I apologize to everyone for not keeping you up to date on
everything that has been going on here in Uganda this month. It has been a great month and God has moved
in amazing ways. But it just hasn’t been
the most exciting, story-thrilling month on a day to day basis. We’ve reached our last full day here in the
capital city of Kampala where we have been partnered for the last three weeks
with Team Dunamis (who are awesome), and so I figured it’s probably time to
share a little with you.
This month
we have been working with a church that reminds me of my home church in Hendersonville in many
ways. For everyone from FUMC, imagine
walking in the main doors to the sanctuary from Church St. You walk in and notice the pulpit, elevated,
directly in front as well as pillars going down each side supporting the
upstairs balcony section. The balcony is
a good horseshoe around the three sides excluding the front. At the front, there are two smaller exits,
one on each side of the center, leading to the back of the church. While it is obviously not an exact replica by
any means, it nonetheless has a very familiar feel. Aside from just the physical attributes, the
people and fellowship with one another is also reminiscent of home. The Youth gather together with jokes and
laugher, picking at one another, and finally settling down with joy in their
hearts to begin worship. The Sunday
service is just as traditional, complete with sermon, hymns, doxology,
benediction, offering, communion, confirmation ceremony one Sunday and baptism
ceremony the next.
(I’ll pause briefly here to tell you just how fun it is to
hear “Mzungu…Mzungu…” – which means “white person” – repeated over and over by
kids yelling up to me on the balcony as I try to type this out. I think the count is probably up to about
347).
As far as
our ministry here, it has been rather simple but powerful. The main thing we have been doing during our
time here is door to door evangelism. I
don’t think this is really in anyone’s comfort zone completely and we all have
recalled many times how we would react were the roles reversed and someone came
knocking on our door. While we have
certainly experienced our fair share of rejections – doors slamming in our
faces, or tired excuses – there is also another group that is very hungry to
hear the Good News of God that we bring. God has been stirring in their hearts, planting the seeds until the
moment we would come to reap the harvest and we have seen dozens commit their
lives to Jesus. God is teaching us and
reminding us just what a precious gift we bring when we witness to others. On the street one day I was verbally attacked
by a drunken/crazy man. He yelled at me
saying I had no right to come and talk “religion,” that all I was doing was
trying to get money and that I need to leave his country and go back to America, among
other things. A thought occurred to
me. I tried to ask him again – though of
course was drowned out by his profanities – if he would listen if I said that I
had a million dollars and came to give it to him. What we bring – testimony to the living God
and an offer to start or renew a relationship with your Savior which leads to
eternal life – is so much more valuable!
Yeah,
evangelism is hard stuff. It’s much
easier to just try to be nice and help people or fit in. But if you truly have a relationship with
Jesus Christ, you know there is no greater gift in this world. And you know that without Him, nothing else
matters. If we don’t share that with
everyone we can, are we not being a little selfish? As the parable alludes, it is our job to
scatter the seed to anyone and everyone. It’s God’s job to determine who has the good soil to receive it.
Aside from
that I guess there are a few other highlights to touch on briefly. First, we visited an HIV/AIDS hospital called
Mildmay one day. We learned that it is
supported with great assistance from U.S. tax dollars. Aside from witnessing the place and the
patients there, we learned that many, many Africans (I heard the same thing in Kenya) actually
think very favorably of former-President Bush and how he has done more than any
other president or world leader to save, restore, or comfort lives of those
affected by the tragic disease. Another
day, we sneaked into the pool at Hotel Africana and swam illegally as the area
all around the pool courtyard was being set up for a wedding that was set to
begin in exactly one hour. Needless to
say we were chased out in about fifteen minutes, and it was a great memory. To get to and from that pool, we all rode the
boda bodas, or motorbikes, through town and experienced the city of Kampala with wind blowing
our hair and in our faces. Finally, the
most recent morning ritual added to the day’s schedule is to count mosquito
bites and compare who has the biggest or ones in the strangest places. Without exaggeration, I could easily count
several dozen, mostly on feet/lower legs and hands and fingers. (Don’t worry, Mom. I’m taking my Malaria pills). So all in all it’s been a great month. Probably not too much that’ll blow you away,
but that generally tends to be how God’s kingdom on earth advances. With love and patience and one step at a
time.
But God also has moved in a truly amazing way with one of
our other teams. Check out Katie Duff’s
most recent blog and share in her enthusiasm as Team Karis was blessed to
witness a blind man see!
Much love to everyone. Next time I talk to you will be only after we have conquered the white
water rapids of the Nile
River. God bless!
