October November 2014

Merry Christmas and welcome to the Caldwell news for October November. Main lesson for these months is Jesus words “I am the light of the world and he who follows me will not walk in darkness.” I have to cry out for wisdom daily and Jesus comes through the murkiness with a still quite voice saying, hold on, wait, be still, don’t react, swallow hard, get from A to B and be satisfied with small victories - above all enjoy the moment - in his presence is fullness of joy! We are winding up or down - I am not sure - as we creep closer to the end of term one - a massive 18 weeks!! We have a two week break shortly so we will head down to Kyazanga for time with our Ugandan family and the orphanage - they usually kill a goat and roast it on a big spit in their courtyard. We have purchased nice dresses and tops for the girls from the local market - second hand clothes are only two or three dollars here. It will be our last Christmas here so quite an emotional time as our adopted children say goodbye to their caregivers. What will be difficult is leaving our precious neighbourhood which we have grown close to - we are going to leave all the local kids our trampoline, climbing gym, some clothes etc ! A new chapter is looming in our lives as we prepare for our return to New Zealand around August September next year. We have a lot of paperwork ahead getting citizenship and passports for the children after the 9 of February. Please pray for our last court case for full adoption of the boys on the 9th of February. Our house is a full house at present with 8 people around our table. Ken our “adult” child is planning on returning with us to NZ but he is having a lot of trouble getting a passport because we are refusing to pay bribes. His Immigration consultant disappeared with Ken’s deposit so we had to start the whole application process again 6 months ago and we have been battling ever since - still no passport. It may come to paying off an insider as the whole structure there is corrupt - we need a miracle for his passport. Shama has settled in well - she has a few hours work teaching english each day and is making good friends and enjoying the local music scene. Shama is learning how to slow down and wait as we all have learned here - it is a powerful spiritual lesson. She has also been given an opportunity at my school to get in class work experience because she is keen on teaching. The profession suits all her interests - she is sporty and arty! She is off to the finals of the adult basketball championships tonight - Nicholas going with her - he goes to basketball training on Saturdays with some real pros. Sharon and her are out right now searching for bargains at the markets for Christmas presents - Shama is very good at bargaining!! Sharon and I had a stressful and traumatic time at the hospital last Saturday night as we tried to get care for our team member Joseph. He had a terrible contagious skin disease which had consumed his body - I hardly recognised him - but we managed to get a bed for him. That particular night was beyond description. Boda (motorbike taxis) drivers were piling into emergency with broken legs, arms, heads and some unconscious. One such driver had both legs broken but had casts, was bandaged up and trying to get a ride home - guess it - on another boda - both legs sticking out and unable to balance himself. We got him into a car taxi. Unfortunately the burns ward had the husband and wife who had been held up on the motorway and sloshed with acid while sitting in their car after winding down the windows. Horrifically they had stopped to help a motorist who was simply fooling them. Both parents have lost their sight and all skin on the top half of their bodies - it is beyond imagination and the most vicious violence inflicted on a lovely family. We are also ministering to them tomorrow and hope to see Jesus move powerfully for them. I do not understand this level of violence and evil! I have been making the props for our school production - the Wizard of Oz - really enjoyed seeing the production come together. We have new head teacher who is leading wisely. Our prayer group at school have been hard out praying for a teacher’s girl who fell off her horse and entered a coma and did not wake up for a while - she has recovered and is on the road to full recovery slowly gaining strength and her body functions - wow what a testimony to the power of Jesus! Sharon lead the invention convention - a primary competition for new inventions - our school got 4 prizes including the top prize - she did a fantastic job organising the event inside our school and representing our school at the finals. Just home from the burns ward and yes God moved in power bringing refreshing hope to the injured. The husband and wife mentioned above are in a terrible state - the wife is completely blind and the husband has lost one eye. Both have 60% of their bodies burned. They are muslim but they accepted our prayer, food and worship - they were so broken and I sensed - angry - all their family were present, even a muslim cleric. I am getting some mp3 players for them - their ears are burned badly but they can hear. Once again the children’s part was overflowing - all babies and some twins falling into boiling porridge or into hot large kettles. I feel a bit strange singing “if you're happy and you know it clap your hands” - but for some reason the beat and song lifts their spirits and some hands!! I have learned Matt Redmans “Bless the Lord Oh my soul” which changes hearts. God breathed his presence into the ward and changed the smell and level of hope. Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the level of suffering but somehow the light enters my soul and empowers our worship and courage to speak into horror John 8.12 I have told my school we will not be returning next new year - starts Sept 2015 - it felt strange making that decision and then confirming to our close Ugandan friends we will not be here soon. Sharron and I have close relationships with the ground staff - we have picked some up in the morning on the way to school for 4 years! They are heart broken we are leaving - but I explain to them that life is full of chapters and our next chapter is our return to NZ!