Who and What

About Us

Finding the Way is about helping people in northern Uganda, who were affected by rebel warfare and lived in IDP Camps, learn how to overcome, live in hope, and experience restoration of life.  People need to learn to live again in a positive way that will last for future generations.  It is important to not live with a mentality of defeat, sadness, expectation of hand-outs, anger, and grief.  People must Find the Way to life in all its fullness.

VISION:  Restoration spiritually, emotionally, and physically as people resettle.

MISSION:  People will meet in fellowships and learn to help one another.  A healthy community will be the core for resettling to a common village area.  People will be taught truths, have a chance to heal, and learn life skills.  They will be able to find hope and a sense of purpose as life is restored and lived out in a new way.

Meet the Finding The Way Team

Jennie Crawford - Team Leader                               

Martin Olweny - Resettlement Coordinator                 

Samuel Otim- Construction Supervisor                      

Remmy Kityo - Team Helper                                   

Johnson Agababyona - Team Helper                       

How It Works

Please play the video above to learn more.

The Finding the Way team works with local people at an Internally Displaced Persons Camp.  The local person helps to identify families and people to create a group to resettle.  A group is made up of 5-7 family units who are from the same original area.  This group agrees to resettle together and help one another through the resettlement process and beyond.  A range of people are generally part of the group:  elderly, disabled, orphans who are a little older and overseeing their siblings, HIV/AIDS, and those who just do not have any place else to go. 

The FTW team then begins meeting with the group on a regular basis.  We begin to have fellowship time together, teaching truths about Jesus and God’s way to and of life.  We also begin discussing how the resettlement and construction process can work.  The group makes plans and thinks of how they want to do things, and FTW assists, encourages, and shepherds through this planning stage.  Much of what FTW does is help the group to see and believe that they CAN go home and that they can start to work and provide for themselves and see that things are possible.  The goal of FTW is to see people restored physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 

Physically

When the weather allows (dry seasons), the FTW team works with the group to construct huts.  This is a laborious process.  It can take a couple of months to finish with 7 huts. During this time, the group is also planting and making sure they have food crops producing for when they move.  This is helped by giving them oxen and plow to clear more land.

FTW also begins working with the group and training on how to have work that will generate income.  We help them think how to organize and implement work that they can realistically do together.  We provide training for any new work or project they may choose to do.  Projects may include bee-keeping, rice or ground nut production as cash crops, raising livestock, craft-making/artwork, tailoring/knitting, and other things they may think of.

None of the villages to which they are returning have clean water sources.  It is a goal of FTW to also help bring some form of well for people to get water.   We also work with them on sanitation and health issues.  Having proper pit latrines and maintenance is vital.  Then, most of the people have no knowledge of proper medical treatment for even simple health issues or injuries.  Basic health education is also part of the overall process.

Emotionally

Essentially, FTW is about seeing a full resettlement process – helping people get back on their feet in a complete way, which allows them to live freely.All of the people have been through horrors and grief that most of us cannot even dream of.  The scars of their experiences linger in various ways.  Some people carry great anger and bitterness, others have sunk into depression.  Many escape with extreme alcohol abuse.  Mostly, people are afraid.  They are not only afraid of more attacks by the LRA (and they really are), they more so carry fear of the unknown that lies ahead.  They wonder if living a somewhat “normal” life is even possible.  This causes them to balk at moving forward. 

They also struggle with relating to one another and getting along in healthy ways.  Each person’s own hurt, fears and worries make them often struggle to deal with one another, be giving and forgiving, care about others, and see the benefit of community and relationship.

As we have relationship with the group and work with them, it gives opportunity to live and show encouragement in ways the people are not used to.  We do meet and teach on healthy ways of living, based on Biblical truth.  But more than that, the friendships established and working side-by-side lets them see how different life can be.  The FTW team members are really great at speaking life and being examples of hope and light.  Also, as we meet, we help them work through challenges in a healthy way.   Then, we help with problem-solving, to see how things can work out as you take time to deal with something and not let fear or just giving up take over.

Spiritually

Finding the Way is not only the name of the work; it is also the goal for us and the groups resettling.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one can get to the Father except through me.”  We realize that the fullness of life people can experience is only through the salvation and transformation of life in Jesus.  It is our goal to speak the truth of God’s full life.  He alone is the hope, answers, strength, and purpose that is needed. 

Extending the life of Jesus and sharing about God’s truth is not an afterthought; it is the foundation and core for everything done in the resettlement process.  Living out new things in the natural is a way for people to see and experience the reality of spiritual life that come from choosing God.

We meet in fellowship with the group, and we encourage them to do the same.  We hope to see communities of believers begin to meet within each group.  We spend time in praise and worship, teach Scripture, pray, have baptisms, and share about life together. 

Psalm 42-42; John 6

HOW WE FUNCTION

FTW is a registered Community Based Organization in Gulu and Amuru Districts, Uganda.  We have a Board of Directors and the Local Team.   We also are connected with Grace Covenant Community Church in Middleburg, PA, USA.  The church exists in an advisory role and helps us with accounting and managing funds.  People can give to FTW via the church and see 100 % of the funds going to FTW, while the donor still receives a tax-deductible receipt. 

We rely on donations and sponsorships to secure funding for projects and operational expenses.