Y UNCERTAINT Y YIELD S

I in Uganda, Africa along with several students from our school. The team spent most of their time working with the orphaned children wh o live there She shared her experience and emotions through this article.

Ugandan rebels in the quest fornew recruitsabduct children and forcethem to kill and terrorizetheirown people, even theirown family. Death is the consequence fornoncooperation. As an American,I have never experienced scenarios like these orwitnessed horrorsofthisseverity, butinj my sixweek tripto Uganda I met plenty ofpeople who have. I talked tochildren who have spent theirentirelivesrunning from livingnightmares, mothers who expended every breath, \ even tothe last, ina hopeful search fortheirchild and young children only hoping tosurviveanother night. Years of war and terrorhave leftUganda inafragilestate Its peopleexist in fearand hope forchange.

May 19,2009,found me sittingalone inthe Newark airport, en routeto Uganda.As I satthere, my mind replayed the eventsthatled up to my second tripto Africa God provided thefinances inmiraculous ways and meeting my teammates was divinely random At thispoint,I had no idea what the next sixweeks were to look like, save that I was travelingto Northern Uganda with a group ofpeople I barely knew I have tried to remember thefirst few hours afterthe flight, but it allseems a blur, dwarfed by the actual eventsthattook place during my time inUganda.Afterarriving at Entebbe Airportand having a bag lostinthe shuffleofflights, we were picked up and driven toour hotelforthe night. The following day we traveled a few hours north toGulu, where we spent most ofour sixweeks. I looked out thevan window as it jolted along each unsuccessfully navigated pothole There was alot totake in.

VillageofHope [VOH]was the organization we partnered with. They currently work in fourofthe150 plusInternal Displacement Camps [IDP] thatexistinnorthern Uganda This program has over 400 war affected children initscare.On a regular basisthey check up on the children and provide them with food,clothing, funds forschool,counseling and the love ofJesus Christ Our group served asthe hands and feetofthe rministry, helping the people ofGulu and the orphans inany wa y w e could, (continued on page 7)

(continued from page 4) We spent a lot oftime in the IDP camps with thechildren Walking into these camps,children ranjoyfullytoward us smiling and reaching for our hands. They held our hands sotightlythatit seemed asif thethought and fearoflettinggo was unbearable It took afew moments for the realizationtohit The hands you were holding had alsoheld guns and committed unimaginable horrorsand havoc no child or human should witness Having theopportunity tolearnfrom thosesmall hands and lives, laden withso many nightmares, was one ofthegreatest privileges I have everhad

On one occasion, we got the chance to visit thechildren'swing ofa localhospital Allof the patientswere being treated forMalaria, adisease thatkills more people than AIDS in Uganda. When we walked in tothe first room,I staggered atthesightofbeds crammed with three to four people, sickchildren lyingon the hard floorand mothers holding theirchildren hoping by some miracletheirchild would be healed.

It was hard tosee these children and notdisplay some type ofemotion.I somehow managed to focus on thetaskathand and began tocrawl over people to pray foras many ofthem as I could We were limited toabout an hour As we began toleave, people begged ustocome pray fortheirsick loved ones Once through those doors my heart flooded with all ofthe emotions that I had been holding back and overflowed into tears

Time spent with thechildren ofthe VOH safe house often ended in worship.Listening tothe children sing "I willno more suffer,"in praise and worship was heart-wrenching. It was impossible to not be overwhelmed.

"The lastnightwe were inUganda,we spent the nightatthe safehouse with thechildren worshipping our Lord,"Josh Swartz, junior and fellow team member,said. "I felt chills as I watched these little children, who a yearbefore were in a ruthlessarmy killingpeople and destroying lives, raisethesame hands thatheld guns and machetes inpraisetoour Lord They have so much baggage and hurt, yetthey cast it all asideand praiseour great God with all theyhave."

It was all these moments and more thathelped ussee God moving inUganda and inus We stayed inhuts, got caught in an unforgettablehail storm on the Nilewith hippos, ategoat, planted pineapple, danced traditionalAfricandances, learned Acholi [thecommon language], made beads out ofrecycled paper,rode Boda-Bodas and walked mileson dirtroads We pumped water forourselves and forothers, introduced the nativesto'Finding Nemo,'worshipped under the most beautiful nightskies, played games,looked out forpoisonous caterpillarsand gave out hundreds ofBibles, shirtsand toothbrushes.

Most importantly, we saw tonsofpeople come toChrist. Leaving Uganda was one ofthe hardest things I have done inmy life. My heart now straddles two continents Thisexperience was meant forus toteach others, but in turn we were taught so much more Although fearand war still linger, hope is on the horizon and will continueto grow inUganda. Story and photographs by Amanda Crawford.

A Mother Tmsts God Through It AM

/"If,gold .is'purest when tried, by -fire, then'my'mother;is.farpurer than• ',-thermest precious of gold," spoke'Taylor•Thompson as he' began' toy-read to"those presentat th,e Chancellor's dinner during,the'October .Family-. . Weekend The tribute to hi.s-.mom tilled Through-it AIJ" was submitted as part ofthe outstanding parent essayveohtestand was awarded firstplace.; ; , ''Taylori.•a.'junior'Bibiicai studies major, .Was just three years.'bld when "; his father,''Joseph Thompson,.-was -shot and. killed-,while oii.t.for, a;wa'lk,oh' April-4.1992. His tragic death left Theresa Thompson- without ahusbandand their seven children Without a-father: A 1974' alumni and pastor in.'EastonyPA-, Joseph did not know'the-murderer yet.his-death'-beca-me-the' .Quttet'Of;.rag.e,.for;ah an.gfy man with a-gun '•

In'Stead-of/bO.cofriing angry, Taylor recalled seeing, his mother turn to .GOG,',-'-''^ '-• ,! '•• ' _,;..' • V ', ' .>-','"• .-';"-' ;\ ' V'.''-;'-'.-••'' ''".-! ".-' •• ' "My-mo%j._did/not become ,a'hardened person -fromvheV-past,-but-she ' : became incn*djfefy strong." he-said ""lathe tough times, she completely • depended on-God, which' showed that she deeply loved-Him -. *-...

-Without le'ttihg-.grief get th!©---.l?estof her- 'The-fesa was ab'le-to.l-eadthe' murderer's brother to the Lord the day afterthe.funerahhte'in turn'ledhis . -. owh'phildren, mpther,sister/.ahd'a'uht to the Lord:' .-'

•••"1. tried to do'mypart, and.trusted'God.'to keep His'Word and do His part,as their Father,":-Mrs,Thompson Said, "AII-,s-even;'-o-f-"my children are "• committ-eO;-se-rvingPelieyershOday.".'.. • ••• -, • '!.'•• !

'pe-spit'e growing ipyw-i-thout ,a -father, Taylor .believed -'the situation helped Strengthen,the.'family.'-. -••'.-,- •'.. '•..-. • ',' '• "' !'" : •

•;"Growing up she helped'us understand theseriousness' of what .'h.a-ppen'ed,.P'iit she "also-displayed, the importance'of.-God'.thfpugh this". incrden.t,'"h.e' said "Our wholeTamily stayed strong-;and-t'h£vd.gvil gotto no-One.". -;.-'.' ,,..,,'••''-',:'-; - -,.'.. ,.:V,;---..'." v '' : -

Fo,l'lowing,,thefrm.oth'e'-r.rs'-example,;the.-thO'mpSon.'';Chitdreh.d9irhmitted '• ' theirfivestoservin^ln ministry J'essea-ttain.ed.ajob wO'rking-iA/i'th'techhical •productions at.Our school;doing lights and -sound foe convocation and-' r-i, Campus Church Taylor-the youngest enrolled as a-s'tudent ahd served'-'•! as-the bass player for!'Crimson'.RloOd.. -': ! '.' .:..' "!•;'..' ' ;; ,>••' .-..;' : - -...','

•"I, know that I!would-not be the person'that'.i- am-tPda^.lf'jt'wasn't fory •••• the way my mother.has raised m eand the-valuable lessons she taught.' me,'". Taylor Thompson,said. .He-'a'dcre'dJ "Many people!'haye;-''.b.e'en won-bo'!' Christ from-hertestimony through the years,,and as-hard as.it TS t,o"telf it IS a blessing to S,ee.thfe-fruit>that"C0"mes,-from.lt.! Story by Dawe1k^aJ:p^rt!'a:rid

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.StepfiSik'&'Heverly. photo'g'r&phs by01iv^riSherret , '-v •• - '".-••'

Several weeks into her missionstripduring thesummer of2008, seniorChristinePettitfound herself in totalshock asshe walked down thestreet ata red light districtinThailand. Barely clad women were everywhere,walking the streets, sittingatthe barsor on stage dancing forthe men The feelingof darkness overwhelmed her.

"It was like the brighteststripat Las Vegas,but everywhere I looked I just felt darkness as I saw what was happening," Christinesaid.

Her group entered ajB -go bara the sadness she feltbegan to overw her Women inskimpy outfitswere dancing, every one oftheirfaces blank emotion buttheireyes portrayingtheir unhappiness.The women's only form of identification was a number on a button they wore.Likean item on a.jaMUi..men chose which number they war-' - foi the night.

Further inthe bar, therewas a young Thai girlnamed Wan thatstood i >u1 toChristine "She cau& --•;because she was cloaB Christinesaid "Ilater founi oul thatsh< was 16-years-old, fjfl h- . and haJbnly worked inthe sexbaj: fora month."

•bf the Pit Wan Kristine her

Christine'sgroup* m bar $24 forWan's free-i'•" said she was 16, but a cordii she looked much young* Her family used tobe wel > father was caught sellingdru< K*a crimein Thailand that received seveiHpunishment. (continued on page 193)