UCE Story Contest Winners

Dear UCE Teams,

Thank you to all of you who participated in the story contest! You did such a wonderful job, people commented that they thought it was our best World AIDS Day Agape Meal and All Night prayer vigil in all the 10 years we have been doing it. Thank you so much! The winners are:

Grand Prize Winner: Herman Nguki, Tanzania, "The Power of Prayer"

1st Place Winners:

Rev. Onesiphore Ndayizigamiye, Burundi, "Perseverance"

Joel Elphas, Tanzania, "I was jailed by sexual intimacy" 

Runner Ups: 

Glory Mlay, Tanzania, "Dispelling Destructive Myths"

John Lwegnwa, Tanzania, "Forgiveness"

I will be wiring you all the prizes today. I am also attaching some pictures from the event, and also some of the stories that we used (I included my own submission also). Thank you all for all that you do! Merry Christmas!

Yours in Christ,
Andrew

--

Andrew Dernovsek

Executive Director, Universal Chastity Education 

Phone: (719) 248-8828

Website: www.uceglobal.org

Read the Winners  stories 

Herman Nguki, Tanzania,  Herman Nguki, Tanzania, "The Power of Prayer"

My name is Herman Nguki, I was born in rural Tanzania near Iringa, on August 22^nd, 1989. My mother and my father were not married. During my mother’s pregnancy, my father refused to take care of my mother by saying that the pregnancy was not his. But, after my birth, my face revealed that he is my father. Still, he was not accepting of me, and refused to give anything to his born baby boy. I entered primary school, without the help of my father. When I was in grade six, in 2004, my father was still refusing to provide me with some basic requirements, although he was more able than my mother. He was also now married to another woman. Continue Reading Herman Nguki, Tanzania, "The Power of Prayer"

 Rev. Onesiphore Ndayizigamiye, Burundi,"Perseverance"

“Recently, we planned for an outreach at Misasa Fundamental Secondary School. It is located in the bush, some kilometers from Makamba town. Some minutes before we left the office, it started to rain so heavily in Makamba town. We began to doubt whether we would make the journey or not because the way to Misasa is very slippery when it rains. Immediately, upon having these thoughts, the headmaster of the school called me, and asked, “Where are you now? We are eager to see you.”Continue Reading Rev. Onesiphore Ndayizigamiye, Burundi, "Perseverance"

Joel Elphas, Tanzania,  "I was jailed by sexual intimacy"

Thought sex, masturbation, had arrested my spiritual, psychological, social and academic development. From 2010 to 2011, I was jailed by this sexual addiction, and during the night I would have thought sex with the girls Imet during the day. They attracted me because of theirbeautiful physical appearance, and wearing styles that aroused my sexual thoughts, and caught my eyes. To me, at night, they became real images in my bed. I did not like the situation, but I had no means to stop it.Continue Reading Joel Elphas, Tanzania, "I was jailed by sexual intimacy"

 

  Andrew Dernovsek "The Night Ride" From my time in Lesotho

The 29^th of August 2009. Life is never what you expect. So why should death contain anything but the unexpected?  You would think that after 2 years one would become accustomed to the funerals and the death. In fact, the opposite is true. Each time I visit a family, a friend, it compounds upon the pain of those already lost. Each time someone dies the despair grows. Instead of creating a feeling of numbness and separation, death begins to bring a sense of desperation. But of course on the outside everything is business as usual.Continue Reading Andrew Dernovsek "The Night Ride

Florianne's Testimony, Burundi, Muyogo, UCE Club Member

“My name is Florianne, I am a student of Muyogo High School. I joined UCE three years ago. I am an orphan and manage hardly to get schooling equipment. One time, one of my teachers invited me to his house to discuss with me my vulnerability as an orphan. He started touching me and telling me sexual stories. Courageously enough, with my abstinence card in my hand. I said NO and left his house safely. I advise my peers to hold onto Christ and the teachings of UCE strongly, in order to avoid spoiling our abstained life for useless things.”

ANDREW

*Let us have courage. Let us reflect on our personal convictions. How can we courageously stand for what we believe in when we are challenged as Florianne was? Let us remember the vulnerable, the orphans. How can we be Christ to them?*

Read More

A light on the mountain

We found the headmaster, and he invited us into his office, to sign the visitors’ book and have a chat. He seemed to be very depressed, he said that most of the students in Itona Secondary School have in one way or another experienced the impact of HIV/AIDS. There are many students who have lost both of their parents, and are currently the head of household taking care of their siblings. We asked for more clarification, and he said “last month one female student lost her parent, the only one who was remaining. Now, she has a young brother who is in primary school to take care of. It is a pity because she does not have support. Most of those parents and villagers have sold their land to investors of timber business. So, many families have nothing left. The students face a lot of problems, which put them at risk of engaging in sexual behavior in exchange for money. This year two students got pregnant and some got married in early life. Moreover, we have many students who are infected with HIV.”

The head master, not surprisingly, seemed discouraged. Entering the outreach, we realized that this was a challenging situation. It was really a dark area where people had lost their hope. The UCE team stepped outside to the gathered students, and began to deliver the chastity message. The team shared their own personal testimonies on struggling with school fees, but nonetheless choosing chastity. We talked about the way of True Love, second chances, and making a better future for yourself. We desired to put hope into this place where we felt darkness.

The students were very attentive, and asked many questions. These students have had to live in the painful results of not following chastity, so they listed so carefully.  As the outreach went on, the air began to warm, and the clouds lifted. We started to see the light again in the middle of the darkness. After we finished answering all of their questions, we gave the students the chance to choose the way of chastity. About 250 students attended, 233 students and 3 teachers chose chastity, stating that today was the first day of the rest of their lives and that they would abstain until a faithful marriage.

Now, the headmaster, was so excited about the message. He began to speak to his students and said, “Without hesitation you have seen the advantage of not doing premarital sex. These people are in the university; they put aside premarital sex, not focusing on personal pleasure. Do not lose that commitment card you have just signed; put it in a place where you can see it so that you remember it each day. Thank you very much to our guests, you are most welcome again. We will keep reminding these students to choose the right way.”

Already the school would like to form a chastity club, and they have assigned a teacher to be the patron. Through the chastity club, we will be able to continue teaching the students about ways to stay in school, remain pure, and work towards improving their lives. A light has now been lit on top of the mountain, may it shine through the darkness for all to see.

This month we held 11 outreaches and 2,888 students chose chastity. If you would like to sponsor an outreach to a school in Tanzania, you may do so by donating here.

Read More

God opens a new way for UCE Morogoro By Herman Nguki,

By Herman Nguki, Morogoro, Tanzania (December 2013)- My dear brother, I have good news to report. God has paved the way for UCE Morogoro. We have long been searching for a way forward to reach more youths in schools in Morogoro. Because of hindrances we faced the last time we tried to schedule outreaches at some schools (especially private ones), I fought for some months to get a regional permit to hold abstinence promotion in any school and at any time.

God has replied  to our cries! In the beginning of this month, I received a Regional permit from the Regional Executive Secretary of Morogoro to hold seminars and outreaches to any school at any time! Any head of school will not be able to constrain us or send us away. I was given also a list of all secondary schools from each district and the municipal council plus names of heads of schools to ensure easy follow up. It really encouraged me and I hope it will open a new door for the spread of the UCE message in this region, where the HIV statistics are rising rapidly. The effective implementation will start soon after the Christmas and New Year holidays as all schools have been closed for that purpose.

PRAY FOR ME PLEASE!!
Your Young brother,

Herman

Herman Nguki speaks to students

Herman Nguki with students

Students with their chastity cards

Read More

My Five Years in Universal Chastity Education (UCE) Tanzania

By Isaac Lema, Tanzania, (January 2015)- A few days before graduating for my first university degree, I received a phone call from Fr. Aidan Ulungi telling me that we needed to meet and discuss Universal Chastity Education (UCE). At that time, I did not know anything about UCE. On the 17th of October 2008, one day before our graduation, we had a meeting. It included, Fr. Urungi, myself, Leonard, and Bathsheba. In that meeting, Fr. Ulungi explained to us about his trip to Uganda, where he visited the UCE Uganda program. I became very interested in the work UCE was doing. After serving God in college through various ministries, I saw it as an opportunity to serve God on another level. Together, we agreed to start UCE in Tanzania, and I dedicated my time and energy in Dar es Salaam to register UCE as a non-governmental organization. Fr. Aidan volunteered to pay for my transport and the registration cost. All of us pledged to be volunteers in spreading the chastity message, and take no salary. We would have to find jobs to support ourselves while spreading the Good News.

In February of 2009 UCE was registered. At that time, I was working as a counselor in a health insurance company in Dar es Salaam. I had to leave the job for UCE. I remember my employer told me, “You will come back and beg me for this job.” I whispered to my soul, she does not know who I am.

I returned to Iringa with the UCE registration certificate. Though I had no job at that time, I was so happy to work with UCE. I started reading books and pamphlets concerning abstinence, chastity, and true love. I found myself filled with the UCE spirit, and started to educate others about chastity. Whenever I was with other youth, I would introduce a UCE message and observe their reactions. Day by day I became stronger and more motivated to educate others with this wonderful message. Our first outreach was conducted on the 7th of April 2009. I prepared a power point presentation, and I was very impressed with the response of the youth. The youth were so happy and filled with hope. I realized then that we needed to reach many more young people with the UCE message.

Students during the 1st UCE Tanzania outreach

Isaac demonstrating to youth about true love

Days passed, and on the 25th of June 2009, we had our second outreach. I became stronger, and I started to see my dreams come true through UCE. A light shined through us, and we continued to reach many youth. Shortly after, we were visited by Drs. Ken and Kim Dernovsek (UCE co-founders). I learned many new things during their stay with us, and I was happy to see how they incorporated their professional skills and their faith in daily life. They helped us to incorporate medical and scientific fact into our UCE outreaches. Now, whenever I attend a seminar or class session I usually ask myself how this topic can be incorporated into the vision and mission of UCE. The same year in December of 2009, we had our first seminar. Mr. Andrew, who now is the UCE executive director, attended, and was another person who added fuel on my flames. He inspired me a lot, and I learned many things from his experience of living in a culture of death in Lesotho. He encouraged me day and night, and I realized that my effort and dedication to the UCE program was not in vain.

Through UCE I was able to utilize my talents and abilities. Moreover, when I saw this happening I applied for a job in Iringa so that I could volunteer well in the UCE program. I got a job, and introduced the UCE message where I was working. I was an administrator. This gave me the opportunity to share the message with all the other workers, and even with clients. Through many UCE outreaches, I became stronger and stronger. I improved with each outreach. So many good things were taught and delivered to the students, and they loved the message. I began to see that we needed more time during the outreach and with follow-ups to keep the youth strong in their chastity commitments. We continued to hold day long seminars for the students, and form UCE Chastity Clubs at the schools. Still, some were unable to attend these gatherings, and so I said to myself, it is time to review our UCE programs.

Outreach with Drs. Ken and Kim

ED delivering UCE message in a seminar

Delivering UCE message during the seminar

Explaining the importance of abstinence

During the process of reviewing our UCE programs in the year 2010, I had an opportunity to join a college for further studies. I shared it with the rest of the team, and we decided to have a meeting to discuss the way forward. We decided that I should go to Dar es Salaam to further my studies. I assured them that I would make the 10 hour trip (one way) to Iringa, and use my weekends and holidays to work for UCE. At first they did not believe me, but after they saw how things were moving they were happy. After being enrolled in college, I found myself thinking about how my message would reach the students while I am away. I had an idea to publish books with the UCE message. So, during my week days, in between studies, I was working on books and on weekends I joined the UCE team in action. The books have managed to cover a wide range of topics within the UCE message. They have been used by UCE clubs, volunteers, and other organizations (such as: prolife). They help to ensure that good standards have been met in delivering the message.

As the word of God says in John 12:26 “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” After working and dedicating my life to serve God through UCE, and to being a role model for others, in 2013 I was blessed to start a marriage journey with Emeline. I introduced the UCE idea to her and she was very interested. She shared her testimony of two men who left her because she stood on the principle of abstinence until marriage. We were really blessed to have each other as friends. We signed our commitment cards to abstain, as fiancées. In March 2014, she participated in a UCE outreach. We stood together and gave our testimony as an example for others. We shared our testimony, and touched the lives of many college students.

On the 8th of August 2014, we were married, and are now living a faithful life as a husband and wife. We are very grateful to the UCE board of directors and the executive director. You have been our guardians through your endless encouragement, support, dedication, and prayers. Through UCE I was able to stand. After I was able to stand, I was then able to help others in need of healthy lives and hope through chastity. I thank you for the award you gave me in my wedding day. It reminds me I have more lives to save every day. I found myself thinking and planning ahead to make sure that UCE is known everywhere in Tanzania. Who am I to deserve all this? I dedicate this award to all the youth in Tanzania. It is my joy to see so many youth choose chastity. It is my wish to see them, after abstaining, developing good, healthy relationships, and having a good happy married life.

Isaac and Emeline on 8th August 2014

Receiving award from UCE ED, Mr. Andrew

As a young emerging married couple, we expect to be the first ones in Tanzania to sign chastity commitment cards in marriage (to live faithfully to one another). We will continue to reach people through the UCE couples and family program that will be launched in 2015. We have dedicated our lives to be pioneers of this program. Many married couples in Tanzania face a lot of challenges, and the majority have nowhere to run too. By the grace of God, may they run to the shelter of the UCE message. From my experience as a trained counselor, I have worked with many couples in resolving their problems. I thank God for giving me another opportunity to serve Him with this program. It is our prayer that the will of God will be fulfilled with this program.

In five years (2009 – 2014), the UCE team in Tanzania has reached more than 70,000 young people in Tanzania. More than 190 outreaches have been conducted where 56,222 youth have chosen chastity, to abstain until a faithful marriage. As the word of God says in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” It is time to see UCE programs in Tanzania flourishing on another level. We believe we can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). We are grateful to UCE global executive director for initiating the Prayer Warriors and for his valuable suggestion of praying as a team before and after each outreach. Through this, mountains have been moved, and we rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ in our daily activities.

God bless UCE
God bless Tanzania
Mr. Isaac S. Lema
UCE Tanzania Programs Officer

The all volunteer team in Tanzania needs your support. As Isaac has said, the team is planning on expanding their programs this year. You can help them by donating here. Please let us know if you would like your donation to go towards a specific project (outreach, seminar, club, country, etc.) by emailing contact@uceglobal.org. Thank you!

Read More

UCE-Tanzania Expands to Dodoma Region

By Isaac Lema, Dodoma, Tanzania (June 2015)- In May of 2014, the Iringa municipality (the team’s home base) received guests from Bahi district in the Dodoma region. The guests came to learn about and share experiences in fighting new HIV transmissions. UCE, as one of the stakeholders, participated in one of the meetings. Leaders from Bahi appreciated the UCE activities. They invited the UCE team to visit Bahi district and deliver the UCE message in all the secondary schools. Since that time, the UCE team has kept in touch with them. This year, 2015 the UCE team managed to go to them.

Bahi district is among the new districts in Tanzania, located in the Dodoma region. Dodoma is the capital city of Tanzania. There are three highways which pass through this district, including Iringa highway. Iringa highway was recently paved, and this connected the Dodoma region with our southern highland zone. Kondoa highway also connects Dodoma with the northern zone, and Singida highway connects Dodoma with other central zone regions (the lake zone and the western zone). This put Dodoma at high risk of new HIV transmissions. In 2012, the HIV prevalence in the Dodoma region was 2.9%. So now we are getting a jump on this, and by the grace of God we will spread chastity across the highways instead of HIV.

The UCE team travelled to the Dodoma region on the 12^th of April 2015. Due to the geographical location of the district, the UCE team stayed at Dodoma town. This made it easy for the UCE team to reach all the schools. Some schools were located in faraway places, whereby the UCE team would have to return to Dodoma town then start another journey of about 50 – 80 kilometers on a rough road to reach them. The team managed well enough, although some roads were bad, which led to three flat tires. Many schools were located far from each other, hence the UCE team managed to reach a few schools per day. However, the UCE team woke up early so that they managed to reach more schools. All secondary schools are government schools, there are not any private schools in this district so far.

One of the challenges that the district was facing is that many students, mostly girls, leave schools and travel to the cities such as Dar es Salaam or Arusha to work as housemaids. Moreover, some students leave school work as shepherds, especially boys. Early marriage is also another challenge, where the parent(s) will arrange for their daughter to get married in order to receive a bride price, which for them is wealth. Another challenge is the long distance from schools to the residential areas of students. Many of them walk more than two hours to reach their respective school.  As a result, many students join form one, (9^th grade) but few reach form four class (12^th grade) or graduate. One headmaster said that in his school 130 may join form one, but when they reach form IV there are only 40 students.

On 13^th April 2015, the UCE team travelled to the Bahi district office. The district executive director received the UCE team very well. We had a chance to explain the vision, mission, activities and achievements of the UCE program in changing and saving lives of many youth in Tanzania. The District ED was very impressed to hear that and she directed us to the district education officer, who assigned some people (Mr. Christopher Lusinde, Mr. Andrew Colman and Mr. Raymond Gasper) to accompany the UCE team on their outreaches (So that they may also learn from us). Since all the headmasters were informed about the UCE team coming to their schools, we found the students were mobilized and ready for outreach without wasting time.

After one week of outreaches, Mr. Renatus Benges, the UCE Club Patron from Ikafara Secondary School, joined the UCE team in Dodoma with the purpose of teaching and encouraging other teachers about the importance of the UCE message and UCE Clubs. The UCE team was so blessed to have him with the team for several days. He shared his testimony of how UCE helped his school. He said, “This is the fourth year after UCE the club was introduced in Ifakara girls secondary school. From that time till today we have not received or having any case of students getting pregnant. Moreover in terms of discipline UCE has done so much in helping students to focus on the future life hence they don’t misbehave.”

One headmaster was so grateful to the UCE team. He encouraged his students by pointing to the UCE team saying that although the team is young they already have college degrees and good jobs. He said, “If you want to achieve your goals you should abstain and study hard. When the UCE team came here this morning, I thought they are just wasting our time and we were busy preparing for district executive officer visitation. I thought if I was the one to decide I could have hindered them to deliver their message to you. But because they were accompanied by Mr. Raymond, I kept quiet. Now I have realized if that happened, I would have lost a very unique message with and a very rare chance to get it. Please, UCE I welcome you again and again to help my school.”  The UCE team conducted outreaches to all (20) district secondary schools, Bahi, Mwitikira, Chibelela, Mtitaa, Ibugule, Magaga, Chikopelo, Chikola, Ilindi, Zanka, Msisi Juu, Ibihwa, Mpamatwa, Kigwe, Mundemu, Lamaiti, Chonama, Babayu, Mpalanga na Chipanga. About 2420 students were reached and 2044 (84.5%) students male 964 and female 1082 committed themselves to chastity. The UCE team returned to Iringa on the 22^nd of April 2015. The UCE team returns all Glory to God in Jesus name.

Read More

“My name is Florianne,

*Andrew will introduce the story, Burundi, Muyogo, UCE Club Member*

“My name is Florianne, I am a student of Muyogo High School. I joined UCE three years ago. I am an orphan and manage hardly to get schooling equipment. One time, one of my teachers invited me to his house to discuss with me my vulnerability as an orphan. He started touching me and telling me sexual stories. Courageously enough, with my abstinence card in my hand. I said NO and left his house safely. I advise my peers to hold onto Christ and the teachings of UCE strongly, in order to avoid spoiling our abstained life for useless things.”

ANDREW

*Let us have courage. Let us reflect on our personal convictions. How can we courageously stand for what we believe in when we are challenged as Florianne was? Let us remember the vulnerable, the orphans. How can we be Christ to them?*

Read More

I was Jailed by Sexual Intimacy

*Andrew will introduce this topic*

Thought sex, masturbation, had arrested my spiritual, psychological, social and academic development. From 2010 to 2011, I was jailed by this sexual addiction, and during the night I would have thought sex with the girls Imet during the day. They attracted me because of theirbeautiful physical appearance, and wearing styles that aroused my sexual thoughts, and caught my eyes. To me, at night, they became real images in my bed. I did not like the situation, but I had no means to stop it. I suffered with the situation for1 year without any help on how I could overcome it, although daily I tried to stop practicing it. I could see it weakened my mind, and made it agitated and impure. My name is Joel Elphas, and this is my story.

In Mayof 2011, the UCE team visited my school to conduct a chastity message seminar. Before the seminar began theyposted a banner on the wall. I sat silently and read the written words, “Chastity is self-control in action, thoughts, and words, which guarantees respect, security and healthy lives.”These words reminded me of the pain I experienced during the night in my thought world. I began to think about how these thoughts had jailed my mind, and even made me forget to meditate on my God, who gives me life. During the seminar they taught me how to have self-control with my thoughts. From that day, I learned how to command my thoughts.This is something that made me become the boss of my mind. During the night after the seminar, I prayed to God to help me live according to the UCE message and also to help me control my thoughts, so that whatever was going on in my mind would bepositive. The next night,during the time when my thoughts normally challenged me, my mind alerted and reminded me to pray and thank God for His grace and His protection of the day.From that time on, I was free from this evil and God has restored my mind. I have become sexually pure and morally clean in my thoughts.

I am so thankful to God and UCE for bringing me the message. For 4 years and counting I have been free of the prison of my mind. God changed my thought process, and God also changed my destination.

*Let us remember that God is the great restorer. As he restored Joel’s mind, and helped him overcome his addiction, so he can and will restore all of us. In what areas of our lives do we need restoration, and how can we surrender these areas to God?*

Read More

The Night Ride

The 29^th of August 2009. Life is never what you expect. So why should death contain anything but the unexpected?  You would think that after 2 years one would become accustomed to the funerals and the death. In fact, the opposite is true. Each time I visit a family, a friend, it compounds upon the pain of those already lost. Each time someone dies the despair grows. Instead of creating a feeling of numbness and separation, death begins to bring a sense of desperation. But of course on the outside everything is business as usual.

My rondoval is in the bottom of the Qomo-Qomo valley, and most of the village is located above me. Every few days I make my rounds around the village to inspect projects, find out any news, and look for new opportunities. I was on my up to the top of the village where my widows run a solar bakery. As I made my way up, Ares and Aegis, my faithful companions, darted up and down the mountain looking for trouble, or maybe just a nice discarded bone to chew on.

It was coming to afternoon; the sun would soon be behind our mountain leaving us with a few hours of shade before darkness finally came. I noticed what appeared to be a pile of blankets next to a mud hut, heaped in a pile and filthy. An old woman sat slowly stirring a large black kettle and tending a small fire below it. She was probably in her fifties, but looked much older. The environment and the hard living here seem to make people age much more quickly. I greeted her in accordance with custom, “Hello, mother. How are you living?”

“I’m living well,” she replied, “and you father, how are you living?”

“Good, thank you,” I said.

The pile of dirty blankets suddenly began to stir, and I realized that someone had been hidden underneath them. The blankets lifted, and for a brief moment my eyes made contact with those that had been hidden. I could see naught but his eyes. They peered inquisitively at me. They were dark, sunken, and sad. As quickly as they had come, they disappeared. The blankets fell back into their crumpled, unmoving state. I made my way up the hill to continue my business with the bakery, not giving the eyes much more thought.

A few days later I happened by the house again. This time there was a man sitting up next to the house. Was it a man? Or just a shadow, a whisper. The blanket hung over his shoulder now, his bare flesh exposed to the winter sun. He looked as though he hadn’t eaten in months. Every bone in his body was visible and protruded outwards, into the exterior, where they weren’t meant to be seen. His cheeks were hollow and his hair was tangled and stood in clumps about his head. His arm, was that his arm? It looked like that of a child. There was no muscle visible, only bone. I greeted him, but he was too weak to respond or even to change his expression. Aegis, Ares, and I continued on our way.

The next time I looked at the house, I knew in an instant that death had finally taken him, the man with sunken eyes. AIDS had claimed another life. Several cooking fires were burning around the hut and an inordinate amount of people were gathered outside. I checked my garden, as I have so many times before this year, to see what I could bring to help the family.

I gathered four bunches of potatoes, about twenty in all, and slowly made my way to the rondoval to pay my respects. I had my meager offering of potatoes, but I have found that in a land with no money and little food sometimes all that is to be done is to sit with the family and share in their pain. As I approached the house I customarily greeted those gathered outside. I asked where the man was, and they pointed inside of the second of two rondovals. I gathered my thoughts, my Sesotho, and my composure, took a deep breath, and stepped into the single room.

Five women were sitting on the dirt floor crying; in between the women hung a sheet covering the deceased man. I hung my head and greeted them in a low soft voice. As we made conversation they stopped crying. I asked about the man, when had he died, when would the funeral be, and what arrangements had been made.

I told his mother I wish I had made more of an effort to speak to him while he was alive. She then told me about how much he had enjoyed seeing my dogs and me. She told me he was absolutely convinced that my dogs were being fed bread and milk, luxury goods here in the mountains, because they were so fat. She told me that during the last 3 days, we were all he would talk about.

My heart broke. It tore in pain and shame, my stomach churned as I realized what I had done. I had seen the living Christ, and passed him by. I had looked deep into his sunken eyes, eyes full of suffering and despair, and continued on my way. Could I not have taken 10 minutes to sit and comfort him?  Could I not have stopped to care for him, to lift his spirits, and be with him in his misery? No, I had passed him by.

After she finished talking we all sat quietly and reflected. I got up and handed his mother my potatoes. She was very thankful.

The next day the man’s brothers arrived and forced a change of plans. The man had died on Wednesday and it was now Saturday, our burial day in Lesotho. His brothers, however, were adamant that he be taken back to his mountain village of Ha Lephoto. We don’t have cars here, and if we did they couldn’t reach Ha Lephoto. The only way to get to Ha Lephoto is by horse.

They brought saddled horses, and prepared for the ride of the dead, the night ride. His brothers picked him up and put him in his saddle, to ride one last time. We tied each leg to a stirrup and tied ropes around his back, midsection, and arms, and connected them to ropes attached to the stirrups. It took a while to secure him tightly, and in the end he sat firmly in the saddle, but slouched over next to his horse.

One of the men from the village asked me, “Don’t you want to take a picture?”

I always carry my camera, but wouldn’t normally bring it out at a time like this. “I have it,” I said, “but I wasn’t going to take a picture. Won’t his family be angry?”

“No.” He said,“Please, father Thabo. Show them how we live here. Show them how we live hard in Lesotho.”

It takes an exceptional amount of love to carry your brother’s rotting body home in the rain to be buried. But when you are consumed in despair, death, and utter hopelessnessall things are eventually stripped away. Two things remain and stand alone. God and love.

People often ask me why I do what I do. Those who knew me in my youth, ask how in the world I ended up teaching chastity. I lived a lifetime of pain and sorrow. My friends, my family, vanished before my eyes. It was the most gruesomely awful and astoundingly wonderful experience of my life. I saw death. I smelled death. I lived death. It tore out my heart, but it was only in death that I was able to find new life. I felt my soul ripped into a thousand tiny pieces, but it was remade.In the midst of our misery, our wretched grief, my heart sang with new life. When He led me from darkness, I felt an unrivaled joy for life, and I had hope in my fellow man. My name is NtateThabo Nohana, and this is my story.

*The culture of death in Africa is often physically visible. Here in America, our suffering is so often hidden. Let us remember all those who suffer. Let us remember that however dark the night, Christ will always lead us into His light*

Read More