Brian, Tyler and Daniel

Christmas 2010 through 2011

"Let the spirit of love gently fill our hearts and homes."

Brian Jemba to Tyler Treadwell

Reply from Brian Jemba, Sounds of Hope Youth Group,Uganda

Dear Tyler,

My relatives are so grateful for Sounds of Hope and Angels of Hope Junior School that are there to give me attention and the attention needed by me. I keep waiting for the guidelines to bowling and I will share them with some youth here who would love to learn and practice it. During my free time, I love visiting my friends, watching TV and movies, listening to music and watching football. I am in a new class which is so challenging so far but hopeful to fit in it. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.

Great time please.

Brian

Reply from Tyler Treadwell, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

April 2011

Dear Brian,

Its good to here from you again. I am very glad and proud to hear that you got yourself promoted to another class that is challenging you. Its always go to strive for goals or anything that challenges you. What are the types of games that are being played during your free time? I would like to learn and hear more about them. Well I hope everything is going well for you and keep up the good work and hope to here again from you soon.

Tyler

Correspondence March 2010 through December 2010

My name is Brian Jemba. I am 13 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, pigs and chickens. I have no brothers and sisters. I am fortune to have my own room as many of my friends share their bedroom. My chores at home include fetching firewood and water, washing clothes and utensils as well as digging outside the home. I love music and my favorite hymn is Tusituke Tutwalwe Byetulina, which means, in English, "Let us stand up and take what we have".

School is five miles away and I walk this distance to and from school five days a week. I attend church regularly with my family and I hope to grow up to be a doctor.

Reply from Daniel Ermert, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

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

"Dear Brian ... It is good to hear from people from other countries. Since you are an only child, does that mean your pigs and chickens are like your brothers and sisters? Or are they just livestock? I have two older brothers and two older sisters. But I am taller than my whole family. I am six feet five inches. And I have two dogs but we can still make room for a pet pig.

What I like about our youth group is that all my friends go to youth meetings. I have a handful of friends that I can talk to about anything. At youth group we go Christmas caroling and always sing 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' I like this Christmas hymn because it is easy to sing and it is loud - just like me."

Reply from Brian Jemba, Sounds of Hope Youth Group,Uganda

Hey Daniel Ermert,

Thanks for choosing to be your Bible pal.

My dad is Frank and my mom is Betty. Both parents are still living and it gives me joy in my heart. My dad is abaker and my mom is making pampers. I am living with my grand ma.

Sharing life experiences is a great lesson I get from meeting other youth.

My best subjects are Mathematics, English and science.

Reply from Tyler Treadwell, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

"Dear Brian ... It is good to hear from people from you and your friends at Sounds of Hope. You were corresponding with Daniel. He was active in our youth group for many years but is older and is helping run a youth program in his own church. So our youth leader asked me to write as I do not have a Bible pen pal.

My Name is Tyler, and im going to be your new pen pal. Daniel had to go off to college.

Let me tell you about myself, im 16 years old, and im in 11th grade. I been a member of Christans Under the Stairs for 3 years, and so far i love being a member. i have one half brother, but no sisters. so i see your best subjects are mathematics, english, and science. My best subjects are mathematics , science, and history. My favorite hymn from church is Here I am Lord. What i like about my youth group is that their like my second family.

I like sports, particularly bowling which I do with my dad. In youth group I like our olympics - the bowling, the running events and a game we call Bible Trivia. It is a contest to see who remembers the most from all of our lessons during the youth group year.

I see that you are good in several subjects and they are very different. Is there one that you really like and find challenging. Another thing I like is computers. Our leader Tim told us that youth in your country do not have computers like we do. Is there one at Sounds of Youth that you can use?

I like youth group because I have friends there and I get a chance to help others during our many programs, like "Hope for the Future". Well hope to here from you soon.

Your new Bible pen pal, Tyler.

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.

Brian and Daniel, 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 Brian Jemba, Sounds of Hope Youth Group,Uganda

Hello Tyler,

It is encouraging to learn that you have chosen to correspond with me after Daniel took on new duties for the church. We need to pray for him to reach the people the Lord wants him to reach. My mom passed away and am now total orphan but am glad sounds of hope is there to come and give a helping hand with my education. Bowling seems to a great game but how do you play it. One time you will send me guidelines on how to learn it. Thank you for your prayers. My dad is still available plus my mom. Am thankful to God for having kept them living.

I hope to hear from you and when you happen to meet Daniel or call him , tell him we love him so much and we are praying for him

Happy stay,

Brian

Reply from Tyler Treadwell, Christians Under the Stairs, Deer Park, New York, USA

Hello Brian

I am very glad for becoming your new penpal. We definitely need to pray for Daniel, as he works to reach his goal. Im very sorry that your mom passed away, and that now your totally an orphan. I very glad that you have good people taking care of you. I will definitely send you the guildelines to bowling, if you are still interested. So I was wondering what do you do for fun on your spare time? Well I hope to here from you again..I will keep you and Daniel in my prayers.

From,

Tyler

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