"Raise your hand if you lost any of your family members over the break," the director of the primary school asked as 90% of the hands went up. I stood awkwardly at the front of the classroom shifting one foot to the other as I listened to 3-13 year old children share with each other how they lost their fathers and mothers, grandmothers and siblings to HIV/AIDS and other sicknesses.
On this Kingdom Journey, I have had the pleasure of meeting incredible people. People to whom, fully live the vocation of what it means to be human–bearing the image of God to the world. I have seen some of the most atrocious things that cause my gut to wrench in labor pains along with creation itself, and glimpses of the kingdom of God breaking through ordinary radicals that loudly proclaim God really is becoming King on earth through his children.
Sitting on this dusty ground, I can't help but think of the One who dumbfounded the mobs stooping down to draw Shalom in the sand. In Jesus we don't just see a presentation of ideas, but an invitation to join a movement that's about embodying God's restoration in the world. In Uganda alone there are several people I want to highlight and share their stories: Jaja (grandma) Joyce, Ruth, and Grace and John.
Jaja Joyce is a 103 year-old woman who fled to Uganda from Rwanda after witnessing the murder of her husband and all of their children during the genocide. I got to spend the month with this incredible woman who I am honored to be looked to and loved as one of her own children. On Monday, the 14th, we spent an evening at her house to hear her incredible story. She spoke about the myth of redemptive violence, shalom, about the gospel of enemy love, that the cycle of violence, in which each new act of vengeance elicits a new act of vengeance in return, has been broken in the cross. She spoke of her journey of forgiveness, of crying out to God for children, and in our providential paths meeting, the answer to her most intimate prayers. I sat in intercession services listening to her in the back corner weeping before the Lord, amazed at a woman who has walked with the Lord for so long and such an intimate friendship.
The first week in Kyabakuza, I met Ruth working in the garden behind her house This 80-year old advocate encouraged and humbled me to the core. I was sharing information about Liberty Preparatory School, which is the school Pastor John runs that trains children up to 7th grade in general education, farm skills, and the Bible and as I shared she had something to share with me. I then met 3 of many children she has taken in as her own. She shared that she would love to send her children to the school but barely has enough to feed all of the children she has taken in as her own. I prayed with her as my translator shared that she is an advocate for children and a supporter of the school. Of course, with all that said, before I left, she gave me a bag of corn, avocados, and fruits from her garden. This month as a team, we brainstormed some sponsorship program ideas with Grace and John and I believe steps are being made for that to happen.
Grace and John were our contacts. We were their first world race team to serve with this amazing couple and hopefully not the last! One year ago, John Walusimbi was on his deathbed, not being able to eat. He slipped into a coma. He was constantly prayed over and during his coma, he had a vision of hosting 18 ministries in 18 months. John currently is a Pastor of Liberty Canaan Church, a director of Liberty Preparatory School, A farmer, sits on the board over 2000 local farmers, sit on the head of a local bank, and beginning to host world race teams.
Behind every great man, there is an even greater woman. Grace is an amazing woman. Worship Leader, cook, professional net-ball player, teacher, farmer, wife, and mother. She came into John's life a few years after John's first wife passed away and she took in his children as her own. They have 3 precious children together and a fourth on the way. She loved us as her own mzungu children and I will never forget the love she sowed into us. They are the two busiest people I have ever met and I am so humbled and excited to have had the privilege of joining the kingdom work with them in their many ministries.
I have until February 12th to raise $2,361 and desperately need help to meet my fundraising deadline to stay on the field. If you are able to help in any way, please support, pray, and spread the word. Thank you for the incredible support thus far!
Shalom and love,
Michael
