Family Planning

June 22

Monday Josh and Jennifer taught all day in Obule. The topic – family planning. Josh likes to say I roped him into it, which I guess I did. Last month when Jennifer and I were out there teaching the ladies how to make mango fruit roll ups they asked if we could teach them about family planning – a hot topic here because the church has wrong information about it and most of these ladies have seven children and are tired! So we thought that was a great idea and began brain storming. But we needed Josh’s help to teach the men and to bring in the Biblical teaching on the subject. The good thing is Josh usually thanks me later for my good idea and for encouraging him to teach something needed– which he did this time too.

We arrived at about 10:30 and we were happy to see people were already gathered, but we couldn’t start before they gave us tea and roasted peanuts. (Obule is hospitable almost to a fault. They cannot let guests come without feeding them – everytime! When will we not be guests anymore? I know they love us and are so thankful, but it takes so much time.) After tea we began with singing and then a little fun. Jennifer and I decided that the husbands needed know what it felt like to be pregnant so we brought a backpack with 25 pounds of flour in it for the men to wear on their bellies. What a hoot! The guys really acted pregnant with the backpack on and the women loved it. The first guy I had lay on a mat to feel what it was like for his wife to sleep at night. It was quite fun watching him struggle to roll over and get up again. The next guy had to take off his shoes and put them back on again. He couldn’t tie them with the “baby” on so his wife had mercy and helped him. The next man had to go some sweeping bending over with the “baby” on board. The women laughed and laughed watching the men struggle to do their task while “pregnant”. All of the men also had to wear it during a session while sitting on a bench. All of them complained of back, knee, and leg pains from carrying the extra weight. I think they got the point. They were really good sports. Even Josh got a turn, reluctantly. Hey, his wife was pregnant three times too.

Josh did a great job teaching about what God has to say about life, children, and families. It is not an easy topic to teach on. He started out talking about when life begins, then how family planning is not abortion, and onto what is our responsibility as parents. I love how he opens God’s Word and asks the right questions for the people to figure out the answer according to what God says. There was a very special time where we looked at abortion and how it is murder and a stronghold the devil has here. We took time to pray, confess, and allow God to heal. We prayed this from ourselves if we have had any involvement, our forefathers, for our nation, and the church. I know the Spirit was there. I could see it in the room around me. People where lifting their hands, lying out before the Lord, crying… I had goose bumps. I prayed for our nation and church. Abortions are happening everyday – in the church too. Birth control we take that aborts pregnancy, left over babies from invetro fertilization destroyed… God forgive us! I know we did spiritual battle in those moments and God gave us the victory – freedom from that stronghold. We ended the prayer time with singing Amazing Grace.

I was in and out in the afternoon and had to go home to my kids. Jennifer taught on the medical side of family planning and the option that are available here. I really enjoyed my day in Obule. I love the people there and getting to know them better each time.

Yesterday Charles and Margaret from Obule had their eighth child. (Thus the desire for information on family planning.) We visited them about three hours after the baby was born. A very healthy almost nine pound baby girl. We praise God with them for their new daughter.

I have to tell you what a wonderful anniversary date Josh and I had. It is quite something how you can make a simple date in Soroti so special. I took our own candles and music to the restaurant where we ate outside. It was great sitting there talking together. Afterwards we went for ice cream and since there isn’t an ice cream shop or a beautiful boardwalk to stroll on we went to the supermarket, bought ice cream (even in a cone – a new treat here), and sat on the bank steps by the security guard to eat our ice cream. It is a bit funny but was actually nice. I was with the one I love!