Teach a man to fish...

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Akigyeno School is not only about educating the children of Kayepas and surrounding villages.  It is also about employing local people to work at the school, buying locally, and making things locally that the school needs.  I have been adamant that local people should be the first considered before bringing in anyone from outside the immediate area.  I don’t care if it takes a bit longer or someone needs to be trained…keep it local!

When it came to the construction crew there were 3 men that were brought in because there wasn’t qualified individuals locally.  But all of the day laborers, which there have been many, have all come from Kayepas village.  It makes me happy to see them working (although it is really labor intensive work).  They are making some money to bring home to their families.  That is what this school is about.  Improving the entire community not just for the kids.

As we are approaching time to open we need 4 teachers, secretary, cook, cleaner, groundskeeper, security guard (day and night), and someone to fetch water from the well.  The teachers are likely to come from outside Kayepas but the rest we intend to be from the village itself.

Even when it comes down to who will make the uniforms and shoes for Akigyeno students.  We want the work to be done in Karamoja versus bringing them from the bigger cities.  I had the first sets for the children made by a young lady in our church in the city.  But future needs we want to come from Karamoja.  We will pay a fair price but it will keep the funds local, supports several families, and brings money into the area.

At Pastor Philip’s church, there is a group of ladies who have received sewing machines several years back from Mercy Uganda (who we were working with prior to Ezekiel 37 being formed).  They have 8 machines.  They rent a small room that stores them and they can work in there. 

There is a young lady, Rosemary, who was part of our sponsorship program several years ago.  Rosemary made the decision to have pre-marital sex and got pregnant.  Once a girl gets pregnant, school is over for her.  So she left our program, went home, and had her child.  She has stayed with the father and they’ve since had another baby.  But Rosemary did manage to go to a one year vocation course in fashion design and tailoring.  She knows how to make clothes and other things.  I have talked to Rosemary about being the leader of the ladies group from church who will make the uniforms.  She can train the others.  Some who cannot sew can be the ones who cut the fabric or assist the sewers.  We will pay them fairly for the work.  They can save the profits and buy other material to make other items that they can sell in the markets.  I’ve seen some skirts and dresses that they’ve made beautifully.  They lack money to start up but giving them a contract to make uniforms will help get them started.

Then there is another young man, Moses, who has seriously struggled in school since I met him.  He’s about 15 years old and is being told to repeat 4th grade again this year.  Both of his parents died of AIDS, he is being raised by his sister.  The sister makes Moses work a lot when he is home and it is not a very good situation for him.  We have gotten him a tutor, spent extra time with him and he fails to thrive in it.  He is good at math but is poor in the other subjects.  We wanted to send him to a vocation school this year but have been told that he has to finish 7th grade in order to be accepted.  So that is not an option. 

But, I had a thought.  What if we taught Moses how to make the sandals for the students?  They are made out of old tires.  We talked about having sandals as the shoes for Akigyeno instead of socks and sneakers because they’ll destroy those too fast.  The children are used to being barefoot so sandals would be an improvement.

Moses could learn how to make different types of sandals.  We will buy them for the Akigyeno children.  Then, like with the ladies group, once he has some extra money can buy extra materials and make bigger ones to sell to adults in the village, market, etc.  We are going to try to find someone who makes good sandals and see if we can get Moses trained in that.

Akigyeno School is not just about educating children of Kayepas.  It is about empowering, equipping, and encouraging people to start thinking and working for themselves.  As the saying goes, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day.  Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.”

This school has the ability and opportunity to make a huge difference for more than just the children who attend classes.  We need your help to get the school open.  The children need to be sponsored so that we can have the money to operate the school, to get the kids in class, to employ all these people, and to purchase goods/services from others in the community.  Please visit the link below and commit to standing with us and the people of Kayepas.

www.ezekiel37ministry.org/akigyeno-students

Blessings,
Becky

Akigyeno School Grand Opening, 1/31/18

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On January 31, we had a grand opening celebration for Akigyeno School.  The school wasn't completely finished yet but we wanted to be able to have the team from America here to participate in the festivities.   (THERE ARE PICTURES FROM THIS DAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

As with most things in Uganda, they say it's going to start at 10 am...I think we started at 1 pm.  Haha!  The team even assisted with raising the tents.  We are so grateful for the team that God put together.  It was an amazing experience to share this day with them that we've all worked so hard for.

The event consisted of many speeches, one from myself included.  Most government officials were there from the district and region.  They all gave a speech.  But the best part was our Ezekiel 37 sponsored students singing a few songs and even performed a 6 minute traditional Karamoja dance which was so great!  They worked so hard preparing for this day and they were so proud to be there with us to celebrate.  Not only did they sing and dance but they also were integral with cleaning the entire grounds and cooking for everyone who attended.  The Ezekiel 37 children will not attend Akigyeno School (as they are all older) but the pride that they carried that day with regard to the school is truly something special.  I don't think I could be more proud of those children.  

We estimate that there were around 1,000 people in attendance for the grand opening.  Everyone was so happy and excited for the school opening (and the free meal)!  The Kayepas village did a traditional dance as well to show their appreciation for the school.  Amanda even jumped in on the dance! 

It was a surreal day.  A vision coming to reality.  When God says Yes, nobody can say No.  He called us to this project and He has provided the way.  Thank you for all who have responded to what God has called you to do!

This is from part of my speech...I was long winded but when you have an opportunity to talk to 1,000 people at once including government officials and several villages, you have to get it all in.

 
“I’ve been coming to Kayepas village for almost 8 years now.  When we come to the village there are certain children we see each time we come.  We have seen them grow from 2 years old up to now 9 years old.  They are around whether school is in session or not.  That had been on our hearts for many years. The concern that these children are here in the village instead of learning in school.  All of that changed in April 2016 when Loziro stood and said “Do you see all of these children?  They should be in school but they are not because there isn’t one for them”.  The days of the Karamajong being fearful and not valuing education are over!  The day has come where you are putting your children and their future first.  The day has come when you have put more value on education than allowing your children to stay at home idle or in the bush with the animals.

In the Bible, Jeremiah chapter 29 verses 11-14 - The prophet Jeremiah tells us a message from God.  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me, and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity…”

When we came 8 years ago, the animals were weak and thin.  Now they are fat and strong and in great numbers.  Why is that?  The reason is many of you have been turning your hearts and lives over to Jesus.  Turning away from the ancestral ways of sacrifices and witchdoctors.  Jesus is the only one who can bring you out of your captivity as we read in the book of Jeremiah.  Turn to the Lord and he will bring you out of the captivity of poverty, hunger, and thirst.

The Lord wants all of us to be at peace and to have a good future.  For too many years the Karamajong have followed the traditional ways of living.  Marrying many women, drinking the local brew, making sacrifices with witchdoctors.  These things are not pleasing to God.  But God loves all of us and He can forgive us for the things we have done that are not pleasing to Him.  He wants you to come to Him and turn from these evil things. 

So many people tell us the history of those rocks.  The blood that was shed there many years ago.  But you are living now.  History defined the lives of those who lived during that time.  What have you learned from those people who killed the white missionary?  What have you done differently than them?  You are still sacrificing animals and other things to a god that is not the one that created you.  A god that is not the one who created this earth that we live on.  A god that did not create the sky and the sun, the moon, the stars, the trees, the grass, and everything that you see.  Have your sacrifices changed your situation?  Is the land still dry?  Is there still lack of food?  Is there still lack of water? 

The God that we know….the one who sent his only son, Jesus, onto this earth to teach us how to live our lives.  The one who was nailed to a cross to die for our sins.  The one who is always forgiving, always loving, always merciful is the one in which we serve.  Our God is the one who says if you turn to Him, He will hear you.  He is the one who says if you leave your evil ways He will heal your land.  Now is the time!  Turn away from those old practices and start worshipping and praising the God who loves you and wants to spend eternity with you.  There is going to be church services held at this school building on Sundays.  Pastor Simon Akol is going to be the pastor of this place.  It is time for you to commit your lives to Jesus.  The only one who can bring you out of the captivity of your situations that you have been struggling with for all of these generations.

I can tell you that it is not easy for us to leave America and come here to Karamoja.  It is so hot, dry, and dusty.  Electricity, food and water are limited.  All of these things you know.  But we come because God has sent us.  We would not be here today if it weren’t for us being obedient enough to say “Yes Lord we will go”.  This team of people are all people who have been here before and love Karamoja so much.

Ezekiel 37 Ministry has been sent here by God to show you His love.  The love that only He can provide.  It was not our idea to come to Karamoja or to Kayepas.  But as His word says He has a plan for each of us.  His plan was to send us here, to this exact place, at this exact time, to say that Jesus Loves You!  He loves you so much that He sent us from over 12,000 kilometers away to tell you that!  It is time for you to turn to Jesus and turn away from the old ancestral ways.”

It's Time!

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I have praying for some time about how to share this information.  It is a serious topic and not to be taken lightly.

Less than 10 years ago Karamoja was a dangerous place to be in.  They had guns and would raid other villages at night and steal the livestock.  There is very little opportunity to obtain work around Matany town (where we serve).  So livestock is their currency.  They do a lot of bartering and trading of goods.  Desperation sets in certain times of year when their families are starving during the season before harvest. 

Many bullets have been sprayed on these lands.  Many machetes, arrows and clubs used in raids.  Thankfully the government did come in and take the guns away.  Peace has returned to the area.  There are still some raids that happen but not nearly as bad as they used to be. 

Africa also has a problem of witchcraft.  As an American, I never really believed things like that to be real.  But here it is still happening every day and is very much a reality.  Someone goes to the witchdoctor and tells them what they want in their life whether it is rain, money, good health, or even to put a curse on someone.  The witchdoctor tells them to come with x, y, z.  It could be money.  It could be an animal.  It could be something more terrible.  Children are abducted to be used as a sacrifice.  A witchdoctor says to bring a tongue of a child or even a head of a child.  So they go abduct someone’s child and bring what the witchdoctor requested.

Here in Karamoja they don’t necessarily call them witchdoctors but they consult the “wise elders” of the village.  Those elders supposedly are given a vision and tell the person what to bring for the sacrifice.  The people here have no money.  Their currency is their animals whether it’s sheep, goats or cows.  Someone consults these “wise elders” and then they have to search for what they have specified.  Whether it is a brown male uncastrated goat, white female goat, adult black cow, etc.  If they do not have it themselves they search their neighbors.  Then they go and take it from their neighbors without asking.  It is a known thing here that they do.  They don’t call it stealing because they have to pay it back to the person they took from and negotiate the re-payment afterwards.  Once they have what the elders have requested they take to the “shrine”.  I’ve learned the shrines are where there are clusters of trees.  They go there, do their rituals, sacrifice the animal and then eat it. 

We have been in a village where they were just returning from slaughtering a cow to the “gods” for rain.  Just in the last 2 weeks, one of our male goats was taken for this very thing.  The person responsible for caring for our goats was not around and a man from the neighboring village came and took our brown male goat.  This goat was not castrated.  We have decided that we are not going to accept a re-payment for what they took from us.  We are a Christian organization and will not condone such “deals” with the evil spirit world.  We are going to use this as a learning experience for the people involved.  That it what they are doing is wrong and not of God.

Between the raiding and sacrifices there has been a lot of blood has been shed in Karamoja.  Human and animal. 

When we visit villages they say they are Catholic or that they are Christians but from my observations and experience I believe they tell us (and all organizations in general) what they think we want to hear so that they can receive what was brought for them.  There are a few true believers sprinkled in but it has taken time to see them.

A lot of these remote villages have never heard of Jesus.  They’ve never heard about His saving grace.  They don’t understand that if they would turn from their cultural practices that God will bless them and meet their needs.  They’ve never heard of the miracles He performed.  They’ve never heard that He died on the cross for THEM!

Karamoja is so far that most mission groups don’t venture this far to reach these people.  Many churches and organizations send people to Uganda but they end up in the capital city, Kampala, or in the surrounding towns.  Why is that?  Because the people of Karamoja are not connected to the internet.  The pastors here in Karamoja cannot communicate with churches in America.  They cannot make “white friends”.  Where will they find these friends?  Mission groups are not venturing out this far because it’s not easy.  The roads are terrible.  We fly because it’s so far.  The electricity just arrived 2 years ago in the main town but the villages have nothing.  There’s no water.  Food is scarce.  So, how would anyone even know to come here?  The way we got here is that a friend to the ministry we were originally associated with, who lived in Kampala, was from Karamoja and he asked them to come to Karamoja.  Once here they couldn’t deny the needs.  They asked Ezekiel 37 to join them on a trip to Karamoja.  That was 6 years ago now.  The needs here are massive!  There’s no industry.  There’s no jobs.  There’s little rain.  There are no schools in the villages.  But most importantly there are unsaved souls who need to hear the word of God and be brought into the kingdom of God. 

I’m not looking through rose colored glasses on this.  I know it’s not going to be an easy or quick transformation.  It isn’t going to happen in one 10 day mission trip.  There are spiritual forces at work in this area of Karamoja that need to be dealt with and it is going to take time.  I can tell you from my personal experiences that there are forces at work to squash what we are doing in Karamoja.  Every time I come to Karamoja or send someone to Karamoja for ministry work something happens to me.  I’ve been sick.  I’ve been in a vehicle that barrel rolled 3 times where people asked “who died in this?”  My child has been sick.  Before a mission trip the team that is coming to serve almost all have had issues come up where they’ve been sick or other problems arise just prior to coming.  We even lost the $10,000 financial match for Akigyeno School because the donors suddenly had a financial problem.  I’m not blind to the fact that Satan is not happy with us and is doing everything in his power to stop us.  I have a group of prayer warriors who cover me in prayer when it comes time to go to Karamoja that I am thankful for.

2 Timothy 4:5 says “But be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

When God calls you to do His work you really have to know what you are getting yourself into (I didn’t know when I started this work and am still learning).  It is not easy work.  Those before us who have worked for the Lord have not had easy lives.  They struggle, they suffer greatly, and many have died for their calling.  You have to know that there is a spirit world that is not happy with the work you will be doing.  It is their job to make you suffer, want to quit and abandon what God has called you to do.  Just as Satan tortured Job in the Bible.  Making him endure some of the worst things that you could ever imagine.  But Job stood strong.  He never wavered in his belief and faith in God.  We, too, must stand firm in the word of God.  We must bring the current generation to Christ and cancel all the works and covenants that have been made over the many generations before us.

I used to believe that this ministry was about medicine and treating people for their medical needs.  I thought it was about education so that they could obtain jobs and provide for their families.  I thought it was about giving gardening tools and seeds so they can grow food.  But the only medicine, the only education, the only food they need is in JESUS!  They need to turn from their cultural and ancestral practices and commit themselves to the Lord.  They need to hear the word because they cannot read or write.  They need a pastor to teach them regularly.  We have a school building going up and we can use a classroom as a church. 

I am only one person and know that I cannot do this alone.  We need an army of God to rise up!  It starts on the land where Akigyeno School is being built.  We need to pray on that land and cancel and rebuke all the covenants that have made on that ground.  We need to dedicate it to the Lord.  The school is a private Christian school and even if a church service is only our students every Sunday it is a start.  Their parents will come in time if not immediately. 

The people of Karamoja are often referred to as the “forgotten people” of Uganda but they are NOT forgotten people to God!  They need only to turn from their ways and surrender all to Him.  It’s time for an army to rise up and go share the word and love of God with them!  Our ministry is founded on the scripture Ezekiel 37.  Currently, the dry bones of the Karamajong are lying lifeless out here without the breath of God inside them.  We need people to come from the four winds of the north, south, east and west to breathe life back into these bones.

It’s time!

Interested in joining Ezekiel 37 Ministry as we the God’s people in Karamoja?  Ready to share the word of God?  Contact Becky at info@ezekiel37ministry.org about how you can get involved!

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Update on Akigyeno Nursery & Primary School

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Progress has been slower than we anticipated because well this is Uganda and communication is difficult and slow.  I was in the United States from September 2016 - January 2017 trying to find work to support me and my family.  Unfortunately, the ministry and school suffered for it.  Communicating with Karamoja is best by phone and it's too expensive to call from the states.  We tried our best but it really needed to be in person meetings to get things accomplished.

I returned with a mission team the last week of January and we held several meetings about Akigyeno while in Karamoja.  We agreed with the engineer/contractor with a revised plan for the buildings.  We agreed to start with a building that will be 3 classrooms, an office and storage room.  As well as a building for the pit latrines (toilets without the toilet).

We agreed with the engineer based on the funds that we have raised that we could start the construction and we would continue to pray for the remainder that we'll need to get the school open and operating.  Our revised budget is that we need $50,000 in order to finish these buildings and have the funds to keep the school open and operating for the year.  

To start we will have the youngest classes of Baby, Middle and Top which are essentially Pre-K in America.  Over time and as God provides we will add more classes for Primary 1 up to Primary 7.  There should be a maximum of 30 kids in each class.

We have raised just about $14,000 to date.  You may remember that there was anonymous donor who agreed to match up to $10,000 so we were going to be at $24,000.  Unfortunately, that donor has come into a financial problem and informed me this week that they will not be able to give us that money.  We are really sad to get this news but remain hopeful that God will provide.  We pray also that God will replenish the donors as they had the heart to give initially but Satan got his nose in the way.

Serving God in ministry is not easy and when we do what pleases God is often means that we upset Satan.  Over the years many things have happened that make me know for sure that the enemy is trying to destroy Ezekiel 37 Ministry.  I’ve been in a vehicle that rolled 3 times on the way to Karamoja.  Myself and others have been sick prior to a mission trip or while on the trip.  Cars have broken down, things have gone missing, etc.  Satan tries to distract us and deter us from what our calling is.  But we serve a mighty, powerful and loving God protects us when we call on Him, heals us when Satan attacks us, and who is going to see us through to the end.

The bible tells us “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatian 6:9 

It is hard not to get tired and doubt whether we are doing the right thing.  But one thing I cannot lose is HEART for the Karamajong people.  I will not give up on the children who deserve an opportunity to go to school.  They are what drives me.  Seeing the faces of the parents light up when we tell them the school is coming.  Seeing the smiles on the children’s faces as they have been yearning to learn but have not been given an opportunity.

Below are some pictures and video of the plans for the school and what progress they made while we were there in Karamoja.  I am waiting for more pictures to show what they’ve gotten done in the last 3 weeks.  But I have been told they bought 20,000 bricks!

We need new ideas of how to help this school proceed.  Some are selling candy bars in Ohio.  Some have had yard sales.  I think the possibilities are endless but it’s almost impossible for me to do from Uganda.  If you have an idea don’t be afraid to share it with me.  We welcome any and all ideas, prayers, and support.

May God bless you and your families.

Blessings,

Becky Sekamanya - Executive Director & Missionary