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Walking the Talk
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance
for us to do.” - Ephesians 2:10
Week of February 11, 2007
Meet Susan Stone
"I fell in love with the beauty and inner peace of believers in that country. They understand
what it means to just abide in Christ because they are totally dependent on
Him." Her captivation with the people and country of Uganda runs so deep that she
hopes to move there eventually and minister to the considerable needs of a people who
have clearly touched her soul.
In her years at Colorado Community Church, Susan Stone has been involved in musicrelated
ministries, including the Aurora choir and as co-leader of the teen dance team
formerly called Infinite Vibe. The connection may seem fuzzy, but it was actually
Susan's interest in music and kids that got her pointed in the direction of Africa. She
was part of a small "scouting" team that traveled to Africa to explore the possibility of
a music-related mission that would be at a later date. As it turned out, the musical aspect
of that future mission was not feasible, but Susan still felt called to go. That mission
trip took place last summer with the team from CCC. And as so many on the
team will say was true for them, Susan left part of her heart on the other side of the
world.
While in Uganda, the team visited schools with music and dance teams (from Youth for
Christ Uganda) and did abstinence education. They were honored to be part of the
groundbreaking ceremony for Reach One Touch One Ministries' new medical center.
And they visited a refugee camp made up of thousands who have fled the war in northern
Uganda.
Many of the "households" in the refugee camp are headed by children whose parents
have died in the war or from AIDS. The children in that camp were just one group of
people who touched Susan to the core. "To walk into a 10-foot round hut where a 16-
year-old girl cares for two to five younger siblings with no adult love and guidance... to
see the burden that places on them is heart-wrenching. They have no education, no
food, no money. They are lucky to eat half a corn cob a day. I didn't want to leave," she
says.
Reach One Touch One Ministries (ROTOM) is a sponsorship program for seniors in
Uganda. The country has nothing like Social Security or Medicare for its seniors, and
many of them would live alone except for the grandchildren they are raising because
parents have died of AIDS. ROTOM provides the seniors some basic needs such as
water, food and a latrine and also offers Bible studies for fellowship and connection.
Those precious seniors who need so much and have so little also draw Susan back to
Africa.
Susan has recently accepted the role of CCC's ambassador to Uganda, a position
that will enable her to raise awareness here at home of our Ugandan partner ministries
and their needs. She prays for these partners regularly, and she'll help coordinate and
lead future teams who travel to Uganda. It's just the right place, for now, as she longs
and prepares for a longer-term stay in a country that hungers for the love of Jesus
Christ.
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