Nothing But a Thief.

This morning I had two skirts to choose from. After tomorrow, the options will be all dirty clothes. Not the end of the world? Yes, I agree. 

Someone stole my clothes. Not just my clothes, but the clothes of everyone who lives in my house. They somehow managed to take all of them off the clothesline without anyone seeing them. Unfortunately, I was washing almost all of my clothes (and things that go under clothes) at the time. At first, I had a kind of "it is whatever" mentality. Then I became mad. Then I became sad. 

Mad: 

I am so mad that I don't have clothes. I am mad that money doesn't fall from trees and I can't just go buy new ones. I am mad that I can't fly home to America and go shopping at Gap to replace all my skirts. I am mad that most of those clothes I just bought, and now will never get to wear. I am mad that someone is corrupt enough to come and steal. I am mad that I can't feel safe at my own house. 

Sad: 

I am sad that I am sad about the loss of clothes. I am sad about the realization of how hard it is not to be materialistic, no matter what part of the world you live in. 

I am sad that I still own more clothes than a large population of this city. I am sad that while I still have three pairs of shoes to choose from each morning, I know over one hundred boys who don't have any at all.  (Did you realize that there are approximately 10,000 street children in Uganda?)

I am sad that stealing is a means of survival. I am sad that I had to tell a group of boys the other day that God calls us to follow him and obey Him even when it is hard, meaning they shouldn't steal even when it means that they will not eat that day. I am sad that the person who stole my clothes (I am pretty certain) sold my clothes and probably desperately needed the money he received from them.

I am sad that a justice system doesn't exist here. I am sad that the police nor the government do or honestly can do anything about the vastness of crime in this city. I am sad that because of this, individuals decide to take it into their own hands. I am sad that if someone stole my backpack and I screamed "thief," those around me would most likely stone the guilty person, and probably to his death. I am sad that thieves like this man, though they are doing an unjust thing, face intense injustice daily. 

I am sad that street children are labeled thieves. I am sad that they hear those words screamed at them on a daily basis, creating the mentality in their head that they are thieves, whether they previously were or not. I am sad that, that is now what they expect out of themselves. That is the most they think they are capable of amounting to. I am sad that many of these small boys that steal will grow up to be men who steal (if they live that long). 

I am mad about injustice. This is a perfect example of injustice, and injustice is what I came here to fight. 

Isaiah 61:8 says, 

"For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them."

Pray for the thief. Pray he knows the perfect love of our savior and is able to cultivate a life of justice. Pray that he is protected from injustice. Pray for each boys who feels like he is nothing but a thief. Pray that each of them knows they are SO much more! Pray that he not label himself as a thief, but as a son of our perfect Father who loves Him. 

Pray for justice. 

Isaiah 1:17 
Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

xoxo, 

Jordan

My Hut. {Home Part 2}

Previously, I told you about and showed you my Ugandan home. 

I didn't make that up - I truly live there - but only a portion of the week. Our street programs are in Kamapla (the city) and our boys homes are in Bombo (the village). I am in Kampala four days a week and Bombo for three, which means I get to have two homes in Uganda! 

My home in Kampala is beautiful and I absolutely love it, but the truth is that the lifestyle I live there is not the lifestyle of an average Ugandan. That said, I really enjoy living in Bombo in my cute little hut. No electricity, no toilet, no shower, and bats as roommates - but a lot of simplicity. I think simplicity is beautiful. 

I love the place. I love the people more. 

Showing Love with Pigs

Last Tuesday, I got the privilege of helping with the A Perfect Injustice Pig Project. We delivered three pigs and a mattress to seven family in the Bombo village, after spending the entire day searching for a place to buy pigs and a way to transport them. It may have been the most exhausting day of my life thus far - but totally worth it! To add a little drama to the story  - I fell off a boda (taxi in the form of a dirt-bike) on the way back and thought I broke my hand. No worries. It was only badly bruised. 

..................

Recently, API started sponsorship for children in the community (previously, only children in our homes were sponsored). It was a blessing to show Jesus to many people in need. Their thankfulness was humbling and their joyfulness inspiring. 

More details were provided in the API blog: 

"A few months ago, God led us to adding a new outreach to our ministry. As we were praising God for the great work He was doing in our boys homes, we couldn’t dismiss the fact that there were many other children in our community that were in the need of our assistance. While these children had a loving family, that family was unable to provide for them education, and many other necessities… so we began community sponsorship! Thank you for the many people who have joined the effort and sponsored these children as well as dedicating your time to pray for them. A handful of these children now attend our homeschool program, and they are improving and excelling at great speeds.

In efforts to help not only the children, but also their families, we created “the pig project.” This week we were able to deliver a mattress and three pigs to each of the seven community-sponsored families.  Yes, the little piglets are adorable, but not offered for pets (just incase you were wondering). Rearing these pigs provides means for these families to become be self-sufficient- an important value here at API.  We pray this project will be successful in improving the lives in our community and we also hope to start a chicken project in the near future. As we provide for our community, we strive to not only provide for their physical and educational needs, but we also desire to teach these families how to provide for themselves and cultivate sustainability.

What a blessing it was to deliver these piglets to so many families we have grown to love! Their expressions quickly became filled with joy and thanksgiving. Yes, A Perfect Injustice provided for a few of their needs – but ultimately it was God using your support to provide through us. We pray that these families not only feel loved by us, but also by our great God who loves them and cares about their every need. We pray that not only are the relationships of these families strengthened, but that each member of these families would form a relationship with Christ!

Deutoronomy 15:11 says, “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’”
We are thankful for the support that allows us to provide for the needy in our land and we pray that you also seek ways to provide for the needy in your land."

We are still in great need of sponsors for not only boys in our home, but community children as well. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or would like more details, email aperfectinjustice4@gmail.com