A blessed week

I said good-bye this morning to HEAL board of directors in Entebbe. Two of my board advisors, Marti Scudder and Steve Lorenz, are staying with me for 3 more days to have a time of reflection and relaxation.

I don't even know where to begin about our last week. It was so full of wonderful times, discussions, research and visits. One of the most memorable days was the day that we took crocs shoes to the Canaan Children's Home. The kids there were so happy about their new shoes and it was so needed. It was not only a blessing to give the shoes out but it was an even bigger blessing to open the suitcases full of shoes that were donated by various people, churches and organizations. Thank you to everyone for the love outpoured to the children of Uganda. We still have shoes to deliver to Amani Baby Cottage, Ekisa and Our Own Home.

This week reflected the body of Christ working together. The love among the HEAL board of directors for God's people, the many people that have campaigned in the U.S. (and are still campaigning) for crocs shoes and children's vitamins, and the love received and given back and forth from the ugandan people and the american people.

We spent the week looking at all the different orphanages and ministries that our teams have worked with. And we visited several of the villages that I have been researching and working in. The HEAL board visited the Canaan Children's Home, Amani Baby Cottage, Ekisa, Serving His Children, and the villages of Buziika, Bukayo, Nyengo, Masese, Mbale, and Jinja District. We were even able to see a wonderful weaving project that started out as a micro-business near Bujagali.

Our visit to Masese included a short introduction to a weekly bible study that I'll be having with the abandoned women and children, handing out fruit and visiting their sweet, humble homes. The board of directors got to meet sweet Fazirra (the abandoned mom with 6 children in the village that had Shariffe helping with all the chores), and many of my Uganda friends in Masese. We laughed, we cried, we prayed, we loved.








We visited Rafiki just outside Kampala and learned about an existing family model style orphanage. What did we learn? That God has called us here for a specific reason. That an entire community can benefit from the teams that HEAL sends and that the impact of us being on the ground here will reap generational benefits for years to come. Why are we so confident? Because we serve a God that is in full control and because we have decided as a family unit to follow Him, allowing Him to lead us in every step of the journey. We will start small and HE will end BIG.

HIS BEST is yet to come! I'm praising God for HIS people in Uganda and looking forward to continuing this journey!

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1: 27

The importance of Family

I was so excited to greet some of the HEAL Ministries board of directors and advisors at the Entebbe airport. It is so exciting and rewarding for all of them to see first-hand what I have been describing for two years. We hope to have much prayer, much discussion, much prayer, much research, much prayer, and answers.

We started off by going to the Watoto Church in Kampala today. The church is so wonderful and alive and full of the holy spirit and started our week off exactly how we wanted: with the emphasis on God and family. The pastor brought up several couples to announce their holy matrimony and wedding dates. I love that the church emphasizes the family, marriage and the importance of commitment and vows. This is exactly what the country of Uganda needs: family emphasis and intervention. A definite revival is going on here. Despite the negative that you may hear, God is at work! We watched an altar call of about 50 people walking down to accept the Lord - the pastor told of thousands across the 7 various churches that have recently committed their lives to Christ. We have new people added daily to the Kingdom of God - yes, God is at work! The angels are rejoicing over the new family members.

On the 2 hour ride from Kampala to Jinja, I was reflecting on the powerful sermon at this church. I thought about the important message of family and discipline. We are all born with family members and we have this incredible family of believers that God has given us. And I looked around and saw my son, Trey (my natural family) taking a day off of work to help me pick up our God given family - the Heal Ministries board of directors and advisors. I am blessed. God has granted me these wonderful people to walk with me, to journey with me, to keep me accountable, to encourage me, to love me well and to show me what real family and friendships mean. The body of Christ is so wonderful and I am going to bed very happy tonight because I truly know the importance of family.

HEAL Family Present this week:

Kevin Hagan, Chairman of the Board,

Dan Proctor, Director of the James Project

Valerie Mowery and Dee Anne Proctor - Co - Executive Directors

Marti Scudder and Steve Lorenz - Board Advisors

I'm excited to see what the HEAL family learns from God this week and just as excited to write about it..............

to be continued!

"A happy family is but an earlier heaven."

George Bernard Shaw

A JaJa's Heart

JaJa (grandmother) ran up to us clapping and smiling as we approached her humble hut in the village of Wairrasa with her grandson. Richard is 2 years old. His mother died of aids and his father abandoned him. His JaJa was not able to care for him properly. Richard has to take medication daily and must eat 3 good meals a day. In the village with JaJa, he would have been lucky to receive one good meal a day. Wairrasa is just outside Kikira about 20 minutes from Jinja.

The village life is hard where JaJa lives. I talked with the LC and he said that the number one problem is poverty. Because of poverty, the kids are not in school. Because the kids are not in school, they are bored. Because they are bored, they get into the local home-made alcohol and the teen pregnancy rate is very high. Because the teen pregnancy rate is high, there are many children everywhere. Because there are many children, there's young girls with two kids (one on each hip). Because the young teens cannot care for the children, they are often abandoned and left with grandmothers. And the cycle continues.

We were able to talk to the ladies of the village. JaJa seems to be the leader and she is very wise. She talked about how the parents need to be more responsible and keep the children in school. She said that Saturdays should be reserved for chores and Sunday for church. She said that they need help, education, training. She had to dismiss herself every 5 minutes or so because of her bad cough.

As we were talking about Richard's family, she got a little emotional. JaJa is a mother of 11. She has buried 5 children. We saw where Richard's mother was buried just behind her home. It is very surreal to be holding a 2 year old child and looking at the grave of his mom. JaJa is very thankful for a place like Amani that can protect Richard, care for him and make sure that he receives 3 meals a day and daily medicines.

As I watched this sweet little grandmother try to communicate with her 2 year old grandson, I really began to understand the horrible cycle that has been going on for generations here. Teenage girls getting pregnant constantly, the father abandons the girl when the baby arrives. The village (if they are lucky) lets the girl stay and the JaJa, if she is lucky - is not left with the grandkid. Often, the girls desert the babies. In some villages, the girl is kicked out once pregnant. In this particular instance sitting with the village ladies in Wairrasa, the baby is now 2 years old visiting the only family that he has. Everyone was excited to see Richard. They all laughed and talked about how much he looked like his mother. And JaJa got emotional again.

I don't know what is going to happen to Richard. Where he will end up or if the grandmother will be able to continue to see him from time to time. But I do know that he is getting the care that he needs right now. Richard is yet another example of a child that needs continued intervention.

We were able to sit and talk and laugh with the ladies and the children. We were also able to talk to them about the importance of breaking the cycle and being responsible. They were very thankful for our time with them. I was thankful to be able to witness the attempt of reuniting family and keeping relationships strong with the grandmother. And just as I think I'm beginning (barely) to understand the Luganda language, I show up to this village where they only speak swahili. Just as every village has different tribes and different beliefs, they also have different languages.

JaJa was so excited to invite us (me and Danyne) into her own special, private hut. She is a very clean lady and is known in the village as one of the cleanest house keepers according to Mike, our translator. Her love in her heart for her grandson is evident. Sometimes, it is hardest to understand not keeping a child. And, sometimes, I get a glimpse into the eyes of an elderly, sick grandmother and begin to understand that because she loved him, she had to let him go.

"I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
Mother Teresa

sunshine, JumpRopes and cookies

Today was a beautiful, sunny day in the middle of what the locals call the beginning of rain season. I promised a little boy named Marvin that I would make him sugar cookies last Saturday. And that is why I found myself baking 150 cookies the last two days.

Marvin lives with about 120 brothers and sisters. I knew that they would all want a cookie and Marvin would want his family to have one. Talking about cookies and me baking them is not why I am writing this. Anyone can bake cookies. But not anyone would be so thankful and happy about one sugar cookie. The children at Canaan are very appreciative and thankful. Seeing the smiles and the "thank you", after "thank you" after "thank you" made me stop and take a moment to be thankful myself. I'm thankful that I know Marvin because he has taught me how to be thankful for the little things, the big things, all things. The cookies are just a tool to build relationship.

Marvin sang "Jesus loves the little children" with his little hoarse voice and I was teary eyed listening. Yes He does. Little children that need protection and love. Today also made me think about all the hoop-la going on all over the world about Joseph Kony. If you are reading this and asking "who is Joseph Kony" then you probably have not been on facebook or twitter lately or read all the controversial articles about Invisible Children. I'll leave it up to you to investigate but the truth is: he is the leader of the LRA and caused thousands of deaths. Plain and simple, he should be brought to justice. Regardless what you think about what you read, Invisible Children has done a great job raising awareness and making this horrific war criminal known. Uganda is completely safe from the LRA now and they have been gone since 2006. As I watched Marvin singing, I thought about Invisible Children having the courage to stand up and raise awareness and make a difference. I thought about "Machine Gun Preacher" and many, many, many others that have tried to stand up and fight for children. I am thankful for everyone that has the courage to make a stand. I am thankful that Marvin is still alive and singing today because others have cared. Heal Ministries cares. We care about the abandoned women and children. We care about the orphans. We care about making a difference here where we have been called to serve.

I could hear laughter all around the Canaan Children's Home today. Girls and boys were jumping rope and playing. I took a friends two daughters to hang out with the girls. The girls at Canaan were excited to meet new friends. Watching the girls all hang out reminded me how much we are all just alike but all born with different situations.

I left the village of Buziika and visited my friend Fazirra (probably not spelled correctly) to take her family a basket of cookies. I have mentioned her before and she was there with five of her six children. Shariffe was at school. The rest of them ran up to me and they were so excited that I arrived. I talked with them a few minutes and left the cookies and explained that I just stopped by to say Hi. I left there realizing one thing different about the people here. Time. They have time to accept a visitor and you don't have to call ahead. They are welcoming and want to build relationships. Even if there is a language barrier, I can just sit and smile with them. I have been taking language lessons the last few weeks and Fazirra was so surprised when I spoke to her in her own language. She lit up and smiled bigger than I have seen her smile so far. As I attempt to get to know the people in all the villages and as I research the needs for HEAL's next phase, I am realizing that I must learn to speak their language. I must do everything possible to show that I really am invested and that I really do care. I really do care enough to share the ultimate HOPE and JOY. In their language.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3:15

jOyFuL progress!

I blogged a few weeks ago about a mother of six that lived in a small hut in a village near Jinja. She had a son that was 10 named Shariffe and he was tending to everything because the abandoned mom was tending to two sick children. One child had malaria and the other one had pneumonia. We visited Fazirra again and took her some food and medicine. I was so happy to discover the children playing and looking healthy. I was also happy that Shariffe was not around because he was in school. It is so rewarding to meet a family and see them progress in many ways. Fazirra is attending a weekly Bible Study that I am involved with and gave praises for God's provisions. Fazirra's perspective is that she is blessed. Her children are getting better. She has food and she is getting healthy (she is HIV positive) and she is beginning to understand the joy in her heart. I am learning alot from her. We had a great talk about how much we have in common as single moms with various trials. Our only difference is our birthplace. Our biggest similarity is that we both need Jesus.

I am in another small group with some teenage pregnant girls that have been abandoned by family, their village and society. I talked with Lydia who is 15 with twins. She told me this week about the families in the village where she lived. When the twins were born, everyone thought they were cursed. The witch doctor wanted to take them to try and cast out the evil spirits but she did not allow it. Lydia said that many times, the witch doctors kill twins. There are some tribes that think they are blessings and have a huge party to celebrate their birth. Other tribes think that twins and triplets are curses. Unfortunately for Lydia, she was in the tribe that did not realize she gave birth to a double blessing. Lydia lives alone and takes care of her twins. She is learning responsibilities and each week I see more and more joy in her eyes.

I also blogged about a 14 year old girl a few weeks ago that we reported to the officials because she had been abandoned by her family and was taking care of her sister's baby. Maureen is the mother of the baby. They lived in the village of Nyenga but when I went there again this week, they were no longer there. I had hoped that this would end with a happy ending and I'm so thankful and joyful that it is. Maureen is attending the Bible studies (probably because she gets a bag of food) but she is hearing about the Lord. She is 18 and lives alone with the baby. Her 14 year old sister is in a boarding school. The baby has gained weight and looks very happy and healthy. It is so rewarding to blog about situations and then to be able to report such positive progress.

What all of these stories have shown me is that progress is happening because of intervention. Most of the hurting people need help. They don't know what to do or even how to begin to get to the next level. I have seen so many situations of intervention improve situations. They don't need hand outs. They need direction.

I'll be visiting a village next week and taking a little boy to visit his grandmother. This little boy's name is Richard. Richard's mother died and the father abandoned him. The grandmother wants to see him and I am prayerful that in the future she will take her grandson back. This is another example of an elderly woman that needed intervention.

Oddly, one of the most rewarding visits that I have had was today at the prison. I visited the prisoners that were on death row. There are women and men there separated by sex. Some of the women have babies that live there with them. I went with a missionary couple to purchase some beaded coin purses. The money goes to the inmate's families and helps them with needed items while incarcerated. It was a joyful atmosphere there today. They were in the courtyards with music, drums, dance and songs. A large amount of them have become christians. The prison allows the missionaries to visit weekly and give bible studies because they have noticed a drastic change in the attitudes of the inmates. This intervention added prisoners to the Kingdom!

I am looking forward to the board members arriving in just one week to see what all the Lord is leading us to. I am also excited about the teams coming this summer. They have so much to experience and it is a joy to see us all grow in Christ together. When the focus is on the needs of others, life is jOyFuL!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday." Isaiah 58: 10

A message from the Board Chairman.......

As I sit and read the blogs from Tina, our Director of Missions, I can’t help but get excited for what is about to happen. Several of us are headed to Uganda in 16 days to be with Tina and the Ugandan people. Truly we are so blessed and I really have no idea what to expect. Only God knows His plans for me and the rest of the board members. Our next board meeting is scheduled March 5^th. We will be discussing the upcoming trip, our new policies and procedures, accountability, obedience, and God’s vision for us. It is a time of reflection in my life and a time for me to really sit back and ask God to take me. I can no longer simply stand by in the idle, comfortable position of worrying about my life. There are so many others that have needs much greater than my own. The time in Uganda is going to be very busy as our days will be full of meetings and prayer. We hope to come away with a new sense of God’s love and how to move forward with the James 1:27 Project for a Family Style Orphanage in Uganda. Please pray for us.

Kevin Hagan,

President and Chairman of the Board

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27