As the music begins the people gather in the back of the church and begin their journey to the front. The cloud of dust fills the air as they bring their offerings to the Lord. I learned a lot in those few minutes about the true joy and understanding of giving that these people of Nyakatare, Uganda have within them.
A friend explained to me that they have divided the church into groups, I assume because of the size of the congregation, to not have too many people up front at one time. Each time the next groups gathers in the back with their offerings and they make their way as a group to bring it to the Lord. I was curious because every single person got up at one point and so I asked if they HAD to bring something, what I discovered brought tears to my eyes.
Some do bring money, yes, but not everyone. At our first service a woman brought a bag of onions to place in the offering basket. Some bring nothing in their hands, but in my eyes they brought the most. If you do not have money to give you bring your offering of praise through singing, dancing and clapping. The joy that was brought before the Lord was like nothing I had ever seen before. With all of their energy I watched young and old together give their all to praise their Father; to thank Him for all He had done in their lives. What a testimony.
It makes me sad to be leaving this continent in two weeks. I will be leaving the people who truly give everything within them to love the God who created them. Everyone sings, no matter what you sound like, and they all dance without fear of how others may look at them. They raise their arms and voices and become completely undignified before God. That is something I am going to miss in America. The restrained “praise and worship” of today’s churches makes me sad. Can we praise and worship God without being loud and dancing, yes, but if we love and are thankful as much as we like to say then why shouldn’t we want to do those things. Why hold back from giving the Lord what is due Him? 
