We are here in Kampala, Uganda. It’s a million times different than our last month in Lodwar, Kenya. Kampala is tropical, green and lush. We have luxuries such as a flush toilet, a bed, and a free wi-fi signal that if you sit in just the right spot on the balcony, you can get between 1-3 bars of signal. Hooray!
This month we have partnered with the Bugolobi Church of Uganda (Church of the Resurrection) here in the suburb of Bugolobi. They have a vision for their community. Right across the street from the church they have about 5,000 people living in 32 blocks of 960 flats. Their vision is to see a small group (or cell group) form among every 8 flats where they could come together for bible studies, fellowship, etc. We are joining with the vision of the church and especially with the young people of the church to go door-to-door in the flats and see what people believe and ask if they have a few moments for us to share with them about our faith and pray with them, and see what happens from there.
I’m not going to lie…I feel a bit like a Jehovah’s Witness or a Mormon this month. I’ve done more door knocking than I ever would have hoped or dreamed. It’s not something I enjoy and not something I am gifted in. But it is something that the church in Africa deems an effective ministry, and since I am not African, I can’t argue that…I’m simply here to serve their ministry.
I wake up every morning and ask God for the words to speak to people. I ask that he will go before me to prepare the hearts of the people I will talk to that day. I’ve also been inspired by some verses in 1 Thes. 2:2-4 “…but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.” v13 “…when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”
Those verses felt very applicable to what I was doing with the door knocking method of sharing my faith with others. Similar to what Paul wrote in the Bible, we are daring to tell the gospel, sometimes with strong opposition (like when people scream “GOOOOOOO AWAAAAY” at you, or when you meet Muslim’s & Hindu’s who are very adamant that they will not speak with you.) I also realized that I don’t have to feel like I’m forcing anything on them. I know I’m not trying to trick anyone. I’m simply going with the word of God and acting out Mark 16:15 that says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
So, I’m stepping out in faith that by doing this seemingly crazy thing…maybe someone will come to faith in Jesus Christ….maybe someone will be healed…maybe someone is thinking about suicide and will change their minds…maybe someone will feel love…maybe someone will have hope. If we don’t step out and try…then nothing will ever change in this world.
