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Bibles for Gulu
Natalie Jellyman is a young Salvationist from The Salvation Army Grandview Corps. She loves to use her artistic abilities to bring life and hope to those who have none.
She is active within World Vision as a youth amabassador and advocate of youth initiative Manawa Ahi - and has been stirred by the plight of child soldiers around the world. World Vision is building a child soldier rehabilitation centre in Gulu, Uganda - and Natalie explains her heart behind her Bibles for Gulu project, where you can be part of the Word bringing life!
"As an artist, humanitarian and activist - I wanted change for the children of Uganda and Gulu. I wanted in." - Natalie Jellyman, 19.
THE REALITY OF CHILD SOLDIERS
According to the United Nations, there are believed to be over 300,000 children involved in conflicts around the world today. Invisible Children ran an international viral campaign five years ago, seeking to bring militia and cult leader Joseph Kony to justice. While Kony 2012 may have come and gone, the reality is a little less forgettable for the some 66,000 children Kony is estimated to have enslaved, assaulted, indoctrinated or otherwise killed.
"We went from children who were afraid of gunshots to now children who were gunshots... shooting became as easy as drinking a glass of water." - Ishmael Beah, former child soldier.
Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army have been infamous for targeting children to become child soldiers. Once abducted, children faced the option of being trained to kill, or be killed themselves. Often, the children are forced to witness or take part in the murders of their parents and peers, given hallucinogenic drugs and are denied food, water and sleep. They become wired to torture and traumatize; numb to their reality.
A PROMISE OF HELP
In the words of a former child solider - "We can be rehabilitated." I believe - as does World Vision - that children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings if given a chance. The importance of rehabilitation has been recognized and World Vision is working in Gulu, Uganda - building a center that aims to help up to 300 child soldiers at at time.
Isaiah 9:2 - "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned."
Isaiah 58:6 - "Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: To destroy the chains of injustice and unite the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?"
This is huge. That's 300 beautiful children being set free through the transformitave love of Christ at work. This is a living out of Isaiah 58:6 and Isaiah 9:2. This is moving mountains.
OUT OF THIS VISION OF HOPE, BIBLES FOR GULU WAS BORN
I've always loved the idea of making the word of God as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside, and what better way to do that than to pull out a paintbrush? So I've come up with a way to use what I have to further the work of World Vision in Gulu.
I am creating original, high quality and beautiful hand-made covers (including the Bible within!) for just $55. 100% of the profit will go directly to World Vision's project in Gulu.
You can order a complete, beautiful, hand-made cover and Bible in different translations on my Facebook site Bibles for Gulu. Contact me about customised design, scripture and options available! I will be more than happy to work with you to get something that you will want to take everywhere!
You can also visit my Pledge Me site for a limited time to receive either a typography print or custom typography. This will help contribute to materials for the Bibles for Gulu campaign.
Or you can read more about World Vision's work here and/or donate directly to the rehabilitation centre yourself (but why not pick up a Bible too while you're at it?!).
- Natalie Jellyman
WANT TO WIN ONE OF THESE BEAUTIES?
THEN LIKE AND SHARE THE BIBLES FOR GULU ARTICLE FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, AND YOU ARE IN THE DRAW! ENTRIES CLOSE FEBRUARY 8, 2017. GO FOR GOLD!