On our last day of July, we had a squad day out on the Nile River; our first full day in Uganda. The Nile River is the longest river and most famous in the world where it flows upward from the source of Lake Victoria being over 4,000 miles long. We had the joy and adventure of getting to white water raft the Nile through a company called Adrift.
This river is the king of them all, but most importantly it tells of the great One, the Creator God. This was the most adventurous and exciting thing I’ve likely ever done and our team of seven got into the inflated raft to tackle some of creations biggest rapids. The Nile just speaks of the majesty of God. While many people would prefer to forget how small we really are and think that fame or fortune is the real prize in life; being pushed around by huge walls of water and then swimming in the River with the most beautiful scenery makes you remember Who’s in control.
Between our “life risking” waterfalls, we were able to quietly paddle up the Nile and see many tribal Ugandan’s washing clothes, small kids running pretty much naked around fields and beside the water, smaller little wooden fishing boats, and the peacefulness that surrounded us. Uganda has been the most green country of the African countries, and the Nile’s surroundings show the immensity of trees, wildlife birds, jumping fish, and the width and depth of the water.
I couldn’t help but just think the whole time, “I am on the Nile River, I am white water rafting on the Nile River, I am swimming in the Nile River, this area is gorgeous!” No words can express what God was showing me in the moment of his handiwork and the majesty there is in this place. Things I’ve dreamed of as a kid that I never thought could happen are now and I feel smaller.
There was one point in a rapid called “Big Brother” where about four or five rapids came together and made this biggest waves and whirlpools that we had to go through and when we came into it I thought we were done for. We hit a wall and got pushed all the way back to the beginning and we all hung on for dear life, but somehow we survived and conquered. Then another point later you could see small rapid waves and since I was in the front of the boat, you would then see the bottom just drop out and a HUGE wall of water before you and you thought there was no way you could make it without flipping, but we survived. But the greatest was the very last rapid, a grade six where you weren’t supposed to go through and you had to walk around. I just remember standing there and seeing the massive falls and rapids coming together from two points and you could just hear the roaring sound.
Last month all I could say to new believers and old ones was to never forget the majesty and wonder of God. Sometimes we can get so caught up in small human things (which are good things) but then forget about a bigger world out there that God has created. I am so thankful that after seven long months so far I was able to get away and do this. What an energizer, actually I’m weak and sore for the next few days, but what a way to say, “This God is majestic, and He’s even bigger than what I paddled through. This God is great, and in the midst of the storm, He literally kept me safe.” Never forget the majesty of God and never forget how small we are.
Update:
Well we have made it to Lira, Uganda and it’s been awesome so far here in the Lango province with the Lango tribe. We even crossed over the Nile River again seeing some crazy rapids and then once we crossed we saw baboons all over the road, and I thought our bus was going to hit them a few times. It’s amazing the many small huts of straw/stick tops we see and the countless children walking from school in their colorful uniforms. I had a window seat and as we flew by I’d wave and they’d all yell back. The countless kids that scream Hi at you, and then Uganda has just been gorgeous. The official language is English though the other african language is just Ugandan since they have like 40 tribes. We are in the Northern part of Uganda, a central part of where it’s war torn for the last thirty years and it’s sweet people. Looks like pants everyday for us to wear as it’s pretty warm here.
I love the red dirt of Africa, the uniforms of kids and the barefeet, but the poverty is big also. I’ve heard a lot about HIV/AIDS more in Uganda these first few days than the last two countries before. Also, this area of the wars in the past twenty years was really effected. Apparently there were concentration camps around this area totaling of 400,000 people. Next Wednesday our team will go to one of them where three hundred were massacred in one day. I don’t know much about the war yet and the Lords Resistant Army but I will sit down with our contact soon I hope for him to tell me. It allows us to understand more of what went on in the last thirty-forty years but also people able to speak truth and life. The Bishop here said the only thing that kept people strong was the Word of God, and the result of the wars and massacres here was extreme poverty which we see also.
