We Were Welcomed

Ever step into a new place and ... 

... immediately feel you were welcome and belonged?

When we were picked up at the Arua airport by the base directors and their children we were embraced in love and treated as family. They filled us in on life there as we drove that bumpy road through town.

The hospitality was wonderful. Our housing was the best in the compound. They treated us to dinner in their home. I helped with the meal and Pat jabbered with the children as they showed him their pet rabbits, goats, and cows. We fit!

John & Vikki Wright (Base Leaders), & Family

Vikki is the lone American on base and her husband John is British. They were co-founders of the base 10 years ago with an Australian woman and a Ugandan couple. It was fun to see that they are very like us in personality. John has a great sense of humor and is partly deaf (Just like Pat!). Vikki and I had instant rapport and freely shared our hearts. It was so good to be comfortable conversing.

Our first day at the YWAM base we were able to settle in and later walk their property that was  given by a woman and her family to use for God’s kingdom work. Westerners come visit for various reasons and the locals hesitate going up to and talking to any until they are invited by the newcomers to converse.
We boldly went to them and ask their story and were invited into their lives.

Valence & Sofia, Sheree & Pat
in Valence's Home

We asked hundreds of questions and took notes. I did not want to miss a thing, though I know I did, for there was so much to learn, so many stories. As we bumped down the road in the staff truck or walked the village road filled with potholes, I attempted to fill my little notebook.

Bosco & Edith (Base Leaders) & Family

Bosco is one of the base leaders we connected with right away. It was by God’s design, as what Bosco shared with us on our first full day there got us stirred up and laid the foundation of what we were to do the rest of our visit. God revealed one of the main reasons we were sent. We asked everyone we met on base what their work was and what dream or vision they had for themselves or the base. As Bosco started to share his heart for the work of God there, we got excited.

Most missionaries do not have a large income supplied by a denomination, but must raise their own support. They look to God and pray the church body will see the need. Even Apostle Paul had to exort the churches to be generous and remember that the workers are worthy of their hire. In many foreign countries, the church has a hard time seeing the need to support missions. Missionary families often struggle. In the foreign field where the churches are young and small, their workers receive little pay.

Bosco shared how many of the staff on base had so very little. These servants of God have come from the war zones of Sudan, Congo and Uganda. Jobs are few, the people impoverished, and their education opportunities small. Yet, these are faithful people who have withstood great obstacles and have trained with YWAM and now desire to take the Good News into the neighboring war torn counties. Their biggest need and hope is for their children. (Think of how many of us would love to do things on our hearts but always wonder “What about my kids? How will it affect them?”) The staff here has asked this same question, and they have stepped out in faith to share the Gospel as full time servants of God, trusting God to provide for themselves and the needs of their children.

Bosco’s dream, to see all the staff’s children in a school situation where they would be trained in righteousness, touched a nerve in us. He questioned, if we all as missionaries, are considering how we disciple our own children. As servants of God, we don’t want to neglect our children as we minister to others. Missionaries often appeal to the church for their support of evangelism outreach to the lost and discipleship of the saved, but so often, the emphasis is on that work and their families’ spiritual growth is taken for granted or not even discussed.

We have known ministers whose own children have gone astray as the fathers (or mothers both) are off doing God’s work. Many Christian families assume their children will catch on to what their parents know and believe and the children are given to others, who may or may not have the same values, to be trained in school.

Home schooling is not an option as the parents have had very little schooling growing up, if at all. In Uganda, school is mandatory for three year old on up, but that law is difficult when school is expensive and families have little or no money.

Bosco took us on a hike through the bush to show us land that YWAM had been given. He dreams of the day they can build a school that all their children can be taught in from age three to college. He hopes that one day God will allow them to train their children in His ways and prepare them for godly service. Many in the village also who cannot pay to go to school could benefit as well.

Pat and I immediately felt we were to do something to help in this area. Our prayer before we went to Uganda was that God show us how and where we could help. This second day we were starting to see.
Pat and I fervently prayed that night. I could not sleep. My mind would not shut down. Ideas swam in my head.

Our hearts were open to what God would show us… we prayed…. And listened …