Reported by John Bills

While in Jinja, I was invited to visit an AIDS clinic out in a remote village. I was greeted by Pastor ROC a Ugandan with a huge heart for those suffering from AIDS. We traveled a very long distance packed beyond description in a public transport mini van. Just when you thought there was certainly no more room for another person, the driver would stop and pick up three more. We had a wonderful time of sharing together of the goodness of God in our lives in spite of the crowded conditions. 

He motioned for the driver to stop along the road as Pastor ROC wanted me to greet his wife. So, the driver stopped and Pastor ROC motioned for a women working in a near by field to come over to the van. Over to the van came his wife, aged from the sun, dirty and sweaty from working in the hot sun. She greeted me with the biggest smile and said what an honor to meet me. 

I found out later that Pastor ROC and his wife have a small congregation that are not able to help very much financially for them to pastor the church, so both he and his wife have to work in the fields to get enough money to feed their children. He turned over his hands to show me the blisters and calluses that have been produced by years of hard work. Even through this hardship, he remains faithful to God and serves with a compassionate heart, those in the villages around his church. 

He volunteers at this AIDS clinic we visited to pray with the staff and patients.

 As we arrived at the clinic, I was immediately brought before the staff to hear their stories and pray for them.  I then was taken out into the bush to visit a couple of families that are suffering from the results of AIDS.  I cannot begin to describe to you what if felt like to sit on the dirty floor of one of the homes to pray with a mother dying from AIDS.  She is carrying for a daughter and her six children, both widows whose husbands died from AIDS.  This amazing mother has a faith in Jesus and a hope that overshadows the hopelessness that many would feel in this kind of circumstance.  As I sat next to her on the floor, I wrapped her in my arms and began to bring a word of love and comfort to her from a loving heavenly Father.  It is these kinds of moments, that you forget the surroundings of smells, heat and flies and experience the presence of God in your midst. 

When I finished praying for her, Pastor ROC said that he felt such a deep presence of God in the room as if God was there physically touching each of us.  Each in the room testified of the same thing.  Out in the bush, in homes like the one I visited is the working power of God moving from household to household.  When scripture says that God is near to the brokenhearted, that word has become alive to many.  I feel humbled to experience it.

A report from John Bills on their time in Uganda after the fire that killed 18 young girls at a Boarding school. 

“Come to the mortuary and bring a casket with you.”

These were the only words that Dickson and Mabel heard from the mortuary to confirm the fate of their daughter Melissa.  Melissa, nine years old, along with 18 other young girls, died in a horrible fire at their boarding school.  The reason of the fire was due to some arsonist with unknown motives. 

Dickson and Mabel are YWAMers and Melissa was their only biological daughter.  They have an adopted daughter around the same age as Melissa.  I sat with Dickson and Mabel under a tree as they went through every detail of what happened to their beloved daughter.  As with any trauma, there are always the questions and doubts.  It was such an honor to be allowed into their suffering to bring comfort and prayer.  They had just buried their daughter a few days prior and now they were faced with her upcoming birthday.  Mabel had put aside for weeks, some of Melissa’s favorite foods.  They don’t have a lot, so Mabel had to work for weeks to be able to keep that special food for this special event.  When I asked them what they were going to do on her birthday, they said “nothing”. 

I suggested that they make that day a day of celebrating her life.  So, upon my advice, they brought the family together with a few friends, cooked up Melissa’s favorite food including a birthday cake and each one shared a warm memory of their lives connected with Melissa.  There were tears but also laughter.  They entered that day in uncertainly and finished with a healing touch on their hearts.  Melissa was a prayer warrior even at the age of nine.  She was always praying for the other children at the boarding school. 

One Muslim father said that his daughter was deeply impacted by Melissa’s faith in Jesus and her ability to show so much compassion and depth of prayer.  Her death has truly produced life in many.  I personally came out of this time with them being emotionally and physically shaken by what I experienced.  To show empathy for others does come with a price.  But it is a price worth paying in order for Jesus to be glorified in the lives of those who are hurting.