Friday. What a Day!

.    Today was a very full day, but it was also a very great day. We started the morning with breakfast and a team devotional. We felt it was especially important to spend time together in the word and in pray as we were informed that some of the places we would be visiting and working could potentially be very emotionally and spiritually heavy places.

     Our first journey was to the Gulu Remand House, a juvenile detention center. There we met with the entire group where Dakota Rosenberg and I (Sam Woodworth) were able to share a testimony and an encouraging word respectively. Dakota shared from Romans 12:26 and I shared from Titus 3:3-8. Next we had the opportunity to serve the group lunch, a meal they often do not get. We then went outside and played Ultimate Frisbee and soccer with the boys (and a few girls). They also enjoyed playing "Head it! Catch it!" And "River, Bank". It was a joyful time and everyone left the field laughing and sweating. Before we left Zeb Cross felt called to share a story from his life and was able to speak a word of encouragement to the group.
   
     On our way back to the hotel for lunch we made a quick stop down memory lane for our fearless leader Aaron Faro. 11 years ago, amid a war torn city, Aaron played in the first and only international professional soccer game in Gulu with the Charlotte Eagles in Pece Stadium. So we stopped by the stadium to get the story behind the game and how it impacted the growth of Sports Outreach, and the Holy Spirit, in the city of Gulu.

      After the stadium visit, we rode the bus back to the hotel and had a quick bite to eat while conversing about the morning. We left around 2pm from the hotel to travel to the Sawyer product demonstration and hands-on walkthrough.
   
     Our famous bus driver, Wilfred, was drove like a professional, evading the numerous pot holes and ditches that came his way. When we arrived, there were many representatives from different churches in the area that attended the meeting place, some of which traveled many hours in advance to the meeting place.

     Our knowledgable Sawyer product demonstration expert, Jordan Frank, gave a clear and concise presentation on the bucket filter. He was not wavered by the 30min Q&A from group of church representatives nor the speculation over the effectiveness of the bucket filter.

     After the demo, Kirby R. presented the gospel and Aaron F. presented a small group session on the verse behind AROMA (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) and split us up into small groups with a translator for every group.

     After coming back together, we entered into song with the group and said our goodbyes to most of the people there and walked down the road and trail. We walked to a small hut that was home to a little girl by the name of Trinity and gave her family a bucket filter. Her mother described her as a lovely girl that could sing very well, so Trinity sang us a short song and we said goodbyes.

     The children followed us a few hundred meters over to a hut that was home to a little boy named Osama. We gave a bucket filter to his family and his aunt gave us the short background story of Osama's life so far. We said our goodbyes to the children following us while holding our hands and boarded the bus to go back to the hotel.

     Lastly, we made a quick stop at a 3.5 acre farm tended by two wives married to the same husband. In most polygamous marriages, the wives are not friends, but these two women were quite the opposite. The younger wife had actually motivated the older wife to work in the field and start anew by planting soy bean and maize. As some of the leaders of our group asked for a picture, the two women requested that they have a photo taken together because they were friends and would not have a picture without the other.

     It was an honor for me (Dakota S.) to capture that moment with my camera that I had been using on this trip. It was a beautiful evening scene with two women sharing a field and telling of their hard work that they had put into their land. They requested that I send it to them and I will be sure to do so to them as I will to those reading this blog. Peace and love, Sam Woodworth, Dakota Schmalz and team