ROPES

As we were visiting people in the U.S. last year, we often talked about one of our favorite parts of Musana, the ROPES program, and last week we were able to help out with our first ROPES camp since being back in Uganda.  ROPES stands for Rites Of Passage ExperienceS and is a program designed to help young teens as they transition from being a child to being a man or woman.  Last week we had twelve young men and women from a private school in Kampala who participated in the ROPES camp.  They discussed different aspects of this transition they are in from physical changes and purity in relationships to what God calls them to be as a man or woman.  They were challenged to leave childhood behind them and step into adulthood by the various activities such as hiking from eight in the morning to nine at night, fasting for 24 hours, and working together on the challenge course.  At the end of the week, their parents joined them to pray for them and celebrate this new stage of life with them.

While these ROPES camps take a lot of time and energy for our small staff since we are leading all the teachings, discussions, and activities, they are a very rewarding time as well.  I (Kendra) had the privilege of spending some time with the girls that were here, talking with them about womanhood and things God has taught me and listening to the things they were learning and struggling with.  It was encouraging to hear comments from them about how they felt valued and significant as women from our discussions of who God has made them to be and how they were encouraged to trust God even if He called them to leave a comfortable life and do difficult things for Him.  

This is the second year that we have had students participate in ROPES from outside the ministry of New Hope Uganda, and we are so encouraged by how this program is growing and the work that God is doing in young men and women through it.  As a staff, we are hoping to begin the program this year with kids in our local community.  Please pray with us that this is well received even though it is new and that God will continue His work in our community through this program.