Staying Connected - Jan A

Dear Friends,

First of all, thank you for your prayers and uplifting messages in regards to my last letter. As for my sickness, I have since visited the doctor, yet the test results were inconclusive. Without anything to go on, I decided to do what I could to keep my body healthy and to continue praying for healing. Ever since, my energy levels have been much higher and my body seems healthier overall...besides the occasional cold or fluey day. Thank you Jesus! That health and energy was much needed for the busy December that we had.

Early in the month, I went to Namulanda to teach at a three day Children’s Conference. As it was the first day, only about 65 children were there. Yet despite the smaller than expected turnout, it was a great day of singing, games, teaching and stories. The best part though is that each of those children left with the knowledge that Jesus was born because of God’s love for them.

Soon after, we were fully immersed in orchestrating the Christmas outreaches. First was an outreach for about 500 children living in the slums in Bombo. The second outreach was in Bunga where about 600 children came out. At this outreach, about 25 children and one adult came forward at the Pastor’s invitation of forgiveness of salvation through Jesus. Praise God…that’s what it’s all about. Later in the week, we went to the slums of Nakawa where about 250 children packed into a tiny church to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Lastly, there was the outreach in Kamwokya where we shared Jesus’ love with over 600 children.

That day in Kamwokya is the highlight of my time in Uganda so far. Jim asked if I would like to help cook for the children that day, and always ready to try something new, I said ‘yes’. What I didn’t expect though was that my first task would see me cutting up the leg of a freshly killed cow for about two hours.  As I was later stoking the fires under the huge pots of cooking food (tears streaming down my face from the smoke that was continually in my eyes), the Pastor was inside the church telling the kids that a muzungu (white person) was out there helping cook their meal. And this is the part that really humbled me: the Ugandans, both young and old, were amazed to see a muzungu working hard alongside the Ugandan women. As the adults later came to thank me, I could see in their eyes that I wasn’t so much a muzungu to them anymore; I had toiled, sweated and cried alongside their women and they had a different respect for me now. I do not say that with pride in my heart, but instead in thankfulness that God gave me the opportunity to step deeper into this culture and show his love in a way that was very evident to them. What a fantastic day it was!

As for the street shelter, we had their Christmas party on Dec. 17th. The usual 30 boys more than tripled, making for a lot of new hands to shake and names to learn. I was the MC for the program portion of the day, and I also worked with Victoria (she works at the church that hosts the shelter) to organize a boys choir to sing “Joy to the World”. It was a wonderful time, and as the day wore on, I realized more and more how much I was going to miss these boys over the coming month. (The shelter closed for a month to give the Ugandan staff their required holiday time.) When it came time for Fred and Joseph to leave, Fred asked for a hug and they both gave me envelopes with Christmas wishes inside; I had to hold back tears.

Just that week, shortly after sending off my last update, God began speaking to me about the boys. He showed me that I was having trouble loving them because I had yet to give it 100%. So, that week I just threw myself in and refused to let their levels of trust or honesty determine my actions. I found that I loved them to pieces! I have missed them an awful lot this past month, and they have not strayed far from my thoughts or prayers. I am looking forward to seeing them all again this coming Monday.

I know you are all wondering, “So Erin, what did you do on your month ‘off’?” Well, besides getting some homework done, I concentrated on becoming better acquainted with Kampala. My initial fears about Kampala are now only faint memories; I now venture into the city by myself and even take boda bodas (motorbike taxis). During this holiday time, I also went to Jinja a couple of times to see the source of the Nile and go horseback riding...amongst other adventures. (If you haven’t yet read my blog titled ‘Our police “welcome” in Jinja’, and it’s later companion, ‘Revision: Turns out the police “welcome” in Jinja…’, then you should.)  It has been a restful month for our whole team, and God has brought healing and strength where it was lacking. He really has been so good to us…

In concluding, I would like to apologize for the tardiness and subsequent length of this letter. There have been a few factors that have delayed the writing of this update, but I do plan to write more frequently so that you don’t have to read a novel each time.

Thanks again to each of you for your continued support. Thank you for your prayers (see new prayer requests below), packages and e-mails, and also for the Christmas cards that I am still receiving…thanks!! Also, if you would like to help further God’s work in and through me financially, the details are below. Even as this world’s economy crumbles, I am thankful that God is solid, constant and faithful; he will provide.

God bless you in this New Year!

With joy,
Erin Spring (www.actionintl.org/spring --- erinrachelspring.blogspot.com)

Mailing Address: c/o Robinette, PO Box 71249 Clock Tower, Kampala Uganda, East Africa


To support financially:
~ Cheques are to be made out to “Action International Ministries” and mailed to: 3015A 21st St. NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7T1. My name cannot appear anywhere on the cheque. Instead, please enclose a separate note specifying it is for me.
~ Donations can also be made by credit card over the phone or debited monthly from your bank account or credit card. Simply call 403.204.1421 or 1.888.443.2221 (toll-free), and they will assist you.
~ Online donations are also possible. Go to www.actionintl.org/spring for my page.


Specific Prayer Requests:
- For the street boys. That the boys would choose to follow Jesus and desire to go back to their families (30 returned home in 2008!). Also that God would help me to serve wholeheartedly in this ministry.
- For Halima. That she would denounce her Muslim faith as God reveals himself to her. Also that I would know how to share Jesus with her when she comes to clean my room each week.
- For my host missionaries. That Jim and Kappy would continue to know God’s leading, healing, peace and rest. Also that Jim’s ministry to the local Pastors would have opportunity to grow.
- For me. For healing as my right knee and the tendonitis in my right wrist/arm have been giving me a lot of trouble. Also for safety each day, especially as I travel around the city; vehicle accidents are very common here. Also for my language training - I am talking Luganda classes twice a week now, and I pray that God would help me to learn quickly and that I would be diligent in my memorization and in using what I am learning.
- For Uganda. Please pray against the corruption that is keeping many in dire poverty. Also pray that this generation of young people would say “no” to the lures of the sugar daddies/mommies and that the number of new HIV infections will once again drop. (This is cyclical because, as the corruption robs the less fortunate, young girls and boys feel that the only way they can obtain money for their school fees is to give themselves away sexually. HIV is perpetuated in many ways, but it is this cross-generational sex that is one of Uganda’s biggest struggles right now.)