As some of you would already know, I have been involved with Wakisa Ministries in Kampala, Uganda since 2006. Wakisa takes in unmarried teenage girls with unwanted pregnancies and cares for them until they deliver their babies. Because they are usually abandoned by their parents, Wakisa also tries to reconcile the girls with their parents or finds them an extended family member who will take the girl and her baby in. You can see more details at www.wakisa.com or www.wakisaministries.com. They not only care for the girls in this way but also teach them about Jesus and teach them vocational skills that they may choose to use to earn themselves a living after they leave. The ministry has two other arms - school sponsorship and training others in the skills of trauma counselling. At the moment, there are 16 girls in the program and 4 of those are attending university. Two girls have completed the equivalent of TAFE courses (hairdressing and hospitality) and one (Miriam) is the first to complete a tertiary course, having completed a Diploma in Nursing last November and now has a job. I promised to return for her graduation ceremony and that happens in Friday September 27!
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| The Dorm in Progress |
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| The 2008 Team |
I went there in 2008 with two young couples that attendedthe same church as I did, The Journey Inc. We went with the idea of building a new dormitory so that they could take in an increased number of girls (from 17 to 30) - when we got there, we found that they didn't build the way we do and so we hired a builder (Francis) to do the building work while we procured materials and renovated the existing premises.
Not very long after I got back from that trip, I felt that God wanted me to return for a longer period, and so, in 2010, I went back to Kampala and Wakisa and worked there for 9 months. This was a life-changing experience in so many ways. I alway knew that I would go back after that time and have been working towards that ever since.
In the last few months, God has made other amazing connections for me. The first is with an
Australian guy who is setting up a Christian camp in Kenya and "just happens" to be doing some building work there around the time that I land in Nairobi (Sept 19). So the very next day, I will travel to Oloitokitok which is right near the Tanzanian border and just 30 km from Mt Kilimanjaro. Further, because this place is way out in the donga, I didn't really know how I was going to get there - not to worry, God has stepped in and connected me with a couple in Nairobi who are not only going to put me up for the night, but also drive me down there the next morning. And guess what? - they have previously been involved in Christian camping in New Zealand - you just wouldn't believe it, would you! ( the Australian guy setting up the camp has already set one up in Scotland - see Teen Ranch Scotland - and also in Poland and Romania).
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| Mt Kilimanjaro - Tanzania |
The other connection He has made for me is with a mission called Live Connection and Live Connection Aid. Live connection Aid has been granted land near Bor in South Sudan and
So I will definitely be doing some things in Kenya and Uganda, but God will have to organise something if I am to go into South Sudan - I'd love to go but I'll wait on His decision!
Man, there are so many stories behind this brief summary! I'll be updating you as things happen, both before I go and hopefully, while I am away. If you'd like to receive and email to alert you to the fact that I have created a new post, just subscribe to the blog by entering your email in the box on the right-hand side of the page - on the email will be a link for you to click to view my latest post - how easy is that!
