During our time in Gulu we had the great privilege of touring two organizations that are making a powerful difference in the lives of the children in northern Uganda – “Invisible Children” and “HEALS.” We were all very interested in visiting the Invisible Children office because it was how each of us had first learned in depth about the war in northern Uganda. It was amazing to see first hand the programs they are involved with that are making a difference in the lives of the children. We visited Invisible Children first thing in the morning. The beginning of a long day of Jesus breaking my heart! It was amazing to hear all that they are doing to not only raise 
awareness in America, but also on the ground working among the people of Uganda. Many of you are familiar with the movie Invisible Children and even probably the bracelet campaign. The bracelet campaign is where they provide about 140 Acholi with jobs making bracelets, so that they can have income for their families. The bracelets are then sold in the US with short films telling different stories of children affected by the war. (In the picture the boy with the Invisible Children t-shirt on is Emmy. You can learn more about his story from the bracelet video intitled Emmy.) Also in just 2 years, “Invisible Children” have started an education program, where they are sponsoring about 550 children to go to school. They also give each child a mentor, all of which have experienced the war themselves and all of which are Christian, so the children have someone to open up to, to be held accountable to, to be challenged by, to be influenced by, and to be loved by. I cannot say enough great things about what they are doing for the children of northern Uganda! (For more information visit http://www.invisiblechildren.com/) Many of you probably are wondering why they are called Invisible. Here is a quote from the movie;“Invisible because they roam distant battlefields, away from public scrutiny. Invisible because no records are kept of their numbers or age. Invisible because their own armies deny they exist.” ~ “Invisible Children Rough Cut Video”
Then at the end of an already emotional day we found ourselves sitting in on a play therapy session lead by the organization “HEALS” (Health, Education, Art, Literacy, and Sports).
“HEALS” is an organization started by a Ugandan woman named Jolly (who is also the Country Coordinator for “Invisible Children”) who is passionate about helping her people prosper despite the war around them. HEALS is devoted to helping children heal the scars and emotional wounds caused by the war in Northern Uganda. This healing takes place by teaching them life skills as well as giving them opportunities to have fun together, also called play therapy. Some of the classes that are offered are photography, sports, dancing (both hip hop and traditional), literacy, music, etc. We happened to attend on Wednesday which is the day they practice traditional dances. It was amazing to see the demeanor of the children change when they started dancing. Their faces were full of joy and laughter! It was as if for a few moments they were just children -not former child soldiers, not orphans, not the rape victim, but just children. Please continue to pray for Jolly and the volunteers at both “HEALS” and “Invisible Children” as they counsel and work with these children everyday. Also, please continue to pray for us as WGM Uganda to b sensitive to God’s leading and the prospects of in the future maybe having training centers in Gulu.The following excerpt is from a journal I wrote about my time watching a play therapy session at HEALS.
I sit and look around and my heart cannot take it all in. All these kids – looking much like the kids back home – yet they come from two different worlds. I try to imagine what all these precious boys and girls have been through, what all they have done, what’s been done to them – but I cannot. I think of James (my little brother) who is about the same age as these boys – it hits a little to close to home. My whole body quivers as I try to think about their lives. The images of their life that flash through my mind are too much. I know everyone in this room has been affected by the war – some were child soldiers forced to kill, others still are orphans left all alone by the LRA, some of whom had witnessed the death of close friends and families, seen their villages burned to the ground, and then I come to the girls…abducted, forced to be wives at young ages and raped countless times. I want to cry, I want to leave, but I want stay.
As I look around the room at their faces and think of their stories I feel so helpless! In fact ever since arriving in Gulu I have felt helpless. What could I possibly give to make things better? Everything in me wants to “fix” the situation – it’s just not that easy. To be honest in my heart it seems so trite just to say we “just need to give them Jesus.” (I am sorry that was just a real honest moment of how I felt) These people are dying from lack of food, dying from lack of medical care, and living with hurts so deep I do not even begin to know where to start to help, but then if we just tell them about Jesus it will all be okay. My heart was wrestling with this issue as I sat in the midst of all these children listening to the teacher talk with them in a counseling session about how they need to take pride in who they are as Acholi people and as Ugandans. As a prayed in that room I felt as if Jesus was saying, “Jeannie just rest and take pride in who you are in me – you are My Child.” It was at that moment I got it – truly the only thing to offer is Christ! It was not about who I am as Jeannie being able to help these people because alone as Jeannie I have nothing to give. The only thing (and the best thing) I have to offer is Christ living and working through me. He reminded me how He is a Father to the fatherless, Help for the helpless, and Hope for the hopeless.
Truly these people do need so much physically and even as I type this people are dying today from lack of physical needs, but without Christ they are lost forever! That fact stirs up everything in me! To have seen how much these people are suffering here on earth and then to think that their eternity would be suffering too – a life and death without Christ is more horrible to think about then all that they have been through here on earth. What He is asking me, what He is asking you, a generation of believers, is will we be willing to live out our lives in such a way that we are completely surrendered to His will and His purposes. So that through our surrendered lives His Love can be seen in our actions and heard in our words to touch the lost and hurting people of the world. So that it will be His Love seen through our giving them food, His Love felt as we hug them, His Love seen through our smiles, His Love heard through our prayers… Although my heart continues to break everyday for the Acholi people and the people of northern Uganda I can trust in the fact that He will bring about His purposes, deliverance, and salvation for the Acholi people and for the people groups around the world who have never heard of Him.
