Terry Chapman's - Sabbath Journey

Fresh With Purpose: New Crested Crane Coffee Video

New Comers (revised)

They were sisters.

At least they had each other.

But that was all. . .

No parents

No home,

No food,

No tomorrow. . . 

 

Faith, the eldest, 15

held Sharon, the youngest, 13

as they walked through

the dark door of the 

Kampala Police station

afraid, silent 

emptied of tears.

 

Each gazed into the

other's eyes as if 

looking at the last

shard of a mirror

for the image

of the little girl

who still hoped for love.

 

The officer,

hardened by

this all too common

visitation, found

compassion 

yet one more time

and brought the girls in.

 

But now what?

Days passed

as they waited

for some 

impossible chance

that someone would

claim them.

 

When Rhita

got the call 

her response

was immediate

and whole-hearted,

“I’ll pick them up at 10:00

and bring them home.”

 

When I met the 

girls and looked 

into their dark

blank eyes

and gazed at their

numb expressionless

beautiful faces

 

I knew this was

holy ground

out of which

when watered

with the love

of this new family

 

would sprout the

ordinary laughter 

of children

who would once

again know, really know 

they belong, 

 

now and forevermore. Amen.

 

This is how Caleb describes the girl's story:

FAITH    AND    SHARON     STORY

Faith Nakaise 15 years and Sharon Nalugo 13 years are siblings from Bushenyi district. They are both orphans who lost their parents at 5 years and 3 years respectively. After the death of their parents, they were taken care of by their mother’s friend called Jane who was a Rwandese by origin. She helped to pay their school fees and in holidays they would go and visit her in her home in Mbarara. 

During February 2011, they were picked from school by Jane’s sister to go for Jane’s burial. After the funeral, her sister gave us 60,000Ushs (about $30) to come to Bugerere in central Uganda and search for their dead father’s relatives. When they reached there they only found their father’s grave and returned to Kampala. They reached Kampala at night, lost and confused, scared, hungry, and a Good Samaritan who was a motorcyclist took them to Old Kampala police post and recorded their statements and they spent a night at this man’s place that they identified as Saleh. 

They are now staying at Amahoro Children’s home in Matugga with other children. Faith and Sharon would like to join school.  Faith is in Primary Six and Sharon Primary Four.

 

Jinga Village

Today I'm thinking of Paul and Rose in Jinga Village, a small village about 10 miles outside of the larger town ofJinga.  Here's a video we made when I visited there in 2008.  It was a video message we sent back to the kids at FRPC who were at the time having VBS. I still carry that emotion in my heart!  AND WE COMPLAIN ABOUT PAYING MORE TAXES SO PEOPLE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.  My dear friends in Africa help me keep things in perspective! Lord Have Mercy.

News from Kampala

I heard from my dear friend Caleb this morning and wanted to share the joy and challenge with readers of this blog.  Caleb works with the children of the street in Kampala, Uganda.  We are partnering with him in this powerful ministry.  This is an update regarding new children and their education costs.  Therein lies the challenge.  We are looking for folks to step up and provide funds.  The wonderful news of the building of a home that will house around 50 kids is thrilling.  We are so blessed to be a part of this!  Please let me know if you want to help.  Here's Caleb's note:

Dear Terry,

I trust this email finds you well. Below is a list of the new kids we have,.

List of new kids

1. Emudoi Timothy(boy) 3 years old Baby class
2. Zabbali Serina girl- 8 years primary 2
3. Najjita Bridget 4 years nursary school
4. Nankanja Rose 6 years Nursary
5. Namatovu Vanessa 12 years Primary 3
6. Mukarundundo Chantali 13 years Primary 1
7. Nakimera Shadida 8 years primary 4
8. Basemera Margret 12 years primary 5

All these are in primary school- and the fees is $56 per year.

Below is the general school levels and costs.

1. We have primary level(P1-P7) 7 years of elementary school.
The average fees for this level is $56 per year. In one year there are
3 school terms.

2. The we have Ordinary level secondary school- Level (S1-S4) 4 years
of Junior high school. The fees is $267 per year. And there are also 3
terms.

3. Then we have Advanced level Secondary school-A'level( S5-S6) 2
years of Advanced high school. The fees for this level is$420 per
year, 3 terms as well.

All the fees cost are inclusive of School Uniform-
shirt/dress/pant/sweater and Notes books and lunch at school.

After the A'level the students can go to College/Tertiary institutions
and the costs depend on the type of course they choose to study.

We encourage our kids to do a vocational training course normaly after
the Ordinaly level ie S1-S4 mainly because of the background.

The average cost after A'level for a course is about $500 per
semester(normally two semesters in a year.

Note. Most of  the kids we have are still in Primary school.
I hope that this gives you and idea about the school fees costs.
Blessings,

Caleb

The Blues as a Protest Against Poverty, Real, Abject and Existential

As I thought of the Blues as protest I recalled my time with the Batwa in Burundi.  People in this small village on a hillside outside of Bujumbura had very little... very, very little.  Yet they greeted us with this joyful dance.  It may not have been in "5 bars" but, by God, it was the Blues.  I couldn't help but join the dance.  ...And then the children, formally of the streets, now cared for by our friend Caleb and others also move to the music that is for the in-between time...

Amahoro

I wish I was with my friends in South Africa today.  But I can feel the Spirit move there, though 1000s of miles away.  Like time, space is no obstacle for the Spirit.  Claud's opening address for the conference outlined how renewal in Africa has to be rooted in an authentic transformational spirituality.  This spirituality has at least three qualities:

1. recognizes the redemptive nature of suffering

2. ubuntu - the core human connection

3. contemplative posture

Africa has much to teach us (westerners) about transformation.  

Yesterday at our worship committee we debated what is appropriate attire for elders and deacons who serve communion.  Lord have mercy.

Rhita and Caleb welcome Joshua!

Dear Terry,

Rhita and i wanted to share with you our joy that our son Joshua arrived last night! Rhita had a 'cesarean' after struggling for a holy night and a day, she is tired and Joshua too, they are all under good care at Nsambya hospital and should be fine and rested by morning. Thank you all for your prayers and support.I can't hide my excitment! I have a special feeling and i can't tell and i can't wait to chat with him!

Thank you again for your support, and i will send you His pictures soon!

Blessings,

Caleb

The Future that wants to happen in Bujumbara

Last Summer I helped facilitate the Amahoro Institute in Bujumbura, Burundi. Emmanuel Ndikumana was a co-leader and translator.  Emmanuel is a extremely bright, passionate and visionary leader.  His dream is to start a school to train young emerging, transformational leaders in Burundi.  Through a series of truly remarkable events he and his colleagues were able to acquire some prime property in the city.  

Here, right before our eyes, (if they are open) is the future.  What Emmanuel is doing is nurturing the shoots of the future as it breaks through!  Tom Wright says it best - the future or the Kingdom of God, is "like the green grass of God's new creation breaking through the death and decay of our current reality."   I am blessed to share, in a small and distant way, in this dream.  Perhaps you would also like be a part of this.  Here is an email I received from Emmanuel today.  

Dear Terry,

So glad to hear from you! Happy New Year to you too. How is everything there?

I have some good news to tell you. We have finally acquired the land for PTI and in time! God is so faithful! Thank you for your prayers. I am also glad to let you know that it is now already one month that the school has started with 26 very good quality students. They include one Member of Parliament, one police officer, one army officer, 2 journalists, one “young” businessman, 4 women, one university assistant lecturer and many other really good men. They were all recommended by their church or ministry leaders. Some of them got the fire through the Amahoro workshop. It is a dream that is becoming a reality.

The first building (kitchen, dining hall, offices and big meeting rooms) is in progress. We hope that it will be finished by April and we could then start the Kirundi speaking program.

The fellowship is also still growing. We covered the book of Romans just before Christmas and it did us really good. Now people’s eyes are open to the goodness of systematic Bible exposition. In a week time we will started the study of the gospel according to Mark and everyone is really excited. These are the ministry news in nutshell.

The website is not yet finished but I have promises that by next month it should be there.

Our big prayer needs for now are:

·         The provision of a bus for the transportation of the students. Their classes are at night (after work) and there is no bus service in that part of the city. Hiring a bus every day is proving to be very expensive. There is a great deal of solidarity among them but in the long run it will be exhaustive.

·          Books. The content of our program is very exciting. Our teaching approach/methodology is innovative compared to the “Belgian” system used in our public university. However, we will be successful if only we can get the appropriate books. We have made a list of the critical one we need urgently and are looking into various ways of getting them.

·         Running costs. It is a great relief to know that we won’t have to paid anymore rent. Our faculty is also contributing on a voluntary basis (sacrificially). We need however to hire a minimum staff to run the school at a daily basis. We need also a minimum of office supplies (photocopier, papers, internet connection etc.) and other materials.

·         (not least) Energy, wisdom, anointing and above all REST!

Thank you for standing with us.

Emmanuel Ndikumana

Caleb

It was good to reconnect with Caleb yesterday.  Caleb lives in Kampala Uganda with Rhita, his soon-to-give-birth spouse and Miremba his "adopted" daughter.  He is well as is Rhita.  They will name their new son Joshua and I hope he is "strong and courageous" as was Joshua in the Bible.  Caleb told of the Christmas meal that FRPC sponsored.  Around 50 children from the homes gathered on the shore of Lake Victory for the celebration.  The children played games and feasted on the rare meal that included meat! He also arranged for Paul and Rose and their 26 children to have a Christmas feast.

Next week he'll head out to Jinga Village to help Paul finish the purchase of farming tools and supplies for the water retention system at their home.

I value Caleb's friendship and wish I could see him more often.  I'm not planing a trip to Africa this year but hopefully in 2010.  It is good to connect via phone (Vontage) on a regular basis.  Pictured is Caleb with our friend Julune Tegerstrand, together at the Amahoro 07 event in Kampala.