We are on our way home and I’m trying to process all that went on during this trip. I have a hard time keeping up on social media when I am in Uganda because I want to be present in each moment and it’s hard for me to be present in the moment and also online.
When I try to process this trip to Uganda, my heart and mind camp on the faithfulness of God and the upside-down ways of the Kingdom of God.
They were healthy and excited the whole trip. They acted as if I had taken them on the greatest amusement park you could ever go to.
They never missed an opportunity to interact and be a part of everything going on.
They never missed an opportunity to interact and be a part of everything going on.
A constant theme for me on these trips is the idea that I want to empower the people in any way I can.
As an American, I have great opportunity to support the people that are on the ground already doing the Kingdom work that is so important.
It was very clear to me, on this trip that these people, my friends, and family living in Uganda, that I am connected to, empower me, far more than I can ever empower them.
I had it on my heart to do a crusade at Redeemer House with Christ Sanctuary International while I was there and these people from these ministries, kicked into action like it was their life on the line.
They worshipped and prepared and prayed and fasted like it was the most important, best paying job they ever had.
(Mind you…there was NO NO NO pay involved, only sacrifice. There was only hearts of service, and the sacrifice of time and resources for our King Jesus.)
Luke 14:27-30 English Standard Version (ESV)
27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
The worship team danced and sang and played instruments for 3 plus solid hours each day as if their lives were on the line and they did it with
The worship team danced and sang and played instruments for 3 plus solid hours each day as if their lives were on the line and they did it with
pure joy and wild thanksgiving
to Jesus Christ our Lord!
These people kicked into action, not because I asked them, but because they live on mission every day and this was an opportunity to serve in the ways in which they were created.
The most common question I got from the team of people that devoted their time to this crusade was,
“Why are we only doing this for 2 days?”
I am not exalting man or any particular ministry, I’m exalting God!!!
When God gets ahold of our lives and we let Him take control, this is what it looks like.
This is not African culture or American culture, this is Jesus culture.
He told us it would cost us everything, and this is what He meant.
It may cost us everything and we have everything to gain!
Kingdom building gains us more joy and peace and purpose than anything on earth.
Kingdom building gains us more joy and peace and purpose than anything on earth.
When I asked Reece and Maezie what was the best part of the trip……..
their answers were about people, and interactions they had, and the crusade.
I asked Maezie, what it was about the crusade that she liked….
(Because mind you, they did not eat or play on one gadget for the hours we were there each day of the crusade.)
Maezie said it was the singing and dancing, and everyone was included.
Reece said it was the way everyone was excited and participated.
Reece and Maezie both felt a part of something so much bigger than themselves.
They felt purpose and appreciated and included.
They felt purpose and appreciated and included.
Something as simple as emptying the baptismal pool made the kids feel purpose and appreciated.
We miss it, when we try to make the world about ourselves or our kids when all we were created to do, is to love and serve our God and to love and serve others.
They can feel it to the core of their being.
God help us to live for you!
Don’t let us get sidetracked and self-centered, we will self-implode.
Open our eyes and our hearts to love and serve you as we were created to do.
God gave us a special gift at the end of our trip. We missed our flight out of Uganda and had got to stay an extra day.
We spent the day at the zoo and swimming and eating fries and milkshakes.
We spent the day at the zoo and swimming and eating fries and milkshakes.
We had a fantastic time.
The funny thing to me is, when I asked the kids, individually, their 3 top moments of the entire trip,
the zoo and swimming never even came up.
Oh that we may learn from the heart of kids!
No comments:
Post a Comment