Prayer requests and introducing the people of Hopeland...

Miracles do happen - not only are there enough people washing up from lunch to prevent me getting stuck in the kitchen, but also the computer is free and internet is working!!!!

Firstly, I wanted to describe the various ministries that are based here in Jinja - then maybe you can pray more specifically for the work that goes on here, and for the people involved.
"Torch" is aimed at community regeneration, and consists of a medical team based in town with an occupational therapist, a short-term physio called Pip (who is also from England and just graduated from Sheffield!) and also Dr Tim who lives here on the base with his wife Jackie and thier kids (I think I may have mentioned them before, they have some sheep, a couple of pigs, chickens and 2 German Shepherds called Poppy and Rach). There is also American Sarah who lives here and travels out to work with another lady from town, making friends with the prostitutes and counselling them, and helping them learn more about Jesus and the Bible in general. There are some other people involved who I don't know, plus a couple of nurses who are both called Rachel, strangely enough, who are coming back from England soon. I still don't know very much about the project, but a lot of it is to do with HIV education and treatment, and also Pip was telling me that she's been treating a lot of children with severe brain damage caused by epilepsy, helping their muscles to build strength and memory again.

Discovery Centre is a place for groups of children from the war-torn North to have a week of respite from the overcrowded "displaced people's camps" - although the rebels of the "Lord's Resistance Army" have been disbanded and mostly arrested, there are thousands of children with horrific mental trauma as they were made to do things like cut off their own family members' lips or suffer the same fate themselves. Some were also made to "marry" the rebel generals and bear children while they were still children themselves...I can't begin to describe how horrible the whole thing was, and scarily enough there are similar situations still going on in other countries. I think you should all watch the dvd called "An Unconventional War" or google "Joseph Kony" - that will properly explain the story of what's been happening in this country over the last 10 years or so.
I was told that there's meant to be a team from the Philippines coming soon to train people as counsellors for the children to help them come to terms with their experiences, but they haven't arrived yet.
One major issue with bringing these groups of children is that the distance is quite large and the roads are terrible, and both times we've had a group here, their bus has been held up on the way back up North, - it has always turned out ok, but please pray that the travelling process would be easier as i'm sure it's a hindrance to helping more children!
Another ongoing project at the Discovery Centre is the local kids' football team - they come here every evening, 6 days a week, for training and matches. Franco, one of my fellow students, is their official coach but because he's so busy on DTS with the rest of us, an American girl called Asheley is being left to cope with most of it on her own!

The third project that I know a little bit about it the street kids ministry, which is run by the team from Tonga. There are of 8 them - the leaders are a married couple, Patoni and Lupe, who have a 4-month-old baby Lavenia, and Sakeasi who is both crazy (in a good way) and incredibly sharp - I have learnt a lot from him already as he always seems to have the right thing to say. Then there is Hena, who is beautiful inside and out - she has a massive heart and is always smiling and caring for people, and shares the responsibility of looking after baby Lavenia. her room is just across the grassy classroom "garden" from mine, and next door to American Sarah's, so I see them both a lot. And last but not least are the 3 "boys", Fine, Faone and Lopeti who are all great fun in their own way. They share a room with John (the charcoal guy). At the moment, the men are going into town and the surrounding villages just building relationships with the kids there, playing volleyball and basketball and chatting with them. Sometimes they go out at night, because the daytime "street kids" are not all homeless - some are made to go out begging by their parents. I'm not sure how often, but every now and then they bring a group of the kids to spend a week here on the base, and Lupe and Hena also play with them and I think the aim is to teach them basic farming and cooking skills and get them into schools, so they can have a future. The Tongans' English is not fantastic, and I haven't spent that much time with them so I haven't quite figured out exactly what the plans are yet, but I will let you know when I do!
They do a great series of Tongan / Polynesian dances which they perform as a fundraiser sometimes, and also in churches when they are invited...if i ever get the photo and video uploader to work, you can see for yourselves, otherwise you'll just have to wait til I get home next year!

The schools are going back next week, and there is also a preschool here so things will be busy again soon! The main prayer requests for Hopeland generally are for the children and young people that come here, for the staff that they would be listening to God's guidance both for their ministries and also in relating to each other, and for financial provision!

Please also pray for our local area, Kakira and Wairaka - I went to church in Kakira 2 days ago and we walked through a real slum-type area right beside the church building, where there were huge metal drums of liquor being distilled everywhere and a really depressing atmosphere. I'm sure there are already some plans for outreach by that church, but please pray that there would be more links between the church and their neighbours - I felt awful walking past all the poverty in my nice church clothes.

Also, in November the Commonwealth leaders are meeting here in Uganda, including our Queen! One of the base leaders was concerned about so many powerful people with opposing ideas and views meeting together, so we are praying about it - please join in! You know how useless I am about anything political, I have no idea but I'm sure you all know much more about it than me.

Gotta go to Bible Study, I'll carry on later! (maybe.....)

Alex : )