We have been a bit busy lately, with my mum spending some time here, plus organizing new programs and also maintaining existing ones.
My mum had a great time here, and left just last week. While here she got to experience spending lots of time with our tailoring girls. We got to do some house visits so she could see first hand how some of these girls live. We were really blessed to have her here! And I am sure she enjoyed her time with her son and daughter in law.
Tailoring classes are still running, and we continue to have a mix of ups and downs. Some girls have been really committed which is great, while others have had to be replaced by other girls. This is such a shame, but some of them were just not committed and we wanted to train girls who showed an effort to learn.
Other times we had to replace someone due to their home life disturbing her attendance at the course. One girl was just not being allowed to attend the tailoring class by her ex partner (who was now back on the scene) he was feeling threatened that she may make money (and therefore be empowered) and so he refused to let her go. When I questioned if we could talk to him, I was told he is a drunked and I would just make it worse for her, as she may end up getting a beating for gossiping.
These are some of the frustrations I find over here, and I am continuing to find myself challenging males here. Often the men get away without any kind of accountability, while the women are left to suffer.
Another new girl we have got in the course, had given birth to a disabled child with cerebral palsy, and the husband abandoned them stating that "we don't give birth to such children in my family line".
Another young woman I know who is in the coop, is desperate to find help to put her children through school, because her ex husband is refusing to pay the school fees unless she moves back into his home and becomes his wife again. The issue is that while they were together he took this woman's younger sister as a second wife (basically cheated on her with her younger sister) and now, unless she moves back into a polygamous relationship with him and her younger sister, he is refusing to pay the school fees. She is refusing to do that, and we don't blame her!
I often find myself getting into a bit of trouble as I openly point the finger at these types of men. Too often they get away without anyone questioning them.
Even the other day I was talking to a group of men here who I am great friends with, who I would say are great guys (all committed fathers and married) and I was sharing with them some of the issues we are facing with these young women.
Even these guys (who are some of the best) started to say that the problem was with the women, that they provoke the men and they shouldn't of chosen such a man.
So even if a woman is pressured into a practically forced marriage, and then beaten and abused, people still say it is her fault because she shouldn't of "provoked him, or chosen him".
The shocked look on these guys faces here, as I told them all off for blaming the woman, and that they should all be pointing the blame on the man, seemed to indicate the kind of cultural inequality systems you can be up against sometimes.
If you had to ask me who I thought the most persecuted and oppressed type of person in the world is today, I would have to say women and young children.
I do have to say that I am looking forward to a holiday.
Speaking of working with young guys, I have also been running a weekly program with a group of young teenagers, teaching them about gender equality, how to be a responsible man, and what our role as men is supposed to look like. It is vitally important to educate the young guys, before they grow up with the common mentality often accepted (the amount of times I have heard these young men say that "women and below men" and even "less human" when we raise the issue, makes things become a bit more clear, in regards to what you can be up against) This kind of thinking mainly comes from the uneducated class that live in the more 'village' environment.
I do pray and hope young men will rise up to be the nurturing, caring, empowering and protective type of man that God calls for.
The good thing is, I have seen in more educated men, and especially in the young generation growing up in the church, the qualities of a Godly men.
This is especially more the case in more middle class church type communities! I know some Ugandan young men here who I really admire! and for that I am thankful.
Tomorrow we are beginning the Empower Trauma Rehabilitation program. We are all set to go, and we are excited for what the next seven days will bring.
The group consists of 10 young women, and from some of my stories above, I think you can see why they may benefit from a trauma rehabilitation program.
We really pray that we will see healing, wholeness and peace among some of these young women.
As well as running weekly devotions and bible study classes, I find time away to swim in the Nile every now and then. Although right now I am suffering from a terribly burnt back! I need to remember to put a double dose of sun screen on, this red headed body doesn't fare well with only one coat.
Lastly, we were blessed with some good news! Agnes has been accepted to visit Australia. We will be coming on the 13th of December and staying for two months. I am super excited to come back and enjoy some of the beauty of Australia (bbq's on the back porch, fish n chips, the sound of kookaburras, the ocean)
And Agnes is very excited for her first time overseas. We look forward to seeing you all over in Australia!
God bless, and keep us in your prayers as we run empower this week.
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