One thing I have been extremely thankful for this week is that our God is a God of both great joy and laughter, and also spiritual, fruitful conversations and moments.
In one of my previous blogs I talked about how God has really been breaking down walls inside of me pertaining to prayer. And this has not stopped at all. The team has had a few opportunities to go to a clinic to pray for patients, something before this trip I would have been so nervous and even reluctant to do. But each week we go, I am more and more excited to go and see how the Holy Spirit will work. Earlier in the week three other teammates and I went and found probably almost one hundred people there waiting to get their blood pressure and glucose levels tested. The four of us split up and began praying. Each time I would finish praying for someone they would thank me with such gratitude, even though they probably didn’t understand a word of what I said.
I had just finished praying for a few women and was about to stand up when another woman so full of joy came and sat down next to me, grabbed my hand and started talking in Runyankole, the local language. She made a praying motion with her hands and then started pointing to different parts of her body where she was feeling pain. She took hold of both of my hands and as I began praying I was so filled with the Holy Spirit. There have been moments here where I am reminded of our Father’s love for creating us all uniquely in His image. When I finished praying and looked into this woman’s eyes and was in awe of God’s love and power. The woman kept repeating Mukama asiimwe which is Praise God and Mukama akuheomugisha which is God bless you. She didn’t understand what I was saying and I couldn’t understand her, but it didn’t even matter. I was lifting her up to our Heavenly Father, God knew what I was saying and that was enough. I am always amazed by the way two people who have almost nothing in common and don’t speak the same language can be bound together by their love for God, it’s truly the only common ground needed.
On Thursday the Makobore High School soccer team had a game to determine their place in the district. They won the game 1-0, finishing third in the district. The goal was scored by Lucky, a senior six student I have become very close to, on a penalty kick. Going to these games with the boys are some of my favorite times with them because of the unity I feel and because of the joy and laughter that comes with each goal and celebration.
God has really been showing up in even the smallest of moments for me on this trip. And one of those small moments was after the game when Lucky came off the field, gave me a big hug and told me that his goal was for me. My heart overflowed with love. Sometimes it only takes a small comment to make you feel so loved, and with those few words Lucky did just that.
So many times throughout this trip I have found myself saying “only in Africa would this happen”. I had one of those moments after the game when Hillary, Christina and I piled into the bed of a pickup truck to ride back to school with the whole soccer team. It was one of the greatest moments of laughter, joy and being slightly terrified. I was all of the squished and all of cramped in the back of that truck but all I could do was laugh with all of the boys at how ridiculous and hilarious the situation was.
Once we returned to school I was blessed to be able to have so many spiritual, fruitful conversations. Benedict, a senior six student sought me out and asked if we could go and talk. He told me he needed prayer. Benedict has a sixteen year old sister who is only in the primary six level of school and has repeated that level four times. As he began telling me about his sister and her struggles, he also began opening up about his past. His childhood was filled with so much abandonment and hurt from his parents; Benedict had to raise himself and his cousin. As I sat there listening to his story, I was amazed and truly inspired by the love in this boy’s heart. He hasn’t seen his mother since he was five and was only recently reconnected to his father, but he told me he has forgiven them because that is what Christ calls us to do. His relationship with his Heavenly Father is so great, he is able to forgive his earthly father and mother for wronging him so many times. Benedict is a prime example of someone valuing an education. He is by far the hardest worker at the school, skipping sports time almost every day to continue studying. He is a devoted student and child of God. And I was honored when he asked me if I would fast with him on Friday for his sister.
Lastly, I wasn’t to share a moment of great joy from Friday. The team had fellowship with the boys in the afternoon, which is always one of my favorite times because it’s a time to put everything aside to worship our Heavenly Father. But this fellowship was especially memorable because I found myself in front of all the boys dancing with Hillary, praising our God. As we danced around in circles I was overwhelmed with joy from the Holy Spirit.
One of my favorite songs is One Thing, and the lyrics are
Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me
Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me because on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never ever have to be afraid
One thing remains, Your love
In the moments of joy, brokenness, prayer and spiritual growth I have experienced this week and this whole trip there is always one thing that remains, God’s faithful, unchanging love.
