Gulu Favour of God Orphanage

---

We have spent the last 2 days with Carole Vesey the director of Favour of God ministry which provides a school and orphanage, agricultural program, prison counselling, trauma counselling and bible ministry. She is from the US and has moved permanently to Gulu, and has done so much to develop this ministry. She is now married to an Acholi man, and they are an awesome team, totally selfless. Carole has been showing us around her programs, and we got to spend yesterday at the orphanage with 33 children who have lost both parents through the war, or AIDS. The children were so robust and happy, in stark difference to the children in the camps, and also many living in town. Caroles husband Benjamin is a Pastor and we went to his service today, which was a joyful experience. We met a guy Brigadier Kenneth who was a pilot in the UDPF army, and was abducted by the rebels 20 years ago, and has only recently been rescued by his army and returned to Gulu. He has agreed to meet with us in a few days, to tell us his story as he was one of Joseph Konys main men. It is very hard for these abducted soldiers to return, as they have been involved in so many abductions and killings themselves, that they can be rejected when they return. However, we have certainly met many returned abducted soldiers who have turned their lives around, and accepted by the locals. We also met with another young man who is running the farm for the childrens orphanage who was abducted and remained with the rebels for 12 years. He explained that his iniation was to be wrapped naked in intestines, and to forced to carry a decapitated head in the bush for a few days. If he put the head down he would be shot, you wonder how he can recover. The trauma rehab programs are doing great work with these people. We also met a young teenager who has recently escaped from the Sudan border walked through the bush for weeks, and turned up at Favour of God. They are now organising for him to have surgery to remove a bullet from his hip. Dont even start me about the hospital system, thats another story!
We are very excited, as we have arranged a driver to take us to Murchison Falls tomorrow, about 3 hours away, where we have hired a guide who will take us through the national park and we will get to see the animals up close and personal! I cant wait, love and kisses to everyone xxxx

---

Photos

Favour of God, Gulu
OUr friend Carol Vesey who runs a wonderful program for children who are orphans as result of war with LRA, or Aids.

Favour of God
Children from House of Hope Orphanage