Amazima (Truth)

 In 2006 a young lady by the name of Katie Davis visited Jinja, Uganda on a mission trip.  This experience changed her life and God gave her a vision for helping her African brothers and sisters.

Katie returned to Uganda less  than a year later to make Africa her home and over the next number of years she adopted 14 girls, helped many people, made friends, and was Jesus’s hands and feet to those around her.  She also started Amazima ministries. 

Amazima means truth in the local language and is a reflection of Katie’s vision for the school. A place where children can learn the truth. Where they learn the truth that God loves them for who they are and He has a plan for their lives. 

To read more of Katie story you can get her book Kisses From Katie  or check out Amazima’s website here.

In 2023 a young lady by the name of Vanessa fulfilled a dream of hers by visiting Jinja, Uganda. During her time there she was able to visit the Amazima school. One thing that stuck out to her was the emphasis placed on “student life” as they call it.  More than providing a good education for the needy children who come to school at Amazima, they work to show God’s love and way of life to the children. They have couples and single workers who’s purpose is to care for the children personally, to model how a godly family looks. 

Living in with the children provides an opportunity to be a light that the staff wouldn’t have otherwise. They have the opportunity to show humility when they have made a mistake, grace and patience when they are tired, love when they might feel annoyed… they get to share Amazima (truth) and light with the children

Thinking about Christmas this year has brought some questions to my mind. Sometimes it’s easy to get tangled up in the “how was it done?” “What is the true way to look at the story?” “When was it?” Etc. 

During my time in Uganda I had the privilege to share in several churches. In one church I shared some verses about light and truth… that may be fitting for this time of the year as well.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and amazima.

As we remember the birth of our Saviour (God in flesh) let’s not be distracted from the wonder of His love. May we seek truth, extend grace, and show our love for God by loving each other.