Thanksgiving Celebration in Karamoja

24^th November 2012

As an Australian, I didn't grow up celebrating Thanksgiving as a holiday. After experiencing it with 27 American friends, here in Karamoja though, I am a fan of it! Historically, I am told, the day came about when the Pilgrims (those who fled England because they were being persecuted for their faith) came to America for the first time (If you want to know the year, google it). Many of them did not survive their first year, but the Indians/Native Americans taught them how to cultivate the land for corn, pumpkin and other crops. Those who survived, celebrated by having a meal together with the Native Americans. Thanksgiving was born as they shared all the things they were thankful to God for.

Today, of course ,the old tradition means different things to different people but I love the idea of a day dedicated to praising God for all He does. Plus there is great food involved!

Summer and I had bought a pig for the festivities which was quite an ordeal. We put him (Boris) in the back of our 4wd and travelled the 45 minutes home. When we got back we were preparing his 'sleeping quarters' and he jumped out the window of the truck, and galloped through the thorn fence to our neighbours. As he was escaping one of our cats Mojo, who may have been feeling a bit threatened by this new member, leapt on his back screeching with her claws dug into him. He was squealing, she was growling, needless to say it was truly horrid. We ran over to our neighbours, caught Borisand brought him back, realising that out here, something that we'd tried to keep a bit on the “down-low” (that we had a pig) could never have been kept a secret. Small towns hey...

So we had spent all week debating how to 'do away with him' for the party. We finally decided to fob the responsibility off in the name of animal rights and opted for a bullet in the head. Quick, easy and finished, we thought. Well, all we had to do then, was find a gun.
Early Saturday morning Summer and I walked over to the army barracks to sweet talk our way into getting someone to help us. What we got in reply to "We were wondering if you could please come and shoot our pig for us?" was laughter and a "No". There was a 'but' however, which was that they sent with us 3 men who, we were assured, were "expert pig killers", don't ask me how someone gets that title, but there you go.

Jennifer and me preparing Boris

So, in the end we had a whole pigs worth of meat and I got a good revision session in on my swine anatomy too! There were also other strange and wonderful foods brought by our American guests; sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top, green beans smothered in creamy sweetcorn soup, pumpkin pie, deep fried onion rings, and more.



I am thankful for the year I have had here in Karamoja, for the friends I've made and the lessons God has taught me. How great is it that God can bring people from all corners of the world together for his work, redeeming the world back to Himself. I am thankful, so thankful, for John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."



I am thankful that God looked at the world, his creation that rejected him, and was not content to leave us dead in our sins, estranged from him. I am thankful for the gift of life through the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ.A holiday of being grateful :)

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Some of our visitors for Thanksgiving

Update Melissa

John Chapter 3

Tuesday 20th November 

Today we had our last village bible studies with 2 villages they call Okutoot and Napana. Okutoot have had a relationship with KACHEP for about 2 years now but with Napana we have only just started visiting and getting to know them since the beginning of October this year. One of their biggest struggles is the distance they are from a church. They are about 20 km give or take from the closest two towns which is quite a long way to walk every Sunday! So one day when they saw us driving from Okutoot and asked us what we were doing, they asked us if we could come lead a Bible study in their village so they could have church every week too. At the beginning of our time with them, we found that there was only three strong Christians in Napana, but the majority of the people had no idea what Jesus was all about, especially the men. After the first couple of weeks as we told Bible stories, the men sadly stopped coming. A large group of women, teenagers and children kept coming however.

We took them through what is called chronological Bible storying, telling Bible stories from Creation and the Fall in Genesis, to the birth of Jesus and the gospel message of life through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection. This spans most of the Bible, leaving them with a good understanding of what Christians believe and the Good news that we are not, nor were we ever, alone here. 

So this week, our last week, I told the story of a man called Nicodemus and his interaction with Jesus, back around 30 AD, found in John Chapter 3. By God's grace, after the story and some discussion about the story and talking through what being a Christian means, 20 plus people gave their lives to Christ today. I was so grateful for Joshua, our translator and his heart for evangelism and wanting his people to understand the truth of Jesus. He translated, but interactively, making sure everyone understood what we were saying to them.

In this story it talks of 'the Kingdom of God' which is another way of saying Heaven, the place where we will be with God and where there is only his love. All sorrow and pain are wiped away. According to the Son of God, there is only one way to enter this kingdom, to be 'born again', through believing in Him and what He has done for the whole world on the cross. To Nicodemus, this was as confusing as it is to the next person when they hear such a concept for the first time. "How can we be born again? Can we jump back into our Mother's womb?" Nicodemus asks. Jesus means that to be his followers, there has to be a life change, we cannot keep living the way we are naturally inclined to and we cannot worship the things we did before. It has to be like we are literally starting over, hence the 'born again'. Anyone can say they will follow Jesus yet continue to live their life as if they don't. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says, "If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new." We are to turn our back on things like selfishness, greed & anger, and strive for those of love, kindness, generosity, etc. For the human race, you and I, this is easier said than done, and it takes a daily commitment and re-commitment as we live our lives, born again as new creations.

Mercy triumphs over judgement = "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He (Jesus Christ) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his Word is not in us. I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only ours but also for the sins of the whole world."         1 John 1:8-2:1-2

The people of Napana decided to make this informed choice today after meeting with them for 7 weeks now. They were told that it is a relationship, not an obligatory religion and something to fall out of because it is too hard. It is grace. We will do wrong things, Jesus knows that, that is why He, and not us,  had to pay the price for our sins, and he forgives us when we truly want to change.

Pray for them that they would continue on this narrow road of salvation, confessing where they stumble, rejoicing in the knowledge that they are forgiven, submitting their actions and decisions to Christ and trusting in him for everything.

Praise God for his awesomeness!!!!!!!

Melissa

Who am I?

Who I am, aka - my identity, has been so much tied into ‘what I do’ - God wants that to change. Who ‘I am’ is ‘who I am in Him’ –what He has done, not what I have done. I’ve aimed to allow my work to also be worship; all the while searching (and finding) meaningful work that I enjoy and within it I can make a difference in the lives around me.

I still believe this is good, but –I need to further strive to equate my identity in who I am in Christ –not my identity based on ‘what’ I do.

This is a good lesson for me to revisit –now, while still in my 40’s and not at retirement. As we age, or have debilitating accidents, ‘regular work’ gets forced out of our daily lives, which I imagine the abruptness (of identity) would be even more difficult. Now I have a chance to practice what I’ve been preaching. Leaving the mission field of Uganda, life as I’ve known it for 15 years, is giving me an opportunity to live this out. As an adult, I have had a handful of titles – Doctor –working as a vet in America, Missionary - serving with CVM short term in Haiti & Cameroon and long term in Uganda, Wife –married to Tom in Uganda for 8 years, PhD candidate –studying and defending in Belgium in 2008.

But, now, the question begs –who am I? If I’m not a missionary, who am I? Is there really a box that I need to fill in that asks for my title, my identity? Even though we’ve left ‘front line ministry’ and many roles have changed -

I still am, and remain, a child of God (Jn 1). I stand in Him as I sit in my ashes and grieve over my losses. I am complete in Christ (Col1). Thus, I’m accepted.

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col 3). I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God (Rm 8). Thus, I am secure.

I am God’s workmanship (Eph2) and I can do all things thru Him, who strengthens me.  Thus, I am significant!

I do not discount the work that Tom and I have been able to be a part of overseas.  We are grateful that the seeds we’ve planted and others that we’ve watered will still be tended primarily by the Holy Spirit, but also the hands of KACHEP, Summer Root and the Grubers. Please pray for them!

Today, I’m in Germany to meet Simon and Carina Gruber to help in the handover of our ministry to them. Formerly with Campus Crusade, he’s a theologian and she’s a vet. They’ll move to Karamoja to join Summer and KACHEP in January. I will join them for 3 months in March, and I plan to visit every year for a couple of months. Let me know if you are interested in joining me.

KACHEP - Emmy, Olum, Andreas, James, Joshua, Miriam, Christina, Alyce (visiting sis of Mel), Melissa, Valentina, Nabur and Summer
 

KACHEP got another huge batch of day-old chicks last month for the various communities; next month they’ll train another group of select women how to keep healthy goats as another dozen local goats get new homes. Pray for Melissa as she returns to Australia and Carina steps in.
 

Here's one of the family's that you have been supporting thru our work
-  young Longok and his baby goat
 

Tom has returned from Uganda and is getting settled into Texas and looking for teaching jobs at the seminary level and church work. I was able to spend a month backpacking in California, the last week in snow.  Thanks for your prayers regarding my health. Two days ago in Belgium, my neurosurgeon reassured me that my neck is doing well. We are both searching for jobs.  Please feel free to let us know of any leads. As my health is doing well, I plan to get back into large animal veterinary practice and get involved in a community church. We both have loose ends to tie up, some of them with readers of this note.

We continue to rest in the Lord, in whom we are accepted, secure and significant. This is the last month we will receive support thru CVM, therefore, we again urge you to transfer your financial support to KACHEP through CVM, contact Vicki at vvangorkom@cvmusa.org

Paul Elmhorst (Our Father’s House church, WI) is setting up a non-profit fund for KACHEP to transition away from CVM (mid 2013). Another option is to support Summer and the Grubers (see pic below) through Pioneers Int’l or to support another CVM worker, Emily Arndt, who will also do ethnovet work, as I did and KACHEP continues to do.
 

This year has been a time for me to be humble, honest and wounded. Intense Christian counselling for us has helped us start the healing process; my month in the wilderness was delightful - just me and the Lord, with the Spirit groaning through me. Thanks for your prayers.

Within each of us is a space that only God can fill,
 

 

PS Be blessed thanks for your years of support and prayers; for standing with and by us and in Him. Hoping to visit you this summer with KACHEP’s manager, Mukisa -please contact me to look at dates for a visit jeangrade@yahoo.com