Greetings From Gulu

Today is Thursday. It is early morning and we are beginning our day. Yesterday was our first full day here in Gulu. We started with a briefing from the Action International staff member who is our guide for the next week. Then, we went to the Action International office to meet more staff and headed out from there. The women went to the Jesus is Life Academy...a school that is located at the former Village of Hope. We met with the teachers there and spent some time worshipping with them, listening to their testimonies and praying with them. We were able to visit two of the classrooms in session. The children are beautiful and so respectful. We are beginning to learn the stories behind the faces and it is amazing to see how God has brought so much joy to such a difficult place. Most of the teachers and children come from situations that were completely disrupted by the rebels. Most of them fled their homes and have recently returned to try to rebuild their lives. The poverty, sickness and hardships they face are unlike anything we could have imagined. The people are beautiful and so grateful. They have welcomed us so generously and are so grateful for every second we spent talking with them. Yesterday the men visited the HIV/AIDS home and shared with several of the men. Last night we had dinner in two different homes. People welcomed us and shared their food as we sat on the floor in the dark, listening to their stories. God's presence here is so obvious. Please continue to pray. We each are facing our own challenges, but so grateful to be here. BLESSINGS!