Buganda (now called Uganda) lies in
the heart of Africa surrounded by the great lakes.
(rrdental.com)
Being in the inner most section of
the large continent it was one of the last to be discovered.
commons.wikimedia.org
Two British explorers landed there in the mid
to late 1800s along with some Arabs in search of ivory and slaves to make their
fortune. They had a good relationship
with king and helped the country prosper. Imperial British East Africa Company
was founded by British missionary entrepreneurs to help the growth of the
country.
By 1962, Uganda had its own independent government led by Prime Minister Milton Obote.
(kids.britannica.com)
However,
having control of their own government wasn’t as easy as the thought. Violent
power struggles led on for years and some still continue today. The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) caused many
issues for Uganda and surrounding areas.
LRA was led by notorious Joseph
Kony, forcing children into an army and causing destruction where ever they went.
(Rsvlys.com)
Idi
Amin, President of Uganda from 1971-1979
urbantitan.com
The Ugandan National Flag
(Cia.gov)
The Ugandan Army
(biyokulule.com)
A
Market Place
(opportunity.org)
A typical
Ugandan home, made from dried mud and a thatched roof.
(Africanchildrenschoir.com)
One
of Uganda’s main exports is coffee.
Due
to disease and starvation, life expectancy in Uganda ranges between 54 and 55.
(senoirworldchronicals.com)
The population of Uganda is approx.
34.5 million with many refugees from surrounding war waging countries coming in
every day.
(endgeneocide.org)
1 Ugandan shilling is equal to 1
USD
(wisdomportal.com
)
The capital of Uganda is Kampala
(filmapia.com)
Kampala
(kabiza.com)
Traditional Ugandan Dancing
Katie Davis: The Girl Who Said Yes
Once upon a time, far far away,
lived a princess named Katie. Katie was the daughter of the King who ruled over
all the eye can see. Katie loved her Father, the King, more than anything in
the whole world with all her heart. The mighty King led Katie on a journey. A
journey she never imagined possible. Even though the princess was scared at
times, the King never left her side. He provided for all her needs, and the
needs of those she loved. The princess lives in Uganda, a tiny country in the
middle of Africa. Most people wouldn’t even notice it, but to the King, it’s a
piece of His glorious kingdom. This is a place where His people are in need of
saving. They are crying out for help. He told the princess “Go into all the
world and spread the good news of my kingdom, love your neighbor as yourself,
and love Me with all your heart” so she did.
The king continues to watch over his daughter, and bless her and her
family.
The
King used her in a way that amazed and inspired many! The princess, Katie,
however, is a normal girl from Tennessee. She went to high school, had lots of
friends, went to the movies, and grew up with a dream to go to college and have
a family. Katie had no idea how far off this idea was to the King’s plans for
her.
Katie
had a desire in her heart to help the needy. When she was a child and asked
what she wanted to be when she grew up, “Mother Theresa” she would say proudly,
and that is truly what she has become. She went on a mission trip to Uganda her
senior year in high school for 3 weeks and her heart never came home. She
prayed to the King and asked for guidance, for answers. She asked Him to use
her in any way He can. So one day over sushi on her 16th birthday,
Katie told her parents that she was thinking about not going to college after
high school. 2 years later she had plans
to go to Uganda to teach kindergarten for a year. The princess’s parents
weren’t very happy with her decision, but the princess wanted to obey her
King’s call, she had to. “The King does not ask that we care for the less
fortunate, He demands it. Caring for the widows, the orphans, the hungry, is
not an option, it’s a requirement.”- Katie. She arrived in the far away land of
Uganda and slowly made her way; helping others and serving the King. She had to
give all she had every day. She truly put others before herself in all
circumstances. Her heart was focused on one thing; making her life less
complicated. She shows love in a way that most Ugandan children have never
seen. Katie loves the King, and Katie loves others. This is the true meaning of
a princess.
This
is the part where most stories say “and they lived happily ever after, The End”
but this is not a story. Katie Davis is a real person, is currently 24, and
living in Uganda with the 14 little girls she has adopted. She started Amazima
Ministries to sponsor children who were unable to afford education, food, and
medical care. She wrote a book to help support her ministry called, "Kisses
from Katie" all about her journey. She is not a saint. She is not an
amazing outstanding super Christian. She is a regular, normal girl with an obedient
heart, and the desire to follow God's will. She made an important decision that
we all can learn from. She said yes. Yes to an idea that she wasn’t expecting.
Yes to an idea that seemed impossible. She loves her Father with all her heart,
she loves her neighbor as herself; ALL Katie did was follow the
Father’s commands, and say yes.
Katie's Blog
Amazima Blog
Juliette's Story
Uganda is a beautiful place I
really want to go to one day. It’s a place full of people who need to hear the
story of our savoir. It’s a place filled with people dying from a disease in
pain, without someone to hold their hand. It’s a place over run with orphans
because their parents have either died, or left them. It’s a place where an
education is desired, but difficult to receive. It’s a place surrounded by war
and political nightmares. It’s a place real people call home. It’s a place
created by God. It’s a place I hold close to my heart.
Sources:
BBC
CIA world fact book
Amazima
(All pictures are sourced by the web address next to them.)
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