In the following days, our blog will be sharing thoughts from the Uganda Mission Team--eleven volunteers from Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Maine and West Virginia. We came together in Miami and traveled to Kamonkoli, Uganda, to be the hands and feet of Christ to the people there and to share His love and the Good News of His coming. As we ministered to literally thousands of children and adults, God made Himself real to each of us and showed us His power and love in various ways. Here is the first of several reflections from our team members...
I wasn't sure what to expect for my first mission trip, but all I can tell you is God is truly awesome in the way He works. He goes before us making a solid path for our feet to stand firmly on. He is good, all the time. This is a hard concept to grasp, especially when you see the hurting men, women, children in Uganda and around the world. Throughout this journey in Africa, the Lord kept whispering to me clearly that these are His precious people. "Man cannot live by bread alone." While these people have no bread, they feed heavily on Jesus Christ. This was a huge blessing to me. Possessing so little, yet living so richly on our Jesus.
The love that was showered out upon us by God's saints here in Kamonkoli was pure beauty. Beauty of another world completely, the kind that only come from the heart of Christ. We were sent to love and serve, but I feel I have been loved and served greater than I ever could have done for these precious pelple. Kindness overflows out of their eyes. So much joy in a smile. Genuine love in a simple touch. "Let the little children come to Me."
Never in my life have I seen a child's face light up over a simple gift of candy as did the ones I came into contact with over these past days. Energy thrives in their little bodies, healthy or ill, when we "Muzungus" pass by waving.
I believe close to 1,000 kids came to the Christmas party on Friday. So many eyes staring back at you and so many mouths to feed. It's a good thing we serve a God who is not limited by what we can give, but graciously accepts our simple gifts and multiplies them to accomplish His purposes. The temperature was rising rapily, and as it did, so also the smell of unwashed clothes, bare feet and darling babies without diapers on. There is no real way to describe it, but it is forever engraved into my mind. It brings you to a point where all one can do is embrace it, give it to Jesus in exchange for more love for His dear little children.
As I saw more and more cases of people not necessarily living, but surviving, I began to question God. How can He allow this? If these are Your people, then where are You? My heart became so heavy. "But God being rich in mercy and love" gave me a word, one from Psalm 33, and the other Isaiah 42. "He loves justice. He loves His people whom He fashioned by hand. He sees all the inhabitants on the earth from where He sits enthroned. He will deliver His children's souls from death and keep them alive in famine. God is faithful to His people. The steadfast love of the Lord is true! A bruised reed He will not break and a faintly burning wick He will not quench. He will faithfully bring forth justice." Thank God He is a God of Truth and Justice!
--Abby
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