I am a daughter of the King, called Karen Lubbers from Ontario, Canada or Imalingat Apio from Teso Land in Uganda. I am a lady who loves Jesus and God’s people everywhere!
I live in northern Uganda, in a small city called Soroti. It’s a town with one big rock, in the midst of a flat savannah and swamp land. It’s an area that has been greatly affected by floods, drought, and the Lord’s Resistance Army, under the leadership of Joseph Kony. There are about 60,000 people in Soroti… although it could be more. I’m sure the latest census had fun counting the number of children in every home. Uganda is a nation where the average age is 15. 80% of the people call themselves Christians, but it’s number three on the world’s most corrupt list. It’s a nation that needs God’s word to go deep in their lives.
Here in Soroti, Uganda I walk alongside the local church – encouraging, equipping, and energizing wherever possible. I do a lot through children’s ministry and music ministry. In regards to children’s ministry, I work with a team of about eight Ugandans – we lead youth conferences, kids camps, Bible clubs, and teach God’s word in primary schools. I also have neighborhood children that I am tutoring to read and many kids play in my toy room in the house.
There is a band called “Oil of Gladness” that meets in my home on Wednesday and Friday nights. We love to worship together and lead others in worship. There are about 15 of us, and I am the only muzungu, the rest are Ugandans, from five different denominations. It’s awesome as we break down walls of distrust and build up unity in worship around Soroti. We have also started a small piggery project in the hopes of raising money for musical instruments and equipment – to be self-sustaining.
You can pray that more schools will welcome us in to teach God’s word in a creative, insightful, and meaningful way. You can pray for continued good health – especially in an area where medical care is not the best and the rate of malaria is high. You can pray that I will seek God’s face and will more and more. You can praise God that little children recognize that the baby who was born in the “house of cows” has become the Savior who removes our sins from us. You can pray that my Ugandan friends and neighbors can truly experience the grace, peace and love of Christ, and become people of integrity.
©2015 Thrive.