Letter from Ronnie

Ronnie Kawooya, a friend to Ezekiel 37 Medical Ministry, asked how he could help us as we prepare and fundraise for our trip in September.  He came up with the idea of writing a letter for us to be able to share in order to explain from the Ugandan point of view what life is like in Karamoja.  Karamoja is the region of Uganda that we have been called to serve and will be visiting again in September.  We pray that you'll take the time to read the letter and maybe even share the blog with others.

Thank you Ronnie for taking the time to write this letter and for sharing your heart with all of us.

Dear Family Members,

I am using the word “family members” simply because in Christ we are always one family in his presence and kingdom. Greetings from your Dear Brothers and Sisters here in Uganda (Africa), we hope and pray that you're doing well and God is still protecting you every day, plus all your family members.

He looked at me for something like 40 seconds, and he said to me go and read 1 John 4:11, after saying that he walked away from me and left. This was about 5 years back when I first went to Karamoja, it was so fun since I never even met this young boy who was about 9 years old and he became my first friend in Karamoja, this was because he kept on holding my hand wherever I went and he would walk with me and he would introduce me to many people around. The last night I was supposed to stay in Karamoja, I went to this boy’s parents and asked them if they would let me stay with him in the hotel because I was going to miss him so much, and I really needed to talk to him. So they agreed and later in the evening he came to the hotel and we sat down to have dinner together and we talked, he asked me lots of questions of which some I didn’t even have the answer but later I also asked him if we can be friends who are like brothers, he asked me if I was serious with what I was asking him and I said yes, then he bent his head on my shoulder and cried, I asked him the reason as to why he was crying and he said he had never had any one in his life who would want to be his brother. Then later on after eating he asked me again if I was going to come back and visit him again then I said yes, so he answered me by telling me to go and read 1 John 4:11.  Then we went to bed, prayed together, prayed for each other and we slept, but trust me when I woke up in the morning, James my little friend (Brother) had left me and went back to his family and that was the last time I saw him.

I am writing all this to you because I have a lot of pain on my heart and just wish I could stand with all the poor people in this region. I know you have heard so many stories about Uganda, but let’s try and forget about Uganda as a country and we look at one of the regions in Uganda which is called Karamoja. Karamoja is a region where people don’t even want to go simply because of the situation and their ways of living, first of all it’s a desert place, whereby water is a problem and it’s also very hard for people to grow food there.

The people in this place are, poor, not healthy, and are being criticized by those who do come from town, but one thing I realized about the Karamajongs is that they are friendly and loving. When I met my little friend James, I asked him if he had ever had a pair of shoes in his entire life, and he looked at me and told me that ever since he was young he had never owned or had shoes before, so I had brought 3 pairs of shoes but they were not fitting him but he begged me for one pair and I gave it to him, but wish you were there to see his face at that moment and the way he hugged me.

So many people here are dying every single day that passes by, simply because they don’t have any medical attention, there are no clinics, no hospitals and no doctors or nurses. I found a lady who was pregnant and had two kids who were young, and I asked her of the place she goes to when the time comes for her to give birth. She looked at me and smiled in a shameless way and told me that she has never given birth in a hospital or clinic, she has always had her kids in her small single room.

You may be out there sleeping on one of the big Mattresses with bed sheets on and even having the air conditioner around you. But here in Karamoja I saw some people who have never even slept on one of the smallest mattresses in the world, so many people here, actually 20% of the people sleep on mattresses but the 80% sleeps on skins of animals and they cover themselves with skins instead of blankets and some with grass. I am sure about everything I am talking about, and I know and have witnessed this with my own eyes, I am sure my good friend Becky (of Ezekiel 37) can be able to back me up on everything I have written, because she has ever been here, and she knows the truth.

So many families go to bed with empty stomachs, since there is no food and those who keep animals do feed on their animal’s blood. The situation here trust me is very tough and needs your prayers, James told me that at his parents place they usually had blood in the morning and no lunch, so they had to wait for dinner and that is when they can have some local food like Cassava and Beans. 

At the moment I am going to thank the medical team, for the great love, care, mercy they do have for my brothers and sisters here. I know it’s not an easy thing waking up one early morning and say that you’re going to a place where water is nowhere to be seen and where there is no civilization. But my brothers and sister don’t really care about all that since they have love for these people, thank you for standing with us and may the good Lord always bless you in everything your doing.

My fellow brothers and sisters out there, I know many of you have never seen these people before but the truth is that they really need your prayers in every aspect. Here in Uganda a family of 4 kids with Mom and Dad around can feed on $1.00 a day, so however small you give has value to these people. So many of them are dying since there is no medicine and people to care for them, but trust me when I say that you are going to create CHANGE in these people’s lives and I know one day you will also be proud of yourself because you were part of the change which will have been brought in.

I am kindly on my knees my dear brothers and sisters, asking you kindly to join Ezekiel 37. This is the ministry which started a war on the unnecessary dying of people in Karamoja by providing most of the medical supplies and treating people. There are people in Karamoja right now who are waiting for the medical team to come back and treat them and this is because there is no money to transport them to the clinics which are far away, the little you give in can do more than you think.

I hope and pray that one day Ezekiel 37 would widen its boundaries and premises, so that it could also look into the need of the kids who don’t go to school and they are orphans and look into also the women who are going through some tough times.

The first day I stepped on this land of Karamoja tears almost came out of my eyes and to be honest I went there when I was also having some problems with education and so many other things were on my head. I was feeling miserable, angry and sad at life. I thought that I was the only person having so many problems and difficulties in life but when I looked at the people of this place I was encouraged and my heart became strong simply because their situations were very tough compared to mine. The truth is that tears came out of my eyes when I went back to the hotel that evening. I just had to ask my brother Gabriel to pray with me and we said some prayers and went to bed.

Honestly I couldn’t sleep, I only had one question in my head which said “how can I be of help to these people?” So when I woke in the morning the first thing I asked Gabriel was the same question I kept on having that night. He looked at me and smiled but never answered me. I pray that at least this letter may reach many people, I am writing this simply because I know we can bring or create change if we join TOGETHER because today it might be the people of Karamoja, but tomorrow it might be you or your relative.

I am going to do anything I can in my power to see that at least I can be part of the CHANGE, and I believe with Christ on my side there will be CHANGE. I will stand with Ezekiel 37. I know I am a poor person with no money but at least I know there is something I can do to help.

I lost my parents when I was 7 years old, and I grew up in a very miserable way whereby I had no brother or sister. But the experience I went through was very hard for me and life was always so difficult and tough, and if it wasn’t for God’s love I wouldn’t have turned out to be who I am today. So from that day I decided to stand with those who are also going through hard times, I believe the person reading this has gone through some trials and tough times and if you know how you felt during that time, then the people of Karamoja feel even more than that and they really need someone to be there for them and give them a hand to move on.

I always pray that one day the Lord opens up doors for more people to join Ezekiel 37 so that Ezekiel 37 can be able to reach out to all these people’s needs and lift them up.

Please pray for us as we pray for you.  God bless you my brothers and sisters and may you also be a blessing to someone today.

Yours sincerely,

Ronnie K