Our Well-made Plans...Replaced by God’s Plan

 “In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9

In our previous blog you read our carefully laid out plans for Beth and me (Laura) to make full use of her visit to this part of the continent...but in the end only one of them happened in a slightly altered manner. A couple of days into her visit, I experienced some unwelcome symptoms...and you guessed it, tested positive for COVID-19. Gracious children of God quickly welcomed Beth into their home with the hope that she would escape. Meetings were canceled to everyone’s disappointment. We did one Zoom prayer meeting as a substitute and moved toward Sunday plans minus Laura. But that morning...with no obvious symptoms, Beth tested positive for the required pre-flight test (she had tickets to fly early Monday morning). I, virtually back to full health, brought Beth back to my home and we enjoyed a personal retreat the next day, enjoying God’s creation, reflection hours, and quietness. Prayer times included an urgent plea that Beth could still get to Indiana in time to speak at the Friday funeral of a long-time friend. God answered; she received the required negative reading and flew out early Wednesday morning, two days later than planned...but she made it! Beth has since visited friends and supporters in several USA states and given multiple ministry updates to individuals, small groups, and churches.

Now, Laura is preparing for Beth’s return (June 20) and trusting God for His plans for the next ten days. Pray for strength, a sense of God’s presence, great fellowship and mutual encouragement, and that God will be honored. Lord-willing, Beth will return to Uganda on June 30.

God’s Amazing Ways

This past week I have had the privilege of being the beneficiary of Mennonite hospitality in the Winnipeg area. It was a joy to share the VOICE story with several groups of people and realize afresh God’s greatness! What showers of blessing to meet a whole new church family in the Winnipeg area and learn how God is working through His people there both in their own Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth...all have refreshed my spirit.

Immediately upon arrival at the Saint John, NB, airport, May 17, I welcomed Beth, our

Ugandan colleague and friend to Canada! A few months ago, it looked “impossible” for her to get visas for either Canada or the USA, due to pandemic caused backlogs...but God specialized in such “impossibilities” and she got a visa for both. Perhaps it was the long isolation period we all have been through, mixed in with the explosion of Spring with all of its beauty, but, for whatever reason, being reunited with a friend from far away has been a compounded blessing. You most likely know the name “Beth” from our communications from 2013 onward, and to have her here in my world is a wonder only God could make happen. Her flight from Uganda arrived 2 hours before mine returning from Winnipeg! My brother arrived early and visited with Beth until my plane touched down in Saint John. What encouragement Beth’s presence has brought, seeing her and praying together again face-to-face. It is, however, a huge disappointment that we will probably not be seeing Ruth. Somehow in my travels west, I managed to lose my passport, and its replacement is a lengthy process at the current time. So the three of us are forced to rely on telephone and Zooming for the time being.

Beth’s (and my) Tentative Schedule

• May 24-25 White Head Island Baptist Church, Grand Manan, NB

• May 27 Visits in Moncton, NB

• May 29 Bloomfield Baptist Church

• May 30 – June 20. Beth in USA

• June 22 (7:00 – 8:00 PM) Faith Bible Baptist Fellowship, Sussex, NB – open for anyone in the area who would like to meet Beth in person and hear an update from her of the VOICE Africa ministry.

• June 26 True Life Church, Quispamsis, NB

• June 30 Beth returns to Uganda

Stories from Three Continents

 

From Asia (Philippines) – Surprise Discovery!

This picture was taken in 2016 when Kuya Jess
(2nd from far right), VOICE Philippines Director,
visited the area. These high school students

had begun attending the church from which

the Biblical Values volunteers came.

About seven years ago, VOICE Philippines conducted a training on the island of Leyte and some of those trained started teaching Biblical values in a public high school. Toward the end of last year, a destructive typhoon passed through that area of Central Philippines. VOICE, along with other groups, worked toward sending relief items, using local churches as their point of contact. They were surprised to receive a longer-than-expected list of evangelical churches and learned that several churches had been planted somewhat recently, some of them as a direct result of the teaching of Biblical Values! But the even more encouraging surprise came when they found out that two of these new churches were pastored by students who were reached for Christ through those classes!! What an encouragement for VOICE Philippines, especially as they, and many other faith-based organizations, struggle to survive the effects of the pandemic restrictions. Praise God and pray for increased fruit!

From Africa (Uganda) –

One of the Biblical Values classes being taught in
that Primary School.

All schools in Uganda were shut down due to pandemic restrictions and with a few exceptions, remained closed until early this year. Soon after the schools reopened, South Sudanese refugees trained by Beth, a missionary with Scripture Union Uganda, and her assistant, Chris, shared the program of teaching Biblical values with a number of public schools Principals; they were generally well received. The leadership of one Primary school in particular was reeling with the realization that during that two year period he had lost around 400 students, with the worst news being that a significant percentage of the female students was due to pregnancy. That Principal/Head Teacher grabbed the opportunity and asked Scripture Union to teach Purity to all of the classes...which really stretched the fellow refugees who have been trained to teach the VOICE modules! But it’s happening! Pray with us for tender and eager hearts to receive and apply what they are hearing.

From North America (New Brunswick, Canada) – Filipino Blowout

Many of you responded to my (Ruth’s) invitation to help Laura celebrate her entrance into the 7^th decade of life—thanks so much! As of her last count, she received 80+ cards, 70+ Facebook Birthday greetings, and numerous email greetings as well as e-cards. She (and I) are overwhelmed with God’s gift of wonderful friends from around the world—a small part of God’s great blessing upon our lives.

Group Picture minus a couple who arrived after the
this was taken. Embroidered tablecloth imported from
the Philippines!

Added to that gift was the courage God gave her to open her home and celebrate Filipino style—put on your own party, also called a “blowout”! She invited just over 20 Sussex area Filipinos with whom she has connected as friends over the
past several months. Sixteen arrived and filled her home with the Tagalog language, laughter, and joy. (She’s also grateful for the two fellow Canadians who joined to help with food/logistics!) Since cooking space is limited, Laura gave the ingredients and asked one of them to make “Adobong Manok” and cook the rice. Another one made a cake as a gift. Each of the three Filipino young people that Laura teaches Biblical Values to and does a cooking or baking project with each week, recited Bible verses they had memorized, and Laura read a Daily Bread devotional which mentioned the Philippines. Filipinos love to give gifts for a birthday celebration and so Laura suggested that they give toward SEND’s “Help and Hope for Ukraine” fund and more than $200 was given! All in all, a very special time for the birthday celebrant and no doubt for all who joined her! Pray with us for eternal fruit in their lives.

God’s Word at Work

 This past week, the Scripture Union Uganda National Director submitted to SEND Canada a summary report of the VOICE Program during 2021, and copied Laura and me. He did a fabulous job and included three testimonies of impact. One has been shared on this blog previously but here are two additional stories.

Moses, a Christian worker - During one of the trainings on the Forgiveness Module, Moses, one of those being trained, made the hard decision to forgive his uncle who had mistreated him and his siblings while they were young. He was their temporary care giver but unfortunately denied them school fees even though their late parents had left sufficient money for their education. Moses lamented how much his uncle hurt them and grieves for his sister who continues to struggle emotionally. However, after the forgiveness sessions, Moses chose to forgive and he shared that decision with everyone at the training. Thanks be to God.

Nakisige, a student - Nakisige, 13 years old, was attending the Values Education Class being taught at the St. James Anglican Church in Jinja where the module on Truth was being taught. After memorizing the Values Promise/Lesson Aim for the the second lesson, “I will believe everything God says is true” and learning the theme verse for the Truth module, John 8:32 - “You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free,” Nakisige put up her hand and blurted out, “For me I am a Muslim but I want to follow Jesus.” The VEC teacher was in utter shock and fear at such a public confession. But Nakisige repeated herself out loud in the hearing of everyone present. The Assistant VEC teacher was equally shocked and not knowing what else to say, told the main teacher, “Auntie, we cannot hear what she is saying!!” And so Nakisige immediately repeated her desire the third time!! Finally the teachers realized that she truly meant what she was saying! Praise God she was then counseled for salvation and given instruction for her new life in Christ.

Impact Testimonies from Three East African Nations

Fairly often we hear phrases such as “praise God for many stories of impact”...but to actually get those oral stories in writing is “like pulling hen’s teeth” (wherever that saying came from!). However, we received three such stories this past month and eagerly pass them on to you so that you too can rejoice in hearing evidence that God is answering your prayers for this ministry! Being “westerners” who love details, we simply have to be content with what we get! 

 

Tanzania:

This picture of a letter written by an elementary student was forwarded to us from Beth. It was sent to her without any further details, but what is there fills our hearts with joy. 

Uganda, South Sudanese Refugee Camp:

A Scripture Union South Sudanese refugee leader shared with Beth his conversation with a fellow refugee (not necessarily a Christian) who is in charge of a certain part of one of the refugee camps.

“The lessons taught by you Scripture Union leaders during Covid lock-down while schools were closed over the past two years helped our children a lot. I recommend that they be taught again.” When I told him our plans to teach the lessons in the schools now that they are open, the gentleman still insisted that in addition to the schools they still needed to be taught at the community level too.

 

South Sudan:

You may remember news from our last blog that Purity was taught by South Sudanese Scripture Union refugee leaders last month at a Scripture Union conference in South Sudan close to the Ugandan border. This is a report that came to Beth from that camp.

Two 15-year-old girls who participated in the Purity lessons told us that they were in a relationship with men from the area they came from. When we asked them “Why?” they replied that “they just admire it.” (Probably meaning that it’s considered a cool or in-thing to do.) After teaching lesson 5, Purity Has No Regrets, [a story of a bright and promising Ugandan girl who got sexually involved with two men over a period of several years while still a student and ended up sickly, not finishing school, and shunned by her relatives] both girls shared their decision to break those relationships in order to avoid regret and failure to finish school.

Serving One Another

Toward the end of 2013, civil war broke out in the newest nation on earth, South Sudan (founded July, 2011). About a third of the population fled their homes and over the next couple of year, more than a million of them entered the neighboring nation to the south, Uganda, where they continue to be accommodated in a number of refugee camps.  

The Scripture Union South Sudan national director was able to remain in the capital city of Juba, but many of those connected with that ministry ended up in Uganda. He and our friend/colleague, Beth, a Ugandan Scripture Union missionary to South Sudan (as well as Ethiopia, and Tanzania), quickly sought ways to minister to these displaced brothers and sisters in Christ. Through a wide variety of ministries, the believers have been built up in their faith, trained and challenged to be salt and light to their fellow refugees. Many of them have received instruction on the use of the VOICE Africa Biblical values curriculum and have taught children, youth, and families in the areas around them. About a month ago, the core group of leaders were equipped to be trainers themselves and enable others to use the curriculum to present God’s standard of righteousness and the need for salvation.

The four South Sudan refugees who taught
Purity to the children and younger teens

About two weeks ago, four of these South Sudanese refugees, leaders of the Scripture Union work in both the Palorinya and the Rhino refugee camps, traveled 6 hours by motorcycle to a town in South Sudan close to the Ugandan border, Kejikeji, to work with the Scripture Union South Sudan national director and others in holding a conference. 

Over 200 believers from that area and some from other areas of South Sudan attended. The overall theme for the conference was “Dating, courtship, and sexual purity.” While others were teaching the older teens and adults, these four refugee leaders taught the children and young teens using the VOICE Africa curriculum on Purity. What a thrill that must have been to serve their own people in their own nation once again!

Seeking forgiveness for personal and national sin

One day during the conference, all joined together to seek God’s forgiveness for their individual and national sins, and then did a prayer walk through that town pleading with God to repair the broken walls of their nation. May God answer that prayer...and in the meantime, continue to bless and use these refugees who continue to grow and serve despite past trauma.

Prayer march around the town

Excitement!

 If you were to paint a picture showing “excitement,” what would it be? I’m certainly not an artist, but I’d have some ideas...including children waking up on Christmas morning!

Earlier this week, a photo came from Africa which brought me close to tears as I sensed the excitement of those people. Don’t you agree?

 They are South Sudanese refugees living in the Bidibidi Refugee Camp with very few of the “comforts of life” that we often take for granted. And what are they excited about...being part of the Scripture Union end-of-the-year Conference, fellowshipping with other Christians, hearing God’s Word taught, being challenged in their Christian walk and service, and (no doubt, but not the overriding reason) the anticipation of having food to eat at each meal.

Just this morning I read Christ’s sobering words to the church of Laodicea, “For I know your works: you are neither cold not hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) May our celebration of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ be “white hot” with love and gratitude for Him and as “sizzling hot,” jubilant, as the excitement of these refugees toward the opportunity to worship Him, Emmanuel!