I walked into Uganda not knowing what to expect. Kenya was awesome, but a bit exhausting. We had a strict schedule each day and our free time had to be spent within the confines of our ministry gates. I guess I was expecting something similar in Uganda…
But when we arrived at the bright orange, one story house, furnished with two 5-week old puppies, I had high hopes that this month would be different… that we would have some freedom…
Our contact, Sarah Mae (one of the funniest people in the world), was given a vision of starting a community house for local street kids, elders, and anyone else who needs a place to go. Her dream is to teach kids English who otherwise wouldn’t have the chance, and tell people about Jesus. On our first day, she told us to go out into the community, make friends, and invite them over to hang out; thus, “hangout ministry”. #Idie #dreamministry #getmypeopleskillson
So what better way to kick off the month than with a party… Shayna’s birthday party, to be exact. Little Schmee (my nickname for her) was turning 27 and our team planned for a big shebang. We invited pretty much everyone we had met so far… some kids from the street, some random guys we met at a phone store… you know, whomever… and it was a blowout. The Coca-Cola was flowing, the cake a slicin, the “wobble” a blastin. It was the perfect combo of fun and intentionality. We were able to tell people about our mission and invite peeps to “our” local church: Watoto North.
Jenni then had a strong desire to visit the Rastafarian part of Kampala. I’m almost always down for an adventure, so I went with. So Jenni, Sarah, Andrew (from another team) and I set out on motorcycles (as passengers, not drivers) to the “rasta” part of town donning my ukulele and newly purchased hand drum. We dropped into the first rasta bar we spotted, and ordered some Coca-Cola’s (a popular drink choice for missionaries worldwide). We saw they had a pool table so, after perfecting my pool skills in Thailand (sarcasm) we decided to take on the locals. It turned into a fun afternoon, and again, an opportunity to tell people about what we’re doing – the best ministry tool.
Two of our favorite kids we’ve met are Charles and John. They both sell fruit on the street; John has access to education, Charles does not. Charles originally lived with his “jaja” (grandmother), but because she couldn’t afford to take care of him anymore, a neighbor’s daughter took him to the city. His jaja was under the impression that he’d be getting an education in the city – but instead, he sells fruit all day on the street. He doesn’t speak English, which is a necessity around here, and he can’t read any language. At this rate, he won’t be qualified for much more than selling fruit or maybe going back to his village (if only he knew where that was). It breaks my heart. He’s the sweetest little thing, and loves to play my ukulele. I wrote out some basic English for him to keep on hand, but he needs a full program. And that’s exactly Sarah’s intention.
It the midst of all of this fun and Uganda-ness, I’m still getting hit with stuff (aren’t we always?). As my team and I were sitting in church on Sunday, the Lord spoke to me/called me out. He reminded me the importance of being steadfast with my faith, and making sure my “walk matches my talk”. Ouch. He then led me to the chapter where Paul calls the Galatians out for the same reason: “Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. That night, during our Daniel Bible study, same thing… Beth (Moore) asked us how consistent we were in our walk and if it was at all comparable to Daniel’s faith. You see, Daniel’s consistency gave him incredible integrity and the ability to stand up for what was right in the midst of a chaotic Babylon. Could I do that? Better question: would I do that?
These convictions caught me off guard and got me thinking. Am I going to be the same person when I get home from the race, which I am now? Will I still feel the desire to seek Him daily? Will I still have the undying urge to tell strangers on the street about Jesus? Or do I think my bold evangelism is solely for third world countries? Will I continue to be intentional with my friends and family? Will I continue to walk the walk that I have been preaching worldwide for 9 months? My speedy answer is “yes, of course.” But it requires more than that. I have to want it. I have to be consistent each and every day. I have to know what I believe and better yet, why. Because that’s what faith is all about. Faith is nothing without knowledge of what you believe in. So, thanks to God calling me out, I am working on strengthing my faith by studying more scripture and praying for the Lord to show me each and every day where He is at work and where He wants me. I have come too far to be slowed down by the world. Can I get an amen? Ha. Hope this inspires you!
PS – just for funsies… here's a song that I'm obsessed with. I hope you like it too…
