Undone

Last night the Watoto Restore tour came to our church. Watoto (they are incredible) have come alongside the Gulu community in Northern Uganda. Ravaged by civil war for 20 years they experienced a horror that defies belief. Their young were snatched from their familes and forced to become weapons of war.

Children forced to become soldiers and commit attrocities against their own.

The tour is narrated and acted by children who were child soldiers. Their stories are horrific but what rises above all their pain is Love. They know the love of Christ and His Forgiveness. The joy on their faces as they dance and sing is something I have never seen before. It's a joy that knows the depths of despair and now the heights of restoration.

I cried like a baby as I knew I would. I sat next to my friend Meg and we leaned into one another and cried. Then shouted and sang at the victory we have in Christ. It was good.

This cause is so dear to my heart and one of the reasons I started my small business. I dream of pouring resource into this region through Watoto. The founder of Watoto was there and I got to meet him! I blabbered on (and on!) and just wanted to shake his hand again and again. I am so thankful that he made a stand. I want to enable his vision and dream for restoration in Northern Uganda. The civil war is over but the scars run deep. The church is the answer and the work Watoto is doing is going to enable restoration, I believe.

The Acholi people live in Gulu. They are defined by song and dance- their values, traditions and culture is expressed through song and dance. Music is so powerful and it's a tool the enemy has tried to steal in the world. Just look at the influence on your soul music has, and see how most of it is against the word of God. I am not surprised the enemy tried to remove the ability to sing and dance from an entire culture. If he could have succeeded in destroying the children's (the future of a culture) ability to sing and dance then it would be forgotten forever.

But as always what the enemy means for harm, God turns around for good. The singing coming from the Acholi people now, through restoration in Christ, has a quality that will resonate through Africa. Uganda, once the pearl of Africa will be the most precious pearl again!

Love it. Love that my heart was broken again. Love that I am so inspired and freshly fired up. Love Him. So much.