Justice Weigle, from Calvary Chapel Minot in North Dakota, writes about a girl from the village, Jolina, who has touched her heart immensely during her time serving in Uganda!
Jolina is a ten-year-old girl that has impacted my life more than she could ever know or understand. I met her the first day that I was at my new home in Uganda. I was walking around Calvary Chapel’s property here in Nongombe where we live, and I stopped to talk with Dorothy, who is Calvary Chapel Entebbe’s farm manager. She lives and works on the same property as the other interns and I, and Jolina lives with her. Dorothy introduced me to Jolina that day, telling me, “This one, she’s looking for a friend.” So, of course, I offered to be her friend.
Justice and Jolina together
Often times, I’d walk over to Dorothy’s house and hang out with her and Jolina. She’d teach me the Ugandan version of tic-tac-toe, or throw rocks at the mango tree and knock mangoes down for us to eat, or I’d help her with one of her chores that day. Soon, Jolina and I became good friends. Each day I’d learn more about her story, and her life.
Jolina has lived in the village of Nongombe all of her life. She comes from a very broken home, her father is a drunk, who has three wives. Jolina’s mother, one of his wives, has six children. And his other wives have many more. When her father would drink too much, he often would say cruel things to his family. He told them that if they wanted to go to school, they’d have to find their own way because he could not afford it. When Jolina’s father told her this, Jolina came to Dorothy and she cried. Dorothy told Jolina not to cry, promising her everything would be okay.
Jolina and Dorothy
Shortly after, Jolina moved in with Dorothy, to keep Dorothy company, and help around the farm and Dorothy would try to help pay her school fees. Jolina comes to church every Sunday with Dorothy, and a couple of her sisters come as well.
A few weeks ago, my team and I planned a Vacation Bible School for the children who live here in the village with us. We gave our three-day event a superhero theme, and each day we’d tell a Bible story about a real-life “superhero.” Along with a Bible story, we shared the different attributes a superhero has and how the kids could be a hero too. On the last day, we told the kids that each hero needs to have love, and we told them the story of how Jesus loves us so much. He took all of our sins upon himself and died for us on the cross, so we could have eternal life rather than facing eternal separation from Him. At the end of the lesson, we asked any to come forward who wanted to receive Jesus as their Savior and Friend. Jolina’s oldest sister was first to move forward, followed by a couple other older girls and then by Jolina. Each of them repeated a prayer of repentance and asked Jesus to come into their lives. It was a beautiful thing to see children being moved by the Spirit and choosing to follow Jesus.
Jolina and one of her sisters
I know that saying goodbye to Jolina in three months when I go home is going to be one of the hardest goodbyes I’ll have to face. This little girl has shown me what it looks like to work with a joyful attitude, to give what little she has, and to not be afraid to love. She lives selflessly and joyfully. One song her and I always sing together is “Lord I Need You.” The lyrics in the song go, “when I cannot stand I’ll fall on you, Jesus, your my hope and strength. Lord I need you, oh I need you, every hour I need you.”
For a ten-year-old girl in Uganda, to sing this, to mean it and to live it, is a beautiful thing. I pray that her love for the Lord spreads to her family and her father will turn from the darkness and into the light and be able to care for his children. I’m so thankful for Dorothy and her love and willingness to care for Jolina. I’m grateful for Potter’s Field, for giving us the ability to host a Vacation Bible school and see children give their lives to the Lord. I love Jolina so much, and I thank God that He has brought her into my life.
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