We arrived here in Jinja, Uganda about 2 weeks ago and God is faithfully keeping us safe and guiding us in ministry here. In the short time we have been here, we have heard many different stories and all have touched my heart in a different way, but I want to share with you one particular story of a lady named Carol. In a near by village, there is a lady, Mary, who runs a ministry for women who have been trapped in prostitution as a way to support themselves and their family. Last friday, we went to visit Mary and work with her in the morning. She is currently discipling about 8 different women who she befriended at night clubs. Her ministry is called Women at Risk and she takes the women through a 12 week program of sharing the gospel with them, supporting them, and working with them to find a new way to support themselves. While we were there, Mary was teaching the women about forgiveness and she asked the ladies to make a list of women they have not been able to forgive. When the women came back, one of them, Carol, had written God's name on the list. I would like to share with you her story.
Carol grew up in Northern Uganda and when she was young, the rebels came and killed both of her parents. Carol and her sister went to hide in the bushes, but as the rebels were about to leave, her younger sister began to cry. The rebels heard her and went searching in the bushes for the tears. When they found her younger sister, they cut her in half, right in front of Carol's eyes. Carol was able to escape and she found a person to take her here, to Jinja, in southern Uganda. When she got here, she was given to a man who began to sexually abuse her and from that, Carol gave birth to two children. The man promised to take care of Carol and the children but he got her involved in prostitution then left her and never came back. Carol does not understand how a loving God could let such terrible things happen to such a young child. I know the reality is that we live in a fallen world and that evil does exist, but even with that knowledge, I do not know the answer to Carol's question and in no way can I relate to the trauma that she has been through. Despite that though, hearing Carol's story and her questions still taught me a few things. One, everyone has a story. Before we went to work with Mary, I was questioning how these women could ever get involved in something like prostitution. After hearing Mary's story though, I was reminded that judging and making assumptions about people comes all too easily. Carol has changed her life and given her life to following Jesus despite all the things that stand against her and speak lies that she is not loved-- poverty, abuse, and horrible memories that I can't imagine. Only a God who loves His children has the power to give courage and strength to change a persons life like that. Despite my opinions of prostitution, it was a way for Carol to provide for her family and now, she has left it behind to trust that God is bigger than this world and has a way to bless her and her children in a poverty stricken country. She may still be working out her past with God and learning to see how He loved her through the hardship, but her faith is real and alive. Just as any relationship has challenges, I believe her relationship with God is allowed to have challenges too. I don't think He needs us to protect His self-esteem by saying we are okay when it is not true. God has brought her to Mary and allowed our team to be part of her walk with God as well and I trust that He will continue to walk this struggle of forgiveness out with her. From all of this, I am now challenged to hear the story of every person we meet to gain understanding and see the wonders God is working out in other's lives.
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