“We’re now beginning our descent into Uganda,” came the Pilot’s cheerful voice crackling over the plane’s loudspeaker. A chorus of buckles began clicking around me and the cabin shifted as we banked left, slowly losing altitude, clouds clearing and Ugandan landscape coming into view.
The last time I saw African soil out of a plane window I was leaving Kenya after two life changing months. I was leaving with promises from the Lord tucked into the deepest corners of my heart, and a new confidence in who I am as a daughter of the High King and a beloved friend of Jesus Christ. I left East Africa with pockets full of hope that one day I’d be back in this precious corner of the world.
So, as I secured my own seatbelt and leaned across two of my squadmates to take in the details of Uganda’s countryside growing ever closer, I was overcome with so many emotions. I’ve been trying to figure out what words I could use to describe how overwhelmingly loved by Abba I felt in that moment; trying to think of other joy-filled moments in life to compare it to.
I don’t know what it feels like to stand across from the man I’ve decided to choose everyday for the rest of my life, making covenant on our wedding day. I’ve never felt the rush of raw, unearned love a mother finds herself soaked in as she looks upon her newborn baby; seeing her own eyes reflected back at her and her husband’s smile replicated in miniature on that tiny face. The unexplainable love an adoptive mother feels as she embraces her long prayed over and hoped for child— a piece that had been missing is set into place at last.
I haven’t experienced those moments in my own life yet, but from what I hear they carry a whole boat-ton of joy, and tears, and a love so immense it feels like your whole being is wrapped up in it. And that’s how loved I felt by the God who created all things when we touched down on the runway in Uganda. Steady, pure, joy-saturated tears streamed down my face as we descended in Entebbe and hopped on a bus set for Kigali, Rwanda.
I still can’t get over how good, how faithful God has been in my life. Everyday since we’ve landed I’ve been living out a God-promise. I think this is the first time I’ve noticed living in a long-awaited promise. Maybe because I’m just reaching the point in life when there are finally enough years behind me to even have a long-awaited promise. But it’s happening, and every day since we’ve been here my heart has been soaked in gratitude and praise just to be walking East African roads.
I find myself smiling as I cup water into my small bucket to take a shower each day. Grinning contentedly as I make my way to the squatty potty behind the house; pink sky spreading as the sun rises and warms the brisk morning air. I can’t help laughing as I’m swarmed by 40 school children teaching me a new song in Kinyarwanda, vying to hold my hand. I’ve found myself dancing with freedom in the back of the church while African drums beat a steady rhythm of praise. I find myself full of the kind of joy that brings you to the verge of tears as I preach on the faithfulness of God to a congregation of 200 African brothers and sisters. Even unplanned four hour bus rides back and forth from Kigali with squadmates who are sick have left me feeling like rejoicing as I watch the breathtaking, rolling hills of Rwanda display the glory of God every inch of every mile.
Honestly, sometimes I just stand under these African skies at night before I go to bed. I feel so small, and I feel so loved. The stars are so numerous the efforts of my eyes to take them all in at once is pointless. I look up and I smile at God, because wow, He’s letting me see all of this just because He loves me. Not because I’ve done anything to deserve this life I’m living, not because I’ve been “good enough” or “Christian enough.” Simply because I belong to Him and He’s a good Father who gives good gifts and lavishes love on His kids.
And gosh, I want to say thank you, because chances are you were a part of this, too. How amazing is it to say you were a part of the Lord’s faithfulness being displayed in someone else’s life? UM, AH-MAZING! Seriously.
The Lord saw fit to ask you to be a part of this journey and you said yes. Because so many of you said yes I‘m experiencing what it’s like to walk through a promise. I hope you feel fullness in knowing that. I hope you feel the immense joy there is to be found in obedience to the Lord. I hope you know I can’t say THANK YOU enough for doing this thing with me!
