Sometimes there are occasions when I travel to the capitol city, Kampala, and return back to the mission house in one day. It’s a very long journey, usually about a 12 or 13 hour trip. On those days I try to take some of my friends along with me as it makes the journey much more fun. Especially when I get to take those who have never been outside of Busia and never traveled to the capitol city. Such was the case on Sunday as we escorted our new Helping Hands Missionary, Pastor Loren Hildebrant back to airport for his return flight to the states.

This trip Eriya and James went with us.

Eriya and James…loving their new cowboy hats!

I love watching as those who get to come along see the big city for the first time…shop for something new for themselves (never dreamed they would chose cowboy hats…but they loved them)…make their first visit into a grocery store….and eat their first slice of pizza.

Eriya’s first bite of pizza ever!

But what I love most of all is the conversation we have during those long riding hours.

James and Eriya are 18 years old and have been orphans for a very long time. They were both first born in their families which is a big responsibility. The first born takes the responsibility of the younger siblings when the parents die. Both James and Eriya have younger brothers and sisters who live in other places because they can’t take care of them, but they have not forgotten them or their role as these others children’s caregivers.

As I asked them about their siblings, both of them replied that their goal is to get their education so they can earn a living and build a house where they can be reunited. Both of these young men have tender hearts and love their younger brothers and sisters. They miss being together.

The conversation eventually turned towards their parents. They told me they love to tell stories about their parents that make them laugh. So I am listening intently as the stories are being shared, and all of sudden James gets quiet and the deepest look of sadness takes over. He said, you know what I don’t like to think about….I don’t like to think about that our parents didn’t know God before they died.

I had no words of wisdom or comfort…I sat in total silence as my mind was trying to comprehend what these boys live with every day…that their parents died and went to hell and they will never see them again. They can get their education, reunite their siblings and try to ensure no one else goes to hell, but they will never be reunited with their parents.

As the days have past since James and Eriya shared their hearts with me, I find myself thinking about those in my own family and my friends who are playing games with their eternity. They know the truth…they’ve heard it over and over again…yet they continue to turn their backs on the very One who created them and gave them life. If the Lord should come back today…they will not go with us…we will be forever separated. Please pray for those in my family and my friends that need to get their lives in order and prepared for eternity….

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary-East Africa

Secret Church Blog » Blog Archive » Secret Church 10 – Uganda, Africa – Part 1.

So many of you have written me in the last few days and asked for an update on Arafat. He is doing about the same as my last update. His strength seems to be less with each passing day. I took this picture of him this afternoon and told him I would send it to all you. Please continue to pray for this sweet boy.

A smile for all of you from Arafat

Also, you may remember that the same week we got Arafat, we also received another child named Derick who was near death with cancer in his face. Helping Hands has been sending him to Kampala for chemo treatments and he and his Mother came by to visit us this afternoon. He looks wonderful, his prognosis is still not as we wish it was…but the chemo has helped the tumor reduce and he can now breath and eat better. And as you can see….he is managing just fine with his Mountain Dew. Please continue praying for Derick….he, like Arafat needs a miracle.

Derick sending you a smile….

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary- East Africa

Arafat…the day before he left for the hospital….

I write tonight seeking your prayers once again for Arafat. I’ve just gotten off the phone with Pam and it seems he has taken a turn for the worse, and what hope we’ve had seems to be diminishing. Pam took him back to the hospital in Kampala on Thursday.

His issues remain the same as they’ve been for the past 4 months, he is not healing. He is now down to 40 pounds. As I wrote in my last update, after being fed for over a month intravenously, Pam was allowed to give him small portions of food. Yet, as before, it processes out his incision. Pam said when they gave him the solution to drink before the CT scan, the solution poured out of the incision just like a faucet being turned on.

It is hard to know what specific request to ask you to pray. I find myself struggling with what to say to the Lord…so I’ve been asking the Holy Spirit to intercede for me. You see, this little boy who has lived with us now for 3 months continues to die a slow painful death. Pam said tonight that if the surgeon can do nothing for him, there is no hope and his pain will only increase as his life fades away.

I know God is in control and I know His plans are perfect, yet for us, especially Pam, we are bending under the burden of what the days to come are going to be like. My hearts desire is for God to heal him here on this earth, yet, I struggle with facing the possibility that God may not heal him down here, and we will have to watch him suffer.

Pam is strong and has been the best care-giver anyone could have….Arafat has molded into her heart after caring for him all these months. He is begging for food that she cannot give to him…and today in the hospital, he unhooked his IV’s, climbed out of his bed and found a refrigerator where he thought there would be some food. He did the same thing here at the mission house the day before he went to the hospital. The child is starving and we can’t feed him because of what it does to his insides.

Pam said the test shows the process of food is now circulating in many areas where it is not suppose to be. She said his hip joints are deteriorating because of it, as well as other places.

All of us need your prayers….but I ask specifically for Pam and Arafat. Please take their names to our Heavenly Father and ask Him for His perfect will to be done.

Love to all,

Joy Breedlove

Missionary – East Africa