Geoff was gone all week with the young adults on the outreach with the EYO team. He has exponentially MORE news of God's goodness, faithfulness, power and influence than this space can hold.
At this moment, however, he is asleep--recovering from the weeks activities and the L-O-N-G drive home last night.
Before he brings the stories of God's truth infiltrating the village of Kamwenge, I NEED to share how God continues to impact the lives of the young people of New Hope in areas in addition to EYO.
One of our sons who is finishing up his 11th grade year in a secondary school in Kampala (remember, our secondary school is only able to accommodate up to the 10th grade year) came home last week for a short holiday between terms. He had a chance to share many things with Geoff before Geoff left for Kamwenge. As I worked nearby in the kitchen, his excitement was tangible; he couldn't get his words out fast enough to tell of the many things God has done and is doing in his life.
He goes to secondary school near a "Teen Challenge" ministry with whom he did an internship when he was in one of his IY placements last year. The leaders of "Teen Challenge" were so impacted by his faith and subsequent leadership abilities that they offered him a free place of room and board during his two years of further secondary studies. They only asked that he remain somewhat engaged in the ministry to former addicts while also going to school, something he is VERY happy to do. Listen to his revealing words of passion and amazement regarding when he teaches God's truths to the addicts that are presently part of the "Teen Challenge" live-in program.
"I'm teaching and I'm like, 'where is this stuff coming from?' and I hear Uncle Jay's voice and Uncle Geoff's voice and I'm loving it! I'm teaching 50-year-olds and they come in down (he performs a visual at this point by hunching over and hanging his head down). As I teach I see them start to raise up (he demonstrates this by straightening), and they're lighter and starting to see the truth and I love it! I'm just teaching the truths I've learned here (at New Hope) and for me they're what we've heard often, but the men whom I teach the manhood truths to are like, 'Wow! This is deep! I wish I'd known this ten years ago---I wouldn't be like this if I'd known that!!'"
Remember, this is an 11th grade student, out of the physical covering of New Hope--where Fathers and Mothers, Aunts and Uncles have always been there for him, now in the city with all its draw toward anything other than God, yet he has not only remained faithful, but is freely sharing with others in desperate need what he's been given.
Here's my 2nd story which makes all the mucky mud, swirling dirt, biting and/or stinging bugs, and extra demands of daily life here all worth it! (I introduced this next one with that sentence lest someone think life here is one endless series of positive testimonies without a backdrop of real challenges--because the challenges of daily life here are real, just never, not ever, more powerful or overshadowing than the truth of God being worked out in the REAL lives of these young people whom God has given to New Hope to raise in Him.)
One of my young mentorees left this morning for her final IY internship to get more exposure in accounting practices many hours from here at our Kobwin site. I sat with her late afternoon on Friday and asked her to tell me what were the most challenging and most encouraging aspects of her IY year so far.
The most encouraging? During their recent outreach to an impoverished area where two of our former teaching staff have ventured out and started a primary school, she saw one of the IY members change before her very eyes. "This one," she said, "was stubborn and would not easily cooperate with the rest of the team. There was always resistance to obey, to help, to take part, but she stopped her stubbornness and became a real part of the team." I commented that it sounded like the stubborn became humble and allowed God in to change her heart, to which she brightened, "Yes, I watched it happen and it was amazing. I was so encouraged!"
Then she talked of another one of our daughters of the ministry who has frequently taken up sharing during the evening devotions in the family group here on site. This daughter has graduated from secondary school, is working on site with us and attends University courses on the weekends. What has challenged the IY girl is God's truth being shared with them by a peer. More than once the older girl has exposed the hardships of leaving New Hope and "going out into the world," by reiterating stories and experiences of what is "really out there." Over and above any advice she has given to the young ones, is her exhortation for each one of them to remain reliant on God and His word. She makes the case well that if they stay close to God, in His word everyday, understanding and trusting Him, any challenge or difficulty that arises is not insurmountable. But, like the ancient prophets she also countered with, "but, if you do not study God's word and do not trust Him it will NOT be easy for you."
What I love most about this? Having a peer of these young ones saying the same thing we leaders have been saying, makes the message louder, clearer, urgent and the young ones' ears hear it again, really as if for the first time. That's fine with me!
My joy? That the older one has trusted in her Father God, has allowed Him to prove Himself in her life as she has been uncompromising in her character and so NOW has a voice with the young ones, which we "old people" often don't have.
Don't get me wrong--it was the seeds the leaders sowed for all the young years of life of the older daughter which are now blossoming into beautiful and powerful fruit. It is the hand of God who is rewarding the daughter, who in tough times continued to choose Him, with strength and a message that others can hear.
I am full of praise for our God who has worked in our hearts to keep us here these 11 years, who has kept numerous other staff here for 30, 25, 20 and 15 years, and who ultimately is showing Himself faithful in the lives of the young people entrusted to us.
There. I hope I whetted your appetite for what Geoff will soon share in this space!!!!
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