A Christmas Story in Six Parts!

Part I: Kitgum (Friday 28^th - Sunday 30^th November)

I’ve been putting off writing this report, because I kept thinking, ‘I’ll wait until I’ve done the next thing, before writing’, only for there to be another thing, and another, and so on…until now, when I’ve come to the point of no return, and feel I can’t put it off anymore!  So, here goes…

I’ll start back at the end of November, when I was invited to Kitgum, northern Uganda, to speak at a primary school graduation ceremony.  Yes, some of you might be thinking, “Primary school graduation?  Are they for real?”  Well, yes, they are.  Education is not taken for granted in Uganda, so graduation ceremonies can encourage both parents and students to keep going, and not stop learning for the sake of the farm, or some unskilled job.  Anyway, I happily accepted the offer from Okello James Murphy, one of our First Year Students, who is also the director of Ebenezer Nursery & Day Care School.  From the map, you can see that Kitgum is just a stone’s throw from the South Sudanese border (15 minutes, I was told!), and was a regular haunt for Joseph Kony (who James was unfortunate enough to once meet!).  It is also a ten hour, exceedingly bumpy bus drive from Kampala!

The graduation ceremony, like all ‘ceremonies’ and ‘events’ in Uganda, was not limited by time.  The original schedule was for a 7.00am start, and 4.00pm finish (yes, that is correct!), but in the end, things kicked off around, 10.00am (3 hours is the recommended, and usual delay)!  Then, there was singing, speeches, introductions, sermons (mine), traditional dances, children singing, dancing, singing, etc, and then finally food (which came around 5.00pm!).  From the pictures below, you can see, it was a grand affair, enjoyed by most of Kitgum, it seemed!

Then on the Sunday, I was invited to preach at James’ church…the first of three consecutive Sunday morning preaching engagements.

Part II: The Christmas Banquet (Saturday 5^th December)

I’ll let the pictures tell the story!  Please note, though, the beard was shaved off for this event!

Part III: Masaja (Sunday 6^th December)

The next week, Natasha accompanied me to the loudest church in Africa, and to the Top Care Primary School’s first ever graduation. 

This time, the day started with extremely loud music (just why, when at the start there was only Natasha, myself, the singer and the keyboard player in the church, is beyond me – but no-one seems to mind…except us!), and a morning service (that was supposed to start at 9am, though no-one really arrived until 10am…except us!), which I was asked to preach at.  [Incidentally, this was the second Sunday I was told that someone would pick me up at 8.30am.  In Kitgum, that meant 10.30, and in Kampala, 8.00!]

After the service, traditional Ugandan food was served, and then, off to the graduation.  This time the ceremony (for one class) wasn’t so long…about three hours!  Again, we were entertained by the children, with dance, modern and traditional (some you can check out on Facebook), and some singing. Then, after the message to parents and children, from me, Natasha was invited up to give out the certificates.  Again, a good local turnout was present.

  

Part IV: Kampala Reformed Presbyterian Church  (Sunday 13^th December)

This was a rather more sedate affair, but a chance for you to see some photos of the Robertson boys, on their best behaviour, and Grace, who graces us with her presence and inimitable wisdom!

Part V: Sanyu Babies Home (Thursday 18^th December, 2-4pm)

Sanyu Babies home was opened in 1929 by Milnes Winfred Walker, a midwife at the nearby Mengo Hospital, who answered the call for the care of the hospital’s increasing amount of orphans.  When we visited, there were 48 babies being cared for.  Maureen who showed us around, told us that many of the children were abandoned in places like roadside ditches, public toilets, hospitals, shop doorways and water trenches.  Some were the result of botched abortions!  So you can see, many have not had the best start to life, but that was now no longer evident in their faces.  They were certainly overjoyed to have a group of students just desperate to pick them up and cuddle them!  They were absolutely adorable, and I confess, I wanted one!  

Pray with us, that they will all find homes, where they can experience the love every child should.

Part  VI: Kajjansi (Thursday 18^th December, 5-6.30pm)

So, as it was the last Market Day before Christmas, at Kajjansi - and I had a new Christmas talk – Frank Ssendikaddiwa, Hope and I, rushed back to preach the gospel one last time, this year, where we’ve become the regular service for many market traders.

The new talk, is titled, Christmas: Are You Ready?  It’s all about the things we feel we must do (such as clean the house, buy a new outfit, wrap the presents, send out invitations, prepare the guest room, and sort out travel arrangements), and all the things that are actually necessary (a clean heart, garments of salvation, God’s gift of eternal life, our invitation to the wedding supper of the lamb, the coming Saviour, and where our journey will end!). 

The market was the busiest Frank and I had ever seen it, and we really felt helped and up for the task of being heard over the sounds of the crowds and Christmas.  The usual traders were there, listening intently. Geoffrey and Bonny helped set up and pack away the board, Perouth introduced us to her son, Julius, who appreciated the message; Eric, a Roman Catholic suit seller, listened to the whole presentation, and asked for details of a Bible teaching church near to where he lived.  The Muslim husband of Sharida (the Muslim lady who shared with Maggie, back in February), who never speaks to me, even sold me some Christmas decorations (obviously, being a Muslim, in Uganda, doesn’t forbid you selling Christmas goodies!)!

So, all in all, Thursday was a great day.  I also got to share the new talk in our Carol Service, in the chapel on Sunday night, but sorry, no pics from that.  There might be some pictures to come from our carol singing over at Quality Supermarket on Christmas Eve, but you’ll have to wait and see!

And now, if we don’t get another chance, we’d like to wish you the best of Christmases, and the happiest of New Years.  We pray the Lord will draw nearer to you in the coming days, weeks, months and year.  We pray you will know Him in a new and right way, as David prayed!  We hope to see some of you here one day, visiting us, and sharing in the work of African Bible University.  Please continue to hold us up in prayer, and if you find yourself stuck for something to do, or too heavy to get up from the sofa, post-Christmas lunch, why don’t you drop us a line and tell us how your year has been?  We’d love to hear from you all.

Many blessings and much love,

Sean and Natasha