Florence was a student in our recent training in Kampala, Uganda. She is part of a team of trainers from the northern area of Uganda around Gulu. Following a devotional I gave on Genesis 9:1-7 focusing on God’s provision so that his mandate to man to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” could be fulfilled, Florence shared her amazing story.

In 1987, the LRA rebel forces occupied much of northern Uganda, and the soldiers were truly vicious. As a young lady, she was taken by soldiers and raped, and as a result contracted HIV. That was 26 years ago. Since that time, she got married, and had six children, none of whom contracted HIV from her. Her husband was killed by the LRA, and so she had the near impossible task of raising the six kids all on her own. At times she had nothing whatsoever to give them to eat, yet she continued trusting in God to take care of her and her children.

She wrote me a letter, and in it she shared, “Through the preaching of Pastor Eric yesterday about protection and provision, I felt it was a message meant for me particularly.” Truly God has been protecting Florence and providing for her. As she writes, “Remember to always put me in your prayers so that my faith only grows and gets enlarged.” 

She is part of a team that is taking the Bible training we give and they are spreading it to many other pastors and church leaders throughout the northern region of Uganda. 

Stories like Florence’s abound in Africa. It is clear that Florence desperately needs to be trained in how to study, obey and teach God’s Word well. As she says, “I did not get education because I thought AIDS would kill me, hence there was no use of education.” Now Florence sees the need for training, and passing this training on to the other women with whom she works. Please keep Florence in your prayers, and thank you for your support so that we can offer these people that for which they most hunger.

More stories to follow. Pressing on from the Potter’s wheel. Eric