“The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness, his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” (Lam 3:19-24, NLT)After suffering disease, sickness, death, destruction, war, loss, poverty and fear… PEACE is finally coming upon the land and the people in Northern Uganda. The war that has raged for the past 12 years and that had driven people to live in Internally Displaced People camps is now coming to an end. A new day is truly dawning in Northern Uganda. Even though there has been peace in Northern Uganda for the past several years, many have hesitated to return to their land for fear that war would return. As we visited several of the once larger IDP camps, it was encouraging to see that many have returned to their land to begin a new life. Please pray for peace to continue in Northern Uganda. Unfortunately, the various people groups and cultures have been devastated. A generation has grown up in the camps often unable to provide for themselves and dependent upon others to provide for their every need. Help is still needed in the transition and organizations like UAPO desire to fill the gap by helping to holistically equip rural villages such as Pajule, with the facilities and resources to rebuild self-sustaining communities.
I had the privilege of working alongside of a team of volunteer engineers (eMi) and members of the UAPO team to create a master site plan for the land given to them by the community. I was unsure of my role on the team as a mechanical engineer was not really needed. But I found myself busy working daily with UAPO team members listening to their vision that the Lord has given them and translating that into a working project plan of tasks and proposed schedules for the construction as well as the development of the various ministries of the project. The project is broken into three phases. We focused much or our attention on the first phase by “putting the meat on the bones” to addresses the most immediate needs of the community that will provide much needed health care and income generating opportunities for 
women. UAPO already has established women’s crafts in the area through the Akola Project and desires to increase the opportunities to empower women through the existing and new crafts as well as skills training. Empowering women has proven to be one of the most effective ways to improve the family conditions as the income tends to filter directly into improving the health and providing for their children’s needs. You may be wondering, “What about the men?” Pray for the men as many cause problems and fail to contribute to the needs of the families. Many spend much of their time drinking local brew. Living in the camps and depending upon outside handouts to survive has minimized the man’s need, role and integrity to provide for their own families.
Our time was not spent entirely focused on engineering. We traveled several times to the local IDP camps. Several members of the volunteer team brought clothing and shoes for those still living in the camps. Additional trips were made by team members to the camps to provide basic medical first aide to as many as possible with limited supplies. On Sunday morning, we had the privilege of visiting a local church. I have to be honest and say that this is not usually what I look forward too. Most of the churches we have attended in our previous travels in the village have been pretty scary experiences. But this time, visiting the local church was the precious moment of the trip for me. While we mingled and worshiped alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ singing songs of praise to our Lord and Savior, it was as though for a brief moment all the cares of this world faded away and heaven opened its door for us to have sneak peak at what it is going to be like after our Bridegroom comes to take us, His Bride home.“For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Any you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on earth.” (Rev 5:9b-10)
Our trip wrapped up with a safari in Murchinson Falls National Park on the way back to Kampala. This was my first time on a safari. From the rising of the sun to the splendor and diversity of God’s creation that surrounded us in every hill and valley we were reminded of His awesome power, goodness, care and provision. What a fitting way to end our trip.
“From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature.” (Rom 1:20, NLT)
In Christ,
Luan
