Queries from a Quarry

Yes, a rock quarry.

 

 

 

 

We were baby birds, unable to fly yet pushed out of our nest and told to “go” and evangelize in this rock quarry mission field. So there we were, my team of Addie, Cara, Rebecca, two translators and myself, fumbling our way up the quarry hills to share Jesus with Ugandans.

 

Our first interaction was with two men – Muslim brothers in their mid-twenties moving huge boulder-rocks from one pile to the other. They were hard at work and it was obvious they didn’t want to be disturbed. They watched us, stumbling & slipping down the hill toward them and when we arrived at their pile of rocks, they looked at us like we were aliens – which honestly wasn’t too far from how I felt. Our translator didn’t help break the awkward and only said, “You are free – begin speaking”.

 

“Um, Hi, we are from America, la, la, la…”  Scattered and embarrassed words spilled from my mouth. As more poured forth, I retreated into my thoughts and an inner monologue began…

 Unexpectedly, Addie’s words cut through my inner monologue, and suddenly I was transfixed on what she was telling our Muslim friends…

 

“I’d like to share with you a little about ourselves; we are Christian missionaries from the United States traveling for a year. We believe in the power & gospel of Jesus Christ so much that we have left our family, our friends, our home, and our culture to take the truth of Jesus Christ to the nations…”

 

She continued to elaborate, but my inner thoughts cut back in…

Wow, we really have left everything for you Lord. We believe in your gospel enough to be here – enough to be uncomfortable and awkward. This year, this Race, it’s not glamorous. We rotate the same 5 outfits every week. We eat strange food and live in conditions that are well…you know. We are outsiders. We stand out everywhere we go. The people you’ve called us to love label us with words like “gringo, mzungu”…all terms to isolate us and remind us how out of place we are. The countries and cultures we travel to are not our own. We live in unfamiliarity. You’ve called us to go to people we’ve never met, can’t communicate with and share the depths of our hearts with them. You’ve ask us to love people who often don’t love us back.

 

I found myself in a moment I pray all Christian’s walk though…that moment of “do I really believe it? Do I really put my life in the hands of Jesus Christ and follow Him when it’s uncomfortable, not easy and not glamorous. Do I believe the words of Jesus enough to be rejected? For the first time, in maybe my life, the fact that I was a Christian was not well received or celebrated.

 

What was I to do? How would I respond to rejection and walk through the rest of this day?
Would I – shrink back, save face, let others speak for me and not defend what I believe?

Or, would I step out in faith, trust God, and live like a Christ follower unashamed of the gospel…
 

Thankfully, the latter happened, but I’m going to be honest, that first interaction, as well as the second, and really most all our interactions were just as uncomfortable and tough. I mean, really tough. People were not shy in hiding the fact that they did not want us there, nor did they really care what we had to say. When we asked them questions about their life, story, etc. we were met with blank stares and faces that said, “I don’t really care what you mzungus have to say; please leave so I can go back to work and feed my famiy.”

 

However, although we were not warmly received, I found that the more opposition we encountered, the more fired up I became. I didn’t care what these people thought of me. I didn’t care if they thought I was a crazy white alien. All I cared about was being faithful to God’s command and proclaim His Glorious name.   At each pile of rocks, with each group of uninterested Ugandans, my mantra was, “This is what we’ve been called to do. In the gospel is where I find joy and confidence. ” It is so easy share Christ and claim Christianity when there is not much on the line. But in moments like these, when faith is tested, is when beliefs are formed and solidified.

 

So Uganda – here I am and I claim Christ.
I’m not here to travel the world and see cool things.

I’m here to love you, and although you may not love me in return, I am completely okay with that.

 

———————————————————

I will say though, 

The rock quarry was not all darkness. We met two INCREDIBLE women, Harriet (top) and Juliet (bottom) with her daughter Lydia. They are born – again believers and the most beautiful of women. Their love for Jesus is real and radiant. They were a huge encouragement to our hearts on a very discouraging day. What a blessing you are my two treasured sisters!