Just before Christmas, I was invited to go along with Melody (Mel) to teach at a youth conference on the Kakira Sugar Plantation near the town of Jinja, located about an hour and a half drive east of Kampala. Mel is a retired, primary school teacher from the UK and has been a missionary in Uganda for over four years. She shared this past fall with the youth there and was invited back to speak at the conference. We shared over two days with the youth from Ephesians 6:10-20 about our need to daily, put on the whole armor of God so that we might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. We gathered daily in a school assembly hall on the plantation. Approximately fifty to seventy of the youth attended the conference
each day. Mel
indicated that their strength was knowledge and memorization of the Scriptures, but that our challenge would be move them from head knowledge to practical application of the Word of God in every situation, trail, or temptation in which they find themselves or that the enemy may throw at them. Knowing this, we had fun not only teaching, but engaging them in their area of strength, the knowledge of the Scriptures, by asking them lots of open ended questions that required them to think through the meaning of the Scripture and how to apply the Word of God to their specific situations. The students responded with an openness and willingness to answer our challenging questions and to share their doubts and struggles with us. We left the conference encouraged by their desire to learn, apply and grow in their relationship with the Lord. Please pray for wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit to help the youth to bring to remembrance and apply the Word of God to their life, as they are faced with moment by moment choices to trust and follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we made our way through the plantation each day, I was a bit overwhelmed by the magnitude of it. The beautiful green fields of the sugar cane stretch as far as the eye could see in all directions. The plantation covers over 9,500 hectars (36.7 sq miles) and produces over 93,000 tons of sugar per year for consumption in Uganda. It was like a small city once inside the plantation. They employ over 7,500 workers. I was told that there were approximately 40,000 actually living on the plantation including men, women and children. Although Kakira has provided much for the workers, the living and working conditions are still unfavorable for most. Workers are paid very little and working conditions are tough. Local brewing and consumption of alcohol is a major problem, especially since sugar cane is so readily available to use to make alcohol by brewing it in 55 gallon drums.
Pastor Nicholas, who hosted the youth conference, and his wife Maria also run an orphanage and a Christian counseling center on the plantation as part of the church outreach. During my short time getting to know them, their love for the Lord and compassion for helping others was obvious. Please pray for strength, wisdom, provision and protection for them as they continue to serve those in need, both physically and spiritually, on the plantation. Pray, also, as we have been asked to return to spend another day with the youth on the plantation in mid-January.
In Christ,
Luan
