While preparing for Christmas this weekend, I became painfully aware that here in the US, Christ is not in Christmas.
I tried to find Christmas cards with a nativity scene none to be found.
I tried to find small boxed Nativity scenes for the Samaritans shoe box presents none to be found.
I tried to find The Christmas story book to send to Little Steven in Uganda.
I tried to find Advent Candles -12 stores later I found a set.
I am really saddened by the commercialism that has taken over this Holy holiday.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Namanya Olivia's Story
Namanya olivia lives at a village called Bakka of Wakiso district.She is 12 years of Age and attends school at christian friends academy in the fourth grade.
Her favorite subject is science Her favorite food is matooke (bananas) and pea nuts.
Her favorite game is Netball
Her house chores are cooking, carrying water and digging. She lives with the Aunt called betty, a single mother and a teacher at christian friend's academy.
Olivia has two sibblings a boy and girl at home but not brother or sister. Olivia's mother lives at a village called Bukomero 50 miles from Bakka and a single mother abandoned
BY husband olivia's father. The mother is a peasant farmer who could not give health care, education and Parental care to her child because most of the time she was away from home working for food by digging other
people's fields.
The reasons for the disappearing of Olivia's father are not yet known but thought to be inability to care and
meet the needs of the family, so like that he left saying he is gone for the work and never came back. Ever since then
no one knows whether the father died or lives some where else. The man left the child when she had not yet gone to school.
When the AUnt sister to the father realized the situation at Olivia's former home, she picked her to Bakka and enrolled her at christian friend's academy. At home they own a small garden where they grow cones,beans, and cassava to sustain their lives on. Olivia wakes up in the morning at 6:00 am to prepare her self for school and leave home at 7:00am, to come back 4pm when she does her house help work
She sleeps normally at 9pm after doing her class home work.
Her favorite subject is science Her favorite food is matooke (bananas) and pea nuts.
Her favorite game is Netball
Her house chores are cooking, carrying water and digging. She lives with the Aunt called betty, a single mother and a teacher at christian friend's academy.
Olivia has two sibblings a boy and girl at home but not brother or sister. Olivia's mother lives at a village called Bukomero 50 miles from Bakka and a single mother abandoned
BY husband olivia's father. The mother is a peasant farmer who could not give health care, education and Parental care to her child because most of the time she was away from home working for food by digging other
people's fields.
The reasons for the disappearing of Olivia's father are not yet known but thought to be inability to care and
meet the needs of the family, so like that he left saying he is gone for the work and never came back. Ever since then
no one knows whether the father died or lives some where else. The man left the child when she had not yet gone to school.
When the AUnt sister to the father realized the situation at Olivia's former home, she picked her to Bakka and enrolled her at christian friend's academy. At home they own a small garden where they grow cones,beans, and cassava to sustain their lives on. Olivia wakes up in the morning at 6:00 am to prepare her self for school and leave home at 7:00am, to come back 4pm when she does her house help work
She sleeps normally at 9pm after doing her class home work.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Mukisa Steven - adopted by Steven
MUKISA STEVEN, KAMPALA UGANDA (EAST AFRICA)Mukisa Steven was born on 25th Feb,2003 at Mulago of Kampala District.
Steven ‘s Father and Mother separated after a severe state of poverty in their family, at first his Parents persisted for about two year staying together in this worse state of life. This was caused by retrenching his father from job of being a shop keeper.
Steven is third last born, followed by twins (Boy and A girl) , has three elder brothers and one elder sister.
Here Steven is in the deep up country at a village called Sii in mukono district about 50 miles from town where mother shifted with other siblings just to survive hunger which become a severe sickness in Kampala because the family was very big yet non of his parents was working.
In the Village still Steven struggled to have proper adequate food due to the big overwhelming family of his mother at their grand ma’s home in Sii where they found also other children. During day they would survive on Wild fruit until super when to have at least two pieces of cassava, hot water or Porridge.
His Sad Face, Skin can tell much the kind of life he is experiencing, summing up to total experience no parental love being the third last born, the two young Kids getting much of mother’s attention, first priority of food ETC. He was born in severe state of poverty during which parents were forced to separate, this caused Steven’s growth to retard, delayed his speech, never liked to play because all the time he was hungry looking for food resulting to resenting school. The school also was located about three miles to walk, again with poor facilities.
One day I happened to meet some one I knew before who told me about their situation which prompted me to make there a visit, then ended up picking Steven to lighten mother’s situation.
Here is Steven’s life changing with a big smile, now, able to learn many new words, his tongue getting perfect each day. The environment is now different from what he used to know. At least he can have some thing to eat twice a day , though not yet as proper nutrition, he can at least have some medication when he feels sick and has a dad to tell welcome back once in awhile as he appears.
Steven goes to school with at least minimum requirements, carries a bottle to school, got some shoes to put in his feet while going to school.
Steven’s mental psycho social power is increasing slowly, though he must be spoken too about five times to act/ do what he is told to do.
He needs to stay with people who understand him, love him and play with him. At school he is proofing to catch up though his age was late for school, teachers’ report is that he is very stubborn and despises so much, doesn’t fear to be spanked.
Steven attends church every Sunday and likes very much so, singing and dancing is one of his hobbies. He very player full though likes fighting a lot.
Among other siblings at home who have their Dads come by, Steven also is proud of his adopted dad as he always mentions that to fellow children. He is in the pre school level called baby class here, His favorite subject is writing, his chores at home is sweeping , favorite game is soccer. His Adopted dad’s work is assistant Pastor and student. Currently he is living with grand parents.
Steven ‘s Father and Mother separated after a severe state of poverty in their family, at first his Parents persisted for about two year staying together in this worse state of life. This was caused by retrenching his father from job of being a shop keeper.
Steven is third last born, followed by twins (Boy and A girl) , has three elder brothers and one elder sister.
Here Steven is in the deep up country at a village called Sii in mukono district about 50 miles from town where mother shifted with other siblings just to survive hunger which become a severe sickness in Kampala because the family was very big yet non of his parents was working.
In the Village still Steven struggled to have proper adequate food due to the big overwhelming family of his mother at their grand ma’s home in Sii where they found also other children. During day they would survive on Wild fruit until super when to have at least two pieces of cassava, hot water or Porridge.
His Sad Face, Skin can tell much the kind of life he is experiencing, summing up to total experience no parental love being the third last born, the two young Kids getting much of mother’s attention, first priority of food ETC. He was born in severe state of poverty during which parents were forced to separate, this caused Steven’s growth to retard, delayed his speech, never liked to play because all the time he was hungry looking for food resulting to resenting school. The school also was located about three miles to walk, again with poor facilities.
One day I happened to meet some one I knew before who told me about their situation which prompted me to make there a visit, then ended up picking Steven to lighten mother’s situation.
Here is Steven’s life changing with a big smile, now, able to learn many new words, his tongue getting perfect each day. The environment is now different from what he used to know. At least he can have some thing to eat twice a day , though not yet as proper nutrition, he can at least have some medication when he feels sick and has a dad to tell welcome back once in awhile as he appears.
Steven goes to school with at least minimum requirements, carries a bottle to school, got some shoes to put in his feet while going to school.
Steven’s mental psycho social power is increasing slowly, though he must be spoken too about five times to act/ do what he is told to do.
He needs to stay with people who understand him, love him and play with him. At school he is proofing to catch up though his age was late for school, teachers’ report is that he is very stubborn and despises so much, doesn’t fear to be spanked.
Steven attends church every Sunday and likes very much so, singing and dancing is one of his hobbies. He very player full though likes fighting a lot.
Among other siblings at home who have their Dads come by, Steven also is proud of his adopted dad as he always mentions that to fellow children. He is in the pre school level called baby class here, His favorite subject is writing, his chores at home is sweeping , favorite game is soccer. His Adopted dad’s work is assistant Pastor and student. Currently he is living with grand parents.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Stevens' Story -
Many people have different perspective about Africa, She is a beautiful continent blessed by God so many times talked about in the Bible as cush the current Ethiopia (Genesis 2:13-14) , Land of Ham (Egypt; Psalms 68:31), Africa was a continent of refugee for our lord Jesus, Joseph and training place for Moses. Generally Africa is a land full of blessings and resources, despite all these many humble people like me have been tested and groomed in uncommon and unfavorable conditions.
While am sharing my story with listeners, know that I count my self so luck among many children or adult persons. I pray through all we are yet to testify God will speak to many dearest friends to get inspired into prayer, and committed to Human transformation programs across the whole world.
My name is Kakayira Steven born 18th June 1979 from a local village called Natete.
By this time Uganda’s former president Amin Iddi Dada got serious trouble in his leadership attacked by neighboring country’s Army of Tanzania. My mother had terrible times during my pregnancy towards my birth that she could not make it to any affordable hospital of that time other than making to birth in the bush.
This humble beginning of my life was so much resisted by the devil even then God prevailed, because my Dad had a big family of step brothers and sisters compared to the support he had, it became hard for our survival facing a lot of hostility, abuses, starving and political instability in the country. It is here I thank God for mothers like mine who persevere through all trials and never quit though, this was just the beginning of Tests journey.
Like it happens to many rural mothers of Africa despite unfavorable situation My Dad continued having four siblings with my mother more two brothers and two sisters on addition to my elder brother.
My parents struggled so much enough to educate us at school where we walked bare footed like most rural children so luck this time carrying some food (supper left over) in our small book bags. I remember very well how sugar canes helped us survive during lunch time and stay at school for afternoon classes.
The worst days of life happened when my Dad lost a job and could no longer support a big family so my mother and us had to vacate for a deep rural upcountry settlement where my mother could make a garden to feed us. We stayed for the whole year out of school, by this time I had not known how to dig and just after the Liberation war of 1986 in which we had lost every thing. I learned slowly by slowly about eating once a day, taking pieces of cassava with salt as sauce for supper but could survive on wild fruits during the day since we were not attending school.
The worst came to worst when my Dad had settled on a minor Job around 1989 when mother was called to join him back so that they could work to take us back to school. Like that I and my elder brother stayed in the village with close family friends who mom promised to be picking us so soon but the so soon became three years though three times a year she could visit with some support for school. With brother we grew to responsibility at early age, waking up for the garden before going to school and after school, we cooked our own food and other personal care.
One year later my Dad sold that piece of land to add money into the mothers business to generate enough support for the family, by this time my step brothers and sisters were attending secondary schools which were rare to find in place we stayed. It became so much a rough time for my mother to work a big family’s welfare though still she had no option, she left us with the neighbors in the village with a promise to join her after my primary level.
Days worsened for when my big brother left me there after his primary level in 1990 implying another rough year for my self to go, now doing doubled work mine and my brothers. I used to wake up at 5:00 am for gardening, coming back home with a 20 liter Jerrican and then prepare to go school at around 7:30 am. It became a practice for 11 month until I sat for my Primary leaving exams in November 1991, thanks be to God I then learned to do heavy work and survive in harsh conditions. You may not surprised why most rural students perform poorly at school, circumstances such as hard work, lack of infrastructural facilities, poor nutrition, low self esteem, diseases are the common causes for this effect.
Thank God by 1992, my parents promise to pass as I joined Lower Secondary School in Kampala for grade one but another challenge risen of walking 8 miles in the morning and evening to at least an affordable secondary in Kampala at my age of 13 years.
Because of poverty at home I realized my Dad could not buy any clothe for him, for mom, and us for fours, oh the worse critical situation I remember was that of a pair of shoes I borrowed from the cousin to use for one ended up serving a whole year. It become a problem to me returning it back because I had non to put on for school, again this very one had holes in sole letting a lot of dust in during dry season and water for rainy season. It also developed another problem of holed socks and smelling feet because I could wash them in the night again use them early morning. What sustained us through all these circumstances is our past experience of the village life and our desire to complete secondary education to rescue our family from poverty, thanks be to God we completed the four grades of lower secondary along side all the problems. It is here that Dad got my brother a job for serving in a restaurant for Clergy Nun sister who liked his hardworking and decided to contribute to his fees which lessened my father’s burden a bit, it is then I also looked for some work to support my mother and other siblings. Vividly I remember making wire toy cars, sell them got money and mom bought for us some used up clothes, though she used so much to patch most of our shorts and shirts.
As we grew up new challenges were emerging too but because we had a resilience mechanism another two years of upper secondary school were completed and I ended up to college where I was admitted on a cost a sharing scheme for an ordinary diploma in mechanical and production engineering my brother joined a nursing Diploma course.
So during my whole year of senior six Vacation I helped many people got some money and bought most of my requirements but also accepted the Lord in my Life.
I later realized that it was God’s will for me to go the college I joined though still I did not like at first because of how I suffered before and preferred better colleges.
The lord’s calling on my life became so intense through prayer, forming a fellowship at this college, evangelizing fellow students and getting engaged in the local church ministry, little did I know the Lord had prepared this way to process me to spiritual growth. For the two years spent at the college I eventually liked the place, God did many miracles in lives of students and community we reached. The formerly known college as of rapist perpetuators, thugs, drunkard students was transformed and currently a university started there Called Buganda Royal University.
After school in 2001 I joined Pastor Frank, my life and ministry has been growing every year through Missions to empower local churches, volunteering in Christian Non governmental Organization, and church activities’ Participation.
Within this period of time, I looked for a job but found none, then realized the lord wanted me to seek him further and keep serving him through church activities where I have gained good experience in child ministry, Community Development approaches, community dynamics and best practices for transformation.
In 2005 when I realized the Lord’s direction and purpose for my life I desired to go to school where I applied for a Bachelors degree programme at Mukono University, lucky enough I was granted the vacancy but failed to collect the tuition required. Because Faith never gives up the next two years I did apply until 2007 when I borrowed 50% of the tuition added on the little I had and was able to enroll for the first semester.
Miraculously this is the time the Angels came from USA after pastor franks’ visiting to US, and God connected me to Brother TODD KLIPP (Gabriel Angel with my good news). Through little interactions and communications he realized my need and sponsored my degree program at Uganda Christian University Mukono.
Am so grateful to God for brother Todd’s generous heart out of which my Vision for life is becoming clear and real, capacity for ministry is enhanced, my personal dreams will be realized in the near by future.
MY DREAMS
To become a good husband, able Father with a stable income and an effective leader for my Family.
To practice servant hood leadership at all levels in following the Lord Jesus Christ.
To alleviate poverty among, the poor and needy people and their communities.
HOW AM TO ACHIEVE MY DREAMS
Through establishing income generating projects like Decoration Company, Bee Apiary project, and Tree plantation project.
Through acquiring skills and knowledge of effective leadership for my ministry, learning more the word of God, attend improvement training workshops, reading more books.
Through establishing and working church based community Development programs, design project proposals, training other leaders.
“The local church is the hope of the world and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders”. Courageous leadership (HYBELS Zondervan Publications) pg 27.
While am sharing my story with listeners, know that I count my self so luck among many children or adult persons. I pray through all we are yet to testify God will speak to many dearest friends to get inspired into prayer, and committed to Human transformation programs across the whole world.
My name is Kakayira Steven born 18th June 1979 from a local village called Natete.
By this time Uganda’s former president Amin Iddi Dada got serious trouble in his leadership attacked by neighboring country’s Army of Tanzania. My mother had terrible times during my pregnancy towards my birth that she could not make it to any affordable hospital of that time other than making to birth in the bush.
This humble beginning of my life was so much resisted by the devil even then God prevailed, because my Dad had a big family of step brothers and sisters compared to the support he had, it became hard for our survival facing a lot of hostility, abuses, starving and political instability in the country. It is here I thank God for mothers like mine who persevere through all trials and never quit though, this was just the beginning of Tests journey.
Like it happens to many rural mothers of Africa despite unfavorable situation My Dad continued having four siblings with my mother more two brothers and two sisters on addition to my elder brother.
My parents struggled so much enough to educate us at school where we walked bare footed like most rural children so luck this time carrying some food (supper left over) in our small book bags. I remember very well how sugar canes helped us survive during lunch time and stay at school for afternoon classes.
The worst days of life happened when my Dad lost a job and could no longer support a big family so my mother and us had to vacate for a deep rural upcountry settlement where my mother could make a garden to feed us. We stayed for the whole year out of school, by this time I had not known how to dig and just after the Liberation war of 1986 in which we had lost every thing. I learned slowly by slowly about eating once a day, taking pieces of cassava with salt as sauce for supper but could survive on wild fruits during the day since we were not attending school.
The worst came to worst when my Dad had settled on a minor Job around 1989 when mother was called to join him back so that they could work to take us back to school. Like that I and my elder brother stayed in the village with close family friends who mom promised to be picking us so soon but the so soon became three years though three times a year she could visit with some support for school. With brother we grew to responsibility at early age, waking up for the garden before going to school and after school, we cooked our own food and other personal care.
One year later my Dad sold that piece of land to add money into the mothers business to generate enough support for the family, by this time my step brothers and sisters were attending secondary schools which were rare to find in place we stayed. It became so much a rough time for my mother to work a big family’s welfare though still she had no option, she left us with the neighbors in the village with a promise to join her after my primary level.
Days worsened for when my big brother left me there after his primary level in 1990 implying another rough year for my self to go, now doing doubled work mine and my brothers. I used to wake up at 5:00 am for gardening, coming back home with a 20 liter Jerrican and then prepare to go school at around 7:30 am. It became a practice for 11 month until I sat for my Primary leaving exams in November 1991, thanks be to God I then learned to do heavy work and survive in harsh conditions. You may not surprised why most rural students perform poorly at school, circumstances such as hard work, lack of infrastructural facilities, poor nutrition, low self esteem, diseases are the common causes for this effect.
Thank God by 1992, my parents promise to pass as I joined Lower Secondary School in Kampala for grade one but another challenge risen of walking 8 miles in the morning and evening to at least an affordable secondary in Kampala at my age of 13 years.
Because of poverty at home I realized my Dad could not buy any clothe for him, for mom, and us for fours, oh the worse critical situation I remember was that of a pair of shoes I borrowed from the cousin to use for one ended up serving a whole year. It become a problem to me returning it back because I had non to put on for school, again this very one had holes in sole letting a lot of dust in during dry season and water for rainy season. It also developed another problem of holed socks and smelling feet because I could wash them in the night again use them early morning. What sustained us through all these circumstances is our past experience of the village life and our desire to complete secondary education to rescue our family from poverty, thanks be to God we completed the four grades of lower secondary along side all the problems. It is here that Dad got my brother a job for serving in a restaurant for Clergy Nun sister who liked his hardworking and decided to contribute to his fees which lessened my father’s burden a bit, it is then I also looked for some work to support my mother and other siblings. Vividly I remember making wire toy cars, sell them got money and mom bought for us some used up clothes, though she used so much to patch most of our shorts and shirts.
As we grew up new challenges were emerging too but because we had a resilience mechanism another two years of upper secondary school were completed and I ended up to college where I was admitted on a cost a sharing scheme for an ordinary diploma in mechanical and production engineering my brother joined a nursing Diploma course.
So during my whole year of senior six Vacation I helped many people got some money and bought most of my requirements but also accepted the Lord in my Life.
I later realized that it was God’s will for me to go the college I joined though still I did not like at first because of how I suffered before and preferred better colleges.
The lord’s calling on my life became so intense through prayer, forming a fellowship at this college, evangelizing fellow students and getting engaged in the local church ministry, little did I know the Lord had prepared this way to process me to spiritual growth. For the two years spent at the college I eventually liked the place, God did many miracles in lives of students and community we reached. The formerly known college as of rapist perpetuators, thugs, drunkard students was transformed and currently a university started there Called Buganda Royal University.
After school in 2001 I joined Pastor Frank, my life and ministry has been growing every year through Missions to empower local churches, volunteering in Christian Non governmental Organization, and church activities’ Participation.
Within this period of time, I looked for a job but found none, then realized the lord wanted me to seek him further and keep serving him through church activities where I have gained good experience in child ministry, Community Development approaches, community dynamics and best practices for transformation.
In 2005 when I realized the Lord’s direction and purpose for my life I desired to go to school where I applied for a Bachelors degree programme at Mukono University, lucky enough I was granted the vacancy but failed to collect the tuition required. Because Faith never gives up the next two years I did apply until 2007 when I borrowed 50% of the tuition added on the little I had and was able to enroll for the first semester.
Miraculously this is the time the Angels came from USA after pastor franks’ visiting to US, and God connected me to Brother TODD KLIPP (Gabriel Angel with my good news). Through little interactions and communications he realized my need and sponsored my degree program at Uganda Christian University Mukono.
Am so grateful to God for brother Todd’s generous heart out of which my Vision for life is becoming clear and real, capacity for ministry is enhanced, my personal dreams will be realized in the near by future.
MY DREAMS
To become a good husband, able Father with a stable income and an effective leader for my Family.
To practice servant hood leadership at all levels in following the Lord Jesus Christ.
To alleviate poverty among, the poor and needy people and their communities.
HOW AM TO ACHIEVE MY DREAMS
Through establishing income generating projects like Decoration Company, Bee Apiary project, and Tree plantation project.
Through acquiring skills and knowledge of effective leadership for my ministry, learning more the word of God, attend improvement training workshops, reading more books.
Through establishing and working church based community Development programs, design project proposals, training other leaders.
“The local church is the hope of the world and its future rests primarily in the hands of its leaders”. Courageous leadership (HYBELS Zondervan Publications) pg 27.
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