When I first came to Uganda in January 2002, I heard that there were “rebels” in Northern Uganda. This did not mean very much to me personally at that time. The “rebels” were not a part of my life in Soroti; I didn’t know who they were or what they were doing. Then in March 2003, I read an article in a Uganda newspaper about these infamous “rebels.” Suddenly, a name and “face” came intruding into my life.

The “rebels” are the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels, headed by a cruel demon-possessed man named Joseph Kony. For the last 18 years, they have opposed the Ugandan government of President Museveni, but I was shocked to find out that their primary victims are children. They raid and burn villages, kill and maim civilians. I recently saw the picture of a woman whose lips and ears had been cut off by the rebels. This is a “signature” terrorist act for which they are well known. These rebel terrorists steal children from their homes and attack boarding schools to abduct children to serve as their soldiers, sex slaves and laborers. They “traffic” in children, selling them to support their terrorist activities. The Sudanese government has protected these rebels so that they can raid Uganda and then retreat to their headquarters in Sudan. Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 20,000 children have been taken captive. Sudanese mercenaries make up a part of their forces, but the children make up about 85 percent of the forces. Because God has called me to train and teach others to work with children, my heart was pierced when I read this article. I quoted from the article in my prayer letter for April 2003: “The rebels are subjecting the abducted children to brutal treatment as soldiers, laborers and sex slaves. The abducted children are often beaten, forced to carry out raids, kill civilians and abduct other children. The new abductions are a striking increase from 2001 when fewer than 100 children were abducted. More children have been taken in the last 10 months than in any previous year of the conflict.”

I requested prayer from my churches that God would stop this man and rescue the abducted children. Even as I wrote the request, I was thinking this man must be stopped, but if they were rescued, who could help and comfort children who had been subjected to such brutal treatment? Certainly, children like that would be so “messed up,” and who could possibly help them? “Oh, ye of little faith!” I had no idea what God would do.

My thoughts concerning the rebels were distracted when I was robbed later in April. Six armed robbers broke into my compound the Saturday before Easter and took my truck and computer, along with other items. God is so good. I was not physically harmed and all six robbers were arrested. I was already scheduled to go back to the States for the month of May for the graduation of two of my sons. While I was in the States, I received word that my truck had been returned and what joy-Pastor Marvin Wright, one of my missionary colleagues, was able to lead five of the young men to the Lord!

When I returned to Soroti in June 2003, there was a new experience awaiting our BIMI missionaries. I work with several missionary families in Uganda. At that time Bryan and Cheri Stensaas and Marvin and Jewel Wright and I were all in Soroti. Dr. Kyle and Debbie Guimon were in the States on furlough, scheduled to return in September with a new missionary couple, Jeremy and Mandy Pittman. As I arrived in Soroti, I found a very troubled state of mind among all the Africans. “The rebels are coming to Soroti” echoed everywhere I went. People told me that Kony had sent a letter to announce his intentions to come to Soroti Town by Sunday, June 22.

In Soroti there is a “Flight School” with a runway located right across the road from my compound. There are usually some soldiers there, but not very many. Three of the thieves that robbed me were soldiers from the Flight School. Kony, the “demon-possessed” rebel leader, wanted the airfield. Because of the rumors, the government sent some additional troops. Everyone in our church was tense. The “Christian Family” class had to be released early Sunday evening because even as we were meeting, people were starting to receive messages that rebels had attacked their villages. Joshua, a boy who has lived in my compound with his older brother ever since I came to Uganda, was visiting his village over the weekend when we received word that his village was being attacked. We all prayed for Joshua. He is just the age Kony likes to steal, and we didn’t know where Joshua was. The rebels were no longer a problem somewhere “up north.” I was beginning to personally share the emotional pain caused by the rebels since my heart, my hopes and my home were being attacked.

Monday brought more bad news of rebel attacks. Then, that night at about 1:15 am, I heard the Kony rebels were attacking Soroti Town in areas right around the Flight School. I looked out my bedroom window and over my wall; I could see the light in the sky as gunfire was being exchanged between the rebels and the government troops. The Stensaas, Wrights and I were all waiting to see what would happen. At 1:30 am a call to Jeff Demarest, a missionary in Kampala, started a prayer chain that reached to the States. People were earnestly praying. After about an hour, God caused it to rain. It only rained for about ten minutes, but that was long enough. We did not hear any more gunfire that night. To our relief, someone brought Joshua back Tuesday morning, but rumors were that the rebels were coming back. The stores in Soroti boarded up, and people started evacuating. After a Tuesday morning meeting to discuss the situation, we all decided to evacuate to Mbale. By 2:30 pm, the nationals that live in my compound and I were on our way to Mbale in a caravan with the other missionaries.

We returned in about nine days, but during the next few months, we had to evacuate and return on several occasions. The Guimons returned with first time missionary Jeremy Pittman and his wife, Mandy. What an unusual experience for new missionaries. They had only been here a couple of weeks in September when we evacuated again. What a different Soroti the Guimons found. Soroti was full of refugees. Our church property would eventually become a refuge to over 1500 people. Our ministry changed completely during this time as God helped and comforted these people. Then miracle of miracles, God started rescuing the children. So many abducted children were rescued that a children’s refugee camp was organized to hold these children as efforts were made to reunite them with relatives. Dr. Guimon and Jeremy Pittman met with government officials requesting that they give us the opportunity to minister to these children spiritually and physically. Kony steals children; God rescues children. But God did more than physically rescue the children from Kony; God spiritually rescued these children from the devil. Who could help and comfort children who had been subjected to such brutal treatment? Only God. We found very hungry hearts in these rescued children. The good news-God has a heavenly family for everyone. Every Sunday, we fill up a truck with these children from the camp. Many have been born into God’s family. They have memorized scripture and learned to use their Bibles. Some supporting churches have sent in extra funds just to help with this special ministry. God loves these children so much! He has provided funds and personnel to share His love. What a privilege I have had to give the wonderful message of God’s family to the abducted children. God provided Opudo Dennis, a talented young national, to work with me in this specific ministry. God also brought Linda Green, a young woman from the States, to comfort the rescued girls who were sexually abused. She has come to stay for several months and will be counseling and working with the orphans. Children are still being rescued. There should be around 30 new children who will arrive in the next few days. Some children are destitute. There are some that have no relatives to help them. Kyle and Debbie Guimon have five orphans living with them. The rebels killed the parents and stole the oldest child, leaving these little ones behind. There are two other children, Sarah, 6, and Peter, 2, in the camp and no one can locate any of their relatives. We have managed to rent a home and will be trying to help more children as God provides funds and personnel. Because of being displaced by the rebels, the people were not able to plant any food. After the rebel activity quieted down some, people tried to plant again, but there was a drought. People are very hungry. Some are eating leaves.

Let me end with a story from one of the children. It was told to Dennis in Ateso, and he translated it into English:

“My name is Otim Ivan from Tubur village, Soroti district. Kony rebels displaced people from my village in January 2004. We lived in camps. Life in camps is very hard. I had stayed without food for two days. My brother, a relative and I decided to go for food in the village. Unfortunately, ten rebels had laid an ambush on the roadside. They got hold of us and asked if the soldiers are in the camp. We told them yes, and they said they wanted to attack the camp from the opposite direction, and that we should direct them. Unfortunately, our family members were right in that very side. So we moved for some distance and were now near to the place, and I decided to take off. One of the rebels then shot me with the aim of killing me, but God protected me, and he shot my left arm. The gunshot alerted the soldiers. They had a serious battle for over six hours. Many houses were burnt, and the rebels were expelled by the army. My brother and very many people from the camp were taken by the rebels. God protected me and healed me; thanks be unto Him. Pray for me and my teacher, Dennis, and Phyllis Hall for being a blessing to the children in Uganda and those in the abducted children’s camp. God bless you all.”

Left to Right: The Kyle Guimon Family, The Jeremy Pittman Family, Phyllis Hall, The Marvin Wright Family

Saturday, February 4, 2012

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Richard & Elizabeth Conrad -  JAPAN
David & Marilyn Cook -  USA
Douglas & Michelle Cook Jr -  MILITARY - GERMANY