We write today after more than a week, some 20 kilometers from the northern town of Gulu in a village area called Lukodi. Our transition was marked by a 7 hour bus ride crossing the Nile; a journey from crowded Kampala to grass fields, trees and small clusters of mud and grass roofed huts.

Living so closely in Kampala bonded the team well and those friendships and working relationships continue to deepen in this now setting.  Both Ugandan and American Students have had ample opportunity to teach, testify, sing, dance, play with children, do manual labor and are becoming speakers of the Acholi language with the girls and children at Child Voice.

At Fort Baker in Pateko, 30 minutes from the CVI site students heard teaching on history and slavery.  They also had some time to explored the area and spend some time in prayer  in this setting where Samuel Baker stopped the advance of the Muslim Slave Trade in Uganda.

Here at the CVI site our days begin with morning prayer at sun-up, a 7am breakfast of a boiled egg, a bun (made by the girls in their baking class daily) and a cup of tea.  We then lead devotions for about 20 girls and their 20+ children to begin our day praising God with testimony, song and in prayer.  The CVI girls go to their training sessions then, and we help with child care, early childhood education, some manual work (road building, slashing tall grass and putting in a fence), attend some of their sessions with them and work the morning until a 1:00 lunch of beans, rice and cabbage.  Afternoons are devoted to some talks on Global Issues, Bible Study, a game and fun hour with the girls and doing chores like laundry, fetching water and cleaning and getting our basin baths for the day. 

Our days end, again gathered as IVCF Students, GLA Ugandan students and the girls and their kids praising God and singing for an hour before we head to our huts about 9:30pm.

There will be many stories of God's hand in our midst to tell, photos to show and reflections of some of the people God is working through - and in, as we return in a week and a half.  

One theme of our stay up North is the way in which Students are astounded by the magnificence of God's creation here.  There is a strong sense that after so many years of war and cruelty and abuse, God is restoring a land and a people once again to reflect his image and his beauty.  We have been witness to this reconciliation and redemption and are humbled by the faith and the bravery of these young women and the community that lives and works together here at Child Voice.  

We return home all too soon with eyes that have seen much, hearts that have felt much and hands that have worked much.  And in the midst of all of this we have also laughed much, danced with joy and been welcomed and blessed in many many ways.  

Please pray for our remaining days, for health and recovery from some minor stomach problems, sore backs and muscles and for safety in travel.  Pray for the lessons we are learning here and the words of Scripture to go deep in our lives and for them to grow in us.  Pray for these wonderful women, their children and the workers who live and give sacrificially to bring the fuit of peace to this place and to these young lives.  We send our blessings and are eager to share our stories with you.  Afwoyo Matek.