Here is her blog she sent:
I want to tell you a story. But to understand this story, you need to understand a little bit of background from the village. Yes, there are some Christians here. There are also many many Muslims. But among the different religions, there is something in the village that many people not only SEEK out, but they also FEAR. The thing I am talking about is witchcraft. I used to watch its on shows or read about it and laugh at the idea that people could actually believe this. But it is no longer something that I see on the discovery channel or in National Geographic magazine. These are REAL people that I interact with on a daily basis. People just like you and me who go to work in the morning, laugh with friends, spend time with their families and go about their life as always.
Some people don’t go visit a witch-doctor, but they still believe that those doctors have “Powers”. If someone in the village gets sick, they think someone has bewitched them. If someone dies, people believe a curse was put upon them. If they are unlucky with crops, money, health, etc. it is blamed on witchcraft. I know that for many of these situations, there are other alternative answers for what might have happened. But many of these people believe in it so much that you would not be able to change their minds.
So now, I want you to imagine a little boy about 5 years old. A happy, fun and energetic little boy who has lived a healthy life. But, he is growing up in a village where many people believe in witchcraft. One of his older relatives is a witch-doctor and is looking for someone to pass on the “Powers” to. None of the men in the family want to be responsible for the “Powers”, so the man finally decides to pick someone. He chooses the little boy’s dad. Then a problem arises. The dad does NOT want to be chosen, so he runs away from the Village. The witch-doctor is unhappy and decides that someone should be punished for the man refusing to receive the “Powers”. His eyes fall upon the little 5 year old boy whose life was once normal until this day. Even though his dad eventually came back to the village, it was too late. A “curse” had been put on the boy and he has never been the same.
He is now about 9 years old. He is considered mentally handicapped. He walks around the village either in a t-shirt or completely naked. Some people mistreat him, make fun of him and sometimes hit him. His family does not know how to take care of him with his mental disability, but they allow him to eat and sleep at home. The kids in the village do not play with him because he is considered to be possessed. So, day by day goes by for this little boy with no friends, no love, no clothes, and hardly any food. All of this because people believe in witchcraft.
This little boy is Beautiful! When he smiles there is still a twinkle in his eye. He might not understand what people say anymore, but maybe he does. I want to believe that behind the blank look on his face, that maybe he is still in there somewhere. He is a child of God and there is a purpose for his life! Please pray for us that we can figure out a way to help him out of this situation!
Some other news and a few pictures:
I recently went with Doreen again to the Slums of Katanga where she has started up a Women’s Bible Study. We are working on trying to get a mentor/pen-pal program started between her group in Katanga and the MOPS group that my Sister Crystal, helps with in Lincoln City, Oregon. The women are so excited to start sending and receiving letters and emails. These women have been through so many hardships. Some have had children or spouses pass away, live in complete poverty, Can’t feed their children or pay for school fees, and some are very sick themselves.
They just had one of the women pass away last month, and I found out that another lady in the group has AIDS and is not doing very well. Her 20 year old son is now in charge at home, helping raise the other kids, taking care of the mom, and driving a boda-boda to make money for their family (a boda is a motorcycle taxi). Please pray for the Katanga women and the MOPS Ladies as they all prepare their minds and hearts to grow in new friendships, new emotions, new heartaches, more knowledge of a different culture, and most of all for them to Grow spiritually with their new sisters in Christ as they all seek to spread God’s Word and make this world a little smaller! We are all very excited!
Well, I will write more soon. But for now it is time for me to go to bed. It’s another big day Tomorrow at school. We are taking photos and getting the student profiles in order for us to start our Sponsorship program! (see information below!) Some awesome things are starting to Happen here in this little village, and I’m so excited to see what God has Planned for us! If anyone would like information about sponsoring a child, please either email me on Facebook or email me at she_she55@yahoo.com We will have their profiles ready in the next week or two if people are interested, let me know and then when we are done, you can choose which child you would like to sponsor from the pictures and photos we will have available! The sponsorship information will be listed below.
Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support! I really appreciate it! You guys are amazing! I Pray that you have a wonderful Day! May God Bless You this week!
Love in Christ,
Alicia
******Child Sponsor Information:*******
$10 per month and $35 start up for their uniform, books, school supplies and shoes.
Or a one-time donation of $155 to cover the whole school year.
We will send you a photo and profile of your child.
You will receive updated reports and a letter from your sponsor child every 3-4 months.
Please consider praying about this opportunity that you have to help educate, befriend and Bless a little child all the way over here in the little village of Bukeka, Uganda.
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