Kampala's Children Centre 2016

“You are very welcome here” – a phrase I heard over 20 times in my 10 days in Uganda

Beth Read, one of our very own youth at Furnace, has just returned from spending 10 days in Kampala, Uganda. Here's her story... :)

#JesusLoversInUganda

When we started our trip from Entebbe airport to our hotel, I could tell this trip was going to change my life forever. The streets were streaming with poverty but there was joy in the hearts of every person I met. It was different… and I loved it!

The Father's Heart

By the time we arrived at the centre, it was already day 3. We spent the first two days travelling and settling into our hotel. The reality of what I was doing hit me when I set foot on the grounds of Kampala Children’s centre. The children were all at school when we arrived, so it was silent. The peace surrounding the centre was clear from the first view and I couldn’t wait to start working with the children. Our day started with a small tour of the centre (consisting of many many children attacking us and a long walk up a very steep hill). When school had finished and the 550 children who did not live at Kampala children’s centre (KCC) had left, we were asked to “meet the children in the fathers heart”. The father’s heart was a heart shaped bush that was just through the gates of the centre, and had no entrance. We had to literally push our way through. This really spoke to me as I realised there is no direct way into the father’s heart. When we managed to get through the bush we sat on the floor and awaited the children. What we didn’t expect was about 20 children running towards us making a lot of noise. For the next hour or so we played, we talked and we had our hair twisted and knotted! A great experience (but not so much fun when I got back later and had to detangle my hair!)

Tangle Time!

Day 4 started with a 7am start, with a supposed 8 am leave for Prayer Mountain. I say supposed because Patrick, our bus driver, had to drop 80 children off at school before he came to pick us up and was generally always late. 8am in Ugandan time seems to mean 9am. Although it was raining, but still very sticky, spirits were high as we clambered into the bus for a trip to Prayer Mountain. Due to the rain Patrick could not get the bus very far up the mountain, hence why we started to trek up the mountain, by foot, in the pouring rain. But it was worth it!

"If Praise can do it, I can do it" - Beth

Prayer Mountain was set up when Pastor John Mulinde became sick of the terror caused in the years when Uganda was under control of Iddi Amin. Pastor John wanted to set up a place of prayer for all nations who were in trouble. Once they had started praying Uganda became a free nation, and they have been praying ever since.

When we arrived we were stunned by the peace surrounding the area, and wandered through the forest and fields at the top of the mountains. In many different area’s there were tents set up so that people could stay days, months and even years if they wanted or needed too. Pastor Geoffrey (Pastor John’s assistant) prayed for us and we then set off in the mud back down the mountain. We were taken up Prayer Mountain by Pastor Julius and his son Praise who lived in a bush up the mountain for 5 years. We later became very good friends with these two. It was then time to set off back to KCC to take a look around the clinic. Which held 3 years of hand written documents about every disease or illness every child that has ever stepped foot on KCC grounds has had. This stunned many of us.

Day 5 consisted of an even earlier start, as we were headed off to our first of three children’s camps. On the 2 hour journey (according to Patrick it was 45 minutes!) we prayed and spread joy onto the streets of Uganda by singing VERY loudly through the open windows. The first children’s camp was to be held in Kapeeka. Kapeeka was a poverty stricken area that was damaged and wrecked during a civil war in Uganda not long ago. We did not know how many children were going to be there and what we were going to experience, so we were very anxious! When we arrived we found over 500 children dancing and singing in the centre of a small field.  

Mud, Trees and Just a Few Children...

It was explained to us that the roads had been repaved just so that we could get down to the little town, and we realised that this camp would be the event of the decade. We spent the day singing, dancing, telling Bible stories and generally having an amazing time in the presence of God. Although, the toilets were not great! First time I've ever gone to the toilet in a hole, with no door, at all, and it stank! (No exaggeration!) One experience that really stood out to me involved a little boy in Kapeeka. Pastor Julius (who came up Prayer Mountain with us) was approached by a mother, and her children, the mother explained that her son, he was about 3, was finding it very painful to walk. Pastor Julius took a look at his feet and found that he had jiggers in his feet. Jiggers are a parasite which lay their eggs and begin to eat away at the flesh. Pastor Julius removed the worms and spoke to the mother. Pastor Julius has taken the little boy into his care (even though he already has 5 children) and has taken him to hospital. This taught me to never under appreciate the small things; shoes could have stopped this from ever happening.

Check back here tomorrow for the other half of Beth's lovely post about her amazing experience in Kampala.

Guest post written by Beth Read