Uganda (MNN) — Uganda's
government may force internally displaced people (IDPs) to return to their
villages. Many thousands took refuge in
the camps in light of a bitter civil war.
The Every Child Ministries team
hopes to plant a seed of hope and healing in their hearts of the IDPs. Every Child Ministries' Lorella Rouster says, "The government is encouraging them to
leave because there's relative peace in the area. But there's not much to go
back to, and some of them are leaving. There's progress in that direction, but the process is very
slow."
Last year, Rouster worked with a team to put on a Christmas
festival at the Tegotatoo camp, which is home to some 20,000 refugees. The work there has been increasing since ECM "adopted"
the camp. They're working in partnership with Pastor Chris Couris of the
Gulu Community Bible Church, who planted a church there.
ECM is launching a vision trip
for a team of American volunteers at Christmas. The trip will center on bringing the Gospel to the people from December
27 to January 4.
Why? Rouster explains, "I just felt so impressed that we're to
bring people back at Christmas and let them share the love and the hope of the
Christmas story of God sending His Son to earth with these children, and at the
same time actually see firsthand the conditions and participate in doing
something to help alleviate them."
It is an opportunity to visibly
demonstrate the love of Jesus to children whose lives have been devastated
because of the war that just ended there after raging for 18 years. Many of these children lost their
parents.
Among the things Rouster hopes to
see is a team member who feels led to select one of the neediest kids to
sponsor. Those who get sponsored will
attend school, get supplemental nutrition and medical care, plus
additional Bible teaching on Saturdays in partnership with Gulu Community
Bible Church.
Please pray for this continuing
outreach and for the church as it ministers regularly to the families of
Tegotatoo. Applications are due October
15. Click here for details.
