I want to share my vision, or at least pieces of it for those of you who want to know what my plans are. I don't know all the details, but I can share my heart and my passion.
Kids are my main focus at first. I want to be able to provide a home for children who have no one to look after them. It would be great if I could also have a school. Education is so important in Uganda, but I also want to be able to focus on helping the kids find their identity and then pursuing their own passions. I want them to be able to be kids, playing and not worrying about their next meal, or their futures. I want to encourage joy and personal freedom in who they are.
I will have lots of sports related activities of course, as that is a great way to build relationship and just have fun! Alex is the town soccer coach and has an amazing ministry already with the kids. His wife Violet is great at volleyball and other sports too. The kids love them!! Some may scoff at sports being a ministry, but solving practical needs is as important as anything "religious" might be. Tell a man about Jesus and leave him starving, what do you think will happen? Nothing. Alex has been such a good coach, his players have been receiving scholarships to better schools. Basic education need provided by what Alex is giving them. It's a great thing! I mostly want to have fun, but if there are other opportunities to be had, that's awesome!
I want to train up local people to love on the kids and become the teachers so that I work myself out of a job. I have watched as the teachers hit the students with sticks for stepping out of line. I hated seeing that! I want to share what I have learned from Danny Silk's book "Loving Your Kids on Purpose" - I want to see the kids grow in freedom and responsibility in the way that God grows us up. Fear of punishment doesn't lead to a lasting life of good choices. Once the fear is removed, they're free to do a lot of things that we thought that we'd convinced them not to do. I want to teach them how to make good choices because of love and understanding of natural consequences. Freedom is what Jesus came to give us, so why shouldn't children have that same right?
I recently heard of a place in South Africa I think where they housed orphans in homes of 8-10 kids with a set of parents in each home. Multiple homes made up a little community and the children had a chance to be a part of a family! I love this idea! I would love to find local couples that want to pour into the orphan children and love them into wholeness.
There, that's a good start. I will post more in another update. My vision covers many arenas.
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Hi! I stumbled across your blog as I was searching for the spelling of "yebazibwe" (my Luganda is a little rusty still...) and loved what I was reading! I love your heart and vision for the children of Uganda. Thank you for hearing God's call and putting your feet to the task! My husband and I have also begun a ministry in Uganda to help street children, orphans, widows and single mothers become more educated, find the love of Jesus, and find purpose for their lives (in a nutshell, of course). We are working on building homes for children and parents (about a dozen per home, tops), schools (primary, secondary, and vocational), a clinic, church, guesthouse, and staff housing. Sometimes we think our vision is huge... but then God reminds us that He is huge, too! :) We are called Father to the Fatherless - www.father2thefatherless.org for more info... I hope you find some encouragement and are blessed by this impromptu message! May God bless your health and endeavors in the near future! Mukama yebazibwe!!
ReplyDeleteHi - I just now saw your comment - I rarely look at this page. :) Thank you for contacting me, it's always fun to "meet" more Uganda people. Don't take my spelling as correct, I really don't know either. I have seen it spelled so many ways by the locals even. lol
DeleteYour ministry sounds awesome! Blessings on your work! :)