Living in Siberia – God's help in extreme conditions

The situation in Uganda is very bad.  the price of food has doubled overnight.   There is a great deal of fear and panic.  The military is beating women with canes in the streets.  Sylvia said they are beating them like they are snakes.  People are being forced into their small slum houses.  But they have no food or water.  It is like being forced into private solitude, without food. And there is at least no sign of any relief.  Where is the government, the UN, Food aid?  It is only the 2nd day of lockdown.     The people will become desperate and violent.  Our women are safe for now.  But it will be very hard.  And there needs to be some intervention.  This can not continue.

Last night I could not sleep.  I had to pray.  and I opened up my computer to write.  I found a story I wrote about autism 15 years ago.  I am in no way comparing what I have been through with what they are going through.  but I believe God does produce beauty in extreme situations.  And it is my prayer that our women in Uganda will see God provide for them, and hold them safe during this dark time.

Living in Siberia – God's help in extreme conditions

Written by Amy Heymann

2005, Jessica was 13 years old

Last night my husband, Juergen, and I watched a TV documentary about people living in Siberia during the winter. The conditions in Siberia are very extreme. The roads are frozen all the time and to drive from one place to another can be risky. For this reason, people often take helicopters to get from town to town. It is so cold there (-50°C) that the average woman dreams of having a fur coat.  While the rest of the world would "rather wear nothing than fur", Siberian women save their money for years to be able to buy a fur coat – which costs around 10,000 dollars!

I wondered to myself: Why would anyone choose to live in Siberia? Then I thought: I do live in Siberia. My oldest daughter Jessica has autism. Her disorder often presents extreme living conditions for our family. The people in Siberia adapts to those extreme conditions. They do not fight what they cannot change. If it is cold outside, they put on a coat or they shovel more coal into the fire. Our family does the same thing. We adapt to Jessica's extreme condition and we continue to live our lives. I would never choose my daughter's sickness and I pray for her to be healed. I imagine many people live in Siberia who loves it and would never live anywhere else. I love my daughter, but I would never choose these extreme conditions for me or her. But if I am given no choice I adjust to the conditions.

I read the statement that no one really knows anything about autism unless it touches them personally. I am sure I would be ignorant about this sickness unless it affected Jessica. But everyone has pain, everyone experiences a 'Siberia' at some point in their lives. Some people have suffered through cancer, others divorce, some unemployment or even the death of a spouse or child. Pain is not far from human experience. Autism may be extreme and chronic, but everyone has their own experience with the trouble that causes them to grow and adapt.  Siberia is rich in natural resources such as gas, oil, coal and it has one of the largest deposits of diamonds in the world. It is interesting to me that one of the most sought-after gems is found in an area of such extreme conditions. Maybe God draws out the precious gems of our human character when we undergo an extreme experience.

I pray that God will hide the women of Suubi Teen MOPS in Uganda and all His people everywhere.  That we see his strong hand of support and salvation.  and that there will be precious gems of our human character when we undergo this extreme experience.

www.teenmopsuganda.com