Hungry and Satisfied. Exhausted and Exhilarated.

Patrick asked if our team would each give an account of our Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017 in Uganda.

It was a slice of heaven - in Kim's words, and she said it perfectly.  It truly was amazing to be in church praising and worshipping and hearing the Word of God for close to 6 hours straight and feeling like it was just a few sweet moments of what it will be like in heaven.

There were people from many tribes and tongues all praising the same mighty God.

  We worshipped and danced and celebrated and prayed until the sweat was running down our backs.  These people have their worship in order, they worship like it is the biggest blast and highest privilege of their lives. 

 They give their best and most in worship.

 They don't hold back, they don't save it for work or play, they give it all right there as if their very life depended on it.

  There is a joy and a freedom to come together and worship our great God.  

 Oh, if we could all grasp this concept and worship and praise and pray and seek the Lord with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength. 

Mark 12:29-31English Standard Version (ESV)

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

When we first got to church, there weren't a lot of people, it was a smaller crowd, but it was full of life and love and praise and prayer. 

  After 2 hours of worship the tent felt different, so I looked back and the place was packed full of people that had slipped in and joined the service.

  The people had streamed in throughout the first 2 hours and the worship team never missed a beat, they sang and danced the same when there was a small crowd as when there was a church full.  

They weren't singing for the people, they were singing and praising for an audience of

 ONE!

The ONE and ONLY true God.

 What I realized later, was several of the churches CSI has planted out in the village,s had bussed people in to enjoy the day all together at the main campus of CSI in Kireka.  They bussed in so many people from hours and hours away, so these folks had to start their day very early, and they had come from many hours away and they came and enjoyed worshipping together as one body.  

It was a celebration!

These people love God and they love their neighbor (even if it is in a remote village from hours away) and they didn't want anyone to miss this great day, so they went to all the trouble and expense of bringing people together.  

CSI ministry team then feeds all the people that have come from the outer villages, and they bus them back to their village.  

The dedication to give people a place to meet with Jesus and to meet with other Jesus lovers is unlike anything I had ever experienced.  

Each of our team got an opportunity to share at the church service.  God had something special and so individual for each of us to share.  I remember every one so specifically:

Lashae shared a song in Swahili (this is not their main language) but there was a Kenyan man there that did speak Swahili and him and Lashae taught us and the band picked up on it in about 4 seconds and we all sang it. 

 The song has significant history to Lashae, as she learned it before she ever stepped foot in Africa, but she learned from a friend and sang it as God was putting Africa into her heart.  

She has now passed that song on to her oldest daughter, Maubry, and I know God is doing something in her heart as she sings it too.

Jenna, found her joy!  Jenna has had a year of grief, as she has recently lost her mom, but Jenna found her joy and she shared it with everyone there.  Her joy was not only found, it was contagious.

Kim, had been so sick the day before and she hung in there thru the whole service and tearfully  expressed gratitude for getting a taste of what heaven will be like.  

Alexis, shared a piece of her testimony that just blasts the love of God and how much he truly loves us no matter what we have been thru.

Brenda shared how thankful she was to be with the people in Uganda for the second time. 

Patrick and Simon introduced themselves and greeted the people so well.

Charlie and I shared a few things God had laid on our hearts, and we also got to celebrate our anniversary once again.

  We had more cake and more dancing; it was a total surprise, and a fun celebration.

We headed back to the guest house, hungry and exhausted, and  yet we were more satisfied and exhilarated than ever before.