September 2005


My name is called David.  I live in Mingoro village.  The big town of Arua is across the hills, that way, but I have never
walked  there.  It is where my mother goes to buy soap and sugar, and paraffin for our hurricane lantern.  She used
to walk there twice a week, with me tied to her back.  But now that I am a big little boy and have to walk myself, she
leaves me here.  She says someday soon, I shall be big enough to walk all the way with her.  

Last night, it rained a long time.  Some of it leaked through the grass-thatched roof on our hut.  I like it when it rains.  
It makes the air smell nice, and the plants and trees like it too.  Their spirits are happy after it rains.

My father, Yosua, says it will be good for digging tomorrow, although he doesn’t dig.  It is my mother who does all
the digging, and my sisters.  My father walks in the morning to the brick houses down the road, and meets his
friends.  He likes to play with some cards with pictures on them, and laughs a lot.  His friends give him a special
drink when he meets with them.  It is called cassava lager, but I don’t know what it is.  My mother won’t let me drink
it.  She says I’m too small.

Me, I am a big little boy.  I want to help my mother and sisters, but the hoe is bigger than I am, so I can’t dig just yet.  
But I can carry water on my head, just like my big sisters!

Our borehole is a long way from our house.  My sister says it is four kilometers.  We fetch water in plastic jerrycans,
and carry it back to mother on our heads.  My sisters can each carry five gallons in their jerrycans, but I can only
carry one gallon.  But if I wasn’t a big little boy, I couldn’t carry it at all.  God made me very strong.

This morning, the sun came up early over Arua, and it was nice.  We went to fetch firewood, so that mother could
cook enya sa and posho for us.  It is Sunday today, my favorite day.  We go to the little church in the village.  All the
children go to the church.  I see all my friends there, and we sing and clap and have a good time.

Today we went to church, and there was a special visitah.  He was very tall, and funny looking.  The deacon, Adioni,  
and church teacher, Mattayo, said that he is a muzungu.  I have never seen one before.  My mother said that he is a
white man, and comes from far away, from Amerika.  I sat in the front of the church with my friends.  He came with a
big lady from Arua, with a vehicle!  I got to climb on the vehicle and look inside.  It was wonderful.  Someday, I want a
vehicle just like the big lady’s vehicle.  

The muzungu talked in a different way, and the big lady told us what he was saying.  She helped us to understand
the muzungu.  He is very strange!  He even shook my hand.  His fingers are very big, but he looks sick.  I prayed for
him in the prayers of the deacon.  Dear God, please give this muzungu some color like me, so that he is happy.  He
lost his nice color, but You give it back to him again.  Thank you, God.  Amen.
The muzungu brought us a gift.  The deacon says it is wine for communion.  I don’t understand what communion
is.  I am a big little boy, but I am still too little for communion.  That is what the church teacher tells me.  But all the
people were happy with the gift.  All the Christians who left our congregation because they don’t like our bishop are
now coming back.  God is giving us another bishop, but he isn’t here yet.  I hope he looks like me when he comes.

The muzungu talked about Jesus.  My mother and father say Jesus is my friend.  I have not met him yet, but he
sounds nice.  This church belongs to him, but he never comes to see it.  I hope he is ok.  The deacon takes care of
the church for him while he is away.

We sang some happy songs about Jesus.  There is a big book that tells about Jesus, but I can’t read it yet.  I am a
big little boy, and next year, I go to school.  The teacher will teach me about the big book and Jesus.  

I am very happy today!  The muzungu and the big lady brought two boxes with them.  They said they were from
some children in Amerika.  I got my first pair of shoes from the deacon!  I have never had shoes before.  My feet are
very strong, but the shoes are nice.  Now I am a very happy big little boy!  Thank you, Jesus, for the children in
Amerika that sent me these shoes.  

I like going to church and learning about Jesus.  I hope he comes to visit us soon.  When he comes, I will wear my
special shoes just for him.  I am a big little boy, and he will be very proud of me.  Now I must go and help my
mother.  She is cooking for the visitahs, and I must catch a chicken for her.   


-respectfully submitted by Fr. James (Yakobo) Short to his editors for review, as told to him by David of Mingoro
village, Arua.

If you would like to learn more about David and his fellow Christians, Yakobo will be in the U.S. from Sept 27th to
Nov. 30th, and can share more of the story (and a few others also).  

You can either email me here, or else call my mother, Mrs. James H. Short, in Carmel, at 831 624 4523.  It will be a
real pleasure to see all of you again!  May the Lord prosper your handiwork.      Fr. Jim Short

Prayer requests:

A strengthening of the bridges our mission is building to the Christians here.

That God will raise up faithful leaders in His church, who will not yield to the temptations of Satan that are
everywhere.

That I may be helpful in training the church leaders and teachers in ways to “make a good defense of the faith that
is in them”, and be able to do it with “gentleness and reverence”.  

For safe journeys here during the rainy season, and then back to the States.

For a clear vision of the future of the mission work here in Arua and Adjumani Districts, and in Masindi District, and
being able to share this with mission supporters.