News From Brabara HG3

07/March/2007 03:30 Filed in: Updates from HG students

Dear family and friends,

This last month has been quite different from the past several months. I have experienced a new dimension of
suffering, namely the effects of war on the Acholi people of northern Uganda, which include, starvation, torture, and tremendous loss of life, both physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are millions of people crammed into camps that the government established in the 90’s in an attempt to protect the people and not give the rebels as opportunity to take more children hostage thus increasing their ranks. Small mud huts fill a large area with a few feet in between each dwelling. Many of these huts are filled with orphans trying to fen for themselves. There is no place for the children to play and no land to farm, which is what these people did before the rebels invaded their peaceful villages. World food programs are helping but the needs are huge. The war is at a stand still now with isolated pockets of violence throughout the region and peace talks are underway with little headway.

I was fortunate enough to visit one of these camps and was asked to share a word of encouragement with these precious people. These are groups of people in trauma counseling trying to sort through the devastation and find healing. I stood looking into hollow eyes and started to cry. What do I know about war, about torture and of loss on this scale? Their homes burned, children abducted, loved ones literally slaughtered before their eyes. They were so grateful and appreciative of someone from the U.S. someone white, coming just to share, wipe a tear, hold them and give them hope. And as we all know, that hope is in Jesus
Christ and Him alone. The blood of these innocent ones cries out for justice but there is none, for now.

The next group was one of young people in their early twenties. A young man abducted at 15 years of age in the early morning hours, shared his story. “ It was foggy that morning and I was in the garden digging when the rebels took me. They tried me to a tree and tortured me. Then they told me to kill this woman and if I
didn’t, they would set an example for the rest and kill me.” He looked at the floor with a hauntingly, empty stare. The next group was a bit further along on their road to healing. They knew Jesus and had joy is the midst of their sorrow. Forgiveness had started to settle into their hearts and the pain had started to be replaced with peace.

Another young woman I met was abducted at 14 years old. She watched as they killed her two brothers in cold blood, hacking them into pieces. She was then trained as a soldier in the LRA (Lords Resistance Army) and lied a life of terror for 6 years. She tells me her story. “ I was 20 years old when the government army came in to try and control the situation. There were tanks and bombs and bullets flying all around me. I was running and land mines were blowing people up all around me, the dead were everywhere. Suddenly, and I quote “ God filled my mouth with the Name of Jesus”. (She did not even know who Jesus was. I have always known there is power in the name of Jesus but this is the first story on this scale that I have heard). “So I ran screaming The Name of Jesus and I ran to safety.” She is healed today. Full of life and joy. Who knows how many people she was forced to kill and of the torture and rape she endured? Only God can heal to this degree so quickly and so thoroughly.

A pastor I met told me of the widows and orphans in her church. They are hungry, so you and I bought them 100 kgs (220 lbs) of rice. Thousands are hungry and thousands will be fed in Jesus name. These are just a few of the countless stories.
Needless to say I left northern Uganda changed forever.

Back in the south and back in the children's home somewhat of a safe haven but still the needs are here. I was walking through the village with the pastor who oversees the children's home and she pointed out a small hovel where 5 orphans live. Father is dead and the mother abandon them. The oldest boy is 13 and invited me to their little home. I took a piece of cake I had bought earlier with me. When I arrived it is very dark inside this one room shanty. Rat droppings, dirt and filth were predominating. He said the mosquitoes were real bad so I hung an old net I found in the “home” and did what I could for the moment. They haven’t eaten since yesterday so I gave the boy some schilling (Ugandan currency) and he buys food for dinner, rice and beans
and I give them the cake for dessert. You would have thought I laid a banquet before them. The littlest, three years old, calls me mama and I hold back the tears. The next day I meet a lady and her husband who are working in the north with war victims (I may go with them at a later date). I mention the 5 orphans and she asks if I need clothes. Long story short, I go to her house and find beautiful little dresses for the girls and new panties for them. Slacks and shirts for the boys. And then she gives me toys, a new Barbie doll, flashlight, crayons, pencils, and more. Take a mini bus back to village and walk to their house with this big bag on my head. Real African aye! These kids went ballistic!!!!!!

I don’t think I have ever had so much fun and had such a sense of Gods abundant love and presence than in that little hovel. It was not of this world but an atmosphere of the kingdom, there in the dirt where He loves to show up. The next day while they were at school, I hung another net for the girls. Also went to the market and bought 2kgs each of beans, rice and posho, along with cakes and popcorn and fruit. Put it all in rat proof containers and cleaned up the place. I am so humbled once again that God would allow me to experience such joy in seeing these little ones blessed. They know that Jesus loves them and cares for
them and will meet their needs. The school they attend is part of the children's home so they do not have to pay school fees. But they do not have uniforms so I did buy the oldest boy a uniform and they all got new shoes, because they had none.

Thanks for letting me share a little of my life and what God is doing here in Africa. Also, thank you for your prayers and support.

Abundant Blessings, with Kings love and joy,
-Mama Barbinga