A Journeyman's Anthology

So crazy to think that I am already a third of the way through my trip….so many amazing things have already happened, so many amazing stories I have already heard! I tried to go into this trip with an open mind and no expectations, knowing full well that my cleverly thought upI plans never come to fruition anyway. I also knew that coming and entering back into the lives of these wonderful people, with the knowledge of my not so distant departure, would completely weave and break the flow of my time here. My heart already feels the weight in anticipation of having to leave again. I will have to make it my sole concern to keep my mind and spirit present in the time that I am given. The journey to come back was both challenging and encouraging enough in itself. There were so many times that I wanted to give up hope, and I doubted that my desire to go was of any purpose or value; to me it was just a foolhardy dream that would never come to be. Better every instance of doubt was met with hope and assurance. Every barrier broken by provision and opportunity. All of you joining me in prayer and support is what kept me going. You helped me believe that this really was possible, that there was reason and purpose to the weight and desire God placed in my heart to come and be with these people again. Thank you for that.

I spent the frist two weeks of the trip with a team fro Help One Now. They were incredibly gracious in allowing me to join them, and I have gained so much by seeing the amazing partnerships they have created around the world. We spent the first week in Jinja, Uganda working with a local pastor named Edward Magumba. This man is an incredible leader in his community and offers much to be learned in the areas of courage and humility. He has planted several churches in the Jinja area, and he oversees a school for orphans and disadvantaged children. He began this work by only the strength of himself and his community, and only later did he look to the help of the west to see the affect of his projects expanded. It was so encouraging to hear his story and how God has used him to immensely bless the community around him. After Jinja, we flew down to Harare, Zimbabwe to work with another local pastor named John Chinyowa. He leads a church in a small town called Marondera, about an hour and half east of Harare. John is the kind of guy that you can get to know just by walking around the places he has been. Every street tells of the generosity he has bestowed, and every face tells of the unconditional love he has poured into his community. He is also the kind of guy that after only knowing for ten minutes, you feel like he has been a closest friend your entire life. We spent most of our time in a children’s home called Musha Wevana, which John helped start some time ago. The children that we met there were some of the sweetest most beautiful souls I have gotten to meet. You can tell that Musha is a place of love and community and faithfulness. There was one girl, Chanteal, who held on to my arm the entire time I was there. She would not let me go and play with any other kids unless she was involved also! One of the mothers at the home told me that when Chanteal was brought to the home as a young child, she was very fearful of other people; and if any men came to the home, she would run and hide. This was clearly not the case while we were there! This is just one of hundreds of stories of hope and healing that has been seen at Musha Wevana…I am beyond grateful that I got to meet the leaders that continue to pour their heart and souls into making sure that these kids know just how special they are, and that they were beautifully and uniquely created to do amazing things in this world!

I am now back in Uganda, and will be here for another three weeks until I leave for Haiti. I cannot wait to see so many of my friends again, and to hear how God has been working in their lives since I left three years ago. I know this time will be challenging: emotionally, physically, and spiritually, and I ask that you would continue to join me in prayer. Big things are stirring, I hardly believe that I will leave this place in any resemblance of when I came. May I have a heart that listens, that hopes, that believes, and that gives without refrain, and may I continue to trust that there is no good that I can do here by my own travail….but that it is God who is beautifully working out His story here, and I get to see and join in a small part of it!

Dearest friends and family,

     I am writing you today to tell you about an amazing opportunity I have been given. Through networking and relationships built over the last few years, I am finally getting the chance to go back to Uganda!!! For those of you that don’t know, I lived in Uganda in 2010 teaching music at a school for orphans and disadvantaged children, and I also got to work in the rehabilitation process with former child soldiers. If you would like more info on the history and situation in Uganda, you can go here: http://invisiblechildren.com/about/history/. Many of you partnered with me during this time, and supported me in so many ways. It was extremely difficult and disappointing to me, and maybe even some of you, when I had to leave….feeling as though the work was unfinished. The goals though were never to go and fix some problems for a short time and leave. Rather, it was to go and live with the people and learn, and to build lasting relationships that would allow us to partner to see the work finished over time. I have continued relationships that were built with key leaders and have been able to help them little by little over time, but the time has come to go and see more clearly how we as a people can join in and enable these leaders to enact change in their communities.

     For the first week of the trip, I will be joining an organization called Help One Now (who I went to Haiti with last year). They are just beginning to work in Uganda and I will be joining them in taking time to listen and learn and seek out the best avenues by which to partner with the people of Uganda for the betterment and renewal of their country. After the Help team leaves, I will stay and meet with 3 key leaders that I feel will be best to partner with down the stretch. One leader is the Bishop of all Western Uganda. He runs an orphanage of about 150 children as well as a church planting/pastoral training program that sends pastors out into the rural villages. The other two leaders have orphanages and community renewal projects in different parts of the country. The total length of time spent there will be about 1 month, and I hope to come away with a clear idea of the real needs of these leaders and their communities and how we can best partner with and support what they are doing. 

     After my time in Uganda, I have also been given the opportunity to join in with my church’s trip back to Haiti. We will again join with Help One Now as they continue to work alongside some amazing Haitian leaders in the rebuilding and renewal of their country. Part of Help One Now’s mission is to build 100 homes and drill 25 water wells.  On this trip, we will actually help fulfill part of this vision.  Every team member has to raise an additional $500 that goes towards a key project, which will help our Haitian friends long-term.  It will also help create jobs for our Haitian friends.  So by going to Haiti, we will help a family move into a new home, and we will also create jobs in the process. Our ultimate goal is to help restore Haiti while Haitians lead the way!

     As always, this work is not one that I can do alone…..and not one that should be done by any one person. I truly believe in the beauty of communities joining alongside one another to seek each others well being and renewal, and I want to invite you into that with me. Whether it be joining in supporting me on this trip or joining in seeing the work continued in the years to come, please know that each and every one of your hearts and friendship is so incredibly valued and appreciated!

If you would like to join me in this work, here are the most immediate needs:

1. Please pray for this time. Just as one person cannot do the work alone, we as a people also cannot do it alone by our own human ability.

2. We need your help financially.  The entire trip is going to cost about $4000, which includes $500 for the house in Haiti and funds to begin work with local leaders in Uganda. I am going to provide for at least $2000 of it to cover most traveling expenses, but I will need your help to raise the rest.

Would you be willing be to support me financially?  If so, you can go to this website:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2EFK2QSNFWJ5N

 You will get an automatic receipt emailed to you as soon as you donate.

Or, you can send a check made out to “Help One Now” and mail it to:

Help One Now

PO Box 26716

Raleigh, NC 27611

Be sure to write “Brennon, New City Trip” on the memo line.

To learn more about Help One Now please visit their site: http://www.helponenow.org/

To learn more about New City Austin please visit their site: http://www.newcityaustin.org/

Again, thank you for your continued support and friendship over the years, and for even taking the time to read this! If you have any questions, please let me know.

Peace, Love, and Renewal,

Brennon

     It has been a couple of weeks now since Haiti. Each day goes on as it always has, but something is different. I carry something new with me that I did not have before. Something heavy and real, something meaningful that I will never forget. This trip stirred in me thoughts and feelings that I have not felt for several years now. It made me remember the purpose and meaning I found while living in Africa, and it made me realize that I may have left some of that behind. 

     This trip was not like most mission trips. It was not a group of middle-class Americans dropping thousands of dollars to go to an impoverished people, to solve their problems for a week and then leave back to the comfort of routine and order. In fact, we decided on the trip not to even call it a missions trip but instead to call it a learning journey, which is exactly what it was. A step into the lives of our brothers and sisters who, aside from where they were born and the lives they were born into, are not so different from ourselves. It was a look into the heart of our Maker and the work that He is already doing in the world that we daily choose to turn a blind eye to. A lot of emotions arose on this trip, as we have been so ingrained with the doctrine and tradition of western Christianity and it’s idea of what missions should look like. But in the end, we all found such a serene peace and fulfillment about the time and resource we had spent to be a part of this journey.

     While there, we spent most of our time working with local pastors who, on their own initiative, have carried on amazing projects to help those affected by the earthquake, and to meet the needs of their respective communities. We stayed with Pastor Jean-Alix Paul in the mountains overlooking Port-Au-Prince and spent time in a near bye village called Geibert. While there we got to work side by side with community members to build a house for a family who had lost theirs in the earthquake. Part of the money we raised for the trip went towards the materials for the house as well as creating jobs for able Haitian men to do the construction. Our part in building the house was minimal as we sifted some dirt and carried a few bricks here and there. More than anything, I think we served as comic relief for the workers and neighbors who observed. Each morning we were served fresh coffee that was picked, roasted, ground, and brewed right behind the house we were building. We took several breaks to hear stories, play with the kids, and walk around to take in the beautiful mountain views. We were so blessed to be accepted by these wonderful people and to be allowed to join in the restoration and renewal of their community. 

     We also spent some good time with Pastor Gaetan Alcegaire at his orphanage Yahve Shamma. This is a man who has sacrificed time and time again and who has taken great leaps of faith to provide and care for the children of his community. We got to play soccer and do crafts with the kids and spend some good time praying for Pastor Gaetan and for God’s continued provision in his work. His orphanage houses many of the recipients of Help One Now’s child sponsorship program. It was so cool to be able to see first hand the positive result of partnership with Churches and individuals in the U.S. It was a humbling experience to allow ourselves to just be there and not necessarily do anything physically for them, but only to spend our time and affection with them.

     The part of the trip for which I have been most grateful though, was our time with Pastor John St. Cyr in one of Haiti’s largest “tent cities”. These tent cities were created after the earthquake and still house over 20,000 people who have been left without a home. Pastor St. Cyr was on the ground immediately following the earthquake working day and night to rescue members of his community. He has also been working non-stop ever since to help rebuild and to share the hope and joy he has in found in the love of Christ. He leads a church that sits atop a hill in the middle of the tent city, which seemingly meets every day of the week. When they are ready to start, they turn their huge speakers up as loud as they can go and start playing worship music for all in the city to hear. People begin to stroll in one by one, and within twenty minutes the entire tent is full of people joyfully dancing and singing songs in Kreyol! At the end of the service, I was tapped on the shoulder by a young man sitting behind me named Antone Davidson. He began to speak to me, piecing together what what words he knew in English to formulate broken sentences. He told me that during the church service he had seen the tattoo on the inside of my arm. He decided to sit down in his chair and read the verse throughout the remainder of the service. He told me that the verse had very much meaning to him and that he was going to write it out and put it up in his tent to read every morning. He also went on to thank me and that I had allowed God to bring me to Haiti to share this verse with him. The verse reads:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal.”

- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

I was completely floored and fought to hold back the tears as he continued to share with me. This verse was one that I have always recited and carried with me, but I had never felt the true weight of it until this moment. I have often reverted to this verse when the going gets tough or in times of doubt and confusion. But how much more this verse meant to this young man who had lost both of his parents and has been living in a small shack of a tent ever since……for him to not lose heart and to fix his eyes on the unseen seemed to mean so much more than I had ever known it to. I will forever remember and be grateful for God opening my eyes through Antone and to the reality of how He is moving and working in the broken world around us.

     The beauty of this trip is that it is not something that we will be able to leave behind, but the stories and lives of our friends and brothers with whom we shared will now live on in and through us. We will take what we have seen and learned back into our own homes in hopes that the eyes and hearts of others will be opened just as ours were. We will continue to stand side by side with our friends and partners as we work not just to renew and restore Haiti, but also our own communities and the world abroad.

     Thank you so much to everyone who prayed and gave to allow me to be a part of this journey…..I hope this journal helps in a small way to bring you along in the experience with me and to share with you some of the beautiful things I learned!

     If you would like to learn more about what God is doing in Haiti and how you can be a part of it, you can visit http://www.helpendlocalpoverty.com/helphaiti 

DEAREST FRIENDS AND FAMILY,

THIS JUNE, I WILL BE ON A TEAM WITH SOMA AUSTIN CHURCH HEADING TO HAITI.  WE’RE PARTNERING WITH HELP ONE NOW AND LOCAL HAITIAN LEADERS TO LOVE AND SERVE THE PEOPLE OF HAITI.

AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, HAITI SUFFERED A SEVERE EARTHQUAKE IN JANUARY OF 2010.  HAITI IS CONSIDERED A 4TH WORLD COUNTRY, OR WHAT’S CALLED A “LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRY.”  EXTREME POVERTY HAS CREATED A MASSIVE ORPHAN CRISIS.  THE SEX-TRAFFICKING INDUSTRY IS EXPLODING, HUNGER AND DISEASE RUNS RAMPANT AND MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING!  HOWEVER, THERE’S ALSO MUCH HOPE AND GOD IS MOVING IN HAITI THROUGH LOCAL HAITIAN CHURCHES AND LEADERS.  WE WANT TO COME ALONG SIDE OF THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN AND HELP SERVE HAITI TOGETHER.  WE WANT TO CO-PARTNER IN THE WORK GOD IS ALREADY DOING!

PART OF HELP ONE NOW’S MISSION IS TO BUILD 100 HOMES AND DRILL 25 WATER WELLS.  ON THIS TRIP, WE WILL ACTUALLY HELP FULFILL PART OF THIS VISION.  EVERY TEAM MEMBER HAS TO RAISE AN ADDITIONAL $500 THAT GOES TOWARDS A KEY PROJECT, WHICH WILL HELP OUR HAITIAN FRIENDS LONG-TERM.  IT WILL ALSO HELP CREATE JOBS FOR OUR HAITIAN FRIENDS.  SO BY GOING TO HAITI, WE WILL HELP A FAMILY MOVE INTO A NEW HOME OR HELP A COMMUNITY RECEIVE CLEAN WATER, AND WE WILL ALSO CREATE JOBS IN THE PROCESS. OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO HELP RESTORE HAITI WHILE HAITIANS LEAD THE WAY!

ON THIS TRIP, WE WILL BE PROVIDE HEALTH CARE TO HAITIANS (BY RUNNING MEDICAL CLINICS), LEAD A KIDS CAMP FOR 35 ORPHANS AND WORK IN A TENT CITY WITH VULNERABLE KIDS!

HERE’S WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP:

1. WE NEED YOU TO PRAY FOR US. 

2. WE NEED YOUR HELP FINANCIALLY.  THE TRIP COST IS $2100, WHICH INCLUDES $500 FOR THE PROJECT. 

WOULD YOU BE WILLING BE TO SUPPORT ME FINANCIALLY?  IF SO, YOU CAN GO TO THIS WEBSITE: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=2EFK2QSNFWJ5N TO DONATE.  YOU WILL GET AN AUTOMATIC RECEIPT EMAILED TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU DONATE.

OR, YOU CAN SEND A CHECK MADE OUT TO: HELP END LOCAL POVERTY - IN THE MEMO PLEASE PUT “BLOEMENDAAL” AND “HAITI JUNE TRIP”.   HELP END LOCAL POVERTY WILL SEND YOU A RECEIPT FOR YOUR END OF THE YEAR TAXES, VIA MAIL. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT H.E.L.P. PLEASE VISIT THEIR SITE: WWW.HELPENDLOCALPOVERTY.COM

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOMA AUSTIN CHURCH PLEASE VISIT THEIR SITE:WWW.SOMAAUSTIN.ORG

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

IN LOVE,

BRENNON

As I begin the new year and move on into some new seasons of life, I have had much inspiration and thought that has made its way into song. As we move on through winter and I start to write for the Spring/Summer, I thought I would share some of my Fall/Winter songs. If you would like to hear them, I will be playing at Club 606 on Saturday, January 28th and at Whisky & Ink on Sunday, March 18th. Hope you enjoy!

Eyes To See

____________

I didn’t learn too much, didn’t learn too much

When I fell down in my uncertainties

I didn’t hear so well, didn’t hear so well

When they told me what I couldn’t be

Oh, the times are changing now all around

Oh, but I believe

Oh, if we could carry on it won’t be long

Oh, until we see

Can we move on now, can we move on now

Move away from the lie of apathy

There will be a day, there will be a day

When this will all weave together perfectly

Oh, life will work this out, I know somehow

Oh, if we believe

Oh, its time to push along, we can be strong

Oh, can’t you see

If we could start this over, if we could start again

Then I would put more hope in what You promised for the end

Now I see the reasons, now I see the way

You’ll show the blind to follow as You light the coming day

So come and listen close, come and listen close

For we have been made with eyes to see

Different Now

______________

We both knew that this would come

After all that we have done

Empty words will pass away

Tell me love what’s left to say

For us, what to say here now

Only that it will be different now

We should have been listenin

For the good Lord has spoken

Of the life we couldn’t see

But the time, they are changing

For us, changing here now

So it has to be different now

I would have given you the world

And I’ll still give it again and again

All these worries seemed so few

But they have brought us to an end

But not the end for us, not the end here now

Only that it will be, it has to be

I know we can be different now

Closer

_______

The time has come to break these chains

Of a world so bound with hate

Love is calling down, our hearts are crying out

How have we gone so far this way, will we remember

We were all alone here, we were made to die

Broken from the start, no chance at life

But love came down to rescue, love came to save

Love it is the light, it is the way

Your grace has covered all

Washed over white as snow

Your love that tore the veil

Is closer to me, I’m closer to You

The Way Out West

___________________

Johnny rode that day to find another way

To get home instead of take on the road ahead

Johnny rode out west

Johnny look you’ll find all we got is this time

For He has made a way, this is your chance to stay

But Johnny rode out west

  I have recently begun working with the refugee population here in Austin. These are people from countries like Bhutan, Iraq, D.R. Congo, and India who have been forced to leave their lives behind and start anew. Some have left to due to war, some to religious persecution, and others to financial instability. Upon arrival, most have no idea what life is like in the United States, and most only have the apartment provided to them by the government. A local pastor and refugee himself, John Monger, has taken it upon himself to reach out to these people and help ease into this new phase of life.

     I met John for the first time this week while delivering some rice cookers that our church had raised funds to purchase for the refugees. I got to sit down with John and hear a little bit about the work that he does and some of the amazing stories of life change he has witnessed and been a part of. John also told about his story and his journey that brought him to Austin. John grew up in a small town in the country of Bhutan, which borders India and Nepal. When he was 16 years old, John decided to give his life to follow Jesus Christ. Bhutan very strictly enforces the Hindu religion on their citizens and gave John two choices: deny Christ or leave the country. He decided that he could not possibly deny the Savior that he had just come to know, so he fled. He arrived in a refugee camp in the country of Nepal. In the camp, there was a population of about 150,000 Bhutanese refugees, and John soon discovered that he was pretty much the only Christian. He began sharing the story of life change that he had recently experienced and began preaching the gospel to people all around the camp. After several months many began to accept the good news that John was sharing, and hundreds were converted to Christianity. But the government of Nepal was no more lenient on religion than Bhutan, and once they caught wind of what was going on in the camp, they found John and threw him in prison. Prison in Nepal is nothing like the American prison system, with all its allowances and luxuries. John was beaten and starved and told that if he did not stop sharing his faith he would die in prison. But he did not give in, and after two years he was released. He then fled to India and continued to preach and share what God had done in his life. Over the course of four years, John helped plant several churches and lead hundreds of people into relationship with Christ. Eventually, it was not safe for John to stay there either, so he had to come to the United State as a political refugee. But he did not let this move deter his calling to share the gospel with the world. He connected with many other of the refugees here in Austin and started the International Reconciliation Church, which now encompasses over 100 refugee families. Through his ministry, John takes in all new refugee families as they arrive in Austin, and provides for them all basic needs to begin their new lives. He helps them to find jobs and housing and even gets them training to learn English. He has volunteers come and teach them how to do basic things such as driving and shopping, and through donations he provides them with daily needs like food, appliances, and transportation. He also uses this time to share the story of God’s love for each and every one of these people, and the story of his own salvation and how it has changed his life! I got to attend John’s church this weekend and witnessed the baptism of over 30 people who had recently been converted from Hinduism, all of which are refugees from India, Nepal, and Bhutan. It is evident that God is at work in this community and there is much opportunity for His love and truth to be proclaimed!

     We as a church will be working with John to help provide some of these basic needs for families as they first begin their new lives here in Austin. We have spent the last month raising funds and we were able to provide 12 rice cookers to give to these families. We will have the opportunity to continue to help as we will look to provide a large amount of rice, some microwaves and other necessary appliances, and cell phones to aid in their first few months of looking for a job. We will also send out several volunteers to help in driver training and job location. It will be exciting to see how God is going to use us as instruments of His love in the lives of these families who just want to know that someone cares! 

I have been studying a lot through Jeremiah lately and seems that the common theme running through (other than the Isrealites constantly going back and forth between worshiping God or themselves) is the idea of trusting in God’s promise. There are several times throughout the book, and really throughout the whole Bible, where God is telling His people that He will deliver them or that He will reward them……all they have to do is wait. In chapter 25 God straight up tells them through Jeremiah that He will deliver them from the enslavement of the Babylonians, the only catch is that they have to wait for 70 years! Can you imagine what it must have felt like in that moment to be told by God Himself that He wanted you to go through 70 years of suffering and captivity before He would rescue you?!?!?! I think these people really came to learn what trust and patience are all about! There are even instances in the Bible where God promises something to a man, such as Abraham, but the fruits of that promise are not sown until long after that person has died.  What would you say if God spoke to you and asked you to give up your entire life to do something for Him, but that you would never be able to experience the results of your life’s work? 

I started to think about how much this still relates to us today. Maybe God is not promising to make a nation out of us, nor asking us to give up everything we know in search of some crazy purpose He has; but I believe that there are many things both big and small that God is promising us each day of our lives. All He asks is that we trust Him and wait. This is something that has become so hard in practice for western civilization, especially in the United States. From the microwave to on-demand movies, we can pretty much get anything we want when we want it; we truly are a society that lives for the “now”. I think it is safe to say that most of us would have trouble waiting even a week for God to come through on His promises……let alone 70 years!!! This is something that we have struggled through a bit here at The City Community Church. We planted our church in downtown Austin almost 3 years ago knowing and believing in God’s promise and purpose to use this city to greatly further His kingdom! But starting a church in the heart of a fairly Godless city is no easy task, and one that surely does not come with instant results. We have experienced our ups and downs and we have seen God do some amazing things in the lives of the people we have encountered, but it truly is a sobering reality to come to know and trust that God’s purpose for us here might not fully unravel in the foreseeable future. In fact, its possible that the true fruit of what He has brought us here to do might not come until after we have moved on from this world. And the beauty of it all is seen when we can come to a place where we understand and are okay with that possibility. When we realize that it is not about us or what we can accomplish or do in our lifetime, but it is about the great story that God is weaving throughout all of time by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is then that we can live out what He has purposed for our lives and trust in what He has promised. 

It is so easy to get discouraged as we get caught up in what the world tells us we need, and when we need it. But if there is anything I would want all of us to know from this, it is that you are loved by a God who planned out your existence  before the beginning of time, and who has purposed your life for something special. He may ask you to wait for some of the things He has promised you, and He may ask you to go through times of hardship and maybe even suffering before you get there. But it is in all of His infinite wisdom and loving goodness that He has made you to be something special in this story of life! Sometimes when I need to be reminded of this, I like to read Psalm 37. It talks all about waiting for the Lord and trusting in His promises; I hope it brings you the same encouragement it has for me over the years!

Psalm 37:

       [1] Fret not yourself because of evildoers;

be not envious of wrongdoers!

[2] For they will soon fade like the grass

and wither like the green herb.

[3] Trust in the LORD, and do good;

dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

[4] Delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

[5] Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

[6] He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.

[7] Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

[8] Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

[9] For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

[10] In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

[11] But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant peace.

[12] The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

[13] but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

[14] The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to slay those whose way is upright;

[15] their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

[16] Better is the little that the righteous has

than the abundance of many wicked.

[17] For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

[18] The LORD knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will remain forever;

[19] they are not put to shame in evil times;

in the days of famine they have abundance.

[20] But the wicked will perish;

the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

[21] The wicked borrows but does not pay back,

but the righteous is generous and gives;

[22] for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

[23] The steps of a man are established by the LORD,

when he delights in his way;

[24] though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the LORD upholds his hand.

[25] I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or his children begging for bread.

[26] He is ever lending generously,

and his children become a blessing.

[27] Turn away from evil and do good;

so shall you dwell forever.

[28] For the LORD loves justice;

he will not forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

[29] The righteous shall inherit the land

and dwell upon it forever.

[30] The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,

and his tongue speaks justice.

[31] The law of his God is in his heart;

his steps do not slip.

[32] The wicked watches for the righteous

and seeks to put him to death.

[33] The LORD will not abandon him to his power

or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

[34] Wait for the LORD and keep his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

[35] I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,

spreading himself like a green laurel tree.

[36] But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;

though I sought him, he could not be found.

[37] Mark the blameless and behold the upright,

for there is a future for the man of peace.

[38] But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

[39] The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

[40] The LORD helps them and delivers them;

he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.”

It has been exactly one year since I arrived in the beautiful country of Uganda. One year since my eyes were truly opened to the reality that is this world. One year since the beginning of who I now am. I sit here to write this on another sleepless night that is the effect of what I have experienced since that day. In fact, it is quite uncommon for me now to end a day without thoughts, without memories, without tears. I can honestly say that to define my very self would be impossible without the inclusion of what I have lived in this year. I met people who I consider my family, I saw life, I saw death, I made mistakes that I will have to live with for the rest of my life, I learned more than I could possibly ever find in any book or lesson. There is no way that I can move on in life without taking these experiences with me, without keeping the thought of my dear Ugandan friends beside me wherever I go. I cannot eat a meal without thinking they might not have one. I cannot go to sleep in a room knowing that it is the size of their entire home. I cannot worry about my day when I know the chance that they might not make it on to the next one. They are my heart, my joy, my sorrow……they are me. A bishop that I lived with in a small village once told me that he could not tell whether or not I truly cared about helping his people until I actually returned to do so. This world is full of people (myself included) who have good intentions, who say they desire to do good. But good is only accomplished when it is actually sown in action. For me, it is not a question of whether or not I will return, it is only a matter of when.

I spent much of my time in Uganda alongside my dear friend and brother Patrick Ojera. He has spent much of his life escaping the hardships of war and a broken home, though you could never tell from the smile he wears every day. Patrick is working to restore hope and love to a community who has shared in his hardships…..this is his story:

“Some people might wonder what lead me to have such an interest in helping returning LRA (Lord Resistance Army) victims and the children that are born from the bush. To give an idea, let me share a bit of my story.

I was born in a village in Pader, Northern Uganda probably some time in the year 1982. There are no birth records and no one who can confirm when it was (my great-grandmother can only remember the season).  My father was killed by the rebels of 1984, while the present government was rising to power, leaving my mother alone with the responsibility of raising me. She didn’t want that responsibility and went away with another man, leaving me with my great-grandmother. My mother came back in 1996 when she was very sick with HIV/AIDS.  I remained with her for months as she slowly wasted away into death.  This left a lasting impression on me and made me afraid of getting close to women; particularly African women.

 After this, while I was again staying with my great-grandmother, the LRA was attacking many villages in the area, killing people and abducting Youth to help them in their mission.  In 1998, when I was about 15 or 16 years old, the LRA raided my village and captured me, tying my hands behind my back and making me walk, carrying LRA supplies on my head for the long journey with the soldiers and other captives to Sudan.  During my captivity, my captors forced me, like so many others, to do many things that we do not need to relive over and over again, training me to be a ruthless child soldier.

 In April 2004 after 5 and half years with them, I walked away from the LRA, literally, while on night duty one night.  Early on, I had lost the hope of ever seeing my great-grandmother again because I was certain she was dead. Without hope of seeing her, I had accepted the life I was living as the only thing left in the world for me. I had been fighting mostly in Southern Sudan against the rebels there who were supported by the Ugandan army. When I was asked to go on the attacks in Uganda, my conscience started bothering me.  How could I kill my own people?  When it became too much for me to bear and when I learned that I would be granted amnesty for my actions if I turned myself in, I decided to take the chance to get out.

 The UPDF (Uganda People Defence Force) turned me over to World Vision for rehabilitation.  During my 4 months in the program, I saw my need for God, how hopeless I was without God, and experienced God’s love and forgiveness. I came out of the program partially changed, but still seeking love and comfort because I had no one.  My great-grandmother had survived the time I was away and the attacks on our village, but when she heard that I was back, it was too much for her heart and she died before I could even see her again.

I joined a local NGO (Non-governmental Organisation) where I got involved with their ministry programs.  As I spent time helping others, the weight of my past decreased until I felt free again.  I realized that the grace of God could transform man and promised a brighter destiny.  I had decided to give my life to Jesus during rehabilitation and ever since then (upon looking back at what the Lord delivered me from), I have been compelled and moved with a burden for my little young brothers and sisters in Acholi sub region who have been orphaned by rebel insurgency or the HIV/AIDS epidemic, or have been emotionally tortured victims of child abuse.

 In 2006, I was given a vision and a deeper passion for former child soldiers and vulnerable children.  I kept praying and believing God for the outcome, and then followed God’s prompting when He told me to open an organisation that can provide care, rehabilitation, and education for former child soldiers. I have experienced the pain of being a child soldier and living a life without hope, so who better can guide children back into the hope afterwards?

 Recently, I have reached a time of experiencing God’s bountiful blessings.  I met and fell in love with a wonderful German lady who is different from women I knew so far and who doesn’t have HIV and we started a Family together.  My dream of helping others recover from the nightmare of returning from the LRA is coming true.  I seek to bring the hope I discovered to others who, like I did, so desperately need God’s promises and love in order to turn from the demons of their past and face a hopeful future.  You can become part of what God is doing; your help through prayer, visits, and donations will change many lives.  I hope that you will considering joining me in whatever capacity God calls you to.”                  

If you would like to be a part of the work God is doing through Patrick, visit www.thirdhopeuganda.org                                                                        

I’ve forgotten what is real, the misconception is in what I feel

The true nature of what’s inside has been shown forth through Your light

A hopeless dream can turn to lies, a shattered tale of a broken life

Too much time spent earning my way, all to find the way has been paved

The gift of life, of choice, of grace poureth out from the Lamb that was slain

You always stay beside

Though I run and try to hide my guilt, my pain away

The ground grows cold beneath my knees

My words fall faint from trying to breathe

I’ve tread this path too long I fear

But it’s Grace that’s found me here

Now I can see the Light