I visited Royal Hope Primary School on Friday 2nd August 2013 with Magnum & Danica Swiggart to see our Iris friend Rebecca Sorenson. Rebecca known by the kids and staff as 'Aunty Betty' had me a littlle puzzled to start with and then I remembered my mother's sister, the aunty I never met; her name was Rebekah and even though I never met her I referred to her as aunty Betty.
Back to the school after my musings. Royal Hope Primary School is near Busega, Kampala District of Uganda. Rebecca showed us around every class from primary seven to primary one, and shame on me as always camera in pocket, but I was so delighted with the school I forgot all about taking a few photos until we reached, I think primary three. It always comes a bit of a shock, even though we know it well, that as visitors we have to bring greetings and on this occasion share with every class to encourage them as to what God is doing in my life. So in each class Magnum, Danica and I gave greetings and then two of us shared something. Magnum shared twice , in different ways about the old crippled lady coming to one of his meetings/outreaches bent double hobbling in on sticks and dancing out leaving her sticks behind. I shared about my three 13/14-year old boys from Iris Harvest Koromla Church in Juba praying for a man who had been completely blind for 8-years and receiving his sight. Rejoicing & excited he followed pastor John Light around the bush. I think this was with senior 7 students, so I encouraged them to not fear praying for healing of sick people, because Jesus does the healing and Jesus in each of them, they were all born again, is the sam Jesus as in me and those boys! In another class I shared about the mad man that Magnum brought to me during our outreach at Jalimo village in county Kajo Kaji, south Sudan. Magnum told me oh to put it simply 'he is mad' this is a term often used of the possessed in South Sudan. So I prayed for this man - I always pray short prayers, because that is how I read scripture as to how Jesus healed the sick and this man's face changed in front of my eyes 'joy' just came over him the oppresive spirit just left him at the name of Jesus. He was able to speak easily fo the first time in a long while and he said something like "I've never felt joy like this before, I feel free" Other 'true' stories about what Jesus had done through the three of us were shared in each class.
When we reached primary one after one story Rebecca said that there were a number of Muslim children in this class who had not yet responded to Jesus, so would we say something. I told them that they may not know it, but they we have a Father in heaven who loves them all the time and that by inviting Jesus into their lives they can also know and receive this love from Father. I included stories about telling old and young in the bush villages of South Sudan about this Father and how lives had been changed. The teacher then asked the children id anyone would like to receive Jesus and be born again and I think it was five children who responded and they each received a hug from me and the others. You know these hugs are so special to children and old alike. So many have not known arms around them; hardly any a father's arms around them. I'm always reminded of the Holy spirit saying to me on the flight to India in 2008 "Actions speak louder than words" and then leading me to 1 John 3:18. "Dear chldren, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show it by our actions" NLT
Rebecca and her staff have every right to be proud of their Royal Hope Primary School; it seemed to me that every child was enjoying their learning; their discipline was excellent and in the middle of a predominately muslim community there was this oasis of young born again Christians - beautiful.
I'm looking forward to speaking there at their Church service on Friday morning.
You can read more about Rebecca and the school by following this link.
