Uganda, initially a crazy country and very unexpected. When I think of Africa, I think of broken and lost people, without food, money and shelter. Now at the end of our stay, I can see how real these people are. Looking at them, they aren’t lost, this is their life and they don’t know any different. My world, and my teams world have really been rocked while being here.
Our host family have been incredible and gracious servants of the lord. Who in America would take in 16 college students into a tiny African house without having running water or even a stove to cook our 3 meals a day on. But they have been absolutely wonderful. They have been absolutely wonderful to us.
Technically our ministry has been the surrounding schools and the cornerstone community church, but my ministry has been the women who wash our dirty undies, scrub our red-dirt stained shoes, clean our dishes after every meal, carry in water for us, and cook true African food. They’ve taught me how to dance, how to make fun of the Americans…., they’ve taught me how to cook and clean but the thing I have learn most from them is the real, hidden story of people in Africa (the ones that are kept from the Mzungus-Americans).
One of my favorite days in Uganda was back in the kitchen with Abigal. I told her I would help and in return she had to tell me about her. She told me how she came to know Jesus. When she was 14, she had to drop out of school when someone had gotten her pregnant. A father here would kick their daughter out of the house due to pregnancy. But thankfully her sisters took her in. Abigal said she became so depressed because society hated her and she hated herself. Many times she had suicidal thoughts and couldn’t stand herself. She said she tried to run away once, because she couldn’t even look at her baby anymore. When she was leaving, an old friend ran into her and told her to come to church. At church, the pastor was talking about how Jesus can set us free. That our past is forgiven and that Jesus loves us unconditionally. He pointed directly to Abigal and said if anyone wanted to accept Jesus into their heart, that they can live a new life. That night she was saved.
Today Abigal is 34 and her daughter is 19 (only 2 years younger than me) and she is now a huge part of Cornerstone Church. Abigal has told me many more stories adn taught me more about Africa and it’s people than any textbooks at college have showed me. She has also taught me more about God’s love than any pastor I have ever had.
Loving people patiently, unconditionally, not only washing our feet but helping with every part of our ministry and doing the things us Americans don’t ever want to do. I am amazed at God’s glory here. Even though I personally didn’t lead anyone to Christ first handed, God allowed me to raise up the Christians here and encourage them to go out. To show that their is hope in God and that us Americans are in love with their same God. My spiritual journey these past weeks isn’t one I expected, but God has provided in so many ways. The biggest is preparing us for what is ahead of us the next 5 weeks.
