A Little Touch of Home

For those of you who may not have seen the pictures of me and my teammates free falling into the Nile River or being chucked out of rafts into its white waters, our team has spent the last 3 days at midpoint debrief in Jinja, northern Uganda. In His typical sovereign fashion, God has used this trip to show me how much He knows what I need, and how He delights in giving His children good gifts.

 

First, I am thankful that He, and the wise people at Adventures, knew this debrief was something we needed, even if I didn't. We are halfway through the trip at this point, and on one hand I can't believe it's already been that long. And then I take a second to look around and the reality of 2 months spent in a 3rd world country starts to sink in. The glamour and excitement have worn off. We're still going to the bathroom in holes in the ground, showering with cold cups of water over the head, eating the same bland food every day for lunch. The language barrier and homesickness and lack of technology are felt just as much on Day 50 as they were on Day 1, if not more so. 

 

I knew to expect all that with a trip this long, and in a weird way I was looking forward to it because I knew God would be ready and waiting to work in those moments. Having lived them now, I'm not sure I'd still say I look forward to them, but I can certainly affirm the fact that God had some lessons to teach in those moments. 

 

For starters, I have glimpsed what Paul meant in his letter to the Philippians when he said "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (4:12) Not that I think I have arrived at a complete contentedness in every situation, but I have learned that in the midst of it all, my God is still faithful and consistent. He is God just as much when I'm in Rukungiri eating matooke and walking to ministry in the rain as when I'm in Jinja drinking the first good cup of coffee and standing in the first hot shower I've had in 2 months. I don't get to pick my circumstances, and I don't get to praise God in the good but resent Him and His plan in the not so glamorous. There are things we're called to lay down in sacrifice as we follow Christ, and other crosses we are called to pick up and bear. Some days that looks like squatty potties and seemingly mindless questions from the boys about America. Other days that means not getting to talk with family and friends back home because the power is out at the Internet cafe, or not getting to shower for a 5th day because we ran out of water. In all of that, I still have 10,000 reasons to praise my God. He is worthy of all of it, and because my life was bought at a price I will surrender whatever He asks of me and endure whatever it takes to be at the center of His will and serve where He calls. 

 

That doesn't mean I don't still resent some of the downsides to long term cross-cultural ministry, but God has been gracious to work little by little each day changing my perspective to see Him high and exalted in the midst of all those things. And I think He knew it would take leaving sleepy Rukungiri and traveling 12 hours away to Jinja and the source of the Nile for me to recognize that He is in the sweet little blessings of good food and much-needed rest just as much as He is in the big, heavy stuff like boys accepting Christ or asking you to teach them how to read the Bible.
 

He is in the mountains of southwest Uganda and He is in the Class 6 rapids of the Nile and He is in every mile of this country in between. He created all of it and is sustaining all of it and I think He knew I needed to be leave my bubble of Rukungiri and Makobore to be reminded of how big He is. Somehow problems like what I have to eat for lunch or how many days I've gone without a shower seem to shrink in light of the fact that God holds rushing water that could kill me in the palm of His Hands. When He speaks the mountains that tower over me and leave me breathless would obey His voice and move at His command. Spending a few days immersed in His creation as I  reflected on ministry thus far and all that lies ahead put a lot of things back into perspective. Things that I knew but that had been lost at some point over the past 2 months. Things like how small I am and how God doesn't need me to accomplish His work here, but He invited me into it. He didn't give me these next 6 weeks to squander on being safe or comfortable, but to follow Him into the difficult places to love the people I find there in His Name. He used this time of rest and relaxation to remind me that if I'm not full in Him, I'll have nothing to pour back out on the boys, or anyone I encounter in ministry. He reminded me of His sufficiency, and His power that is perfect in my weakness because I depend on Him for strength I literally don't have in those moments. 

 

I'm leaving Jinja tomorrow, filled to overflow with His Spirit, refreshed by His Presence and little touches of home, refocused, re-energized and ready to run with everything I've got into the days and weeks I have left in this beautiful country.