Frank and Vicky

Christmas 2010 through 2011

"From home to home and heart to heart from one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas, bring us closer to each other.

Happy Christmas"

Frank Mubiru to Vicky Mann

Frank Mubira, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Hillo Vicky,

How are the flowers? Do you know their names? Are you tomato plants doing well? Your mom must glad with the way you help him in the garden. The way you study English is almost the same here. We study grammar, spelling, storytelling and writing. Our English classes are most interesting for the most youths here.

I look forward to hear from you. Give a hug to your family and friends.

Frank

Reply from Vickie Mann, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

April 2011

Dear Frank,

Hey there, long time no see! Or write, as it is. Please forgive how long this as taken- schoolwork and issues at home have kept me busy.

I have some sad news. Recently, my friend's father passed away. We're all happy he is with God, and that he is out of his suffering, since he'd been sick with Pancreatic cancer for some time now. However, he left behind my friend and her mother to grieve his absence, and her friends, myself included, have tried to rise to the call and be there for her. Adding this in with homework from both college and high school, not to mention my regular chores and social ministry leaves me a bit short on time, which is why this is so late.

But don't worry. I like talking to you- so I want to keep this up, if that's all right by you.

I hope that all is well on your side of these letters. I hope that God is standing by your side everyday and leading you to your future. And I hope that one day we may meet and I can say hello to you in person.

Until that day, may the lord bless you and keep you; May the lord make his face shine upon you; May the lord look upon you with favor, and give you peace.

Your Friend,

Vicky

Correspondence March 2010 through December 2010

My name is Frank Mubira. I am 14 years old and a member of the Sounds of Hope youth program in Uganda. I am in the seventh grade. I live at home with my parents, two brothers and three sisters. When I am home I share a room, all between 10 and 16 years old. My chores include fetching water, washing utensils and clothes and helping to clean my boarding school.

I really enjoy football (soccer) and attend church regularly with my family. My favorite hymn is Ntambula ne Yezu (I walk with Jesus). I hope to be an engineer when I grow up.

Reply from Vickie Mann, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

"Hi! My name is Vicky Mann. It's nice to meet you. I'm 16 going on 17 in April and I like music. I'm hoping we can be friends and correspond through letters. I'm an only child but I hear you have 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. I also hear you like football, which is cool since I used to play it. When you write back maybe you can tell me what position you play.

Anthony, Bill (seated); Daniel (back), Vicky (front)

What I like about youth group is a chance to hang out with my friends at youth group since it is the only time I get to see them. I attend a different church than the church in which our youth group is in. I go here because my mom went to this youth group about 30 years ago.

I wish you luck with your engineering career. I'm going to be a teacher when I grow older. Also I saw your favorite hymn is "I walk with Jesus". Mine is "Gather us in". Check it out. Maybe you will like it. Write back soon, friend!"

Frank Mubira, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Dear Vicky Mann,

I am happy we are Bible friends. My dad is Charles and my mom is Betty. Am an orphan. My dad died. My mom is a gardener and am living her. Praying to God is what I learn from meeting other members.

My best subjects are science and English.

Your friend, Frank

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 Vicky, 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 Vicky Mann, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Dear Frank,

I'm glad you got a chance to write back!!! It's really cool that your mom is a gardener, so's mine!!! Well, not professionally, but she spends nearly all her time now in our backyard growing flowers. It's cool though, because she's really good at it. I'm going to try to follow in her footsteps and plant things too. How about you? I'm sorry to hear about your father, Frank. I hope that God watches over you while you grow into a man I'm sure he'll be proud of. Another thing we have in common I see is that we both love English in school!

... Um, how does your English class work, it might actually be different then what I'm thinking.

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.

Anyway, may God be with you, and I hope you will write back soon!!!

Your Friend,

Vicky Mann

Dear Lindsay Ullmann,

Hi!! I suppose I had a wake up call when I was in church for the first time for Alter Guild. Alter Guild is where you "set the table" for the Lord's Supper the next day, and it is always done on Saturday. I was the youngest one there, it was my Mother who had signed us up, and I could tell that a couple of the older women were not pleased I was there. I was doing my best to help, fetching chalices, and carrying trays, and finally, someone asked me to put the communion trays out on the alter. No one else saw this, since they were all to busy with cleaning up. I put the trays out on the alter, and looked up, and saw what the Pastor sees every Sunday. His view of the church had me taken back for a second; all those pews, to be filled with all those people!! All expecting you to tell them what the Lord wants us to do with our lives. I felt this sense of calm, imagining this imaginary congregation, and I felt this strange feeling throughout my being, like pure elation had been poured into me. I held my hands out like the pastor always did for a few seconds, imagining I was leading the service in honor of Christ our Lord. It was a magical feeling.

Since then, I get more involved witht he church as I always feel more complete when I'm in it's sanctuary. I am now a Lay Reader, (Someone who reads the testements during service), a Communion Assistant, ( I give the Blood of Christ to people on the Sundays I am called), and I am studying to be an Assisting Minister now.(Someone who actually gets to help LEAD the service, and say the prayers and such. I'm so excited!!!!) So my spiritual wake up was something like that. I hope you and I will get to correspond some more Lindsay, you seem nice to talk to.

Until then, may God light your way.

Vicky

Reply from Lindsay Ullmann, United Kingdom

Hi Vicky

Thank you so much for your story. It sounds very much like you just had a calling in life and that now you are almost being lead by something so powerful you know you are on the right path? I think a lot of young people have such experiences but are scared to talk about them in fear of sounding silly. For example, your experience reminded me of when I had an experience with Jesus in my bedroom..

I was trying to give up smoking at the time, and for the life of me I just couldn't , it was obvious I needed some direction. I was actually asleep when this happened but I suddenly remember looking down on myself, as if I had come out of my body..there was just the general feeling that I could no longer go on anymore.. suddenly I saw a bright burst of pure white light in the corner of my bedroom. In frightened me so badly that I didn't want to turn around and look at it, but something inside my mind just told me to face it.

So I did, when I faced the light I saw the face of what seemed like a beautiful carved angel surround by such an embracing light. I threw myself into the light and handed over all my worries. The angel (or Jesus) turned to me and said "everything is going to be ok". I said, "I can't give up smoking ; it's really hard" and he said "just try , try not to".

After that I never touched another cigarette and I actually started to find myself more after that. The only way I can explain the experience with the light, is 100% pure love, like nothing you could ever experience on earth. It was pretty amazing. I knew something so far beyond my knowledge and come into my life for a reason and it is something I will carry forever. So whenever I think that things are going wrong in life, I always remember that light.

All the best and warm wishes,

Lindsay

Reply from Vicky Mann, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA to Lindsay

Dear Lindsey (If I may call you that),

I am very sorry for the long delay there's been in me replying to you. Things got a bit hectic over here, and the internet was semi-forsaken for a little while there. So I'm sorry about that again.

I really wish I knew more people who have had religious callings though. The main example of the people I've met who seem to have had meetings with God is my best friend. I can't tell you her stories though; They’re not mine to tell. I wish she'd feel the same calling I do towards the church, but she doesn't seem to feel the same pull unfortunately.

I'm glad you felt secure enough to tell me your amazing story. I'm so happy for you that you were able to experience this amazing event, and that it changed your life so thoroughly and happily. I'm still wondering if I should try to become a pastor, as I feel at home with the church. I said it's only second to true love, and a very, VERY close second at that.

Also, Tim told me that you wanted to publish my story in a journal of some kind. I say go for it, if you haven't already. I'm pretty sure that Tim got back to you with my response and my Mom's approval before hand though.

Thank you again for just responding! It’s really a miracle in itself that now we can spread Jesus' ministry through this medium of the internet.

May God walk with you,

Vicky

P.s. How are things over there? Good?

Frank Mubira, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Hi Vicky,

I think you are doing well since you last wrote to me. How are your mom and other family members? How great to have moms that share an activity? My mom grows some beans, maize, cassava and other food crops. What does your mom grow? I miss my dad's love but that is how life is to some of us . But I don't take it as a set back, I feel life must continue whatever circumstance that comes my way provided it doesn't hurt my life. English is a subject that almost keeps me to school and it helps me to try other subjects that are taught remember I have to sit all the subjects in order to go to another level.

You can only tell the difference when you attend any of our English lessons and see how it is being conducted. But yours should be more advanced than ours.

Greetings to all please.

Frank

Reply from Vicky Mann, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Dear Frank,

We've been pretty well over here. Mom likes to grow flowers mostly, since you asked. I like growing vegetables though, so every year, we've been getting me a tomato plant for the summer and I grow cherry tomatoes and water Mom's flowers. I also have two rose plants now, and somehow they're still budding even as fall and winter come upon us. I guess it goes to show you that beauty can spring up from anywhere at any given moment if you give it enough time and a weather eye.

I still am sorry about your father. I hope that you can feel his love for you and your mother all the way from Heaven every day of your lives.

Well English classes here? They work where you learn grammer and how to write, like essays and things like that. Every so often, we read a book and write a report on it. Sometimes, we write a short story. But it's mostly essays in twelfth grade. Not very fun, especially if you have loud people sitting next to you. I'm trying to figure out if YOUR English class is in fact, a LANGUAGE class, where you learn how to speak English. That's where my confusion lies.

I wish you days of plenty and joy, my friend,

Vicky

Would you like to become another Bible Penpal with Vicky or Frank ? 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. Vicky, Frank and Lindsay will be notified that you have written.