our journey (our story) being told. Some of you may enjoy it, others will be like the critics on the opening night (hopefully not too harsh) and some of you may even recommend it to a friend. I really pray it’s the latter!
Anyway, thinking of our lives on show. Where are you on the stage? Have you a main part in the church? Do you say more than others for example or are you part of the chorus? This part, as the children have found, is equally as important to the success of the show. If one member of the cast chews chewing gum (let me tell you it has happened during rehearsal…never again!) they stand out and not for the right reasons. In doing so they let the others down. But then again there are members of the chorus who stand out because they are supper doper fandabydosey on the stage and we can’t help but be drawn to their performance. Are you that person? Are you ready for a small speaking part or maybe even a solo? Is God trying to give you a wee bit more limelight but you’re shying away? Or maybe you think you need a bit more practice before opening night (ba-boom-chi- I love all the wee clichés that come with Drama- I was born to be a Diva!)
We have been explaining to the children that there are lots of ways to perform. It is interesting to watch what was once a bit of a rabble, or should a say disorganised group of amateurs, become a professional and very talented cast. Where once we had to scream over the top of the noise (Even Margaret Hunters teaching tips didn’t help in this situation!) now they correct each other. They are accountable to each other and they want each other to do well. Where once they giggled and teased those with parts now they applaud their brothers and sisters efforts. So that’s what’s happening on our stage but what’s happening on yours? What’s going on in your church? Is everyone sharing the load, playing their part? Are you mocking those who are struggling, criticising them or do you take time after rehearsal (as our children do) to encourage them and help them learn their parts? Just a thought.
Then let’s think of the director of the show: God. You see the father is there to direct us. He gives us our script and even gives us boundaries (the commandments) to protect us and make sure it’s a good show, just like the perimeters of the stage. Ultimately though what we do when the lights are on us and the curtains go up is up to us. How well do we learn our lines or in other words do we read and understand our bibles? This is something I’ve really been finding relevant especially as on a daily basis I find the children around me memorise scriptures for fun! Do we get by, by simply ad-libing and busking our way through life or do we study our lines (the word) carefully and try hard to understand it? When we stumble do we discuss it with others, apply it to our own lives? More importantly are you playing your own part or do you look at others and want theirs? You have been given something to do; you have your own important part God wants you to play so start practising it, perfecting it adding your unique flavour to it. For a while I looked at others, whether in church or at work or even among my friends. Their roles all looked so exciting and professionally polished. It wasn't until I realised that they were working hard to have that success that I saw that, that was what I had to do too. So now no matter where God puts me on the stage I know I want to play that part to the best of my ability and I want my part to glorify him.
Sometimes proclaiming to be a Christian is like putting yourself on stage ready to get tomatoes thrown at you. People immediately have expectations of you and others are simply waiting for you to trip up. My advice to you would be to keep going. Keep practising your part cos at the end of the day at least you’re on the stage: they are still in the audience dreaming of being where you are!
Enjoy the show I know with God as the director it is sure to be a success!
Trusting His Word
Trusting his word:Before we left Scotland Lorna and I spent a lot of time in prayer and committing ourselves to this project. Much of our time was spent discussing and meditating on the verse from Romans:
“I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Romans 9:17
The other day we were chatting about what God has already done on this trip, the responsibility he has given us with the show and then we were looking forward and asking God for guidance for the plans ahead. It was only as we lay reflecting on the work here that we realised that this has been our prayer and that day by day it is being answered. This is precisely what we asked God for and we see it manifesting itself in these children- yet we were, and still are, shocked that it is actually happening before our eyes. Everyday we are grateful for his faithfulness and we urge you too, to make yourselves available to him. We are truly believe that no matter what is causing you to struggle at the moment nothing is more powerful than God and nothing can harm you (Romans 8:31) for he will give you all things if you just ask. Joyce Meyer probably illustrates this point better than I can. She uses an analogy of an unused cake mix (in her book ‘The Making of a Leader’). In it she describes how our faith can sometimes be like the unused cake mix. You have all the ingredients to make something delicious. In other words God has given you all the talents, gifts and recourses you need but unless you make the effort to open the cupboard and put it together you will never be able to make the cake. What’s even more disappointing, and slightly more concerning, is that other people are just dying to taste your cake: they’re praying for you and longing for you to take that step so just open the bloomin’ cupboard.
Easy for you to say, you grumble- jetting off around the world. Well, not exactly! It wasn’t easy for us to get to this place. Before this there were a lot of tears, trials, failures and anxieties. I really won’t bore you with the details but getting through those is what has brought us to this place. So never give up on believing in God cos I can assure you he never gives up on believing in you.
“I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Romans 9:17
The other day we were chatting about what God has already done on this trip, the responsibility he has given us with the show and then we were looking forward and asking God for guidance for the plans ahead. It was only as we lay reflecting on the work here that we realised that this has been our prayer and that day by day it is being answered. This is precisely what we asked God for and we see it manifesting itself in these children- yet we were, and still are, shocked that it is actually happening before our eyes. Everyday we are grateful for his faithfulness and we urge you too, to make yourselves available to him. We are truly believe that no matter what is causing you to struggle at the moment nothing is more powerful than God and nothing can harm you (Romans 8:31) for he will give you all things if you just ask. Joyce Meyer probably illustrates this point better than I can. She uses an analogy of an unused cake mix (in her book ‘The Making of a Leader’). In it she describes how our faith can sometimes be like the unused cake mix. You have all the ingredients to make something delicious. In other words God has given you all the talents, gifts and recourses you need but unless you make the effort to open the cupboard and put it together you will never be able to make the cake. What’s even more disappointing, and slightly more concerning, is that other people are just dying to taste your cake: they’re praying for you and longing for you to take that step so just open the bloomin’ cupboard.
Easy for you to say, you grumble- jetting off around the world. Well, not exactly! It wasn’t easy for us to get to this place. Before this there were a lot of tears, trials, failures and anxieties. I really won’t bore you with the details but getting through those is what has brought us to this place. So never give up on believing in God cos I can assure you he never gives up on believing in you.
A Cry From The Streets
A cry from the streets is a song sung by the children. I’ve heard them singing it many times and they’ve rehearsed it so often I too can sing it by heart. Yesterday the song took on a new meaning for me. The words somehow made more sense and as I watched tears run down one young girl’s cheeks as she really did cry on behalf of every street child singing with her I tried to understand something of the pain she felt. The twenty-five children huddled on the floor of Garden City, one of Uganda’s biggest and busiest shopping malls, pleaded to their audience to help them and more importantly to notice their friends and family members who remain in the sewers and gutters of Kampala.
They were at the mall to promote the show they will be performing in this weekend (14-16th Sep 07). Peace Child (see blog for information) Their performance yesterday was different, special, sickening all at the same time and for many reasons. Firstly they were performing with someone special- Rita Nkemba.
Rita is the director of DP and for those of you who have had the privilege of meeting her on one of her visits to the UK you will already know she is a lady with a big God given vision, a huge heart and an even bigger voice. It is quite rare for the children to be able to perform with her because she is so busy- imagine what it is like looking after your own children then multiply that by 382 (the amount of children she has in her care) and then you will understand how crazy, mental her life is. Yesterday Rita took time out and came to garden city to see some of her children perform and she sang along with them. The programme was full of crowd pleasers; It’s Raining, He knows my name, Ekitibwa and Ebala, a song sung in Karamajong in which the children do some typically “African” moves. Basically they are gorgeous; they are full of energy; they are African and their smiles are captivating, what more do Muzungu (white) tourists want! But what we hadn’t prepared the audience for was the reality of these little ones lives. Brightly dressed in their choir uniforms with their teeth cleaned and faces washed they look “so cute” yet the words which poured from the mouths told a very different story.
The introduction Rita gave upset some of the children but I could see it pained the audience more. Uncomfortable coughs rose like a descant above Rita’s husky African voice as token gestures were thrown into the baskets infront our kids. Rita reminded us all where these little ones have come from: the streets. The mimicking of begging they were doing was not choreographed; they were not taught how to look distressed, lonely and unloved. The children know exactly how it feels because each of them has experienced the abuse and desperation that comes from living on the streets of Kampala. It was from these streets that God- through Rita Nkemba- saved them.
Being away from home and away from the comforting words of my family and friends I am learning more and more to rely on the words of my Father, sorry Bob not you this time although I do appreciate your support and wisdom more than anything! In Scotland I found myself constantly asking God. “What can I do? The problems are so huge. What can I do? What is the purpose of my life?” I always thought that the answer was going to come in some miraculous way. Maybe with lightening or something exciting like a loud voice in my ear waking me from my sleep. I was always so envious of other Christians that would say, “Oh God spoke to me”, or God told me. I was like “Well hello God, where’s my telephone call?” I even joked with friends that if God could give me a neon sign with what I should do I would be very grateful. It is only latterly that I have realised that I have actually been ignoring all of these things. I’ve been ignoring God’s voice because I was so adamant I wanted it to appear in the places I though it should. Infact I even walked about with the bloomin neon sign in my bag- yip you guessed it, my bible. You see God’s voice and his spirit lives in the word. But here’s the catch you gotta open it to allow it to minister to you. It’s a two-way relationship. If you take time to talk to God he will meet you and talk to you. Maybe not in lightening or dreams (although sometimes he will, who am I to minimise his awesome capabilities) but in his word. He’s already written so many messages in his word. So often we’ll groan “God I just don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know what direction my life should be taking” or with regards to the little children we see so often on the news or on Oxfam adverts we’ll switch channels muttering about the scale of the problem and how it is someone else’s responsibility. Then on Sunday when we go to church we’ll ask God what can we do. So incase you’re still looking for your neon sign, like I was, here it is:
(It was given to me by Rita Nkemba and let me tell you God’s voice doesn’t come any louder and clearer.)
Isaiah 58: Share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked clothe him and do not turn away from your own flesh and blood. 11 The lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called repairer or broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings.
And so dwelling places was born and hundreds of children were given a home and hope for the future. So you’re still asking what is your part. How does this apply to your life? Erica are you telling me to come to Africa? Well no it’s not me that’s telling you anything. It’s God that’s asking you just to open up the gates of communication. I have seen with my eyes what God can do when you allow him to talk to you. So you can decide what to do with this word. You can switch off the computer, just like the times you have turned the channel when the Oxfam adverts are putting you off your tea or you can read on. You might even go a step further and open your bible and allow God to finish this chat with you. The other option is you have is to leave it on the shelf for fear of what he might say, or what responsibility he might give you. I pray that you don’t leave the book on the shelf because it scares me that if you do these children may be forgotten.
They were at the mall to promote the show they will be performing in this weekend (14-16th Sep 07). Peace Child (see blog for information) Their performance yesterday was different, special, sickening all at the same time and for many reasons. Firstly they were performing with someone special- Rita Nkemba.
Rita is the director of DP and for those of you who have had the privilege of meeting her on one of her visits to the UK you will already know she is a lady with a big God given vision, a huge heart and an even bigger voice. It is quite rare for the children to be able to perform with her because she is so busy- imagine what it is like looking after your own children then multiply that by 382 (the amount of children she has in her care) and then you will understand how crazy, mental her life is. Yesterday Rita took time out and came to garden city to see some of her children perform and she sang along with them. The programme was full of crowd pleasers; It’s Raining, He knows my name, Ekitibwa and Ebala, a song sung in Karamajong in which the children do some typically “African” moves. Basically they are gorgeous; they are full of energy; they are African and their smiles are captivating, what more do Muzungu (white) tourists want! But what we hadn’t prepared the audience for was the reality of these little ones lives. Brightly dressed in their choir uniforms with their teeth cleaned and faces washed they look “so cute” yet the words which poured from the mouths told a very different story.
The introduction Rita gave upset some of the children but I could see it pained the audience more. Uncomfortable coughs rose like a descant above Rita’s husky African voice as token gestures were thrown into the baskets infront our kids. Rita reminded us all where these little ones have come from: the streets. The mimicking of begging they were doing was not choreographed; they were not taught how to look distressed, lonely and unloved. The children know exactly how it feels because each of them has experienced the abuse and desperation that comes from living on the streets of Kampala. It was from these streets that God- through Rita Nkemba- saved them.
Being away from home and away from the comforting words of my family and friends I am learning more and more to rely on the words of my Father, sorry Bob not you this time although I do appreciate your support and wisdom more than anything! In Scotland I found myself constantly asking God. “What can I do? The problems are so huge. What can I do? What is the purpose of my life?” I always thought that the answer was going to come in some miraculous way. Maybe with lightening or something exciting like a loud voice in my ear waking me from my sleep. I was always so envious of other Christians that would say, “Oh God spoke to me”, or God told me. I was like “Well hello God, where’s my telephone call?” I even joked with friends that if God could give me a neon sign with what I should do I would be very grateful. It is only latterly that I have realised that I have actually been ignoring all of these things. I’ve been ignoring God’s voice because I was so adamant I wanted it to appear in the places I though it should. Infact I even walked about with the bloomin neon sign in my bag- yip you guessed it, my bible. You see God’s voice and his spirit lives in the word. But here’s the catch you gotta open it to allow it to minister to you. It’s a two-way relationship. If you take time to talk to God he will meet you and talk to you. Maybe not in lightening or dreams (although sometimes he will, who am I to minimise his awesome capabilities) but in his word. He’s already written so many messages in his word. So often we’ll groan “God I just don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know what direction my life should be taking” or with regards to the little children we see so often on the news or on Oxfam adverts we’ll switch channels muttering about the scale of the problem and how it is someone else’s responsibility. Then on Sunday when we go to church we’ll ask God what can we do. So incase you’re still looking for your neon sign, like I was, here it is:
(It was given to me by Rita Nkemba and let me tell you God’s voice doesn’t come any louder and clearer.)
Isaiah 58: Share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked clothe him and do not turn away from your own flesh and blood. 11 The lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called repairer or broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings.
And so dwelling places was born and hundreds of children were given a home and hope for the future. So you’re still asking what is your part. How does this apply to your life? Erica are you telling me to come to Africa? Well no it’s not me that’s telling you anything. It’s God that’s asking you just to open up the gates of communication. I have seen with my eyes what God can do when you allow him to talk to you. So you can decide what to do with this word. You can switch off the computer, just like the times you have turned the channel when the Oxfam adverts are putting you off your tea or you can read on. You might even go a step further and open your bible and allow God to finish this chat with you. The other option is you have is to leave it on the shelf for fear of what he might say, or what responsibility he might give you. I pray that you don’t leave the book on the shelf because it scares me that if you do these children may be forgotten.
Through My Eyes
Many of you may have read the website (www.dwellingplaces.org) or seen the literature passed out (via email) about Dwelling Places and what this organisation are actually doing here in Mutundwe (Uganda).
"Who we are: Dwelling Places is a Christian non-governmental, charitable organization that provides holistic care services in terms of rehabilitation, education, family reconciliation, fostering and adoption facilitation to ex-street children, abandoned babies, and high-risk slum families. The thrust of our mission is to prevent the recurrence of street migration among children in Kampala and other towns in Uganda. We also aim to play our part in providing gravely disadvantaged babies, children, and families with a chance to a better and dignified life and we do this first and foremost through the impartation of Christian (Biblical) principles. We encourage our clientele to get to know God in a personal way as a means to alter their lifestyles and consequently influence their destinies.
Although the words on the page are powerful and the vision sounds grand I want you to take time to read what DP really is…at least through the eyes of one volunteer- me.
Ok so first and foremost it is a family.
Ephesians 1:4 For the chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted us as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
The promise we have here is so powerful. The word “adopted” makes complete sense to me here as I see what it is to belong to God’s family. The children living at DP become brothers and sisters- many of them become mothers and fathers (aunties and uncles) to the younger ones: sorting our fights, putting on plasters, braiding hair and even disciplining the excitable little ones and translating for them during rehearsals (for which I am extremely grateful). (Many of them struggle with English. They have been living on the streets and so have had no formal education before coming to Dwelling Places. They speak only Lugandan and broken English depending on how long they have been in the home).
DP focuses on rehabilitating the children and their families. It is unlike any other orphanage (that I know of) in that it works with the communities and families. Many of the children have been abandoned, they have lost parents to aids or accidents although some do still have relatives or families that simply can’t afford to look after them. They become street children. In these situations DP takes the children to the home and pays for their education (for this we rely on sponsorship and fundraising). There they live with the other children and they become their extended family. They are taught skills, which they don’t learn on the street; basic things like how to brush their teeth and wash with clean water, manners and rules. The only rule they have ever known whilst on the streets is to “survive”.
Meanwhile DP makes relationships with the children’s families, if they can trace them. They offer them support, training in crafts or skills they can use to earn an income in the hope that one day their children will be able to return to them. One example of this is Mamma Maureen. Maureen’s children live in the “orphanage”. She has been supported by DP to start her own hair salon in the village and is becoming more and more self sufficient. I don’t know the percentage of children that return to their homes or if Maureen will ever be able to house her family again but I do know that she and her children both belong to a new family. A family opened up to them by the work of DP: the family of God. And so they will never be in that desperate, lonely place again.
DP is like a little piece of heaven: Yeah so not all the time. I am not going to pretend that these children are from another realm and they never quarrel or strop; trust me they do. But the reason I associate DP with heaven is because the children and staff never cease to praise. It reminds me a little of the picture in Revelations 4:8. (Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come." I must admit imagining these angels or “creatures” as they are described here is beyond even my vivid imagination; I can only wonder. But I want to focus on the angels worshiping. You see it never stops; it never tires or weakens. They don’t have a wee rest from praising God. They don’t stop during the week and then remember God on a Sunday. It reminds me of the way the children worship. They are so in love with God. They are so grateful and fully aware of him at work in their lives that they really know him. At home, at church, even with their friends they lift their hands to him. There is no question of embarrassment or worry who is watching or what people will think; that seems to be a characteristic of the western world. They work at the relationship they have with God (by reading and discussing his word) and they believe the promises he has given to them. You see they are the children that Jesus talks about: they were the hungry that are now fed, the naked that are now clothed; the homeless who now have a place to call home. Because of this they believe that God really does fulfil his promises. They believe that when they pray for something in his name that they will receive it. So much so that’s it’s almost a case of, you know the saying “be careful what you wish for” well here it’s be careful what you pray for because it will happen. Can you imagine what would happen if you started to pray with this amount of confidence? (Ephesians 3:12) “ In him and through faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence”. Imagine approaching God and expecting him to answer!
Let the little Children Come:
Finally for me DP is the future: it is the next generation, after all it is children they are nurturing. I’ve said this before and I remember talking to people about this in Peru and then when I returned from Peru: about the next generation. God is raising a new generation of men and women who love him and are not afraid to confess him as their saviour. Just take a second to reflect on that. Digest it. No I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it and I’m excited about it. It may not be on your doorstep but all around the world children, youth, young men and women are praising God and they are desperate to be known by him. It’s exciting to be part of it and you should be too. So often in the west we beleive we are ahead of the game. A friend of mine here sommented that "we Ugandan's are trying to catch up but you in the West are so far ahead, you're so civilzed, so educated." Yes educated we may be but ahead...I think not. As I looked around at the thousands of men, women and children who filled Uganda's national stadium last Sunday FOR CHURCH it made me realise how much catching up we have to do!
Just before we left on our “mission” I had the miserable and unfortunate experience of turning twenty four. I was not at all happy about it and still bite my lip when people ask me what age I am, forgetting to add on a year. Yeah pathetic I know- get over yourself Erica. But it’s just because I want to be part of the “youth”. I still consider myself in that group. It’s not until I see that the youth are ten years younger than me that I realise that I’m kidding myself. Anyway that’s a personal issue and a bit of a sore point it would appear. But the good news is, is that we can all be little children. I’m not suggesting you start wearing baseball caps and start defying your parents but here’s what I think:
Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child (does) and shall not in any way enter it (at all).
Luke 18:17
Ok so I didn’t choose this verse to scare you but I guess just reading it will make you slightly worried. There is a process described here. The first step is to “accept”. Humbling ourselves and becoming childlike is a very foreign concept for many of us. From a young age we are taught skills to enable and prepare us for adulthood. We are told to ‘grow up’ and to ‘take more responsibility’, ‘to be more responsible’. Yes in the world these things are important. It would be slightly embarrassing if we couldn’t cross the road without reaching for someone’s hand to hold and I wouldn’t like to be in a place of work with someone who couldn’t tell the time (although I have been accused of this a few times). However, it is not behaviours I am talking about; it is humility. Being able to accept that you are not King of your own castle, as much as you would like to think you are, is the challenge God presents to us. (Sorry if that cut deep, I think that might have been a sore one for all you men reading this). Taking a leap of faith and letting God take control of your life is an incredibly difficult thing to do; it involves humility.
The good news is that once we “accept” then we are invited to “receive”. It’s like getting an invitation to a party. You are given the invitation and you “accept” it. You don’t go to the party expecting to have a rubbish time. You go there to meet friends and have fun. Well the same rule applies here. God is asking you to ‘accept’ his invitation so that you can “receive” all the things he has in store for you. The word “receive” is most commonly associated with gifts. If you leave your invitation stuck to the fridge (yeah sorry I always go back to there, it must be in my sub conscience) you won’t receive the goody bag they give out at the end of the party and someone else may have eaten your slice of the cake! Get it...you won't "receive".
The third part in the process is described as “welcoming”. How hospitable are you to God? Is he like a visitor who rings the door bell early on a Saturday morning and disturbs your sleep or are you ready for him? Are you at the bedroom window looking out for him and do you welcome him with open arms? Actually let’s take this analogy of a visitor a step further- Kate Bonnar style. If you’re anything like my mum you tidy the house for your visitors coming. (Yeah she has a life so sometimes, only occasionally, the dishes are left! I guess that’s why she had four children- although I dare say there’s no-one there to do them now that I’m gone!) Anyway you tidy up don’t you! You buy some biscuits; make sandwiches you even go to the hassle of cutting off the crusts! You make an effort. You certainly don’t leave your dirty washing on display or leave dishes unwashed. That would be disrespectful and would embarrass your guests.
So look at your life. How welcoming is it to God? What parts would you want to hide and why? Are there some bits that would embarrass him…or you? I know that I want to get these things sorted out before he arrives!
Lastly, he says we should do all of these things "as a little child”: humbly and willingly. Every morning we start rehearsals with a warm up song called “Follow the Leader”. The song has an amazing rhythm and involves lots of shaking of booty (a talent African’s excel at), wiggling and singing loudly. The lyrics of the song got me thinking about how impressionable these little children are and more so how willingly they follow. When we jump they jump, when we shake they shake: they do it without question but with enthusiasm.
13. Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 15. When he had placed his hands on them he went on from there.”
Mathew 19: 13-15
It interests me why anyone would “hinder” a child from wanting to know God. Why any parent would deny their child the opportunity to go to church or to be part of this exciting movement. Or more importantly why any adult would deny themselves the opportunity to be part of it.
As adults are we intimidated by how faithful children can be? I know that when I look at these children and I hear how wise they are with regards to the gospel, how God fearing they are yet how hopeful they are it does disturb me. It makes me question my faithfulness.
I know in the past people have confused my own enthusiasm for God. They have put it down to naivety. Some, I’m sure, even put it down to my over excitable personality (yes I am completely aware of my annoyingly loud laugh and excitability thank you very much). You see what I have seen in these children is that they make themselves available to God and that is exciting. Another thing is when you do that guess what happens but: God uses your availability to bless others. I am just grateful that I have been allowed to be blessed by them. So let’s not doubt their faith, but nurture it, encourage it and learn from it.
Don’t let yourself be the one to “look down” on these little one’s faith. We’ve all though it, said it or even been subjected to the kind of criticism I’m referring to: “Oh he’s getting carried away with the church.” “ She’s becoming far too holy.” “It’s weird how much time she spends at the church. They need to clam down, keep their feet on the ground.”
1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in, love, in faith and in purity.
No matter what age you are this passage refers to you. If you are an older person in the church what are you doing to build up the youth? What are you doing to encourage them and support them in their faith? You are wise and probably know a lot more of the word than they do- share it with them. You think: but young ones don’t want to listen to me…yes we do! We are crying out for teaching, guidance friendship. (I know I must stop including myself in this category) People of St Andrew’s church (Bo’ness) will remember Mrs Cormack, she lived on Brea head Road thee little flat at the end as you turn down to Marchlands. Anyway, I used to walk that way to and from school. Almost everyday I would see Mrs Cormack. I knew she was something to do with the church and being typically Bonessian she knew everybody and everybody knew her. We became friends and I would visit her after school. I think at the time there must have been at least sixty years between us in age but that made no difference. Our conversations didn’t really revolve around God. Her dementia meant that we often had the same conversations over and over again which at a young age I found amusing, although my mum knows that when I returned home sometimes I would complain that it was slightly frustrating. On one occasion, and truthfully I can’t remember why, she talked to me about her faith and how “in love she was with Jesus”. I remember being completely inspired by her enthusiasm. She had something that I wanted. When she talked about him her eyes looked like she was a teenager! She welcomed him like a child, humbly and with boundless enthusiasm. I remember shortly after she died talking to Albert (he needs no introduction I assume everyone knows him!) about my relationship with Mrs Cormack and we were talking really about his own mum, Maggie. She too had an ability to relate to “youth” to communicate to them and they, including myself, loved being around her. He said that it was amazing how ladies of their age could still create such relationships with young people. But you see, what Albert and I saw was that we all had a lot in common: we were all in love with Jesus “like little children”.
Go back to 1 Timothy: “Youth” grab onto this verse with confidence. Maybe you are struggling with being a Christian and still being taken seriously by your friends and family. Trust me confidence is attractive No-one can be bothered with people who say one thing and do another- and we all do that at some point. So be confident in what you believe. God never tests you beyond what he will give you the strength to cope with so just keep trusting in him. As my big sis says “enjoy the ride”. Being in love with God and walking the walk he intended you to walk is a bigger high than any alcohol, drugs, relationship or shopping can give you! Don’t leave it until you’re twenty four (ahh Yuk!) to start enjoying it. Do it now. The kids here in Uganda are already doing it and it’s a real buzz to watch.
Good news for everyone who no longer fits in the "youth" brackets don’t loose heart. I just looked up the dictionary definition of the word children on this computer. Children: A descendant of somebody, or a member of a people founded by somebody. Wow! Yes we are all the children of God and yes we are members of his family and Yes we were founded by him! Remember the promise he gave us at the start of this blog entry (I know I never stop talking), in Ephesians. We are “adopted”. Before you were even born he had a plan for you. You were “predestined” to be part of this family. So go on 1. “accept” the invitation”, 2. “receive” the gift of his grace and lastly 3. “welcome” to his family!
"Who we are: Dwelling Places is a Christian non-governmental, charitable organization that provides holistic care services in terms of rehabilitation, education, family reconciliation, fostering and adoption facilitation to ex-street children, abandoned babies, and high-risk slum families. The thrust of our mission is to prevent the recurrence of street migration among children in Kampala and other towns in Uganda. We also aim to play our part in providing gravely disadvantaged babies, children, and families with a chance to a better and dignified life and we do this first and foremost through the impartation of Christian (Biblical) principles. We encourage our clientele to get to know God in a personal way as a means to alter their lifestyles and consequently influence their destinies.
Although the words on the page are powerful and the vision sounds grand I want you to take time to read what DP really is…at least through the eyes of one volunteer- me.
Ok so first and foremost it is a family.
Ephesians 1:4 For the chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted us as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
The promise we have here is so powerful. The word “adopted” makes complete sense to me here as I see what it is to belong to God’s family. The children living at DP become brothers and sisters- many of them become mothers and fathers (aunties and uncles) to the younger ones: sorting our fights, putting on plasters, braiding hair and even disciplining the excitable little ones and translating for them during rehearsals (for which I am extremely grateful). (Many of them struggle with English. They have been living on the streets and so have had no formal education before coming to Dwelling Places. They speak only Lugandan and broken English depending on how long they have been in the home).
DP focuses on rehabilitating the children and their families. It is unlike any other orphanage (that I know of) in that it works with the communities and families. Many of the children have been abandoned, they have lost parents to aids or accidents although some do still have relatives or families that simply can’t afford to look after them. They become street children. In these situations DP takes the children to the home and pays for their education (for this we rely on sponsorship and fundraising). There they live with the other children and they become their extended family. They are taught skills, which they don’t learn on the street; basic things like how to brush their teeth and wash with clean water, manners and rules. The only rule they have ever known whilst on the streets is to “survive”.
Meanwhile DP makes relationships with the children’s families, if they can trace them. They offer them support, training in crafts or skills they can use to earn an income in the hope that one day their children will be able to return to them. One example of this is Mamma Maureen. Maureen’s children live in the “orphanage”. She has been supported by DP to start her own hair salon in the village and is becoming more and more self sufficient. I don’t know the percentage of children that return to their homes or if Maureen will ever be able to house her family again but I do know that she and her children both belong to a new family. A family opened up to them by the work of DP: the family of God. And so they will never be in that desperate, lonely place again.
DP is like a little piece of heaven: Yeah so not all the time. I am not going to pretend that these children are from another realm and they never quarrel or strop; trust me they do. But the reason I associate DP with heaven is because the children and staff never cease to praise. It reminds me a little of the picture in Revelations 4:8. (Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come." I must admit imagining these angels or “creatures” as they are described here is beyond even my vivid imagination; I can only wonder. But I want to focus on the angels worshiping. You see it never stops; it never tires or weakens. They don’t have a wee rest from praising God. They don’t stop during the week and then remember God on a Sunday. It reminds me of the way the children worship. They are so in love with God. They are so grateful and fully aware of him at work in their lives that they really know him. At home, at church, even with their friends they lift their hands to him. There is no question of embarrassment or worry who is watching or what people will think; that seems to be a characteristic of the western world. They work at the relationship they have with God (by reading and discussing his word) and they believe the promises he has given to them. You see they are the children that Jesus talks about: they were the hungry that are now fed, the naked that are now clothed; the homeless who now have a place to call home. Because of this they believe that God really does fulfil his promises. They believe that when they pray for something in his name that they will receive it. So much so that’s it’s almost a case of, you know the saying “be careful what you wish for” well here it’s be careful what you pray for because it will happen. Can you imagine what would happen if you started to pray with this amount of confidence? (Ephesians 3:12) “ In him and through faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence”. Imagine approaching God and expecting him to answer!
Let the little Children Come:
Finally for me DP is the future: it is the next generation, after all it is children they are nurturing. I’ve said this before and I remember talking to people about this in Peru and then when I returned from Peru: about the next generation. God is raising a new generation of men and women who love him and are not afraid to confess him as their saviour. Just take a second to reflect on that. Digest it. No I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it and I’m excited about it. It may not be on your doorstep but all around the world children, youth, young men and women are praising God and they are desperate to be known by him. It’s exciting to be part of it and you should be too. So often in the west we beleive we are ahead of the game. A friend of mine here sommented that "we Ugandan's are trying to catch up but you in the West are so far ahead, you're so civilzed, so educated." Yes educated we may be but ahead...I think not. As I looked around at the thousands of men, women and children who filled Uganda's national stadium last Sunday FOR CHURCH it made me realise how much catching up we have to do!
Just before we left on our “mission” I had the miserable and unfortunate experience of turning twenty four. I was not at all happy about it and still bite my lip when people ask me what age I am, forgetting to add on a year. Yeah pathetic I know- get over yourself Erica. But it’s just because I want to be part of the “youth”. I still consider myself in that group. It’s not until I see that the youth are ten years younger than me that I realise that I’m kidding myself. Anyway that’s a personal issue and a bit of a sore point it would appear. But the good news is, is that we can all be little children. I’m not suggesting you start wearing baseball caps and start defying your parents but here’s what I think:
Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child (does) and shall not in any way enter it (at all).
Luke 18:17
Ok so I didn’t choose this verse to scare you but I guess just reading it will make you slightly worried. There is a process described here. The first step is to “accept”. Humbling ourselves and becoming childlike is a very foreign concept for many of us. From a young age we are taught skills to enable and prepare us for adulthood. We are told to ‘grow up’ and to ‘take more responsibility’, ‘to be more responsible’. Yes in the world these things are important. It would be slightly embarrassing if we couldn’t cross the road without reaching for someone’s hand to hold and I wouldn’t like to be in a place of work with someone who couldn’t tell the time (although I have been accused of this a few times). However, it is not behaviours I am talking about; it is humility. Being able to accept that you are not King of your own castle, as much as you would like to think you are, is the challenge God presents to us. (Sorry if that cut deep, I think that might have been a sore one for all you men reading this). Taking a leap of faith and letting God take control of your life is an incredibly difficult thing to do; it involves humility.
The good news is that once we “accept” then we are invited to “receive”. It’s like getting an invitation to a party. You are given the invitation and you “accept” it. You don’t go to the party expecting to have a rubbish time. You go there to meet friends and have fun. Well the same rule applies here. God is asking you to ‘accept’ his invitation so that you can “receive” all the things he has in store for you. The word “receive” is most commonly associated with gifts. If you leave your invitation stuck to the fridge (yeah sorry I always go back to there, it must be in my sub conscience) you won’t receive the goody bag they give out at the end of the party and someone else may have eaten your slice of the cake! Get it...you won't "receive".
The third part in the process is described as “welcoming”. How hospitable are you to God? Is he like a visitor who rings the door bell early on a Saturday morning and disturbs your sleep or are you ready for him? Are you at the bedroom window looking out for him and do you welcome him with open arms? Actually let’s take this analogy of a visitor a step further- Kate Bonnar style. If you’re anything like my mum you tidy the house for your visitors coming. (Yeah she has a life so sometimes, only occasionally, the dishes are left! I guess that’s why she had four children- although I dare say there’s no-one there to do them now that I’m gone!) Anyway you tidy up don’t you! You buy some biscuits; make sandwiches you even go to the hassle of cutting off the crusts! You make an effort. You certainly don’t leave your dirty washing on display or leave dishes unwashed. That would be disrespectful and would embarrass your guests.
So look at your life. How welcoming is it to God? What parts would you want to hide and why? Are there some bits that would embarrass him…or you? I know that I want to get these things sorted out before he arrives!
Lastly, he says we should do all of these things "as a little child”: humbly and willingly. Every morning we start rehearsals with a warm up song called “Follow the Leader”. The song has an amazing rhythm and involves lots of shaking of booty (a talent African’s excel at), wiggling and singing loudly. The lyrics of the song got me thinking about how impressionable these little children are and more so how willingly they follow. When we jump they jump, when we shake they shake: they do it without question but with enthusiasm.
13. Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 15. When he had placed his hands on them he went on from there.”
Mathew 19: 13-15
It interests me why anyone would “hinder” a child from wanting to know God. Why any parent would deny their child the opportunity to go to church or to be part of this exciting movement. Or more importantly why any adult would deny themselves the opportunity to be part of it.
As adults are we intimidated by how faithful children can be? I know that when I look at these children and I hear how wise they are with regards to the gospel, how God fearing they are yet how hopeful they are it does disturb me. It makes me question my faithfulness.
I know in the past people have confused my own enthusiasm for God. They have put it down to naivety. Some, I’m sure, even put it down to my over excitable personality (yes I am completely aware of my annoyingly loud laugh and excitability thank you very much). You see what I have seen in these children is that they make themselves available to God and that is exciting. Another thing is when you do that guess what happens but: God uses your availability to bless others. I am just grateful that I have been allowed to be blessed by them. So let’s not doubt their faith, but nurture it, encourage it and learn from it.
Don’t let yourself be the one to “look down” on these little one’s faith. We’ve all though it, said it or even been subjected to the kind of criticism I’m referring to: “Oh he’s getting carried away with the church.” “ She’s becoming far too holy.” “It’s weird how much time she spends at the church. They need to clam down, keep their feet on the ground.”
1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in, love, in faith and in purity.
No matter what age you are this passage refers to you. If you are an older person in the church what are you doing to build up the youth? What are you doing to encourage them and support them in their faith? You are wise and probably know a lot more of the word than they do- share it with them. You think: but young ones don’t want to listen to me…yes we do! We are crying out for teaching, guidance friendship. (I know I must stop including myself in this category) People of St Andrew’s church (Bo’ness) will remember Mrs Cormack, she lived on Brea head Road thee little flat at the end as you turn down to Marchlands. Anyway, I used to walk that way to and from school. Almost everyday I would see Mrs Cormack. I knew she was something to do with the church and being typically Bonessian she knew everybody and everybody knew her. We became friends and I would visit her after school. I think at the time there must have been at least sixty years between us in age but that made no difference. Our conversations didn’t really revolve around God. Her dementia meant that we often had the same conversations over and over again which at a young age I found amusing, although my mum knows that when I returned home sometimes I would complain that it was slightly frustrating. On one occasion, and truthfully I can’t remember why, she talked to me about her faith and how “in love she was with Jesus”. I remember being completely inspired by her enthusiasm. She had something that I wanted. When she talked about him her eyes looked like she was a teenager! She welcomed him like a child, humbly and with boundless enthusiasm. I remember shortly after she died talking to Albert (he needs no introduction I assume everyone knows him!) about my relationship with Mrs Cormack and we were talking really about his own mum, Maggie. She too had an ability to relate to “youth” to communicate to them and they, including myself, loved being around her. He said that it was amazing how ladies of their age could still create such relationships with young people. But you see, what Albert and I saw was that we all had a lot in common: we were all in love with Jesus “like little children”.
Go back to 1 Timothy: “Youth” grab onto this verse with confidence. Maybe you are struggling with being a Christian and still being taken seriously by your friends and family. Trust me confidence is attractive No-one can be bothered with people who say one thing and do another- and we all do that at some point. So be confident in what you believe. God never tests you beyond what he will give you the strength to cope with so just keep trusting in him. As my big sis says “enjoy the ride”. Being in love with God and walking the walk he intended you to walk is a bigger high than any alcohol, drugs, relationship or shopping can give you! Don’t leave it until you’re twenty four (ahh Yuk!) to start enjoying it. Do it now. The kids here in Uganda are already doing it and it’s a real buzz to watch.
Good news for everyone who no longer fits in the "youth" brackets don’t loose heart. I just looked up the dictionary definition of the word children on this computer. Children: A descendant of somebody, or a member of a people founded by somebody. Wow! Yes we are all the children of God and yes we are members of his family and Yes we were founded by him! Remember the promise he gave us at the start of this blog entry (I know I never stop talking), in Ephesians. We are “adopted”. Before you were even born he had a plan for you. You were “predestined” to be part of this family. So go on 1. “accept” the invitation”, 2. “receive” the gift of his grace and lastly 3. “welcome” to his family!
Through My Eyes
Many of you may have read the website (www.dwellingplaces.org) or seen the literature passed out (via email) about Dwelling Places and what this organisation are actually doing here in Mutundwe (Uganda).
"Who we are: Dwelling Places is a Christian non-governmental, charitable organization that provides holistic care services in terms of rehabilitation, education, family reconciliation, fostering and adoption facilitation to ex-street children, abandoned babies, and high-risk slum families. The thrust of our mission is to prevent the recurrence of street migration among children in Kampala and other towns in Uganda. We also aim to play our part in providing gravely disadvantaged babies, children, and families with a chance to a better and dignified life and we do this first and foremost through the impartation of Christian (Biblical) principles. We encourage our clientele to get to know God in a personal way as a means to alter their lifestyles and consequently influence their destinies.
Although the words on the page are powerful and the vision sounds grand I want you to take time to read what DP really is…at least through the eyes of one volunteer- me.
Ok so first and foremost it is a family.
Ephesians 1:4 For the chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted us as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
The promise we have here is so powerful. The word “adopted” makes complete sense to me here as I see what it is to belong to God’s family. The children living at DP become brothers and sisters- many of them become mothers and fathers (aunties and uncles) to the younger ones: sorting our fights, putting on plasters, braiding hair and even disciplining the excitable little ones and translating for them during rehearsals (for which I am extremely grateful). (Many of them struggle with English. They have been living on the streets and so have had no formal education before coming to Dwelling Places. They speak only Lugandan and broken English depending on how long they have been in the home).
DP focuses on rehabilitating the children and their families. It is unlike any other orphanage (that I know of) in that it works with the communities and families. Many of the children have been abandoned, they have lost parents to aids or accidents although some do still have relatives or families that simply can’t afford to look after them. They become street children. In these situations DP takes the children to the home and pays for their education (for this we rely on sponsorship and fundraising). There they live with the other children and they become their extended family. They are taught skills, which they don’t learn on the street; basic things like how to brush their teeth and wash with clean water, manners and rules. The only rule they have ever known whilst on the streets is to “survive”.
Meanwhile DP makes relationships with the children’s families, if they can trace them. They offer them support, training in crafts or skills they can use to earn an income in the hope that one day their children will be able to return to them. One example of this is Mamma Maureen. Maureen’s children live in the “orphanage”. She has been supported by DP to start her own hair salon in the village and is becoming more and more self sufficient. I don’t know the percentage of children that return to their homes or if Maureen will ever be able to house her family again but I do know that she and her children both belong to a new family. A family opened up to them by the work of DP: the family of God. And so they will never be in that desperate, lonely place again.
DP is like a little piece of heaven: Yeah so not all the time. I am not going to pretend that these children are from another realm and they never quarrel or strop; trust me they do. But the reason I associate DP with heaven is because the children and staff never cease to praise. It reminds me a little of the picture in Revelations 4:8. (Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come." I must admit imagining these angels or “creatures” as they are described here is beyond even my vivid imagination; I can only wonder. But I want to focus on the angels worshiping. You see it never stops; it never tires or weakens. They don’t have a wee rest from praising God. They don’t stop during the week and then remember God on a Sunday. It reminds me of the way the children worship. They are so in love with God. They are so grateful and fully aware of him at work in their lives that they really know him. At home, at church, even with their friends they lift their hands to him. There is no question of embarrassment or worry who is watching or what people will think; that seems to be a characteristic of the western world. They work at the relationship they have with God (by reading and discussing his word) and they believe the promises he has given to them. You see they are the children that Jesus talks about: they were the hungry that are now fed, the naked that are now clothed; the homeless who now have a place to call home. Because of this they believe that God really does fulfil his promises. They believe that when they pray for something in his name that they will receive it. So much so that’s it’s almost a case of, you know the saying “be careful what you wish for” well here it’s be careful what you pray for because it will happen. Can you imagine what would happen if you started to pray with this amount of confidence? (Ephesians 3:12) “ In him and through faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence”. Imagine approaching God and expecting him to answer!
Let the little Children Come:
Finally for me DP is the future: it is the next generation, after all it is children they are nurturing. I’ve said this before and I remember talking to people about this in Peru and then when I returned from Peru: about the next generation. God is raising a new generation of men and women who love him and are not afraid to confess him as their saviour. Just take a second to reflect on that. Digest it. No I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it and I’m excited about it. It may not be on your doorstep but all around the world children, youth, young men and women are praising God and they are desperate to be known by him. It’s exciting to be part of it and you should be too. So often in the west we beleive we are ahead of the game. A friend of mine here sommented that "we Ugandan's are trying to catch up but you in the West are so far ahead, you're so civilzed, so educated." Yes educated we may be but ahead...I think not. As I looked around at the thousands of men, women and children who filled Uganda's national stadium last Sunday FOR CHURCH it made me realise how much catching up we have to do!
Just before we left on our “mission” I had the miserable and unfortunate experience of turning twenty four. I was not at all happy about it and still bite my lip when people ask me what age I am, forgetting to add on a year. Yeah pathetic I know- get over yourself Erica. But it’s just because I want to be part of the “youth”. I still consider myself in that group. It’s not until I see that the youth are ten years younger than me that I realise that I’m kidding myself. Anyway that’s a personal issue and a bit of a sore point it would appear. But the good news is, is that we can all be little children. I’m not suggesting you start wearing baseball caps and start defying your parents but here’s what I think:
Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child (does) and shall not in any way enter it (at all).
Luke 18:17
Ok so I didn’t choose this verse to scare you but I guess just reading it will make you slightly worried. There is a process described here. The first step is to “accept”. Humbling ourselves and becoming childlike is a very foreign concept for many of us. From a young age we are taught skills to enable and prepare us for adulthood. We are told to ‘grow up’ and to ‘take more responsibility’, ‘to be more responsible’. Yes in the world these things are important. It would be slightly embarrassing if we couldn’t cross the road without reaching for someone’s hand to hold and I wouldn’t like to be in a place of work with someone who couldn’t tell the time (although I have been accused of this a few times). However, it is not behaviours I am talking about; it is humility. Being able to accept that you are not King of your own castle, as much as you would like to think you are, is the challenge God presents to us. (Sorry if that cut deep, I think that might have been a sore one for all you men reading this). Taking a leap of faith and letting God take control of your life is an incredibly difficult thing to do; it involves humility.
The good news is that once we “accept” then we are invited to “receive”. It’s like getting an invitation to a party. You are given the invitation and you “accept” it. You don’t go to the party expecting to have a rubbish time. You go there to meet friends and have fun. Well the same rule applies here. God is asking you to ‘accept’ his invitation so that you can “receive” all the things he has in store for you. The word “receive” is most commonly associated with gifts. If you leave your invitation stuck to the fridge (yeah sorry I always go back to there, it must be in my sub conscience) you won’t receive the goody bag they give out at the end of the party and someone else may have eaten your slice of the cake! Get it...you won't "receive".
The third part in the process is described as “welcoming”. How hospitable are you to God? Is he like a visitor who rings the door bell early on a Saturday morning and disturbs your sleep or are you ready for him? Are you at the bedroom window looking out for him and do you welcome him with open arms? Actually let’s take this analogy of a visitor a step further- Kate Bonnar style. If you’re anything like my mum you tidy the house for your visitors coming. (Yeah she has a life so sometimes, only occasionally, the dishes are left! I guess that’s why she had four children- although I dare say there’s no-one there to do them now that I’m gone!) Anyway you tidy up don’t you! You buy some biscuits; make sandwiches you even go to the hassle of cutting off the crusts! You make an effort. You certainly don’t leave your dirty washing on display or leave dishes unwashed. That would be disrespectful and would embarrass your guests.
So look at your life. How welcoming is it to God? What parts would you want to hide and why? Are there some bits that would embarrass him…or you? I know that I want to get these things sorted out before he arrives!
Lastly, he says we should do all of these things "as a little child”: humbly and willingly. Every morning we start rehearsals with a warm up song called “Follow the Leader”. The song has an amazing rhythm and involves lots of shaking of booty (a talent African’s excel at), wiggling and singing loudly. The lyrics of the song got me thinking about how impressionable these little children are and more so how willingly they follow. When we jump they jump, when we shake they shake: they do it without question but with enthusiasm.
13. Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 15. When he had placed his hands on them he went on from there.”
Mathew 19: 13-15
It interests me why anyone would “hinder” a child from wanting to know God. Why any parent would deny their child the opportunity to go to church or to be part of this exciting movement. Or more importantly why any adult would deny themselves the opportunity to be part of it.
As adults are we intimidated by how faithful children can be? I know that when I look at these children and I hear how wise they are with regards to the gospel, how God fearing they are yet how hopeful they are it does disturb me. It makes me question my faithfulness.
I know in the past people have confused my own enthusiasm for God. They have put it down to naivety. Some, I’m sure, even put it down to my over excitable personality (yes I am completely aware of my annoyingly loud laugh and excitability thank you very much). You see what I have seen in these children is that they make themselves available to God and that is exciting. Another thing is when you do that guess what happens but: God uses your availability to bless others. I am just grateful that I have been allowed to be blessed by them. So let’s not doubt their faith, but nurture it, encourage it and learn from it.
Don’t let yourself be the one to “look down” on these little one’s faith. We’ve all though it, said it or even been subjected to the kind of criticism I’m referring to: “Oh he’s getting carried away with the church.” “ She’s becoming far too holy.” “It’s weird how much time she spends at the church. They need to clam down, keep their feet on the ground.”
1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in, love, in faith and in purity.
No matter what age you are this passage refers to you. If you are an older person in the church what are you doing to build up the youth? What are you doing to encourage them and support them in their faith? You are wise and probably know a lot more of the word than they do- share it with them. You think: but young ones don’t want to listen to me…yes we do! We are crying out for teaching, guidance friendship. (I know I must stop including myself in this category) People of St Andrew’s church (Bo’ness) will remember Mrs Cormack, she lived on Brea head Road thee little flat at the end as you turn down to Marchlands. Anyway, I used to walk that way to and from school. Almost everyday I would see Mrs Cormack. I knew she was something to do with the church and being typically Bonessian she knew everybody and everybody knew her. We became friends and I would visit her after school. I think at the time there must have been at least sixty years between us in age but that made no difference. Our conversations didn’t really revolve around God. Her dementia meant that we often had the same conversations over and over again which at a young age I found amusing, although my mum knows that when I returned home sometimes I would complain that it was slightly frustrating. On one occasion, and truthfully I can’t remember why, she talked to me about her faith and how “in love she was with Jesus”. I remember being completely inspired by her enthusiasm. She had something that I wanted. When she talked about him her eyes looked like she was a teenager! She welcomed him like a child, humbly and with boundless enthusiasm. I remember shortly after she died talking to Albert (he needs no introduction I assume everyone knows him!) about my relationship with Mrs Cormack and we were talking really about his own mum, Maggie. She too had an ability to relate to “youth” to communicate to them and they, including myself, loved being around her. He said that it was amazing how ladies of their age could still create such relationships with young people. But you see, what Albert and I saw was that we all had a lot in common: we were all in love with Jesus “like little children”.
Go back to 1 Timothy: “Youth” grab onto this verse with confidence. Maybe you are struggling with being a Christian and still being taken seriously by your friends and family. Trust me confidence is attractive No-one can be bothered with people who say one thing and do another- and we all do that at some point. So be confident in what you believe. God never tests you beyond what he will give you the strength to cope with so just keep trusting in him. As my big sis says “enjoy the ride”. Being in love with God and walking the walk he intended you to walk is a bigger high than any alcohol, drugs, relationship or shopping can give you! Don’t leave it until you’re twenty four (ahh Yuk!) to start enjoying it. Do it now. The kids here in Uganda are already doing it and it’s a real buzz to watch.
Good news for everyone who no longer fits in the "youth" brackets don’t loose heart. I just looked up the dictionary definition of the word children on this computer. Children: A descendant of somebody, or a member of a people founded by somebody. Wow! Yes we are all the children of God and yes we are members of his family and Yes we were founded by him! Remember the promise he gave us at the start of this blog entry (I know I never stop talking), in Ephesians. We are “adopted”. Before you were even born he had a plan for you. You were “predestined” to be part of this family. So go on 1. “accept” the invitation”, 2. “receive” the gift of his grace and lastly 3. “welcome” to his family!
"Who we are: Dwelling Places is a Christian non-governmental, charitable organization that provides holistic care services in terms of rehabilitation, education, family reconciliation, fostering and adoption facilitation to ex-street children, abandoned babies, and high-risk slum families. The thrust of our mission is to prevent the recurrence of street migration among children in Kampala and other towns in Uganda. We also aim to play our part in providing gravely disadvantaged babies, children, and families with a chance to a better and dignified life and we do this first and foremost through the impartation of Christian (Biblical) principles. We encourage our clientele to get to know God in a personal way as a means to alter their lifestyles and consequently influence their destinies.
Although the words on the page are powerful and the vision sounds grand I want you to take time to read what DP really is…at least through the eyes of one volunteer- me.
Ok so first and foremost it is a family.
Ephesians 1:4 For the chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted us as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
The promise we have here is so powerful. The word “adopted” makes complete sense to me here as I see what it is to belong to God’s family. The children living at DP become brothers and sisters- many of them become mothers and fathers (aunties and uncles) to the younger ones: sorting our fights, putting on plasters, braiding hair and even disciplining the excitable little ones and translating for them during rehearsals (for which I am extremely grateful). (Many of them struggle with English. They have been living on the streets and so have had no formal education before coming to Dwelling Places. They speak only Lugandan and broken English depending on how long they have been in the home).
DP focuses on rehabilitating the children and their families. It is unlike any other orphanage (that I know of) in that it works with the communities and families. Many of the children have been abandoned, they have lost parents to aids or accidents although some do still have relatives or families that simply can’t afford to look after them. They become street children. In these situations DP takes the children to the home and pays for their education (for this we rely on sponsorship and fundraising). There they live with the other children and they become their extended family. They are taught skills, which they don’t learn on the street; basic things like how to brush their teeth and wash with clean water, manners and rules. The only rule they have ever known whilst on the streets is to “survive”.
Meanwhile DP makes relationships with the children’s families, if they can trace them. They offer them support, training in crafts or skills they can use to earn an income in the hope that one day their children will be able to return to them. One example of this is Mamma Maureen. Maureen’s children live in the “orphanage”. She has been supported by DP to start her own hair salon in the village and is becoming more and more self sufficient. I don’t know the percentage of children that return to their homes or if Maureen will ever be able to house her family again but I do know that she and her children both belong to a new family. A family opened up to them by the work of DP: the family of God. And so they will never be in that desperate, lonely place again.
DP is like a little piece of heaven: Yeah so not all the time. I am not going to pretend that these children are from another realm and they never quarrel or strop; trust me they do. But the reason I associate DP with heaven is because the children and staff never cease to praise. It reminds me a little of the picture in Revelations 4:8. (Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come." I must admit imagining these angels or “creatures” as they are described here is beyond even my vivid imagination; I can only wonder. But I want to focus on the angels worshiping. You see it never stops; it never tires or weakens. They don’t have a wee rest from praising God. They don’t stop during the week and then remember God on a Sunday. It reminds me of the way the children worship. They are so in love with God. They are so grateful and fully aware of him at work in their lives that they really know him. At home, at church, even with their friends they lift their hands to him. There is no question of embarrassment or worry who is watching or what people will think; that seems to be a characteristic of the western world. They work at the relationship they have with God (by reading and discussing his word) and they believe the promises he has given to them. You see they are the children that Jesus talks about: they were the hungry that are now fed, the naked that are now clothed; the homeless who now have a place to call home. Because of this they believe that God really does fulfil his promises. They believe that when they pray for something in his name that they will receive it. So much so that’s it’s almost a case of, you know the saying “be careful what you wish for” well here it’s be careful what you pray for because it will happen. Can you imagine what would happen if you started to pray with this amount of confidence? (Ephesians 3:12) “ In him and through faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence”. Imagine approaching God and expecting him to answer!
Let the little Children Come:
Finally for me DP is the future: it is the next generation, after all it is children they are nurturing. I’ve said this before and I remember talking to people about this in Peru and then when I returned from Peru: about the next generation. God is raising a new generation of men and women who love him and are not afraid to confess him as their saviour. Just take a second to reflect on that. Digest it. No I’m not kidding. I’ve seen it and I’m excited about it. It may not be on your doorstep but all around the world children, youth, young men and women are praising God and they are desperate to be known by him. It’s exciting to be part of it and you should be too. So often in the west we beleive we are ahead of the game. A friend of mine here sommented that "we Ugandan's are trying to catch up but you in the West are so far ahead, you're so civilzed, so educated." Yes educated we may be but ahead...I think not. As I looked around at the thousands of men, women and children who filled Uganda's national stadium last Sunday FOR CHURCH it made me realise how much catching up we have to do!
Just before we left on our “mission” I had the miserable and unfortunate experience of turning twenty four. I was not at all happy about it and still bite my lip when people ask me what age I am, forgetting to add on a year. Yeah pathetic I know- get over yourself Erica. But it’s just because I want to be part of the “youth”. I still consider myself in that group. It’s not until I see that the youth are ten years younger than me that I realise that I’m kidding myself. Anyway that’s a personal issue and a bit of a sore point it would appear. But the good news is, is that we can all be little children. I’m not suggesting you start wearing baseball caps and start defying your parents but here’s what I think:
Truly I say to you, whoever does not accept and receive and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child (does) and shall not in any way enter it (at all).
Luke 18:17
Ok so I didn’t choose this verse to scare you but I guess just reading it will make you slightly worried. There is a process described here. The first step is to “accept”. Humbling ourselves and becoming childlike is a very foreign concept for many of us. From a young age we are taught skills to enable and prepare us for adulthood. We are told to ‘grow up’ and to ‘take more responsibility’, ‘to be more responsible’. Yes in the world these things are important. It would be slightly embarrassing if we couldn’t cross the road without reaching for someone’s hand to hold and I wouldn’t like to be in a place of work with someone who couldn’t tell the time (although I have been accused of this a few times). However, it is not behaviours I am talking about; it is humility. Being able to accept that you are not King of your own castle, as much as you would like to think you are, is the challenge God presents to us. (Sorry if that cut deep, I think that might have been a sore one for all you men reading this). Taking a leap of faith and letting God take control of your life is an incredibly difficult thing to do; it involves humility.
The good news is that once we “accept” then we are invited to “receive”. It’s like getting an invitation to a party. You are given the invitation and you “accept” it. You don’t go to the party expecting to have a rubbish time. You go there to meet friends and have fun. Well the same rule applies here. God is asking you to ‘accept’ his invitation so that you can “receive” all the things he has in store for you. The word “receive” is most commonly associated with gifts. If you leave your invitation stuck to the fridge (yeah sorry I always go back to there, it must be in my sub conscience) you won’t receive the goody bag they give out at the end of the party and someone else may have eaten your slice of the cake! Get it...you won't "receive".
The third part in the process is described as “welcoming”. How hospitable are you to God? Is he like a visitor who rings the door bell early on a Saturday morning and disturbs your sleep or are you ready for him? Are you at the bedroom window looking out for him and do you welcome him with open arms? Actually let’s take this analogy of a visitor a step further- Kate Bonnar style. If you’re anything like my mum you tidy the house for your visitors coming. (Yeah she has a life so sometimes, only occasionally, the dishes are left! I guess that’s why she had four children- although I dare say there’s no-one there to do them now that I’m gone!) Anyway you tidy up don’t you! You buy some biscuits; make sandwiches you even go to the hassle of cutting off the crusts! You make an effort. You certainly don’t leave your dirty washing on display or leave dishes unwashed. That would be disrespectful and would embarrass your guests.
So look at your life. How welcoming is it to God? What parts would you want to hide and why? Are there some bits that would embarrass him…or you? I know that I want to get these things sorted out before he arrives!
Lastly, he says we should do all of these things "as a little child”: humbly and willingly. Every morning we start rehearsals with a warm up song called “Follow the Leader”. The song has an amazing rhythm and involves lots of shaking of booty (a talent African’s excel at), wiggling and singing loudly. The lyrics of the song got me thinking about how impressionable these little children are and more so how willingly they follow. When we jump they jump, when we shake they shake: they do it without question but with enthusiasm.
13. Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. 14. Jesus said: “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 15. When he had placed his hands on them he went on from there.”
Mathew 19: 13-15
It interests me why anyone would “hinder” a child from wanting to know God. Why any parent would deny their child the opportunity to go to church or to be part of this exciting movement. Or more importantly why any adult would deny themselves the opportunity to be part of it.
As adults are we intimidated by how faithful children can be? I know that when I look at these children and I hear how wise they are with regards to the gospel, how God fearing they are yet how hopeful they are it does disturb me. It makes me question my faithfulness.
I know in the past people have confused my own enthusiasm for God. They have put it down to naivety. Some, I’m sure, even put it down to my over excitable personality (yes I am completely aware of my annoyingly loud laugh and excitability thank you very much). You see what I have seen in these children is that they make themselves available to God and that is exciting. Another thing is when you do that guess what happens but: God uses your availability to bless others. I am just grateful that I have been allowed to be blessed by them. So let’s not doubt their faith, but nurture it, encourage it and learn from it.
Don’t let yourself be the one to “look down” on these little one’s faith. We’ve all though it, said it or even been subjected to the kind of criticism I’m referring to: “Oh he’s getting carried away with the church.” “ She’s becoming far too holy.” “It’s weird how much time she spends at the church. They need to clam down, keep their feet on the ground.”
1 Timothy 4:12
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in, love, in faith and in purity.
No matter what age you are this passage refers to you. If you are an older person in the church what are you doing to build up the youth? What are you doing to encourage them and support them in their faith? You are wise and probably know a lot more of the word than they do- share it with them. You think: but young ones don’t want to listen to me…yes we do! We are crying out for teaching, guidance friendship. (I know I must stop including myself in this category) People of St Andrew’s church (Bo’ness) will remember Mrs Cormack, she lived on Brea head Road thee little flat at the end as you turn down to Marchlands. Anyway, I used to walk that way to and from school. Almost everyday I would see Mrs Cormack. I knew she was something to do with the church and being typically Bonessian she knew everybody and everybody knew her. We became friends and I would visit her after school. I think at the time there must have been at least sixty years between us in age but that made no difference. Our conversations didn’t really revolve around God. Her dementia meant that we often had the same conversations over and over again which at a young age I found amusing, although my mum knows that when I returned home sometimes I would complain that it was slightly frustrating. On one occasion, and truthfully I can’t remember why, she talked to me about her faith and how “in love she was with Jesus”. I remember being completely inspired by her enthusiasm. She had something that I wanted. When she talked about him her eyes looked like she was a teenager! She welcomed him like a child, humbly and with boundless enthusiasm. I remember shortly after she died talking to Albert (he needs no introduction I assume everyone knows him!) about my relationship with Mrs Cormack and we were talking really about his own mum, Maggie. She too had an ability to relate to “youth” to communicate to them and they, including myself, loved being around her. He said that it was amazing how ladies of their age could still create such relationships with young people. But you see, what Albert and I saw was that we all had a lot in common: we were all in love with Jesus “like little children”.
Go back to 1 Timothy: “Youth” grab onto this verse with confidence. Maybe you are struggling with being a Christian and still being taken seriously by your friends and family. Trust me confidence is attractive No-one can be bothered with people who say one thing and do another- and we all do that at some point. So be confident in what you believe. God never tests you beyond what he will give you the strength to cope with so just keep trusting in him. As my big sis says “enjoy the ride”. Being in love with God and walking the walk he intended you to walk is a bigger high than any alcohol, drugs, relationship or shopping can give you! Don’t leave it until you’re twenty four (ahh Yuk!) to start enjoying it. Do it now. The kids here in Uganda are already doing it and it’s a real buzz to watch.
Good news for everyone who no longer fits in the "youth" brackets don’t loose heart. I just looked up the dictionary definition of the word children on this computer. Children: A descendant of somebody, or a member of a people founded by somebody. Wow! Yes we are all the children of God and yes we are members of his family and Yes we were founded by him! Remember the promise he gave us at the start of this blog entry (I know I never stop talking), in Ephesians. We are “adopted”. Before you were even born he had a plan for you. You were “predestined” to be part of this family. So go on 1. “accept” the invitation”, 2. “receive” the gift of his grace and lastly 3. “welcome” to his family!
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Happy Days!!
All dressed up and we all had somewhere to go! Today we took (when I say we I refer to all of the volunteers working at Dwelling Places right now) all of the children to Didi's world. It is a theme park here in Kampala. I was slightly skeptical as I have seen the safety precautions they take on then roads...eh none and so I wasn't really convinced that the rides would be safe but we went never the less.
Thunder and torrential rain woke us early this morning and so us Scots put on our hiking boots, as you do, jumpers and even waterproofs (African rain is scary!) We did feel slightly under dressed however when we arrived only to be greeted by around 70 excited children and young people. They were almost completely unrecognisable but their warm smiles and familiar hugs gave them away. They were top to toe in completely new clothes and even the rain could not, and did not, dampen their spirits! I have never felt so proud and Lorna even commented (and not for the first time) that she felt like a proud mum, or what she presumes one must feel like when they see their child so, so happy and full of the joys of life. God almost knocked me over, quite literally, when I saw them. "Auntie" they screamed as they ran towards us and little "baby Rita" jumped into my arms. I hope you can see the photo of her. She is in a hat and has a huge smile! I couldn't believe it the whole family was there...even the babies, as they call them. They really just mean the little ones but some of them are only days old when they are rescued.
The rain soon cleared up and we enjoyed the rest of the day in the sunshine, playing on rides, jumping queues, wiping the tears of children who were scared (and it wasn't just the babies!) and organising the group as they jumped in and out of the pool. None of them can swim but that didn't bother them. So I guess it has just been another day on this rollercoaster (excuse the pun) we call life. This trip is full of highs and lows. It is painful to hear the children's stories and see where they come from but today was a definite high. Being here and seeing what Dwelling Places is doing for these children fills me with hope.
Needless to say we were all exhausted by the end of the day and the new clothes were filthy; ice cream, the dust of Kampala and sticky fingers saw to that. Watching them lick their sticky fingers reminded me that they are children. They love what other children love and they deserve childhoods, which is what DP is striving to give them.
Lots of love and then some Erica xxx
Thunder and torrential rain woke us early this morning and so us Scots put on our hiking boots, as you do, jumpers and even waterproofs (African rain is scary!) We did feel slightly under dressed however when we arrived only to be greeted by around 70 excited children and young people. They were almost completely unrecognisable but their warm smiles and familiar hugs gave them away. They were top to toe in completely new clothes and even the rain could not, and did not, dampen their spirits! I have never felt so proud and Lorna even commented (and not for the first time) that she felt like a proud mum, or what she presumes one must feel like when they see their child so, so happy and full of the joys of life. God almost knocked me over, quite literally, when I saw them. "Auntie" they screamed as they ran towards us and little "baby Rita" jumped into my arms. I hope you can see the photo of her. She is in a hat and has a huge smile! I couldn't believe it the whole family was there...even the babies, as they call them. They really just mean the little ones but some of them are only days old when they are rescued.
The rain soon cleared up and we enjoyed the rest of the day in the sunshine, playing on rides, jumping queues, wiping the tears of children who were scared (and it wasn't just the babies!) and organising the group as they jumped in and out of the pool. None of them can swim but that didn't bother them. So I guess it has just been another day on this rollercoaster (excuse the pun) we call life. This trip is full of highs and lows. It is painful to hear the children's stories and see where they come from but today was a definite high. Being here and seeing what Dwelling Places is doing for these children fills me with hope.
Needless to say we were all exhausted by the end of the day and the new clothes were filthy; ice cream, the dust of Kampala and sticky fingers saw to that. Watching them lick their sticky fingers reminded me that they are children. They love what other children love and they deserve childhoods, which is what DP is striving to give them.
Lots of love and then some Erica xxx
CHOGM (Commonwealth Head Of Goverment Meeting
News flash! We have mice! Well one special little mouse who visits our flat regularly. We've called him Mr Chogm after the event that is coming to Uganda in November. For those of you who are as dizzy as me and don't keep up to date with what Queen E is up to these days you should know that she is going to be in Uganda in November (26th-28th). It kinda annoys me that they are doing a clean up. Similar to what we experienced in Peru the Ugandan’s also want to give the best impression of their country as they can and so they are busy fixing the roads (yes they are a national disgrace) and making the place look good. However, they seem to be concentrating on the areas that Betty will be in and so to hell with the people who have bigger problems than potholes!
Anyway I don’t mean to rant, that just annoys me. The good news is that they are doing what Ugandans do best: they are going to entertain Her Majesty. There will be singing and no doubt booty shaking and lots of it. I wonder too if they will make her eat Matooke and beans? Anyway they want the best to represent the country and so they have chosen the best- the kiddies at Dwelling Places! How exciting is that!? The children will sing for her so start praying now that she sees in them what we do and that she will be blessed by their performance!
Lots of love and then some Erica xxx
Anyway I don’t mean to rant, that just annoys me. The good news is that they are doing what Ugandans do best: they are going to entertain Her Majesty. There will be singing and no doubt booty shaking and lots of it. I wonder too if they will make her eat Matooke and beans? Anyway they want the best to represent the country and so they have chosen the best- the kiddies at Dwelling Places! How exciting is that!? The children will sing for her so start praying now that she sees in them what we do and that she will be blessed by their performance!
Lots of love and then some Erica xxx
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