Robbers & Derrick

Robbers: As I was walking down the dirt road to Namirembe Primary one day, three young men in their twenties surrounded me. One had a swastika tattoed on his arm. I guessed that they were considering robbing me. I stood still and started talking to them about Jesus and asking them if they were Christians. They assured me they were (Humm). They explained they live with several others in what is a tiny shack (the boards of the walls don’t even fit against each other - big gaps), without doors or windows, just off the road. We talked for some time and I walked down and met one of their sons, about age 2. When Jane arrived to pick me up in her van, she looked at the guys and her first words were, "Those are robbers!"

Since then, I have returned to visit my "robbers." :) A few days ago, when I walked past, their shack was totally torn down and their few belongings were outside. The group was sitting outside under some trees. It seems the land had been sold and their place was totally demolished. The guys said the owners said they could build at the back of the land, however. I felt sorry for them so decided to donate for the new house. They rebuilt in one day with old boards that again don't meet. The "house" has a back with big holes, but it does have sides, though no front. I am rather excited that I have ownership in a house in Uganda. :):) I will check on them again Saturday.

It has been exciting to be places and have students approach me to say thanks for their library. A young man talked to me Sunday after church in Kampala. He is a 5th grade student at Namirembe, so was thanking us for the library. He invited me to attend a meeting of street children at his home, which is held on Saturdays. I will be singing songs with them and talking to them about Jesus. He said usually about 30 kids attend. I am looking forward to this opportunity.

Derrick: The last night the Illinois team was here, Derrick (The boy I met on a us in 2009.) and his brother Dixon came to have dinner with us. They were hilarious. We were laughing all evening, but crying at other times as Derrick tried to express his thanks for how God brought us together. Friday, I went with Derrick to his home to spent the afternoon. As I wrote before, it is in an extremely poor area. His home is in a retangular building, which has five doors - all separate houses. Derrick said that because he knows a muzungu (white person), he is like the president of the neighborhood. :)

It was an absolutely precious afternoon. I don't know how else to describe it. The children and adults from all the surrounding homes came. We sang and the kids danced. We laughed and laughed. Derrick, his mother, and Dixon danced and sang, also. I tried to imitate them, which put the neighborhood people in stitches. It was simply a wonderful afternoon in a place, with people, which I find amazing that I even know - and consider myself absolutely blessed that I do! Derrick's mom, Harriet, said that Derrick had been stubborn and kept her life distressed, until after we prayed together on the bus and he accepted Christ. She said he is a different young man. He is now fun and is always good to her. I cried when I left ...

Thank you for your prayers and concern. May God bless you on your side of the world, as well as our many friends on this side!

Love,
Trudy