God Creates the Best Stories

Continuing the highlights of the VOH team to Uganda, there were so many stories that formed around our activities at Otino Waa and local communities. God loves to create these situations to prove His power, His love and to increase our faith. These are unforgettable and a constant reminder of His desires for all of us.

Rescued Babies (during our time with Journey International – Russ & Rhonda Rhoden)

                     Baby Kenneth (actually 3 yr old) was found malnourished and being cared for by an ailing grandfather. Taken to the hospital, Russ & Rhonda intervened with proper food and covered the costs of the hospital stay. Our team was introduced to Kenneth and helped provide additional funds for his care. God created Kenneth with a purpose which can now continue.

            Baby Melda was discovered abandoned in a ditch. A local woman brought the child to her own village but was driven away by the locals who did not want a cursed child anywhere near them. A trip to the hospital (a considerable distance) led to the intervention of Russ and Rhonda. Our team met Melda and helped provide the nutritional basics and medical care to transform this little life into a hopeful one.

          Baby Gabriel cries were heard in the depths of a village latrine. The villagers removed the concrete cover of the pit and rescued the newborn (umbilical cord still attached). They quickly cleaned him as best they could. A local couple brought Gabriel to the hospital, but had no funds for his care. We were introduced to him during one of our visits to the baby ward and added funds to Russ and Rhonda’s to bring him to health and assist the couple who were determined to take Kenneth into their own family. Only God could bring about a dozen people together for a rescue. We will never forget Gabriel. There must be great things yet to be seen in his life.

 Bibles for Mud Huts

            Before leaving the US, we made contact with generous donors who provided 100 audio bibles for us to pass on to various Ugandan pastors. If you live in the deepest poverty, no electricity, and can’t read – no problem. The LifeLight is a powerful lantern/flashlight, AM/FM radio, quality speaker, solar charged, and the whole bible in the local language. What an amazing addition to a home group or bible study. Many thanks to Don Lang, Kent, Susan & Kizer Couch, and Lonna Carnahan, allowing us to witness the wild enthusiasm for God’s Word.  

House Mom Deliverance

            Sandy led a bible study for the house mom’s at Otino Waa. Each of those sessions included prayer time. The prayer requests were always met with intensity from the moms and joy in answered prayers. One mom (name withheld) came to Sandy privately asking for intervention. It seems a witchdoctor aunt had placed a curse on the mom many years earlier. There had been countless sleepless nights and tormenting voices in her head. The mom asked for prayer for deliverance and Sandy, with two other team members, prayed with her on two occasions. There was definite spiritual warfare in play with voices of defiance coming from the spirit within the mom. Finally, after hours of prayer, scripture, and very specific steps, the mom was set free. She experienced restful sleep for the first time in 20 years. Praise God for including this miracle with us!  

Unplanned Medical Intervention

            The team requested to see a local water project installed by PATH International (Otino Waa).  The original source of water for this little village was over a mile away. Multiple visits to a spring also included the unclean water it produced. We were greeted with great enthusiasm and thankfulness for the clean water, but also were made aware of the sickness that overwhelmed the families. Everyone had medical issues. The closest clinic was hours away. Our team quickly determined some of our discretionary funds could provide help. In less than a month two medical outreaches served over 100 locals and provided hope that had been lost. Only God knows the number of lives saved. It was a blessing to include us in the outcome. Maybe it is a good time to count our own blessings for health care.

How to Measure Success for Orphans

            Sandy and I were in constant amazement of how so many Otino Waa graduates (over a dozen) searched us out to bring a greeting or personal updates of their lives. Only God could provide an avenue of hope in the midst of violence and loss in 2003. From that original group of 78 rescued orphans, hundreds have graduated out of Otino Waa and to become leaders in their communities. The list includes lawyers, medical specialists, business owners, teachers, pastors, mechanics, authors, university degrees and those who understand the importance of taking in orphans into their own homes. What a creative plan, God!

Breaking Boundaries

            What to do when you don’t know the local language (Luo) but want to convey a song in a memorable way?  Sign language works perfectly. Sharon, a team member, taught the Otino Waa choir how to sign and sing two worship songs, then performed in church. Now picture the audience trying to copy the hand movements. Priceless. What a joy! Not until that AM had they tried to worship in such a way. It was an unforgettable, emotional point in time.

Trading Feet for Wheels

            Sharon, a team member, had been sponsoring one of the Otino Waa students. In this case Oliver (girl) was community based, coming to Otino Waa schools each day on foot. Being about two miles away, this was no easy task, especially considering the physical handicaps she endured. Within hours of meeting Oliver for the first time, Sharon determined something had to be done to remedy this. With the assistance of staff, a bike was purchased and presented to Oliver. She was speechless and trying hard to process what had just happened.

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God loves introductions, hopeful stories, and successes that only He can provide. He allowed us into those stories and now it goes even farther as you are included in these wonderful times.

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We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God.

It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness. 

2 Peter 1:3