Our friend Roxanne now lives in Uganda working among the poor and hurting. No one saw it coming. She had a safe job at a prestigious Washington association. She had friends and went to a nice, safe church. But then came the announcement that she was leaving for Uganda.
\nRecently she wrote:
\nI\u2019<\/p>\n
ve been in East Africa for two months now. It’s truly been a joy to live amongst the Ugandan people, a majority of whom I\u2019ve found kind, hospitable, spirited and entertaining. Should you desire to visit this continent, I highly recommend you come to Uganda, the country Winston Churchill coined, \u201cThe Pearl of Africa.\u201d
\nMy work with Samaritan\u2019s Purse is going well. My colleagues are wonderful, and the projects I\u2019m managing are deeply fulfilling. One of my primary roles is facilitating reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for children that have been afflicted through war, child labor abuses, torture or other tragedies.
\nRespectively, much of my time recently has been spent at the Katalemwa Children\u2019s Hospital. The complex is small enough that I\u2019ve been able to meet most of the staff and young patients. I wish you could experience what it\u2019s like to pull up at the facility and have dozens of tiny boys and girls come scrambling up as quickly as they can on their crutches \u2013 or some, with casts on both legs, even dragging their little bodies across the ground – so they can smother you with hugs and the biggest smiles imaginable.
\nAfter embracing lots of children the hard part begins, learning
\nthe stories behind the incomprehensible suffering these boys
\nand girls have endured. Today for example, I went to
\nKatalemwa to meet with a surgeon. While at the hospital I
\nencountered a 10-year-old boy, Joseph. The little fellow was
\nseverely disfigured: left leg a mere stub; right foot webbed,
\npermanently bent backwards; left hand missing two fingers,
\na remaining bone sticking out of his flesh.
\nDespite all this, Joseph was clowning around with the other
\nchildren whom I had let play with my camera. He was making
\nfaces and laughing just like the other kids who, at least in that
\nmoment, seemed oblivious of their physical maladies.
\nLater, I saw Joseph again and sat down next to him. Joseph
\npointed to his burned hand and missing leg and softly said in
\nbroken English, \u201cMy mother did this.\u201d I thought I had mis-
\nunderstood him so I carried Joseph to a translator through
\nwhom I learned that Joseph\u2019s mother set him on fire when he Benjamin & Roxanne was an infant. She and his father disappeared, leaving him alone
\nin critical condition. I don\u2019t know who saved the child but somehow
\nhe survived and 10 years later is still fighting for his life.
\nJoseph is receiving good care at Katalemwa but without further treatment will spend the rest of his days using his one good arm to pull his torso and twisted leg where he needs to go. As I held him while the nurse changed his bandages, Joseph indicated he doesn\u2019t see that option for his future. \u201cGod\u2019s going to make me well,\u201d he confidently said. My goal is to do everything I can, to help Joseph receive additional medical care. I\u2019m also hoping to help him acquire prosthetics and the physical therapy he needs. …For those of you praying for my work\/ministry in Uganda, Joseph is a child you can be specifically lifting up. –Thank you! <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"PB250555.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/119\/import\/PB250555.jpg\")
\nIn the New Year I want to be more like Roxanne.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our friend Roxanne now lives in Uganda working among the poor and hurting. No one saw it coming. She had a safe job at a prestigious Washington association. She had friends and went to a nice, safe church. But then came the announcement that she was leaving for Uganda. Recently she wrote: I\u2019 ve been…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-954","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faith"],"yoast_head":"\n
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