No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed.
Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed,
nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light.
– Luke 8:16-17a (NIV), 17b (ESV)
Kyampisi, Uganda – Katie Threet, a Real Life participant, lost a little bit of innocence last week. She met a seven year old boy named Allan, who captured her heart.
A year ago, Allan had been attacked as an attempted child sacrifice.
Child sacrifice is still an epidemic in Uganda – even though it sounds like something from the Stone Age. Witch doctors tell people that if they sacrifice a child, or bring back a part of their body, something good will happen to them, such as prosperity in a business or healing of sickness.
She shares in more (warning: graphic) detail here. He miraculously survived and is still receiving treatment from his wounds. God didn’t introduce Katie to Allan just while she’s in Uganda, she will continue to love him in this way through Kyampisi Childcare Ministry (KCM):
I have the honor of sponsoring a child with the biggest heart I’ve ever encountered, and a story that I will be sharing until this sort of crime completely stops.
The “M” Squad of the January 2010 World Race is in Tanzania, save for one team – the Fullness of One – comprised of all women. That they’re an all-women team has given them incredible access to ministries that they wouldn’t have if they were co-ed.
This team is in Isebania, Kenya, partnering with the headmistress of a co-ed primary school (which actually consists of the elementary and middle school grades), Ms. Bonnie.
As we sat and listened to this bold woman speak, God broke my heart for the young girls of Kenya once again. She told us of the trials facing these young girls: forced marriage to much older men; early pregnancy; school dropout; rape; and the most devastating – Female Genital Mutilation or FGM.There are three variations of FGM. . . [and] primarily happens in December in Isebania and is seen as a tribal ritual or festival where many girls ages 8-12 undergo this practice. . . the procedure is done without pain killers or anesthetic with a razor, piece of glass, sharp stone or tin can lid.The same instrument might be used on multiple girls without cleaning it, increasing the risk of infection and spread of HIV/AIDS. After the procedure, the girls will then “show their strength” by walking from the festival location where FGM took place back to their homes, sometimes up to twenty kilometers away, bleeding the whole way.Some girls pass out, some girls die. If the girl dies, their family views it as the gods answering their prayers for honor and good luck. The girl is seen as taken by the gods as a sacrifice of honor.
Read Kristen Paulick’s entire post here, which includes graphic description that I’ve omitted from this excerpt. Pray for the Fullness of One as they not only bring truth and bring exposure to this terrible practice but also flood God’s love and mercy on the girls they befriend.
Your prayers for our missionaries — young torches of light dispelling the darkness — like Katie and Kristen are coveted this week.
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