This summer ten Christian law students and young lawyers spent five weeks in East Africa – Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya – to grow in their understanding of God’s heart for justice, explore a biblical approach to law and development and to be stretched, challenged and changed more into the likeness of Christ. Howard Satterthwaite, the team leader, shares just a few of the highlights of the team’s experience:
“We had a wonderful time in East Africa and were certainly stretched and challenged – and we very much hope and believe that we have become more like Christ. Our understanding of justice and the role Christian lawyers can play in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom has grown tremendously.
In Uganda, one of the partners that the Uganda Christian Lawyers Fellowship (UCLF) is working with in Mbarara is Amagara Masya, an inspiring rehabilitation home and school for street children. Amagara Masya means ‘new life’ in the local dialect. We felt extremely privileged to be able to visit the home, interact with the children, watch the children perform a drama presentation about life on the streets and even to dance with them late into the evening. The importance of child rights education for children, parents and community stakeholders became very apparent. Perhaps one of the most challenging experiences of the mission took place late at night when we were taken to visit street children congregating in Mbarara town and witnessed some of the appalling conditions in which they live and sleep.
Whilst in Rwanda, we were extremely privileged to travel to Bugesera, near Burundi, to visit three community reconciliation projects/co-operatives where perpetrators and victims of the genocide are living and working together. We heard several wonderful stories of forgiveness; men and women who, by God’s grace, have been able to forgive men living in their community for killing members of their own families.
In Kenya, we visited Athi River Prison, Nyeri Prison, Industrial Area Remand Prison and Wundanyi Prison with the Philemon Foundation and Christian Legal Education Aid and Research (CLEAR). We preached, sang songs, gave testimonies, played volleyball, prayed for prisoners, distributed Bibles and soap, and interviewed prisoners requesting legal assistance with CLEAR Interns. In total we saw more than 50 inmates respond to the gospel for the first time – Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)”
BMS long-term workers Steve and Caroline Sanderson, who hosted the team during their time in Uganda, echo their praise of the team’s efforts:“They worked hard and really helped UCLF out a lot, so we need to give them hearty thanks. From our perspective, the output far outstripped the input. On legal education we trained 889 different beneficiaries in 5 different trainings over the course of a few days, which amounted to 70 percent of our target for beneficiaries over the course of an 18-month project! What an advantage to have ten willing, capable and teachable volunteers.”
Feeling inspired? If you’re interested in finding out more about the Lawyers Christian Fellowship Summer Team 2009, click here.