When traveling to far away Lira for the very first time, and joining up with a pastor whom I’d met only twice, I was most comfortable being escorted by a friend and Surprised by Hope liaison. I first met Augustine on my initial trip to Uganda when conditioning to walk the Susan G. Komen 60-mile 3-Day. Augustine chaperoned me in that training walk and from then we became fast friends. Attending the same church and sharing some of the same friends kept us close until he left for Paidah to begin a school of ministry. That connection is what brought me to Paidah last summer to teach the Creative Futures workshop and to hold the film ministry.
Although Augustine is the man I was with when my wallet was stolen, I maintained that he was the perfect choice as a traveling companion and guide to ensure I was well cared for during this first trip to Oyam district just outside Lira. Just having that one familiar person nearby enabled me to relax and focus on my role in this three-day conference.
Although it would have been inappropriate for Augustine to stay in my hut at night – so that the rats would nibble on him first and hopefully never make it to me – he did a great job in assisting me throughout the conference. Apparently, though, I’m a difficult keep. Following lunch and while the groups worked to begin their proposals, Augustine plunked himself on a mat in the grass and dozed off.
The second day of the crusade afforded Augustine the opportunity to give the message calling for onlookers to make a decision for Christ. I’ve never heard him preach before and was very impressed by the clarity of his message and his skill at interweaving examples and story to help make the content understandable. I’m so proud of this young man of God.