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I feel God’s call to connect others with Him by sharing His profound impact in my life. This experience serving orphans and their caretakers in Uganda has given me new perspective on a problem much bigger than me. I have learned that storytelling on their behalf sheds light on God’s work in the Church beyond the walls of Wesleyan and the comforts of the western world. Specifically, the people in the trenches - missionaries and faithful Christians who live out the call to share the Gospel - inspire me to evaluate my life differently. Their narratives affect me in a profound way, and it is my privilege to share the remarkable story of the ministry that is happening now through Hands of Love in Uganda.
Traveling to Uganda is no joke. There is an overnight flight, a quick layover in Amsterdam, then another all-day flight through the African continent. I saw the deserts of Egypt and the Nile River as we flew over them along the way. After a short refuel in Rwanda, we made the last puddle jump into Uganda. I arrived late in the evening with my team, Mike and Fletcher Morris. Mike is a Hands of Love board member and husband to Kendra (Wesleyan English teacher and junior girls’ grade chair). Their oldest son, Fletcher, is a 5th grader at Wesleyan, and brother to Lily (4th) and Piper (K). Fletcher and Mike were both excited to visit Joy Florence, Fletcher’s Ugandan sister. Joy Florence greeted us at the airport with fresh flowers and overwhelming enthusiasm. I quickly learned that these types of greetings would be commonplace all week. Above: Fletcher Morris (5th) with his Ugandan sister, Joy Florence
Hands of Love is both a school and an orphanage. There are two locations: Kiteezi and Namadhi. Kiteezi is a small town just outside of the capital city, Kampala. Namadhi is a rural village four hours away from Kampala. Most of the children in Kiteezi are sponsored, while many of the children in Namadhi are still waiting for sponsorship. At both schools, my team was greeted with
WESLEYAN MAGAZINE • FALL 2013
I first heard of Hands of Love only one year ago when I was invited to visit with a pastor visiting from Uganda. Little did I know that I would be traveling to Uganda to serve this ministry only six months later! God used that evening to deepen my call to care for the fatherless. The testimony of Elijah and Ruth Sebuchu, Hands of Love co-founders, rocked me to the core. Elijah grew up in a polygamous family as one of 38 children. His mother gave birth to him in a swamp and raised him to know that his life was a gift from God. Elijah grew up in abject poverty and, against all odds, obtained an education and became an ordained pastor. In 2004, Elijah and Ruth received a specific calling from God to develop a compassion for those in need, especially the millions of orphaned children wandering the streets of Uganda. So, they built a mud hut with a thatched roof in rural Namadhi and, a week later, welcomed 188 children who needed shelter, food, and family. Today, with the help of a full time staff, a church ministry, and faithful sponsors from around the globe, Elijah and Ruth care for nearly 1,400 orphans housed in two orphanages.
Left: Classrooms in Namadhi; Center: Original mud hut built by Elijah & Ruth for Hands of Love; Top Right: Pastor Elijah & Ruth Sebuchu; Right Bottom: Children from Hands of Love
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