Tracy and Vicky

Christmas 2010 through 2011

"Somehow, not only for Christmas but all the long year through ... the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you."

Trace Lee Gabula to Vicky Mann

Reply from Tracy Lee Gabula, Sounds of Hope Youth group, Uganda

Hello Vicky,

Currently am facing some life challenges and I need your prayers to see me through the challenges am under going. I glad that the fellow youth here are involving in a lot of prayers. I will write more next time.

Take care,

Tracy Lee

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

April 2011

Dear Tracy Lee,

Hello again my friend. I'm really sorry this reply has taken so long. Things have piled up over here- be it schoolwork or social ministry, the workload is increasing. Not to mention, a tragedy has struck rather close to home here.

My friend's father has passed away due to pancreatic cancer. He has been in pain for a long time now, so we're happy he went to God finally and is no longer in pain. But he left a grieving wife and daughter, so my friends and I have been trying to keep her company at all times, to make sure she has someone there for her when she needs it.

Regardless, I am still sorry I haven't been quicker with a reply. I hope this hasn't annoyed you into not writing anymore. I also hope everything has gone smoother, if not happier, over on your side of these letters.

I hope you're having fun where you are. I hope God is guiding you in your life, and you can feel his loving and healing presence in your life. And I hope one day I'll get to shake your hand, give you a hug, and say hello in person to you. Until then, may the Lord look after you, his young child.

Your friend,

Vicky

Correspondence March 2010 through December 2010

My name is Tracy Lee Gabula. I am 15 years old and a member of the Sounds of Hope youth program in Uganda. I live in a boarding school, 89 kilometers from home. My chores include washing clothes, helping to clean the compound, cooking food and gardening. When I am home I have my own room as I only have one brother.

At school I enjoy playing "net ball". I am in the 4th year of secondary school and am studying to be a doctor. When I am home I attend church regularly with my family. My favorite hymn is Tutendereze omukama (Let Us Praise the Lord).

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

"Dear Traci Lee ... How are you? My name is Vicky Mann. I'm going to be 17 at the end of April so that is pretty cool. I hear you have a brother. I hope you guys are on good terms. I've always wanted a sibling myself.

I hear you like sports ... net ball; maybe you can write back and tell me how you play. It sounds like fun.

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.

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

I saw your favorite hymn is, "Let Us Praise the Lord"; mine is "Gather Us In". I find it very moving; maybe you'ld like it. I also here you want to be a doctor when you grow up. That's really cool that you are going to be helping people. I'm going to be a teacher when I'm an adult. I hope we will be able to write to each other soon. Until then, be safe and well and God be with you."

Reply from Tracy Lee Gabula, Sounds of Hope Youth group, Uganda

My dear Vicky,

I was so happy for having chosen me as a pal through the Bible Pen pal which I believe will lead us to greater horizons in our lives. I thank the people who initiated such great program for us as youth. My dad is George and mom is Jane. They are both subsistence farmers.

The subjects I do best are Mathematics, French and Physics.

Your friend, Tracy

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.

Tracy 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 Tracy,

Hi there!!!! How are you? I'm glad you like being pen pals with me. I really enjoy it as well, it's fun talking to you like this!! It's really cool that both of your parents are farmers. Where I live, we used to have a lot of farmland, but everyone sold their farms and moved away, except for a very small amount of people. It's sad in a way, but at the same time, it makes you appreciate what little we have left all the more when you see it. So you take French in school? A couple of my friends take French at my school too, but I went into Spanish class. I'm not very good at it unfortunately, but at least I'm picking up enough to get by. Wow, you're only 15 years old and doing Physics?!?!? That's amazing!! In my country, you don't take Physics until you're 17, if you're lucky!! I'm not going to take it, but I did get accepted into a program that allows me to start my collage education early by using half the day in classes in High School, and the other half in College Classes. I'm very excited about it!

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.

I hope we will be able to talk again soon, and I wish that God may walk with you all your days until I hear from you again.

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

Reply from Tracy Lee Gabula, Sounds of Hope Youth group, Uganda

Vicky,

You mean a lot to me. Am doing well and busy with books as it is third term this preparing ourselves to being promoted to other classes. It means working hard by reading hard to go over the pass mark. Farming is very important because it provides us with food and we need to carry some gardening to get some thing to eat. Here students begin taking physics as early as 14 years provided you join secondary school. I am learning some French and I keep practicing speaking and writing it. How are you going to handle the two different studies and get success? You must be a hard working student because both levels need a lot of reading and writing.

It is very interesting communicating to each other as friends. I can tell it is great from this side. We just pray that time comes for your group to visit our group and we meet each other. I can imagine such moments.

Greetings to all.

Trace Lee

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

Dear Trace Lee,

You mean a lot to me too. I’m glad we have this connection.

I know how THAT feels. Studying is always good, but it’s never really easy, especially for subjects you don’t like or can’t understand. But taking physics at fourteen? Wow!! They wait until you’re seventeen to eighteen over here. And even then, sometimes we still don’t learn it, like I didn’t. But would you mind explaining secondary school to me? I don’t quite understand.

French must be a fun language. I took Spanish for middle and high school, but I didn’t like it very much, or understand it at all really.

I ask myself how I’m going to keep doing this sometimes. Because your right, if you don’t do all the reading, you fall behind, and that’s very hard to get back once it’s done. But I keep a positive attitude about it, and with my friends, family, and teachers to support me and guide me, I believe I can make it through.

I would LOVE to visit you. I can’t even begin to say how amazing that would be. I’d be so excited to meet you finally!! And I look forward to these letters too, Trace. It’s good to see how you’re moving through life. And I’m glad to be able to see the story in the making of your life.

May the angels walk with you,

Vicky

P.S. I like how you signed your name this time! But why the sudden change?

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