It was a Sunday morning like most at BYKOTA Ministries (Be Ye Kind One To Another) in Carthage MO. I was making my rounds about the church greeting people and catching up with friends I hadn't seen since the previous week. In the course of time I found myself speaking with Sherri St John; we attended the same life group. She is a quietly powerful woman of God and I very much enjoyed our conversations.
This particular morning she was telling me of a picture she had seen in her head while she was praying. It was of me in a village, thinking maybe Africa, and lots of little black children were running up to me excitedly saying things like, “Rebekah!! REBEKAH! Rebekah is here!” This of course put a smile on my face since it touched on a life long dream.
At the time, over a year before I'd even heard of the race, I was supposed to be going to Malawi for a month long mission trip. I took it as further conformation that my dream of going to Africa was close at hand. I had no way of knowing that day that God would soon ask me to give up Malawi. Actually, it went further than that. He asked me to turn over my dream of going to Africa….period. I struggled with it for two weeks and it was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done. At the end of the time I realized that I had turned the dream God gave me into an idol. It, not God, occupied my thoughts, time, hopes, and dreams.
Fully feeling the effect of the words, but also fully meaning them, I said, “God even if I NEVER step foot in Africa I will serve you and give you praise. Your plan not mine. I love you more.” Then I laid on my bed and cried till I thought my heart would burst. But when I had finished I felt closer to God then I had in awhile. Soon after that the trip to Malawi was canceled and the funny thing was I was really ok with it. Sherri's picture of me with the children was tucked away with all the other things I ever thought or hoped for concerning Africa. Sometimes I would struggle with occupying my daydream time with “what-ifs” but I always had to come back to the place of, “ I want you (God) more.”
It was months after these decelerations that I first heard about the race. I can truly say I have never felt like I am supposed to do something so strongly in my life. Now a year and a half later (from when I first heard about the race) I am sitting inside my tent inside a room in Pastor Charles Lubwama's house in Mukono, Uganda. A short time after arriving here I accidentally (God purposely) started a children's ministry here at Destiny Christian Center. It really began with a sentence, “My name is Rebekah! Not Muzungu!!”
There was a little confusion at the time, every time one of my team mates left the house the children yelled, “Hello REBEKAH!” at them. Since that day and through the craftiness of God a children's ministry has emerged. We sing, play games, and have a story to two from the bible. I'm not sure I have ever taught a group of kids that want to hear the word of God so much. I've estimated that on days when we play with kids I give about 200 kisses in a 2 hour time period. That was another that started with a single encounter and now has grown into an expectation. A hug and kiss when they arrive and one when they leave and who knows how many in between. To date I've had about 10 -15 busted lips, one time when I really thought my nose was broken, but every bit of it is worth it to see the smiles on their faces.
It was early in the month when kids were just learning that “Rebekah” was in fact my name. I had seen a few children that had called me by name. Later that afternoon when the children came into the yard to play I was attacked by a group hug while they were all yelling “Rebekah! REBEKAH!! MWAH!” (Meaning they want a kiss.) Tears filled my eyes as I remembered Sherri's picture from all that time ago. I thought about all the times I questioned, threw a fit, and doubted…all the times I trusted and believed and put it into the hands of God.
As the tears poured down my face I held little faces in my hands and kissed their foreheads. In that moment I could feel God smile. Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” washed over my soul as I was once again reminded of how big God is. I'm not sure how I ever manage to forget but unfortunately there are times when I do. Not only does he have the whole world in his hands but he also has all of time. I am awed, humbled, and overwhelmed by the goodness of our God. He works all things out in his timing and to his glory. Be looking for a picture blog to go along with this. (TOTALLY depends on the internet.)
