“If you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon.” Isaiah 58:10
Most of our children lived on the streets surrounded by violence, drug use and criminality. We seek them out in the places where they live: in the slums, on the streets, in the sewers or on the rubbish tips. They are our friends. We eat together, sit with them in the dirt, listen to them, give them advice, care for their injuries and take them to the doctor. We pray, bless and hug them when we tell them the “best news”, that Jesus knows and loves them and doesn’t condemn them. He has a way out for them and we are pro-active in helping them do this.
Many come to our Saturday Good Samaritan Church Programme, deep in one of the worst slum areas of Kampala. They feel loved and accepted. We preach to them, pray together, wash their wounds, shave their hair and give them food. Out of this program we take one by one into our home and live there together like in a family. It becomes their home and is today the home of many children and young people.
We may have left Germany to serve these people, but Jesus left the Father in heaven to come down into humanity’s world, just as we come into their lives. He gave up the glory of heaven, was humiliated and scorned and still he did miracles, healed the sick, raised the dead and showed us the Father. Jesus is alive and still does these things today. Death could not hold him. Through Jesus, we are reconciled to the Father in heaven and by His Spirit we have fellowship with Him, here and now, in order to do His works. It is worth going out to tell hopeless, forgotten people this message. People who could never enter a church without shoes, in their tattered clothes, and with their lice and drugs. Many of them have nobody left who can help them in any way.
God made it possible: After many years, we were able to move onto our own piece of land where we wouldn´t have to pay rent and could have a little farm. Staff and children live together as a family. In the holidays we read the Bible every morning and learn more about Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. We experience the love of the heavenly Father and are healed in His presence. We recognise that everyone is special and unique. Everyone has their duties in the house: washing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, washing the car etc. Everyone is required to help. In this way we learn how to deal with conflicts, how to forgive, how to help each other with homework and how to be faithful in the small things. Aggression, anger, violence, power struggles and lies have no place in our lives here. Giftings and callings are recognised and promoted because God seeks faithful, Spirit-filled men and women to be a blessing for their nation.
The children in our home are all doing well in school, others have started or already finished vocational training in hotel management, auto mechanics, welding, hairdressing, sewing, etc. All the children are firmly rooted in a Ugandan community and a local church and have found friends.
Next chosen Generation:
We love them so dearly, every child is so special to us, so we will not give up doing all we can in order that more and more children can move into a home, be able to go to school, as well as see God’s hand moving in their lives.
Thank you for all your support!