Lawrence and Dennis

Christmas 2010 through 2011

"I pray that God presence is especially near and dear to you this Christmas."

Lawrence Ssemaganda to Dennis Marsh

Reply from Lawrence Ssemaganda, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Hello Dennis,

The music I write is for kids in pre nursery school, hey very short and fun at times. I have faith that you will find the business management course very interesting though it will be demanding. I always admire people who are self employed as they can use their time and resources profitably without external disturbances. I wish you the best and I keep our friendship.

Lawrence

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

Dear Lawrence,

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. I am happy to hear you are writing music. That is such a gift.

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 Lawrence Ssemaganda. I am 13 years old and a member of the Sounds of Hope youth program in Uganda. I am in the 6th grade. I live at home with my parents, three sisters, one brother, goats, pigs and chickens. We have a large family.

My chores include gardening, looking after the animals, fetching water, cleaning the home and cleaning utensils. I love sports, particularly football (soccer). I have to walk one mile each way to school. I go to church regularly with my parents and my favorite hymn is Ntambula ne Yezu ( I walk with Jesus). I hope to grow up to be a Pastor of God's Word.

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

"Lawrence. My name is Dennis. I am 16 years old and have two sisters that are 20 and 23 years old. I am in the eleventh grade and almost done with the school year.I think football is really a cool sport. I play it a lot with my friends; it's always a good time. I also enjoy playing basketball; that's a fun sport.

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 very interesting that you want to be a pastor. That is very admirable and I wish you the best of luck."

[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 Lawrence Ssemaganda, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Hi Dennis Marsh,

Being Bible pals makes a difference in me. My dad is Bosco and my mom is Ticia. Am an orphan and my dad died and my mom is a farmer. Am living with my mom. Joining other people widens my thinking and appreciation for others.

My best subjects of learning are Mathematics and English.

Lawrence

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.

Lawrence 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

Lawrence-

I am glad to hear that you enjoy being Bible pals. Its good that you like English and mathematics, I struggle with math in school so that doesn't really go on my list 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 Lawrence Ssemaganda, Sounds of Hope Youth Group, Uganda

Dennis,

Reading from you gives another breath of life. You are not only one who finds maths problem. Many students hear find it hard too and some dodge lessons when it comes to maths.When tests are done, many get very poor scores. Really maths is not generally easy so I don't get surprised if it doesn't get away to your favorite list. Sorry for the surgeries you got but at the same time we have a reason to smile because you got through them successfully though with a lot of pain. Indeed when you get to know how surgeries are done here, you will never admire to get one from here. First class health services are for the well to do families here. Even those who urgently need surgeries to save their lives end up not getting operated due to lack of money and end up losing their dear lives.

Here we are proud of Sounds of Hope leaders who give a assistance to the needy orphans and those who are not able to get to school due to lack of scholastic materials.

Thank you for appreciating what you learnt after the surgeries that changed your feeling and thinking.

I hope to hear from you again.

Lawrence

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

Dear Lawrence,

I find that my successful surgeries are a God-given blessing. I am very sorry to hear that health services are so difficult to receive in your country. I hope that this will change very soon, and health services will be available to everybody, no matter their social status. How're things with your songwriting going? I hope everything is going great for you. I'm in my last year of high school, and the year is going by so fast. In a few months from now I plan to go to college and study Business Management, this will give me an opportunity to establish my own business. How is your family? What kind of music do you write? Hope to hear back from you soon.

Dennis Marsh

Would you like to write to Lawrence, Dennis or Lindsay ? Send a note to Timferguson@christianyouthgroup.org and it will be included on this webpage. Lawrence, Lindsay and Dennis will be notified that you have written.