Uganda 2006
In April 2006 a small team from Flame International journeyed to war-torn Northern Uganda. Accompanied by the Ugandan Minister of State, their purpose was to discern whether the Lord is calling Flame to minister in that region.
There has been a 20 year conflict between the Ugandan Government and the
Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a brutal terrorist organization that
is lead by the self-styled military and spiritual leader Joseph Kony. Since
1994, the principal victims of the LRA have been civilians living in simple
rural communities throughout Northern Uganda and also Southern Sudan. Using
an unholy mix of Christianity, Islam and African witchcraft, Kony and his
henchmen rule by fear, forcing abducted children to commit unspeakable
atrocities against other children, babies and close family members, in
order to desensitise and dehumanise them to the extent that they will do
whatever is ordered of them. Not only has the conflict caused tremendous
suffering, it also has no clear purpose or benefit other than the establishment
of Joseph Kony’s own brand of theocracy. It is estimated that
almost two million people have been displaced by the conflict and that
more than 25000 children have been abducted and thousands more traumatised
through mutilation, abuse, rape and the witnessing of atrocities. In the
face of such evil in the land, Flame International knew that they needed
God’s clear call to minister in such an area. One of the team members
writes:
I am so grateful that the time before our departure was spent setting
up solid prayer cover as Northern Uganda is probably the most dangerous
place that Flame has visited to date. Arriving in Kampala, Uganda, we were
warmly welcomed at our guesthouse by a number of visitors already waiting
for us. The tone of the trip was set by a South Sudanese Christian whose
two brothers and one sister had recently been abducted by the LRA in Southern
Sudan. Although his sister and one brother had escaped, after the
most awful and abusive treatment, one brother remains abducted and we pray
for his safe return. Often children are abducted to assist the LRA
in carrying equipment, with many carrying in excess of 50 kilograms on
their heads, and older children being made to fight for the LRA. If
there is any indication of being tired or not fully committed following
capture the fellow abductees are forced to brutally kill the child and
often carry their body as a punishment.
During our first three days we were most privileged to be able to meet with the Ugandan Prime Minister, Mr Apolo Nsibambi. It was a great honour to meet him and have a brief opportunity to outline the work of Flame International. We left a copy of the spring edition of the Newsletter with him and we pray that he will be guided in all wisdom and truth whilst in office. We then journeyed North to Acholiland to the districts of Lira, Pader, Kitgum and Gulu. As we travelled several hundreds of miles overland on metalled roads and dust tracks under armed military escort, the beauty of Northern Uganda stood in stark contrast to the destroyed settlements, abandoned agricultural land and many IDP camps. This also served as a constant reminder of the level of threat and it was most reassuring to reflect on the picture the Lord had given one of our intercessors of us travelling through a tunnel of angels!
In Lira, which is classed as a post-conflict zone after a particularly
violent three years of LRA attacks from 2003 to 2005, we were able to visit
the Rachelle Rehabilitation Centre for child abductees and former LRA child
soldiers. While we were there nine children, who looked no older
than about 12 years of age, arrived to start the rehabilitation process. They
were clearly very fearful about what would happen to them and deeply traumatized. There
were also a number of girls with babies who were probably born as a result
of rape following LRA abduction. We also heard the heart-breaking
stories of two boys, a fifteen year old who had been with the LRA for 7
years and had been abandoned in the bush for two and a half weeks with
13 rounds of ammunition in his leg after an unsuccessful ambush. He
eventually surrendered and following partial amputation of one of his legs
is currently undergoing the rehabilitation programme. The other
boy, Lawrence who looked about 10 years of age, had been forced by the
LRA to kill his 16 year old brother whilst both were in LRA captivity.
Such evil is widespread and yet the Lord cares for each one of these children
whose lives have been shattered. We know that only His touch can reverse
the damage that has been done by man’s inhumanity and we hope that
the Lord might open the door during a future visit to minister to such
children.
We were also able to link up with the Bishop of the Diocese of Lango, who
has invited us to run conferences and workshops for pastors and leaders
within his diocese.
During the following two days, in Pader then Kitgum, we unexpectedly bumped
into officials from the North Ugandan Social Action Fund (NUSAF) Committee,
who were also visiting the area. The objectives of the NUSAF visit
were not dissimilar to that of a Parliamentary Select Committee in seeking
to assess the issues of rehabilitation on the ground whilst also seeking
to empower the people in rebuilding their lives and communities. On
the second day, the EU Ambassador for Uganda also joined the proceedings
to open EU funded rehabilitation projects. Not only were we introduced
to all of these people but we were also affirmed, both personally and in
our mission, in the strongest possible terms. We pray that there
will be much fruit from such introductions and insights. Outside
of such formal meetings, there were also opportunities to meet local people
and to hear some of their stories. The level of trauma and fear that
they have experienced is beyond my human understanding. However,
I rejoice that as team members, we are only asked to offer our ‘five
loaves and two fish’ (Matt 14 v13-21), namely to be willing and
available. It is the power of the Holy Spirit moving in and through
us that can change these lives.
It was an enormous privilege to have been part of such a team and the Lord has certainly challenged us all and sown the seed of several ideas as to how the work of Flame might be strategically multiplied. Please pray for the trustees’ discernment and wisdom and for opportunities as we explore the fruit of this trip in the coming weeks and months.