Thursday, October 06, 2005

Fast for Peace & Justice in Uganda This Monday

October 10th is the commemoration of the day 139 girls were abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army from the Aboke boarding school in 1996. These girls are among the 25 thousand others since the beginning of the conflict that have been taken from their families and forced to serve as soldiers and sex-slaves in the LRA. The Concerned Parents Association and members of the communities affected by the ongoing war spend the day in prayer and fasting. We think it’s a good opportunity to stand in solidarity with our suffering family in Uganda and to connect with God, collectively bringing our sorrow and our hope. We’ll be fasting together with the Stone’s here in Florida and would love to hear from others that respond to this invitation to fast or might want to post a written prayer.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
To loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
To set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
If you do away with oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls.”

(from Isaiah 58)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

So, even though this comment is a few days late... I wanted to say that you two are awesome! I spent lots of the day praying and fasting for you, for Uganda and for your time there. I have some stuff I'd love to share, so I'll pass it along soon... Lots of love!

Holly and Ben Porter said...

Ryan, thank you for praying with us! I'm excited to hear what you have to share..hopefully this weekend!

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Its really true thatyou are looking deep in to the situation that the people of Northern Uganda are going through. There is need for prayer and fasting for Justice to come to pass. I will be very gald to join you in the struggle.
Max