We send our affectionate greetings to you and your family this holiday season! This past year, Father has opened many treasured gifts to us through the Life of His delightful Son–Agape Incarnate, the Mysterious Seed, the “Thorn-Crowned Son of Man,” Whose flesh and blood is our Life-giving Food (‘Eating Jesus’); these treasures make us appreciate and anticipate the joyous celebration of Jesus’ birth more than ever! We are moved to reciprocate, worshipping Him and imparting His Life to others.
Father said to His well-pleasing Son, “Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession” (Ps 2:8). Perhaps this was a kind of birthday gift in honor of His Son’s willingness to be born among enslaved men as our Redeemer. Suzanne is friends with the European Union Ambassador’s wife, named Gigi, a Belgian serving in Uganda. On the 11th of November, Gigi invited Suzanne to speak at an art exhibition attended exclusively by more than 40 wives of ambassadors and diplomats from every continent including the United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, India, Iran, Egypt, Congo, Sudan, Australia, Cuba, the U.S., etc., representing many religions. Suzanne has made jewelry for several of these women as a means of befriending them.
This art exhibition displayed works by a brilliant Ugandan painter named Maria Naita who has been teaching our natural daughter Jessica (17). In the course of these lessons, Jessica has shared with her art teacher many accounts of our Father’s House family, which illustrate the kingdom of God. These conversations and visits to Father’s House inspired Maria, and several of her recent paintings depict Father’s love through our family. One is even entitled “Suzanne” showing a woman weaving “Love” into a tapestry that represents the lives of children. Maria related to Gigi how our family has given her a whole new inspiration to paint; therefore, Gigi arranged and hosted this exhibition event so that Suzanne could tell our family’s story.
Gigi opened this international gathering of women, saying, “Suzanne is not here to convert you, but who she is and what she does is very spiritual.” Suzanne introduced herself as a New Zealand-born American now at home in Uganda who serves not as a “humanitarian,” but rather, as a daughter who receives Father’s love enabling her to be a mother to such a large, interracial, international, inter-tribal family. She spoke of the paternal and maternal thoughtfulness of God, recalling His invitation to us sixteen years ago, “Will you father my children?” and confirming it through 1Thessalonians 2:7-12, “We proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children…well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives…exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children.”
Sharing illustrations from the lives of our Ukrainian and Ugandan children, Suzanne introduced the Agape “arrow” and the eros “hook” relating how Father regenerates His adopted children from the barrenness of death into the Life of His own DNA–from “takers” to “givers.” She described our family’s calling to Namuwongo Slum and how joining Father in His nature and work of generosity has itself been His effective means of healing, freeing, and giving a new identity to each of His children.
To calm her nerves before this event, Eric reminded Suzanne of Jesus’ words, “Do not worry about how or what you are to say…it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” (Mt 10:20). And that He did, through a true kingdom daughter! These women just melted in Father’s presence. Afterward, the Dutch Ambassador’s wife would not let go of Suzanne’s arms, repeatedly kissing her on both cheeks, trying to convey how loved she felt. Women from Italy, Cuba, and Egypt expressed with such unguarded affection how touched they were; Suzanne said afterward, “They would have just eaten right out of my hand.” Several gave her their cards saying, “We must hear more!”
One can imagine these distinguished, cultured women have suffered extensive exposure to all the prideful territorialism of the kingdoms of this world, being privy to the details of many ugly things. They clearly bear the scars of the predatory political arenas in which their husbands are invested; all-too-familiar with Belial’s ways, they thought they had seen it all. However, tasting Father’s familial kingdom of Agape, altogether foreign to them yet so clearly illustrated through the restored lives of children now bearing fruit and even through paintings, these women were transported into another dimension they never knew existed! Just to be Father’s daughter, feeling drawn by His Agape into the security of His unshakable nest of rest, and the hope of being renewed as His beloved little girl “to sing as in the days of her youth”–all this was esteemed genuine treasure by women who would certainly know a counterfeit!
The Ambassador’s wife from Iran responded, “I really respect what Suzanne has shared, and as a Muslim, we believe in God being a Father. Once a month I give to women in need, but I see that you experience this kind of joy every moment of every day!” A U.S. Diplomat’s wife who is a born-again Christian affirmed Suzanne: “Thank you for being so courageous, this is exactly what these women needed to hear!” Before constructing Father’s House in Uganda four years ago, the Lord spoke to us that He was establishing an embassy on His hilltop; how marvelous that Suzanne is now inviting these women to tea at Father’s House!
Last month we received a ten year-old Ugandan boy named Francis as our son. Farmers burn off their fields here, and while Francis was harvesting crops with his entire family this past May, a fire completely encircled them. Francis tried to warn them, but it was too late and he alone survived. He has extensive scars from severe burn wounds on his back and ears, which have since healed. When we showed Francis his bed in the room with his new brothers Daniel (10), Vincent (10) and Moses (5), we realized that younger boy’s room for four is now full; with joy we remembered Father’s big-family dream: “Compel them to come in, so that My house may be filled!” (Luke 14:23).
Our six month-old baby, Mark, is absolutely beautiful and growing very healthy. He is truly a son of joy; therefore, he will play the role of baby Jesus for us this year! Our generous Father has now entrusted 13 Ugandan children to us, plus our four Ukrainian and two natural ones!
May Father’s delightful Son possess each and every nation, one heart at a time.
The Mumfords
