Another week...

Kind of crazy how fast time is going and how slowly at the same time. I'm starting to get used to the sights, smells, and rhythm of life here. The people continue to amaze me, as to how they endure so many trials and struggles, most of which we will never ever have to deal with. The past week we have continued to travel and teach at different churches, secondary, and primary schools. The topics we cover are The Story of God (Creation, fall, redemption, consummation), Living with Purpose, Growing into Christian Maturity, Leadership, and Boy-Girl Relationships. Sean also has a sermon about the Gospel, and we talk about the story of Joseph and temptation with the kids. Depending on the place and time slot we decide what to teach.

The biggest thing that I've been learning the past week is how many layers there are to the issue of poverty. The poverty here in Uganda is crushing. They are 100 years behind in various aspects of their lifestyle. We are sending money and aid to this area continually, but the issue is still not resolved, so....what's the real problem? There are so many economic infrastructures, social constructs, and personal psychological and emotional issues that contribute to poverty. It's totally overwhelming.

At Robu parish this past Tuesday I had the opportunity to pray with a group of women who shared with Kari and I about their lives at home. A few wanted prayer for their children, who have started to drink, do drugs, or are involved in spirit worship. Others wanted prayer for their husbands who were drunks, and they were trying to raise children on their own. Often the husbands have their own crops and don't share the profit or food with their families so the wives have to steal from their husbands and consequently the husbands don't trust their wives. The treatment of women here is decades behind women in the US. But the most amazing thing was that these women all asked for prayer that they would not become angry at their children or husbands, that they would be faithful to God in giving their burdens to him.

This is just one example of the hundreds of things I've seen the past week. So what should we do? Now that I've seen it, I hope I won't be able to live the same way ever again, but what would the Lord have Shawn and I do? And am I even being relevant with what I'm doing here? Questions that need time and prayer...