Psalm 10:17-18
O
Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart;
you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so
that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. (ESV)
Psalm 72:12-14
For
he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has
pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From
oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in
his sight. (ESV)
Isaiah 53:7
He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb
that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is
silent, so he opened not his mouth. (ESV)
Micah 6:8
He
has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to
do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (ESV)
James 1:27
Religion
that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans
and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
(ESV)
As we prepare ourselves to go to
Uganda, it is important that we know and understand our mission field so that
(a) we can pray for those to whom we are going to minister and (b) we can be
prepared ourselves for meeting them when we get there.
For over 20 years, the northern region
of Uganda suffered under one of the worst civil wars Africa has ever known
between the Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) and the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA). Both sides have been known to
have committed unspeakable atrocities against the native people of Uganda in
the name of war. The number of Ugandans
who have been killed cannot be counted.
It is estimated that over 10,000 children have gone missing - many of
them used as child-soldiers by (allegedly) both armies. Human rights violations ran unchecked for
the duration of the war resulting ultimately in the destruction of the Ugandan
social and economic infrastructure. The
UPDF ultimately drove the LRA out of Uganda in 2008 and the region has
experienced relative peace and stability since.
As a result of the war, Uganda is one of the poorest countries in the
world. Hundreds of thousands of people
in Northern Uganda fled south, with Lira being one of the logical places of
refuge for many. Because of the atrocities,
there are over 2 million orphans in Uganda. For this reason, Uganda is a major
hub for numerous missions efforts and a common destination for short term
mission trips like our own. There are
many ministries that call Uganda their home, including African Children's
Mission - the ministry that runs the ranch/orphanage we will be visiting on
Sunday and Monday.
Likewise, it is out of this horror that
Pastor Anthony Ogwang's ministry was birthed. In the aftermath of civil war,
Pastor Anthony found himself ministering to hundreds of refugees. Through his work, Pastor Anthony was able to
start 37 churches. Many of the villages
and churches have adopted the orphans but the aftermath of the Ugandan civil
war will have an effect on the people and the economic order of Uganda for
decades to come.
Jesus identifies with these people. Jesus was oppressed, crushed, displaced, and
killed without cause by ruthless men.
God's heart is with the downtrodden and the oppressed and so God's heart
is with the oppressed of Uganda. God has
called us to remember and minister to the oppressed and the orphans. We will hopefully be enriching the lives of
pastors by providing them battery powered lighting for their homes. However, we will also have the opportunity to
love and encourage each and every person we meet. We have an opportunity to be Jesus to them
for just a few days.
In your quiet time today, pray for the
people of Uganda. Pray for those who are
still suffering from the effects of the Ugandan civil war. Pray for the orphans who have lost their
parents. Pray for the villages, churches,
and ministries that are taking care of those orphans. Pray for African Children's Mission and the
ranch it runs in central Uganda. Pray
for Pastor Anthony Ogwang and for the 35 churches he started. Pray that God will soften your heart to the
plight of these people and that you will be able to be an agent of mercy while
you are there.
Father, I thank you for Pastor Ogwang
and for African Children’s Mission. I
pray for the work that they are doing as well as for the many other Christian
ministries in Uganda. Bring your comfort
to these people as they strive to overcome their past.
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