Painting and Preaching
We began this day with devotions from Michelle Allen, and Todd went to witness to the staff at the hotel we are staying at called Akello. Today the team splits up, the women are leaving to go do a conference for Ugandan women, and the men are going to do some cosmetic construction at Hope Property, AKA: painting the walls.
On the way to Hope before we dispersed, Josh gave a run through of the gospel illustration “Andrew the Gospel Worm” for those who may be using him on the trip. Summarized shortly, Andrew is the colors of the faith made to look like a worm or caterpillar. It gives the gospel a personality and helps relate it to the people.
Arriving at Hope Children’s Village before the team dispersed, we were greeted with a song by the children and their brand new outfits! They have grown so much, and the smiles on their faces, knowing what they came from, it’s God, not us. God is using this place and it fills our hearts to work here. The children sang their national anthem after a song of greeting: it is so important for young children to have pride in their country and be true to it and to God. That is one of the things we are trying to teach them: the Lord’s Prayer followed the national anthem, along with an English song, “Blessed Assurance”. It thrills the heart to hear these kids sing songs that mean something to us; for added blessing they had us sing with them.
More than a few tears were shed among the first time team members, overwhelmed by the love of these kids for total strangers. It was moving. We thought we had come to bless them and God used them to bless us. Then, all of the children introduced themselves. I look at the faces of the kids and the expressions of the faces of the team and realize it has already been worth the trip to Uganda and all the hardship. Just to see these miracle children and the work God has done in their lives. But we are not done yet, not remotely.
Today, for the men at least, was painting day. Me, Zach, and Caleb painted the walls inside the CDI office and Bro. Mike and Josh painted the metal rods on top of the front facing wall of Hope.
The women’s conference that the ladies of the team went to seemed to bless than as much or more than it blessed the women in attendance. I only have stories to write about as I wasn’t present, but Bekah Estes described it in this way:
“There were 180 women there and roughly 50 young children from 3-9 years old. I was supposed to teach the teens, but instead I taught the children stories from creation to Christ while some of the other women taught about hygiene.
–Bekah Estes
I heard many humbling and powerful stories of how much of a blessing this ministry was to the Ugandan women. How they had never seen or smelled anything like soap before in their lives, and that alone was a joy and a precious gift to them.
In other news, the team from Atlanta has finally arrived at Hope! After routing through Ethiopia and staying the night in Kampala, they awoke this morning and made the long journey to Soroti. Now all except Vicki are here and ready to work!
–Jared Allen