Dear ones, Peter, our night watchman, has just said goodbye to cycle to the hospital. There he gets free medication because he is HIV positive. This is a very good institution of the government, that those affected have a chance to get their medication for free.
Yesterday we visited a family in Kitgum.
We know you from a seminar we had here in Otacpab 3 years ago. Richard and Grace are pastors of a small church in Kitgum and have been in a deep friendship with David and Annett ever since.
They had a larger church in another place, but felt led by God to go to Kitgum to start anew. Richard and Grace lead and live church similar to David and Annett with Ot Pa Wora here in Otacpab. The four meet, pray together and thus share a piece of life.
So yesterday we had the opportunity to visit her at home. This visit follows us because it touched us so much. What a happy, easygoing and contented family. When you’ve finished reading this post, you may be wondering why they are cheerful, easygoing, and content. “This is joy that comes from within, because they are filled with trust in God and with the love of the Father!”
It is located on the outskirts of Kitgum. There, the city is in the process of developing land. In the future, all properties there will be connected to water and electricity, as far as they can afford it. For this family, there is a point at the end of the road where they can already fetch water. However, the property is not yet connected. Electricity will follow in the next few years.
The house in which they live is about 7x4m and consists of two rooms inside. It has been partly bricked with cement and to save costs mostly with mud. This is understandable, because a sack of cement costs about a third of a month’s wage of a gardener.
It has a pent roof made of sheet metal without false ceiling, a door and windows without glass panes. Outside the house are the cooking areas and a latrine.
Richard and Grace have taken in 6 children of their own and another 6 children. They told us the stories of these children. Just one of them in short form. A little boy was abandoned by his mother. The grandmother who was supposed to take care of him is an alcoholic and did not take care of the child and usually locked her in the hut. Until one day the neighbors couldn’t stand the screaming anymore. The boy was dramatically malnourished, already 2 years old and unable to walk. Richard and Grace showed us pictures that we don’t want to impose on you. Today, Moses is a healthy, cheerful boy.
In rural areas, there are mothers who dispose of their child when they are overwhelmed. We will not give any details, this terrible idea alone is terrible enough.
It’s just overwhelming how Richard and Grace give themselves for these children. This experience still occupies us today and as I write here, my eyes fill with tears.
They give disadvantaged children a piece of hope. The children usually experience for the first time in life what it means to be loved.
But this insight is only a small excerpt from all the misery. But so a valuable one! We felt comfortable with them.
