New Testament Church of Massena

I apologize that there are not any pictures in this post. I have tried for two hours to get several to load and they just won't go...so sorry, because they are sooo good. Maybe tomorrow.

What a day at one of the last IDP camps in Northern Uganda! We walked among the huts where 7000 people at one point lived at the height of the war. Now the government is forcing them to return to their villages after living in these camps, some for over 10 years. They are totally resisting returning because there is nothing to go back to. Many of their huts/homes were burned, schools destroyed and bore holes for water broken so they can't be used. Some of the people told us today that they will not return no matter what the gov't does, because to return means to die, or in the least have no education for their children, no water and no food because all their gardens have been let go. Anyway, we walked throughout the village inviting them to the Jesus Video, with one of the Pastors of the Camp. (Most of the women from the village were out in the fields working in their gardens.) What began with only a few people quickly swelled into a couple of hundred. I stopped counting when the count surpassed 100, and by the time it was done the place was packed and some were outside listening. The equipment NTC sent, the portable generator, video projector, region free DVD player, professional screen, etc., worked
well and the image was just like being at the movies. Many had never seen a TV, let alone a movie showing, so they were kind of amazed and intrigued. The little
children, well over a hundred of them, sat still for over two hours as they watched and learned about Jesus. Following the film I gave a simple invitation to respond to the love they had just watched, and nearly everyone responded and prayed to receive Jesus and become a Christ follower. Right after that we asked if anyone had any pain or needed healing for any reason, and my gosh, so many came forward for healing....it was so humbling. Because there are no options for medical care, if they do not receive a supernatural touch, they just endure. The whole team prayed, and Mike tried to translate as fast as he could to keep up with all the people that needed prayer. One lady came to the meeting that had come to the last outreach at that IDP camp who had been bitten by
a very poisonous snake three times. The village folks, according to the pastor
and others in the community fully expected her to die, or in the least be paralyzed. The team had prayed just following the bites, and it wasn't until this time that we were able to see the result of her faith and their prayer. She
walked into the meeting and her legs looked completely normal (previously they were so swollen that she hadn't walked unaided for three weeks), which according to the community was a complete miracle, because others bitten by that particular snake do not make it. She looked great and was sooooo happy.
One interesting thing that happened right before the movie...as I was walking back to the little hut church building a Mama ran up to me with a baby in her arms and grabbed my water bottle in desperation and poured on the baby's head. I looked at the baby and it was having a seizure due to Malaria, and was burning up with a
fever. We stood there in the blistering sun, nowhere else to go, and
poured more water over the baby and prayed...the seizure stopped and
she continued to walk to a hut where they have pain killers, but
nothing to help the baby's condition. I was amazed to see her back in
church following the film asking for prayer for her baby. Without a
miracle the baby will not make it...and though the baby seemed better, we will follow up with the Mama through the village pastor. Her other little boy who was with her, he looked about three, also had Malaria and needs intervention or he will not survive.
As we meet people and hear their stories, it is simply story after story…we weep with them and pray with them and try to help them practically anyway we can.
There is sooooooo much more that could be said, but it will just have to wait.
One great blessing that I forgot to mention until it was noted in the blog comments, is that our LIFESAVER bottles are ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! We use them everyday. The water supply is so low right now that we have either use bore hole water or fill the jerry cans whenever there is water and then we use our Lifesaver bottles to prepare all our drinking water for the day. You cannot imagine how amazing it is to be able to make pure water any where you go. We will be leaving the four Lifesaver bottles with the Children's Home when we leave and they are soooo happy.

Every time I speak, I always let the people know that there is a great church in Northern New York that has sent us to not only speak but to come along side Children Of Hope and be a blessing to the city of Gulu in any way the Lord leads. The van that you purchased is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! I don't think you can imagine the blessing it is for the home, the staff and the children.
Gotta head to bed, but first try and upload some pictures from today.
Love and Miss You All,
Pete & Dorie and PO