My intention in these next two blogs is to give you a feeling for what a typical day in Uganda looked like for me. My team spent the month ministering to a people I have fallen so deeply in-love with that my heart aches now as I think of what I have left. As you will hopefully see however, the Lord used us to plant many seeds that I pray will continue to sprout and grow over the years to come.
It’s Tuesday morning, but instead of heading to Bugolobi Church of Uganda (also known as Church of the Resurrection) for our morning devotion, fourteen World Racers pile into a Ugandan taxi-van with a handful of other Ugandans that have a similar purpose in mind and heart. We find ourselves in a much poorer section of town this particular morning. Our morning worship time prepares our hearts and minds for what lies ahead of us as we go into the community to share the love of Christ with the down-trodden and desperate.
My partner for the morning is a young man working on completing his undergraduate degree named Emi. His heart is to reach out to the orphans and encourage the widows. As we walk along muddy roads because of a light rainfall, listening for the Lord’s guidance, we turn and see a young girl about the age of twelve. Emi speaks to her for awhile in Ugandan and then tells me that she does indeed know Jesus. Soon she runs into her mud house and returns with several other young children with big, inquiring eyes.
A family of seven total children, we discover that these precious ones have lost their mother just four months ago. Why, God? It doesn’t seem fair. My heart aches for them, but I know that all I can do is hug them and tell them they are loved. These children have in essence lost both of their parents because their father is gone throughout the day, trying to find work to feed them; yet their faces still portray the love of Christ. They are so strong, especially the elder. I hug her and tell her, “You don’t have to be so strong. Jesus wants to hold you and tell you that he’s sorry. He loves you very, very much.” We leave these children in the hands of Jesus in faith that He will protect and love them.
Emi and I keep walking and soon find ourselves in a home with two widows constructing magazine necklaces. Their faces show that they are weary and need our encouragement. We begin to talk with them and discover that they are struggling to feed their children and send them to school. In Uganda, there is no such thing as public education. However, both of the women trust that Jesus is taking care of their families. As I ask the Lord what He wants us to share with them, I am reminded of John 15, which speaks of Jesus being the vine and the Father being the vinedresser. We are the branches that are called to abide in Jesus, stated in verse 15 as such: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” I encourage them to continue abiding in the love of Christ and placing their faith in Him for the impossible. My heart breaks as I learn that one of the women and one of her children are carrying HIV in their bodies; yet her smile portrays one of hope and not despair. We end our time with them by praying and trusting the Lord to take care of their needs as only He can.
As we leave, the children lead us through a maze of homes to a family they know. Our feet slip on the muddy pathway, and we eventually reach this family of nine children and two parents whose love for one another is evident. They invite us in, and we sit to talk with the parents and two of the older children, recognizing that it’s a miracle to see two parents in this home! Throughout an hour-long conversation, we discover that the entire family has placed their faith in Jesus. Mama grew up in a Muslim home but decided to make Christ her savior after seeing her entire family do so. After some discussion, I begin to divert my attention to Linda (20) and Paul (18). I ask them what their dreams are, and both state that they desire to go to college and become successful in their future jobs so they can provide for their families. I declare that the Lord has a beautiful plan for their lives that will be revealed as they continue to put their trust in Him alone. Emi then encourages them with Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
After spending some time praying over Linda and Paul and asking the Lord for a specific word for each of them, I tell Linda to read the story of Esther. This woman of faith in the Old Testament ends up saving her people (the Israelites) by following the Lord even when it is known that she could lose her very life for doing so. I then feel led to ask Paul if he is a musician, but because I am unsure I hesitate at first in doing so. As Emi and I get up to leave, I decide to be bold and ask him. Paul quickly smiles and says, “Actually, yes! I am not a professional, but I love music.” I ask him what instruments he knows how to play, and he states that he doesn’t really know how to play anything specific; however, he is able to pick up on most anything when shown how. I am excited to see that I have heard correctly from the Lord, and I direct Paul to Colossians 3:16 which states, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” I then tell Paul that the Lord wants him to pursue his musical giftings in order to use them to minister to others. His smile lights up his face.
Feeling edified in our spirits and seeing the Lord’s hand at work throughout the morning, Emi and I head back to the church to meet the others for lunch and share about the way the Lord used us this day. My heart is burdened by what I have seen and yet I am so joyful because I know that the saving hope of Jesus is alive and active in me! Though the things we have done today may seem out of the ordinary for many, as followers of Christ we are called to go and minister the word of God. As Emi has stated, “We MUST continue to preach the message of hope over and over again, for it alone has the power to bring life!”
