Archives September 2026

Mission Moroto Stories: Israel’s Mom

About three years ago, two very hungry and sick little sweeties came to Mission Moroto. The little boy was named Israel. His little sister’s name in Karamojong meant “time of trouble.”

Rebekah said, “We aren’t going to call her that. She is a blessing, not a time of trouble.”

Papa Matthew said, “Then that is her name—Erereng, which means ‘Blessing.’ Blessing. In Karamojong and in English, she is a blessing.”

Shortly afterward, Rebekah and Papa Matthew went to minister in South Sudan, leaving Mamma Lisa to run the mission.

One day, Lisa had to take Israel to the clinic in town. He was terrified of the vehicle, so Mamma Lisa had to hold him tightly while driving the Land Cruiser.

When they reached the clinic, the nurse asked Lisa, “Does he speak?”

Lisa replied, “Yes, but only in Karamojong, and I only speak English.”

So the nurse began speaking with Israel in Karamojong. Suddenly, Israel pointed to Lisa, and the nurse chuckled.

The nurse said, “I asked him his name, and he pointed to you.”

“Oh! His name is Israel,” Lisa replied.

The nurse chatted with Israel some more in Karamojong. Suddenly, Israel again pointed at Lisa, and the nurse chuckled.

The nurse said, “I asked him if he had a mother, and he pointed at you.”

Lisa’s eyes filled with tears, and she said, “Well, I guess that’s right. I’m Israel’s mom.”

Today, Israel and Blessing are thriving at Mission Moroto and doing well in school.

Mamma Lisa swears she loves all 350 kids equally and has no favorites—but we all know there’s something different in her voice when she says the name Israel.

www.missionmoroto.org #missionmorotostories

Israel

Mission Moroto Stories: 1st Baby Maholi

In early 2021, Rebekah was notified that a mother of three had committed suicide in one of the villages. She headed to the village in her van. After receiving bad directions multiple times and traveling down a horrible “road,” Rebekah finally found the village.

The grandmother was so grief-stricken over the loss of her daughter that she wanted to keep the baby girl, Maholi, but Rebekah took the six-year-old and four-year-old brothers with her. The little boys were very wary of getting into the van because they thought the vehicle would eat them! Rebekah climbed into the van and then climbed back out to show the boys that she hadn’t been eaten by the vehicle. The six-year-old, Jacobo, then agreed to get in, but four-year-old Atullio absolutely refused, so Rebekah had to force him into the van.

About a month later, Rebekah received word that baby Maholi was very sick in the village, and the grandmother realized that she couldn’t properly care for her. Rebekah’s vehicle was broken down, so she went on a staff member’s motorcycle. They made it to the village without any problems. They prayed for the grandmother and gave her medicine because she was also sick.

They headed back to the mission with Maholi, who was burning up with fever. Halfway back, the motorcycle literally blew up! Rebekah left the staff member with the motorcycle and started carrying the baby on foot. After walking for an hour, Rebekah was utterly exhausted, and the baby was wheezing terribly from pneumonia.

Finally, they made it back to the mission, gave the baby medicine and maize porridge, and settled down to rest. Maholi was the first baby Rebekah took in.

One lady who was visiting the mission said, “You can’t bring a baby here.”

Rebekah asked, “Why not?”

The lady replied, “You have no one to take care of her.”

Rebekah said, “She can sleep with me, but I am not leaving her in the bush to die.”

Thankfully, Rebekah quickly found a recently widowed woman and hired her to be the baby’s caretaker.

Today, Maholi is almost in first grade and is the happiest, smiliest, most loving little girl you can imagine. Jacobo and Atullio are happy little boys loved by everyone at Mission Moroto.

We serve an awesome God!

www.missionmoroto.org #missionmorotostories