This book was about the work of Robin and Joyce Hill, who gave up their life as wealthy expatriates in China to take care of orphans who were in need of urgent medical attention that they were not going to receive otherwise. Many of these children would otherwise die, or live severely compromised lives. These children are then placed for adoption. The Hill family have adopted one child themselves, and have 8 children between them.
This was a great book in a lot of ways. One of the ways it inspired me was that neither Robin nor Joyce have lived “perfect” Christian lives – and they both were not youths when they started Hope Foster Home. Sometimes reading the biographies of other missionaries can be a bit discouraging because we can see how much more imperfect we are! (Even though we are all sinners in the sight of God.) That was something that I really enjoyed about this book.
Another thing that I really liked was that I “knew” (via blogs) one of the children who was adopted internationally from their homes. Isaiah from A Place Called Simplicity was originally named Toby, and received surgery through Hope Foster Home. Knowing a lot of the details of his adoption gave this book a personal touch (and I recommend that you read those details for some amazing stories of what God has done in the lives of one family).
Like many other missionary works that are written about for a general audience, this book is occasionally light on the power of God. While it is clear that God inspired the work, and is a big part of the lives of the founders, it isn’t always as clear about how He is still part of the work.
But this was a really good book, especially if you have an interest in China, medical missions, or caring for orphans!
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Sunday, 26 August 2012
Day Two: Thursday 14.06.2012
I woke at 7:45, which is a good time, especially given the time difference. I repacked my things, struggling with my bag immensely, because I have far too much stuff in it. I did my quiet time, then we had breakfast and met John, the driver at Bushikori. I ate banana and pineapple, which are two of my favourite fruits.
Anne had gone to run errands, so Esther and I sat and talked with John, who knows a lot about the different issues in Uganda and Bushikori. He had 12 children, 10 of whom are still alive. The oldest died recently at age 40, leaving 3 children, whom John is helping to raise. It is difficult for them to meet all the school fees and university fees, and even with a university education, unemployment is high.
Something that has recently come in in Uganda is the official discouragement of caning in schools. This is very new, and the transition isn’t very smooth in some areas, with some students acting up in school because the teachers can’t cane them.
Anne came back and we went to have lunch. I got to try posho, which was pretty bland, but was okay when you dipped it in the bean stew. I ate lots of matoke!
Then we started the long drive to Mbale. I took two videos, one of the streets of Kampala, and one of the countryside between Kampala and Jinja. Kampala is very busy, while the countrysides are quieter but much less prosperous. I fall asleep a lot on the bus.
Before we went to Anne’s house, we stopped off at the school where Esther’s son, Aaron (pronounced Eren) was boarding. We asked the head teach Jeffrey (pronounced Joffrey) if my two oldest children, Ingrid and Joash, a brother and sister, were there too. They were! I was so pleased, because it was one of the top secondary schools in the district. They both must have worked very hard to get in. I did not get to see Ingrid, as she had gone home sick, and I only got to see Joash for a few seconds before we had to go (I didn’t even get to talk to him because we needed to go) but we will be coming back and I can speak to them both.
Esther and Aaron
Jeffrey - the principal
We got to Anne’s house, and they showed us to our rooms, then we had dinner. There was rice and beans and avocado, all of which I love, and pineapple and mango for dessert. I met Anne’s two children who are at home, Mary and David. Both have finished uni and are volunteering at Bushikori while they look for jobs. Mary studied social work and David clinical medicine, which is the 1st half of a medical degree here. Mary has been sick, but they don’t know what is causing it, because all the tests are showing nothing is wrong. Esther gave David a stethoscope, and he was so excited, especially because it was such a good brand, which will work well even in the noisy clinic.
Anne had gone to run errands, so Esther and I sat and talked with John, who knows a lot about the different issues in Uganda and Bushikori. He had 12 children, 10 of whom are still alive. The oldest died recently at age 40, leaving 3 children, whom John is helping to raise. It is difficult for them to meet all the school fees and university fees, and even with a university education, unemployment is high.
Something that has recently come in in Uganda is the official discouragement of caning in schools. This is very new, and the transition isn’t very smooth in some areas, with some students acting up in school because the teachers can’t cane them.
Anne came back and we went to have lunch. I got to try posho, which was pretty bland, but was okay when you dipped it in the bean stew. I ate lots of matoke!
Then we started the long drive to Mbale. I took two videos, one of the streets of Kampala, and one of the countryside between Kampala and Jinja. Kampala is very busy, while the countrysides are quieter but much less prosperous. I fall asleep a lot on the bus.
Before we went to Anne’s house, we stopped off at the school where Esther’s son, Aaron (pronounced Eren) was boarding. We asked the head teach Jeffrey (pronounced Joffrey) if my two oldest children, Ingrid and Joash, a brother and sister, were there too. They were! I was so pleased, because it was one of the top secondary schools in the district. They both must have worked very hard to get in. I did not get to see Ingrid, as she had gone home sick, and I only got to see Joash for a few seconds before we had to go (I didn’t even get to talk to him because we needed to go) but we will be coming back and I can speak to them both.
Esther and Aaron
Jeffrey - the principal
We got to Anne’s house, and they showed us to our rooms, then we had dinner. There was rice and beans and avocado, all of which I love, and pineapple and mango for dessert. I met Anne’s two children who are at home, Mary and David. Both have finished uni and are volunteering at Bushikori while they look for jobs. Mary studied social work and David clinical medicine, which is the 1st half of a medical degree here. Mary has been sick, but they don’t know what is causing it, because all the tests are showing nothing is wrong. Esther gave David a stethoscope, and he was so excited, especially because it was such a good brand, which will work well even in the noisy clinic.
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Nate Saint
"If God would grant us the vision, the word sacrifice would disappear from our lips and thoughts; we would hate the things that seem now so dear to us; our lives would suddenly be too short, we would despise time-robbing distractions and charge the enemy with all our energies in the name of Christ. May God help us ourselves by the eternities that separate the Aucas from a Comprehension of Christmas and Him, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor so that we might, through his poverty, be made rich."
– Nate Saint, two weeks before he was martyred by the Aucas
– Nate Saint, two weeks before he was martyred by the Aucas
Monday, 20 August 2012
Day One: Wednesday 13.06.2012
The first flight went smoothly. I did some reading and watched some TV & movies. All the food was fine for my dietary requirements, except one meal had eggs (which I need to limit, and are gross anyway), and another had strawberries, which I picked out.
Arrival at Doha went well, our departure lounge was right where we were dropped off on the bus. Esther had some pretty bad motion sickness, but she managed to keep from being sick on the bus to our next flight.
This time to Uganda there were a lot more white people on the flight, probably because it is safari season. I’m not planning on going on a safari, it would bore me immensely. I would see a lion and think “yep, that’s a lion,” and that’s it. Besides, I don’t have much time in Uganda, and I really want to use this precious time to make a real difference in people’s lives and eternities, not in seeing large animals.
Oh – and they just announced my allergies, and they included pollen (not fish, my next most serious to gluten & dairy), and asked passengers to refrain from eating pollen, gluten and dairy. That’s right, no eating pollen on this flight!
We arrived at Entebbe, got our visas and luggage, and then met Anne, who is the director of Bushikori. She had a bunch of flowers for each of us. We waited for a bit at the airport and met Samson, Anne’s oldest son. When then drove to a hotel in Kampala near where Anne’s son-in-law, Jerome, works.
Esther and I had a rest and a sleep, then ate dinner. There was something I could eat on the menu, so that was good! Then we went back to our rooms to have a bit more of a sleep.
Arrival at Doha went well, our departure lounge was right where we were dropped off on the bus. Esther had some pretty bad motion sickness, but she managed to keep from being sick on the bus to our next flight.
This time to Uganda there were a lot more white people on the flight, probably because it is safari season. I’m not planning on going on a safari, it would bore me immensely. I would see a lion and think “yep, that’s a lion,” and that’s it. Besides, I don’t have much time in Uganda, and I really want to use this precious time to make a real difference in people’s lives and eternities, not in seeing large animals.
Oh – and they just announced my allergies, and they included pollen (not fish, my next most serious to gluten & dairy), and asked passengers to refrain from eating pollen, gluten and dairy. That’s right, no eating pollen on this flight!
We arrived at Entebbe, got our visas and luggage, and then met Anne, who is the director of Bushikori. She had a bunch of flowers for each of us. We waited for a bit at the airport and met Samson, Anne’s oldest son. When then drove to a hotel in Kampala near where Anne’s son-in-law, Jerome, works.
Esther and I had a rest and a sleep, then ate dinner. There was something I could eat on the menu, so that was good! Then we went back to our rooms to have a bit more of a sleep.
Friday, 17 August 2012
Review: Reasoning from the Scriptures: Jehovah’s Witnesses
One of the most recognisable cult-groups is the Jehovah’s Witness. These are noted for their door-knocking ways and their magazines Awake and the Watchtower. Most Christians are aware that the doctrines of this group is significantly different from the doctrines of Christianity. However, most Christians are a bit confused as to exactly what is different, how it is different, whether it is important and how to answer them.
This book is a wonderful explanation of these differences, an analysis of the history of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the controversial issues and how to answer all of the different opinions of JW’s from the Bible – something that is important for ourselves and is an effective way of answering them, as JW’s highly value the Bible.
If you are interested in apologetics, especially in terms of answering Jehovah’s Witnesses, then this one of the best books I’ve read on the subject (and I’ve read several, as I have friends who are JWs).
This book is a wonderful explanation of these differences, an analysis of the history of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the controversial issues and how to answer all of the different opinions of JW’s from the Bible – something that is important for ourselves and is an effective way of answering them, as JW’s highly value the Bible.
If you are interested in apologetics, especially in terms of answering Jehovah’s Witnesses, then this one of the best books I’ve read on the subject (and I’ve read several, as I have friends who are JWs).
Tuesday, 14 August 2012
Review: The End of the Spear
End of the Spear is a 2006 docudrama film that recounts the story of Operation Auca, in which five American Christian missionaries attempted to evangelize the Huaorani (Waodani) people of the jungle of Ecuador. Based on actual events from 1956 in which five male missionaries were speared by members of the Waodani tribe, the movie tells the story from the perspective of Steve Saint (the son of Nate Saint, one of the murdered missionaries), and Mincayani, one of the tribesmen who killed the missionaries. The two eventually form a bond that continues to this day.
It's not perfectly accurate (duh, it's a movie, and they need to make things interesting), and the gospel messege isn't really part of this movie. There was also a lot of contraversy over the main actor, who is g*y.
That said, it's a very engaging movie, one that really draws you in. It's a good introduction to the lives (and deaths) of five famous missionaries of the 20th century, and to some of the issues regarding the lives of natives in some part of South America, issues that continue to this day.
It's not perfectly accurate (duh, it's a movie, and they need to make things interesting), and the gospel messege isn't really part of this movie. There was also a lot of contraversy over the main actor, who is g*y.
That said, it's a very engaging movie, one that really draws you in. It's a good introduction to the lives (and deaths) of five famous missionaries of the 20th century, and to some of the issues regarding the lives of natives in some part of South America, issues that continue to this day.
Saturday, 11 August 2012
Review: Christian Heroes Series
Okay, this is seriously my favourite series of books. It's written for older children. And the thing is that good books for that age-range are amongst the best books ever written.
And these are very good books.
These books are well written, engaging, are well paced, and well-researched. They take the books written by and about the missionaries themselves and make them into an engaging narrative. Because elt's face it, some books written actually by the missionaries themselves are ridiculously boring. These aren't.
The series covers a lot of different people, including famous missionaries (Husdon Taylor and Amy Carmichael, etc) to those who stayed home and made a difference there (Dietrich Bonhoeffer and John Wesley) to those who were cultural forces (CS Lewis) to those who enabled others to go (Loren Cunningham and Count Zinzendorf).
The other great thing about this series is the PRICE. The price varies from book to book (with newer ones tending to cost a bit more), but they range from $6.95 to $9.95 (less the church discount, if you are like me and buy via the church bookstall).
The one issue that I do have with these books is the authors sometimes skate over some of the more "controversial" aspects of their subjects - which is kind of to be expected in the Christian children's market. Still, it was disappointing to have major people in the lives of one particular missionary (Gladys Aylward) minimised or edited out. But other than that, this series is a great introduction to some of the heroes of the faith, especially missionaries, for any age.
And these are very good books.
These books are well written, engaging, are well paced, and well-researched. They take the books written by and about the missionaries themselves and make them into an engaging narrative. Because elt's face it, some books written actually by the missionaries themselves are ridiculously boring. These aren't.
The series covers a lot of different people, including famous missionaries (Husdon Taylor and Amy Carmichael, etc) to those who stayed home and made a difference there (Dietrich Bonhoeffer and John Wesley) to those who were cultural forces (CS Lewis) to those who enabled others to go (Loren Cunningham and Count Zinzendorf).
The other great thing about this series is the PRICE. The price varies from book to book (with newer ones tending to cost a bit more), but they range from $6.95 to $9.95 (less the church discount, if you are like me and buy via the church bookstall).
The one issue that I do have with these books is the authors sometimes skate over some of the more "controversial" aspects of their subjects - which is kind of to be expected in the Christian children's market. Still, it was disappointing to have major people in the lives of one particular missionary (Gladys Aylward) minimised or edited out. But other than that, this series is a great introduction to some of the heroes of the faith, especially missionaries, for any age.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Review: The Hole in Our Gospel
This book is by Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision (the US part anyway. We have Tim Costello). It is based on his experiences from going from being a very wealthy CEO to being the president of World Vision, and the different experiences that he has had along the way.
The premise is that of World Visions - when you meet peoples' needs, they tend to be more interested in the people who are giving to them, and especially why.
The fact of the matter is also that God commands us to do something - "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:17) being the obvious command, btu throughout the scriptures we are continually told that those of us who have should be doing what we can to improve the lives of those who don't have.
Along with a whole heap of facts on the developing world and the conditions in it, this book is a wealth of information for people interested in missions worldwide, especially mercy missions, and those who are interested to know how the church can become what it was meant to be - a cultural force that radically changes our world.
The premise is that of World Visions - when you meet peoples' needs, they tend to be more interested in the people who are giving to them, and especially why.
The fact of the matter is also that God commands us to do something - "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:17) being the obvious command, btu throughout the scriptures we are continually told that those of us who have should be doing what we can to improve the lives of those who don't have.
Along with a whole heap of facts on the developing world and the conditions in it, this book is a wealth of information for people interested in missions worldwide, especially mercy missions, and those who are interested to know how the church can become what it was meant to be - a cultural force that radically changes our world.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
On The Plane (Tues 12.06.12)
Well, I’m feeling a lot more confident this time round than last time. I have packed a ton of stuff, but almost all of it is presents for Bushikori. I ended up not being able to fit in everything; I had to leave two sports shirts, chalk, and some books. My luggage is just under the weight limit, except for my hand luggage, which is nearly double what it should be. But they let me on, so all should be good!
One of the reasons I’m much less nervous is that this time I’m travelling with someone – Esther, who is a committee member at the Bushikori support group. It made walking through customs much easier, and that’s always the bit that freaks me out the most. I’m always worried that I’m going to be arrested, though this has never happened and there is no reason for it to. But I still worry about that bit of the journey, far more than the flying itself.
I’m not sitting with Esther – she’s quite a few seats / rows away. I have a window seat.
It was hilarious – they announced that someone on the flight (that would be me) is hyper-allergic to gluten and dairy, so if passengers could please not eat these… when the food being served to everyone (except me) has both gluten and dairy. It’s pretty funny really. The guy next to me is going to move seats later so he can have more space and so they don’t have to worry about crumbs getting on me and me having an allergic reaction.
Which brings me to the question everyone asks – how do I manage with the food in Africa, especially with severe dietary requirements? (Diary makes me have difficulty with breathing, including completely stopping breathing, and gluten results in me vomiting, having an inability to absorb nutrients, lethargy, ‘brain fog’ and panic attacks for up to 3 weeks after exposure, including exposure via skin contact, including skin lotions, play-dough, etc.) The answer is – easy! The food in Uganda is mostly GF/CF (gluten free/casein (dairy protein) free), especially when people don’t try and feed me mzungu foods. The three staples are posho, rice and beans, and matoke and stew – all are GF/CF. Along with this, less pollen, additive, and other allergens in the air, food, and drinks mean that accidental exposure is less risky than in Australia. My travel doctor said that Uganda would probably be great for my health long term, and all my school friends likewise think that moving to Uganda is a great idea, even though they don’t understand any of the gospel motivations behind my actions.
One of the reasons I’m much less nervous is that this time I’m travelling with someone – Esther, who is a committee member at the Bushikori support group. It made walking through customs much easier, and that’s always the bit that freaks me out the most. I’m always worried that I’m going to be arrested, though this has never happened and there is no reason for it to. But I still worry about that bit of the journey, far more than the flying itself.
I’m not sitting with Esther – she’s quite a few seats / rows away. I have a window seat.
It was hilarious – they announced that someone on the flight (that would be me) is hyper-allergic to gluten and dairy, so if passengers could please not eat these… when the food being served to everyone (except me) has both gluten and dairy. It’s pretty funny really. The guy next to me is going to move seats later so he can have more space and so they don’t have to worry about crumbs getting on me and me having an allergic reaction.
Which brings me to the question everyone asks – how do I manage with the food in Africa, especially with severe dietary requirements? (Diary makes me have difficulty with breathing, including completely stopping breathing, and gluten results in me vomiting, having an inability to absorb nutrients, lethargy, ‘brain fog’ and panic attacks for up to 3 weeks after exposure, including exposure via skin contact, including skin lotions, play-dough, etc.) The answer is – easy! The food in Uganda is mostly GF/CF (gluten free/casein (dairy protein) free), especially when people don’t try and feed me mzungu foods. The three staples are posho, rice and beans, and matoke and stew – all are GF/CF. Along with this, less pollen, additive, and other allergens in the air, food, and drinks mean that accidental exposure is less risky than in Australia. My travel doctor said that Uganda would probably be great for my health long term, and all my school friends likewise think that moving to Uganda is a great idea, even though they don’t understand any of the gospel motivations behind my actions.
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Robert C. Shannon
"Never pity missionaries; envy them. They are where the real action is – where life and death, sin and grace, Heaven and Hell converge."
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