Saturday, December 31, 2011

We Are Sons and Daughters of The King


In the times of kings and castles there was a clear separation of royalty and everyone else. It was a world of upper-towns and lower-towns with the royalties in the castle looking down over it all.

The people of the upper and lower town made the kingdoms run. Farming, washing, cooking, cleaning, and so much more come from the hands of these “ordinary” people. After watching Merlin, the tv series on how Merlin and King Author became legendary, this separation became event. But, it all so became clear that I am currently living in this kind of world. We all are, just unaware of it.

Most of us think this way of life is extinct but in reality 80% of the world still live this way. It is so hard for the West to think people live like this because of all the comforts and nuances of their 20% of the world lives in the “modern-day.”


Making the move ½ around the world to a place called the Pearl of Africa that still function in a contemporary medieval sociality has echoed, the fact that we all still live in the separation of the middle-ages in one way or another. Let me explain….

Here in Africa people in power are there because they took power by force. Most of them were un-pleased with how these were being done so they made a change. This happens though war, a cue, or political unrest. The Western World has seen this with many Northern African countries in the last year or so. This may seem like the total opposite to kings of the past, power being passed down from generation to generation, but look again. Once someone takes power, here in Africa, they stay in power. If and when they leave that power someday, they pass it along to someone they trust to keep things the way they are. A round about way of doing it but still very much like the kings of old.


These countries run on the backs of the lower class. In fact there in only two classes…. those in power with the ones that want the power some day and those that do not have the power nor will they ever. Farming is done by the lower class. Fishing is done by the lower class. All things that are exported by these countries are created by the lower class, again no different then the days of King Author.

But, that is Africa you say. That is true Africa is very similar to the middle-ages, but so it the West if you look closely and are not blinded by all the “bling.”


Power comes from elections. Some say they are fare and true others say there is bloat rigging and demand a recount. The party that expected the power to be passed down and it was not, is hot enough to start riots in the streets. The only difference is in the West there are police officers that will stop them from doing it. Governors and other political leaders work on deals to keep the power in their hands or if not theirs at least their parties. I fail to see the difference between that and their-world power holders excepting bribes.


The people that hold the Western countries together are the lower class. The ones on the factory lines, working the graveyard shifts, the moms that work three jobs to support her family, and the brave people that live day by day trusting it will all work out some how. Without these people the live style of the West would quickly become existent. They, like the lower class of the old kingdoms, are under valued, over worked, and looked down upon. There might be some perks for theses modern-day lower class servants like union breaks, minim wage, and Medicare but not much else.


After living overseas so many things about my homeland have been made clear. Yes, the West is good and holds many opportunities. But, at the same time it is holding people down and living backwards if you really look at it. Now I am not writing this to say Down With the West. But, more to say to the Christians living in the West take the blinders off. Open your years to the separation and lack of equality in your own country.


I see it daily where I live, it is blatant, never hidden in the dark but it is in the West.

I pray you all have a chance to open your eyes and see how the price of darkness is holding this world in bondage. I also pray that God would give you His eyes to see how the world with all of us in it was created to be. May the power of the Holy Spirit break your bondage to this modern-day slavery we are living in.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Rain +Mud+Walking to Church+9 Children=God’s Love and Purpose

This morning it was raining, quite normal for the rainy season here in Uganda. But, this morning was a little different then most Sunday mornings.

Back Story….

My flat-mate (not the furry four legged one) is a Short-Termer that has been working with children at Dwelling Places. DP, as it is called for short, is a home for children here in Kampala. Many of these children have come for various reasons: orphaned, former street children, poor home environment, and the list goes on. Carolyn, that is her name, has been working on a puppet show with the younger kids at DP for the last few months.

This is no simple show! She is telling the main Bible sorties back to back with conclusion of the gospel! The kids have colored the puppets Carolyn has put together. Everyone has been working very hard on this show and is proud of it, as they should be. The aim of the show was to bring the children together, allow them to be creative (that is why there is a purple zebra on the ark), have them learn about the Bible stories, and to instill self confidence in them for their hard work. This aim was met and the other child and staff at DP loved the show. But God was not done…He had plans for the little show. Carolyn and the kids were asked to come to another local church and perform the show for the Sunday school kids for two services. God clearly wanted to use this show to have His word told to other children in Kampala outside of DP.

Back to Today…

Carolyn invite me to join today. I was excited to see the show and meet the kids she has been talking about. So, last night we made plans to have our boda friend come pick us in the morning and take us to DP to collect the kids. Well you’d you know….it was raining in the morning. We are very use to that this time of year but it does make life hard. We got ready and prayed for it to let up so we could make our way. We hung around the house for a while and then saw our chance and we made a run for it. Our boda friend met us and we were off to get the kids.

Now you must know that is part of Kampala is unpaved. Yes, that is right it is dirt roads and yes, it had been raining. So here are the two of us dressed for church on the back of a boda on muddy roads. Looking good and staying clean is short lived out here. Once we got DP we were greeting by sweet wet kids and we greeted them back just as wet and drippy as they were. In time, nothing is fast here in Africa, we gathered the kids and started walking to get a taxi to the church. Well you’d know there were no taxis at the taxi stage by DP, why would there be?! So, Carolyn, myself, and one DP staff with nine little ones walked down the muddy road to find a taxi at the next stage. By the time we got to the next stage everyone was as wet as could be! But by the grace of God we were able to get a taxi and head to the church…even if we were over an hour late. This is Africa after all.

Once we got to the church we stop on the side of the parking-lot where some rain run-off was flowing. We all took off our shoes and washed our feet, legs, and shoes. We were not about to walk in covered in mud even with our clothes dripping. After we were clean and in the Sunday school room we slowly got ready for the show. First service was ending and we would be all ready for the second one.

It was a blast! The kids were so proud of their puppets. It was a joy for me to be apart of. Yes, I work in the AIM Central Region Office and the work I do is to support others in their ministry...that is what I did today in the rain.

Carolyn did a great job with the show and the kids. It makes me understand my role when I see others thriving in theirs! No matter the role we play we are in this grand show called life. We have the option of going with God’s amazing script or writing our own. God’s is one of peruse and love. To understand His love and then to pour it out on others, even if one is wet and covered in mud!