Brian and Dennis

Christmas 2010 through 2011

Hello Dennis Marsh,

In your country, it seems that you have a lot of physical activities carried out by people unlike in our country here. I have read about mountain hiking and it seems many people love it. I wait to be part of it one time in life. New lessons in the new class have started and it needs us to be very serious more than we used in the previous class.

In which school will you study Business Management? Will be given government scholarship or private funding?

I wish you all the best in your plans.

We pray that CUTS gets all that is needed to visit us here.

Brian

Reply from Dennis Marsh, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Dear Brian,

I am sorry that I have taken so long to reply. It is not an excuse but I recently graduated from high school and I have been busy with my college plans.

I want to say that I have enjoyed our correspondence and have appreciated getting to know you. I hope you have learned something from me about our country and our youth group. It is with sorrow that I must advise that I cannot continue our correspondence. Being in college, I will only occasionally be involved in youth group and I feel it would be best for you to correspond with a more active member so this will be my last letter.

Matters of faith are still important to me and the lessons I have learned from youth group I will remember all of my life. I am sure you will feel the same. May God be with you and your youth group in all that you do.

Dennis

Posted September 2011

Correspondence March 2010 through December 2010

My name is Brian Baweera. I am 13 years old, in the sixth grade, and a member of the Sounds of Hope youth program in Uganda. I live at home with 4 brothers, my parents and our chickens. My brothers are between 7 and 13 years old and I share a room with them. My chores include: fetching water, collecting firewood, washing clothes and utensils, and cleaning the home.

I love sports, particularly football (soccer). I walk to school, about a mile and a half each way, five days a week. I attend church regularly with my family but do not have a favorite hymn at this time. When I grow up, I hope to be a judge.

Reply from Dennis Marsh, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

"Brian ... Hi, my name is Dennis and I am 16 years old. I am in the 11th grade. I want to become a lawyer when I get older but there are also other things I am interested in like computers. I also enjoy playing football; it is one of my favorite sports. Me and my friends try to play everyday. I also enjoy playing basketball although I am not very good. I could definitely use some practice.

What I really enjoy at our youth group is the opportunity to meet people from other youth groups. I also like doing fun events, like volleyball, the 30 Hour Famine and Hope for the Future. My favorite hymn is Holy Holy Holy.

Frank, Vito, Dennis, Arindam, Mike

It's cool that you want to be a judge and I think you will be very pleased with that. I wish you the very best of everything. Be well."

[The Thirty Hour Famine raises money for World Vision which reaches out to the poorest of the poor around the world. At Hope for the Future we prepare for an on-the-street revival meeting by distributing a hot meal - note: served on the streets of New York City.]

Reply from Brian Baweera, Sounds of Hope Youth Program, Uganda

Dear Dennis Marsh,

Thanks for choosing to be your friend and writing to me. My father's name is Frank, and my mom is Josephine and they are both still living. Am glad for that. My father is a teacher and my mom is a hair dresser and am living with mom at home.

My best subjects in class are science and Mathematics.

I am glad to be your friend. I am Brian your Ugandan friend and I hope to hear from you soon.

Comment and Challenge from Lindsay Ullmann, United Kingdom

Hi ... my name is Lindsay Ullmann. I started to write poetry when I was your age and it helped me to learn more about myself as a person. I grew to understand that I had to search to just find myself . I am in my 20's and now am a professional songwriter and singer. So if we turn our thoughts around into something positive we can accomplish almost anything - through creativity and spirituality.

Frank and Dennis, do you feel that you have had a wake up call in life like I had through poetry, when I was your age? If so, would you care to share? Would you agree that creativity and spirituality can help us and also those around us?

Reply from Dennis Marsh, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

"Brian ...

I am glad to hear that have both of your parents still around. Its good that you like science and mathematics, I struggle with math in school so that doesn't really go on my top 5 of favorite subjects in school. But I do like Science and English, and get pretty good grades in those classes. I had a wake up call not to long ago, after one of my most recent surgeries. I thought that I was going through something horrible, but after thinking and learning about other countries through Youth Group, I started to realize that there are people in the world, that are in far more worse situations than I. And that whole realization opened my eyes, to a less selfish-type thinking, and started thinking more about those in need. Our youth group takes some time off in the summer with only a mountain hike scheduled for August 7th. Then we start our weekly Sunday night meetings in September.

Well I hope all is well with you and your family back in Uganda. - Dennis

Comment from Lindsay Ullmann, United Kingdom

I totally agree with your statement Dennis, and I also think it is very wise for a boy of your age to take a broader perspective on things like you have. It's actually by giving out to the world more that you receive a whole lot more back. We indeed need to help each other out more and put ourselves in other peoples' shoes - as not only does it help us gain clarity with our own lives but we are also able to grow emotionally and develop better relationships with people because of this.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Lindsay

Reply from Dennis Marsh, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA to Lindsay

Dear Lindsay, I completely agree with your statement of reaching out, and how through reaching out, you actually receive a lot more than just satisfaction. I feel that reaching out across the nation is an excellent way of doing Gods work, and spreading faith throughout. Everyone should strive to spread Gods love, because as Christians, that is our job. Just by reaching out to people you don't even know you have formed a relationship with that person. You have shown them that there is love, hope, and kindness in the world, and maybe you have given them a little something to look forward to. Hope to hear from you soon. - Dennis Marsh

Reply from Brian Baweera, Sounds of Hope Youth Program, Uganda

Dear Dennis,

The wake up call you got was spot on and I will keep you in prayers. You are not alone finding Maths with problems. In our youth groups we carry out sports practice like football, we also enjoy Bible reading and Bible verse remembering. Was your mountain hiking a success? I hope you are enjoying the night meetings you started in September. Was the turn up good?

Happy moments to you and your family.

Brian

Reply from Dennis Marsh, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA to Lindsay

Dear Brian,

I am very glad to hear that you enjoy your youth group, sports and Bible reading. I hope everything continues to go well for you. I'm in my senior year in high school this year, and everything is going by very fast. I'm very excited to go onto college, and hopefully complete my studies in Business Management. Basically Business Management will give me an opportunity to learn how to establish, and maintain a business of my own. A few years from now I hope to start my own computer and electronics business. I did not get the chance to go on the mountain hike this past summer but I am told it was a huge success.

Well I hope everything is well with you, hope to hear back from you soon.

Dennis Marsh

Would you like to become another Bible Penpal with Brian or Dennis ? Send them a note and/or answer Lindsay's question by writing a note to our website e-mail : timferguson@christianyouthgroup.org. Your thoughts will be included on this webpage. Brian, Dennis and Lindsay will be notified that you have written.