phew. well, way too much has happened since last time. and, as a familiar story, i dont really have the time to write. but im gonna do my best in the fifteen or so minuets i have.
we had heard sometime last week that there was a child in the next town over who was being abused. one of ronnies friends lives next door to the kid. we tried for a few days unsuccessfully to meet with him, but things kept getting in the way(with the friend, not the child). finally, on friday, we got our chance.
sitting in the room of ronnies friend, we were brought a little stick of a child, whos name we learned, is eddie. eddie is four, but he is not like other four year olds ive met. see, the day we met eddie, he came shuffeling in to the sitting room, being held up by our friend. he couldnt much walk by himself, not because theres anything wrong with his legs, but because he has been literally starved half to death.
i picked up eddie into my lap, him wearing a shirt several sizes too small and covered in dirt, no clothes to speak of on his lower half, and i just held him for a while as we talked about what to do. i listened to his labored breathing, felt his little heart struggling to bring blood and life into his body, rested his tired head against my chest, so that he didnt have to fight to keep it up. and somewhere in there, my heart broke.
we had to leave soon, and sent eddie back home. for the rest of the day, i felt ill inside, like something had died in me. ive been exposed to a lot of poverty and suffering, not just here, but at many times in my life. its coming to the point where it doesnt really surprise me anymore. its sad to say, hard to admit, but true. for so many people in this world, poverty is a way of life. and that doesnt make it ok by any means. but, to some measure, ive gotten calloused to it. i suppose its good in some ways- without that thick skin, seeing these things day after day would destroy a person.
anyway, tolerance or not, this was completely different. i dont know if ive ever held someone so sick, so frail, so on the edge of life. he was absolutly helpless, unable to care for himself, and basically abandoned by his parents. he was living with his dad and step mom, but they are poor, have other children, and in the end, must just not care enough.
we went back the next day, saturday, to talk to his father. we were able to work it out that we would be given eddie to care for him. praise God. and thats where we are now. three days later, two doctor visits down, and a new addition to the family.
when we got him, his belly was so big. but not because he had eaten, rather, because he hadnt. youve all seen pictures of kids who are dying of starvation, their limbs are stick thin, but their stomachs round and bloated. thats because stomach acid is wearing away at the stomach lining-theres nothing for it to digest, so its digesting itself. the acid causes fumes and gasses to build up, in turn swealling the abdomin to rediclous measures. that was eddie. sticks for limbs, bloated belly, hardly able to keep his head up.
the doctor says he had malaria, anemia, worms/parasites, developmental retardation, and severe malnutrition. and thats just what we know about it. were getting more tests done soon so we can continue to treat him. he is in the middle of a malaria course, we are giving him worm pills, and supplementing his diet(and making sure he eats) to deal with the rest.
after only three days, his stomach swelling has gone down drastically, there is noticibly improved blood circulation, and more red blood cells in his blood, he is more responsie, happy, and healthy. at first, it was hard to know if he even understood what we were saying, let alone if he could communicate. but this morning i was woken up by a conversation between him and charles. i couldnt believe it was him. i had to get out of bed and see for myself : )
we saw his first smile yesterday, and heard his first laugh today. he is recovering by leaps and bounds, and i can do nothing but praise God. each time i look at him, i am reminded of God's grace-in his life and ours. it is a blessing, and i count myself lucky beyond measure to have a part in eddies life. he is a constant reminder of God's provision, that each day we live, every breath we take, is because of Him. praise God, who works all things to His glory, who holds our lives in the palm of His hand, who loves us without end.
we (ronnie, myself, and mom) will be taking care of eddie for a while, at least till i leave, maybe after that. our plan/hope after that, is to find a family who will take him in, and give him the love and care that he needs, and deserves. when he is well enough, we'll be sending him to school. he's of the age already, but unable to attend because of his ailments. we are looking for a family even now. be praying for God's continued grace, that eddie would recover fully, and live a healthy life, and God would be present in every bit of it. pray for wisdom for us as we wrestle through decisions, and for a family to come into eddies life. pray that we would serve in His strength, and give freely of what weve been given, and that He would be glorified in everything we do.
in Him who lives and saves
jon
Tuesday, October 27
Sunday, October 18
day thirty nine: seeds
for those with enough interest to keep reading these, let me say thank you. i count myself quite blessed to have friends and family back home willing to take some time from their lives and get an update on mine. so again, thank you. it means a lot to me to read your comments, even though i dont usually respond. and apart from that, it means a lot to know that you care.
this week has been interesting. i feel like things are finally starting to build some momentum. a lot of my time here has been spent waiting on God, seeking Him and His will for my time here and my life in general. its been really rewarding. i feel like here, in this place, i am rid of many of the distractions of life back home, and i am more able to hear, or at least more intune with, God's whispering.
so, what do i mean by momentum building this week. i came to this place with a desire to serve. if i can do anything during my stay in africa, i would that my hands and feet be used for Gods will, in whatever way that is. there have been times of frustration in discerning His will, who to serve, and finding those people. there have been times of humbling as i realize more fully my role in everything. there have been times of doubt as my own plans and desires are overshadowed or pushed aside. but through it all, God's hand is moving.
with all that said, there are a few things i would like to share with you. the first is an experience i had the other night. once again, ronnie and i braved the kampala night life to search for street kids. if you remember, we went just before tyler left, with no luck. after walking around for an hour and a half, this looked like it would end up the same. the whole time, ronnie and i were hypothesizing why this sudden lack of kids, attributing it to government, aid organizations, even child traffickers. disheartend, we made our way to the taxi park to look for a ride home.
standing there, in the middle of the bustleing market place that the old taxi park is, we had just about given up. the words, "lets go home" were dancing on the tip of my tongue. we made small talk, seemingly prolonging the inevitable. and as a consensus to leave was reached in our heads, i turned around. sitting on the ground, not five feet behind us, was a group of three boys, collecting cardboard to sleep on.
disbelieving, i nudged ronnie. together, we made our way up to them, got their names and their stories, and bought them a bit of food to fill their stomachs for the night. their names were dennis, ronnie, and (insert some difficult ugandan name). they were between 10 and 13, and had been on the streets between three months and a year. ill spend more time in the next update telling their stories and the specifics. but here, i wanted to stress God's provision and His timing.
when we had reached the end of our wills, God stepped in. its only through His workings that we met these kids. its only by His hand that we can do anything. we are going back on tuesday to see them again and meet some of their friends. im excited to see what God brings through these small relationships!
the second thing i wanted to share is a request. after this, ill wrap it up. theres a girl about my age in the neighborhood, one of ronnies friends, dora. she finds stories of kids who's parents have died, or just dont have the means to take care of them. she either takes them in to care for them, or finds some way to help them out with school tuition. right now, she has at least twelve kids that she is supporting in some way. everything she earns from her job goes to support these kids. i dont know how she can even do it.
please pray for her, and for God's continued provision in her life. may He continue to show Himself faithful, may her cup overflow. yesterday, i visited her at her house and met some of the kids she supports. it breaks my heart that theyve lost so much, and have to continue to struggle through this life. though they may not be on the street, their stories are just as heartbreaking, just as injust and frustrating. pray for these kids, pray for dora, for ronnie and myself, as we try and figure out a way to come along side and support these precious children as they strive for an education and dignity in life.
i praise God that He is revealing, little by little, people and places for me to serve. as these seeds take root and grow, as these relationships develop and are flushed out, please continue to pray for me, that i would rely on Christ alone, that i would seek Him above all, and that He would be glorified in my life.
grace and peace
jon
this week has been interesting. i feel like things are finally starting to build some momentum. a lot of my time here has been spent waiting on God, seeking Him and His will for my time here and my life in general. its been really rewarding. i feel like here, in this place, i am rid of many of the distractions of life back home, and i am more able to hear, or at least more intune with, God's whispering.
so, what do i mean by momentum building this week. i came to this place with a desire to serve. if i can do anything during my stay in africa, i would that my hands and feet be used for Gods will, in whatever way that is. there have been times of frustration in discerning His will, who to serve, and finding those people. there have been times of humbling as i realize more fully my role in everything. there have been times of doubt as my own plans and desires are overshadowed or pushed aside. but through it all, God's hand is moving.
with all that said, there are a few things i would like to share with you. the first is an experience i had the other night. once again, ronnie and i braved the kampala night life to search for street kids. if you remember, we went just before tyler left, with no luck. after walking around for an hour and a half, this looked like it would end up the same. the whole time, ronnie and i were hypothesizing why this sudden lack of kids, attributing it to government, aid organizations, even child traffickers. disheartend, we made our way to the taxi park to look for a ride home.
standing there, in the middle of the bustleing market place that the old taxi park is, we had just about given up. the words, "lets go home" were dancing on the tip of my tongue. we made small talk, seemingly prolonging the inevitable. and as a consensus to leave was reached in our heads, i turned around. sitting on the ground, not five feet behind us, was a group of three boys, collecting cardboard to sleep on.
disbelieving, i nudged ronnie. together, we made our way up to them, got their names and their stories, and bought them a bit of food to fill their stomachs for the night. their names were dennis, ronnie, and (insert some difficult ugandan name). they were between 10 and 13, and had been on the streets between three months and a year. ill spend more time in the next update telling their stories and the specifics. but here, i wanted to stress God's provision and His timing.
when we had reached the end of our wills, God stepped in. its only through His workings that we met these kids. its only by His hand that we can do anything. we are going back on tuesday to see them again and meet some of their friends. im excited to see what God brings through these small relationships!
the second thing i wanted to share is a request. after this, ill wrap it up. theres a girl about my age in the neighborhood, one of ronnies friends, dora. she finds stories of kids who's parents have died, or just dont have the means to take care of them. she either takes them in to care for them, or finds some way to help them out with school tuition. right now, she has at least twelve kids that she is supporting in some way. everything she earns from her job goes to support these kids. i dont know how she can even do it.
please pray for her, and for God's continued provision in her life. may He continue to show Himself faithful, may her cup overflow. yesterday, i visited her at her house and met some of the kids she supports. it breaks my heart that theyve lost so much, and have to continue to struggle through this life. though they may not be on the street, their stories are just as heartbreaking, just as injust and frustrating. pray for these kids, pray for dora, for ronnie and myself, as we try and figure out a way to come along side and support these precious children as they strive for an education and dignity in life.
i praise God that He is revealing, little by little, people and places for me to serve. as these seeds take root and grow, as these relationships develop and are flushed out, please continue to pray for me, that i would rely on Christ alone, that i would seek Him above all, and that He would be glorified in my life.
grace and peace
jon
Tuesday, October 13
day thirty four: back from the bush
so, after nearly a week, i have returned to the smog and electricity of kampala. i cant tell you how happy i was to walk through the door of my house last night. when ronnie walked to the door and greeted me with a big hug and a welcome home, i couldnt shake the smile from my face. my time away was enjoyable enough, but ive really come to value and appreciate my home here in kampala. and i love that i can call it a home.
it took longer to get to the village than i had thought. but first, in case i havent explained, allow me to. i just took a trip to visit the village of a friend here, Julius. although Julius couldnt come with, his brother took me under his wing and showed me around, introducing me to new things and village life, accustoming me to life without electricity.
this village was much more spread out than i had anticipated. small groups of housing compounds, denoting families, tucked away in the shadow of a valley, nestled in the middle of miles and miles of banana plantation. i dont know how to get my pictures on this computer, or even if i can get them on this site, or else i would show you.
these villages are farming villages. as i said, miles and miles of bananas. i was expecting something more close knit- that where the people and homes are all close together, relying on each other, sharing their lives etc. ive missed that feeling ever since my time last year in the Dominican Republic. but as i said, they were more spread out, although the whole of the family would gather at one house for dinner every night. they speak a different language out west there, so even the little lugandan ive picked up didnt help me much : )
warren(julius's brother) was the only one with a good grasp of english, besides the children who were mostly to shy to talk to me. though they did give me enough inquisitive eyes and shy smiles to last a while. warren showed me around well enough, explaining the different types of banana's and showing me the cattle and landscape. we spend an entire day walking up and around the mountain that makes up one wall of the valley the village is in(does that make sense?). the top of this mountain is higher than the others in the area. and from atop it, we had a commanding view of western uganda, as well as rwanda and tanzania, all in one sweeping panoramic. its beautiful out here, so many greens and rolling hills.
the stars are another matter all together. they come out with a fury, puncturing the blackness of the night. its hard to do anything but worship under such a canopy, and i was sure to drink my fill of it while i could. the great thing about having no electricity, is certainly the night sky. weve forgotten its magesty, and chased it away with our own smaller imitations. ill tell you here, in case youve forgotten or never seen- the milky way strewn across the sky is awe inspiring, like a blanket for the earth. these sights made my nights. and to top it off, the children in our compound would gather together after dinner, and sing songs together until their throats were soar. its quite a feeling to hear these kids, singing simple songs we learned in sunday school, at the top of their lungs. and you cant help but let a smile take over your face.
before we left, warren got news that a good friend's dad had passed away in a village close by. we made the trip to pay our final resqects. the service was much like one we would have, only with many more people, and a lot longer. it seemed like everyone wanted a chance to say their peace. and any people of importance were recognized, again, and again, and again. im sure it was a beautiful service, but i dont know. none of it was in english.
afterwards, they laid the body to rest, and everyone joined in celebration of his life. the tradition here is to feed all the guests the night before, and the whole day of the funeral. i really enjoyed this tradition. its cool to see life celebrated this way. and it went on all through the night. tradition also dictates that a fire is made the night before, and the guests stay up that night around it, telling stories about the deceased. this is carried on or two nights, though usually only the older generation stay the whole night. i joined the camp fire, not understanding but appreciating the custom and remenisence of this man's life.
life here can seem cheap at times. death is often quick, unexpected, and pointless. it is not uncommon to see a man strewn at the side of the road, the victim of a speeding motorcycle or taxi. these deaths are violent, and birth some anger in me. why is life held so loosley here? is nothing sacred that you can be so careless? it was good then, for me to see the funeral. as i said, it was very long, many people wishing to say their peace. the ceremony went on for hours, and the related events, for literal days. its good to see that life, and death, is still valuable. it is still sacred. there are family and friends of each person, ties that bind us all together. even if a passing motorist doesnt care to slow down.
all my love
jon
it took longer to get to the village than i had thought. but first, in case i havent explained, allow me to. i just took a trip to visit the village of a friend here, Julius. although Julius couldnt come with, his brother took me under his wing and showed me around, introducing me to new things and village life, accustoming me to life without electricity.
this village was much more spread out than i had anticipated. small groups of housing compounds, denoting families, tucked away in the shadow of a valley, nestled in the middle of miles and miles of banana plantation. i dont know how to get my pictures on this computer, or even if i can get them on this site, or else i would show you.
these villages are farming villages. as i said, miles and miles of bananas. i was expecting something more close knit- that where the people and homes are all close together, relying on each other, sharing their lives etc. ive missed that feeling ever since my time last year in the Dominican Republic. but as i said, they were more spread out, although the whole of the family would gather at one house for dinner every night. they speak a different language out west there, so even the little lugandan ive picked up didnt help me much : )
warren(julius's brother) was the only one with a good grasp of english, besides the children who were mostly to shy to talk to me. though they did give me enough inquisitive eyes and shy smiles to last a while. warren showed me around well enough, explaining the different types of banana's and showing me the cattle and landscape. we spend an entire day walking up and around the mountain that makes up one wall of the valley the village is in(does that make sense?). the top of this mountain is higher than the others in the area. and from atop it, we had a commanding view of western uganda, as well as rwanda and tanzania, all in one sweeping panoramic. its beautiful out here, so many greens and rolling hills.
the stars are another matter all together. they come out with a fury, puncturing the blackness of the night. its hard to do anything but worship under such a canopy, and i was sure to drink my fill of it while i could. the great thing about having no electricity, is certainly the night sky. weve forgotten its magesty, and chased it away with our own smaller imitations. ill tell you here, in case youve forgotten or never seen- the milky way strewn across the sky is awe inspiring, like a blanket for the earth. these sights made my nights. and to top it off, the children in our compound would gather together after dinner, and sing songs together until their throats were soar. its quite a feeling to hear these kids, singing simple songs we learned in sunday school, at the top of their lungs. and you cant help but let a smile take over your face.
before we left, warren got news that a good friend's dad had passed away in a village close by. we made the trip to pay our final resqects. the service was much like one we would have, only with many more people, and a lot longer. it seemed like everyone wanted a chance to say their peace. and any people of importance were recognized, again, and again, and again. im sure it was a beautiful service, but i dont know. none of it was in english.
afterwards, they laid the body to rest, and everyone joined in celebration of his life. the tradition here is to feed all the guests the night before, and the whole day of the funeral. i really enjoyed this tradition. its cool to see life celebrated this way. and it went on all through the night. tradition also dictates that a fire is made the night before, and the guests stay up that night around it, telling stories about the deceased. this is carried on or two nights, though usually only the older generation stay the whole night. i joined the camp fire, not understanding but appreciating the custom and remenisence of this man's life.
life here can seem cheap at times. death is often quick, unexpected, and pointless. it is not uncommon to see a man strewn at the side of the road, the victim of a speeding motorcycle or taxi. these deaths are violent, and birth some anger in me. why is life held so loosley here? is nothing sacred that you can be so careless? it was good then, for me to see the funeral. as i said, it was very long, many people wishing to say their peace. the ceremony went on for hours, and the related events, for literal days. its good to see that life, and death, is still valuable. it is still sacred. there are family and friends of each person, ties that bind us all together. even if a passing motorist doesnt care to slow down.
all my love
jon
Tuesday, October 6
day twenty seven: comings and goings
i want you all to know before i begin, this keyboard is very sticky. and its making it hard to type. so please, if you would, in your heart of hearts, feel sorry for me, in this trying circumstance : )
in other news, tyler left yesterday morning. ronnie and i accompanied him to entebbe at six in the morning, and i think he just left london today. what a terrible layover. however, his absence means i am now living exclusively with ugandans. im sure this will be good. i am appreciating the fact that i now have to rely on locals for all relationship and community. i know that this will be good for me, focing me furthur into intimacy with friends here.
im glad to no longer have a crutch, that now i will have to seek out opportunities and people to serve with and whom to serve. and though it will be harder, it will be better. ill miss tyler a good deal, and i greatly appreciated the time we spent here. but im also learning to appreciate trials and hard times as gifts from God to grow me and make me who He needs me to be.
on saturday night, tyler, ronnie, and i made our way to the streets of kampala looking for street kids. after passing these kids in town day in and day out, it just isnt enough to toss them a spare shilling note or buy a meal for an anonymous face. we wanted to spend some time with them, hearing their stories, learning from them, sharing a meal together. we believe that it is through small acts of kindness such as this, the willingness to share your life, that the love of Christ is shown. its something that theyve done before, and i have interest in. on top of that, tyler wanted to go before he left uganda and see some of the friends he had made. we walked around for a few hours, visiting the spots that they had been successful before, but without luck.
soon, ill be going back with ronnie. pray that we can meet some kids and be Christ to them.
a year or so ago, on a previous such trip, tyler and ronnie met a boy named charles. charles was living on the street after having been kicked out of a childrens home because he has relatives, even though they cant afford to take care of him- which is why he was on the street to begin with. he has had a very hard life that i may get into in another post. suffice to say that he's lived on the streets, begging, been abused by an older man, lost his parents, and been abandoned by a kids home-the very people who are supposed to help kids like him.
anyway, tyler and ronnie met him, and he wouldnt leave their side. he stayed with them the whole night, and they listened to his story. they were drawn to him, and continued to see him here and there. although they werent able to do much for him that first night, eventually, through a lot of difficulties, tyler now is able to sponsor him, and he attends one of the best boarding schools in kampala. we visited him on sunday for parent teacher conferances(three guys in their twenties, two from america, were his "parents"). he's doing really well in school, working hard. we got a chance to hear from his teacher, and after, we took him out to lunch. it was awesome seeing his smiling face, hearing that story of hope, and seeing that change can happen.
i believe it is when we are connected to people through relationships and an open heart, that true change can occure. this is just one of the many stories ive heard and witnessed since ive been here. these are the kind of connections im here to make. this is how we can be the hands and feet, the body and blood of Christ.
ill be going out into the bush tomorrow, visiting the village and family of a friend, julius. ill be out there for a few days to a week, depending. this will be my first trip into the bush- what we usually think of when we think africa. im excited. ill update when i can.
i covet your prayers.
all my love
jon
in other news, tyler left yesterday morning. ronnie and i accompanied him to entebbe at six in the morning, and i think he just left london today. what a terrible layover. however, his absence means i am now living exclusively with ugandans. im sure this will be good. i am appreciating the fact that i now have to rely on locals for all relationship and community. i know that this will be good for me, focing me furthur into intimacy with friends here.
im glad to no longer have a crutch, that now i will have to seek out opportunities and people to serve with and whom to serve. and though it will be harder, it will be better. ill miss tyler a good deal, and i greatly appreciated the time we spent here. but im also learning to appreciate trials and hard times as gifts from God to grow me and make me who He needs me to be.
on saturday night, tyler, ronnie, and i made our way to the streets of kampala looking for street kids. after passing these kids in town day in and day out, it just isnt enough to toss them a spare shilling note or buy a meal for an anonymous face. we wanted to spend some time with them, hearing their stories, learning from them, sharing a meal together. we believe that it is through small acts of kindness such as this, the willingness to share your life, that the love of Christ is shown. its something that theyve done before, and i have interest in. on top of that, tyler wanted to go before he left uganda and see some of the friends he had made. we walked around for a few hours, visiting the spots that they had been successful before, but without luck.
soon, ill be going back with ronnie. pray that we can meet some kids and be Christ to them.
a year or so ago, on a previous such trip, tyler and ronnie met a boy named charles. charles was living on the street after having been kicked out of a childrens home because he has relatives, even though they cant afford to take care of him- which is why he was on the street to begin with. he has had a very hard life that i may get into in another post. suffice to say that he's lived on the streets, begging, been abused by an older man, lost his parents, and been abandoned by a kids home-the very people who are supposed to help kids like him.
anyway, tyler and ronnie met him, and he wouldnt leave their side. he stayed with them the whole night, and they listened to his story. they were drawn to him, and continued to see him here and there. although they werent able to do much for him that first night, eventually, through a lot of difficulties, tyler now is able to sponsor him, and he attends one of the best boarding schools in kampala. we visited him on sunday for parent teacher conferances(three guys in their twenties, two from america, were his "parents"). he's doing really well in school, working hard. we got a chance to hear from his teacher, and after, we took him out to lunch. it was awesome seeing his smiling face, hearing that story of hope, and seeing that change can happen.
i believe it is when we are connected to people through relationships and an open heart, that true change can occure. this is just one of the many stories ive heard and witnessed since ive been here. these are the kind of connections im here to make. this is how we can be the hands and feet, the body and blood of Christ.
ill be going out into the bush tomorrow, visiting the village and family of a friend, julius. ill be out there for a few days to a week, depending. this will be my first trip into the bush- what we usually think of when we think africa. im excited. ill update when i can.
i covet your prayers.
all my love
jon
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