Walking life together and roaring like lions!

Yesterday a close friend came over, we will call her Fla for now. She is in University here in Kampala studying business management. Over the last year and half I have loved getting to know her.

Fla is a little younger than me, has a big family, works many jobs to pay for school, is a solid believer, has big hopes, single in a culture where that is not normal, and is just one of the most AMAZING Ugandan ladies I am blessed to know! Can you tell I love her?!

We normally meet every Saturday for bible study. We are going through a good book on Proverbs 31 and both are taking a lot away from our weekly studies. But for the last month Fla has been taking tests. She has been studying like crazy and we have not gotten together. It was just a month but it felt like FOREVER! As of yesterday the wait was over! We got together and hung out for over an hour, so not long enough but I take what I can get. We chatted about EVERYTHING. What else would you do after being apart for a while but yet life keeps going on?! She told me about her Christmas plans and how the family was doing. (She has the cutest niece! She is called Zoe and she and I are roaring like lions at a Christmas party.) 

While together we talked about how we were really doing, spiritually. I love the fact we can be real with each other. We just say where we are with the Lord, our faith, and the life we are called to live. By the end of our time she had to head off to work. We ended our time in prayer. It was the sweetest time, holding hands and giving EVERYTHING to the Lord as we prayed.  After Fla left I had some time to think and pray.

Many thoughts were rushing around my head…but the one that stood out the most is the fact God is asking me to walk life with Fla. Not here to tell her the gospel, she knows it and believes it! The crazy thing is God asked me to move ½ around the world to walk this crazy thing called life with her. To pray for her, spend time with her, laugh with her, cry with her, hold her hand, share blessings with her, and LOVE HER.

Often people think that a missionary is someone that works with people who do not know the Lord, yes sometimes that is true but not always what is needed. Something that has been forgotten is the “make disciple” part of the great commission.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit -Matthew 28:19

Jesus did not say go and make “converts,” people who say they believe in Him. From what I can see in this messed up, crazy, up side down world is there are more converts than disciples. Many people who can talk a good talk but that suck at being with people. We are called make disciples and to LOVE.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. –John 13:35

Love is an action verb. It is a daily choice, one we have to make no matter what kind of mood we are in.

The fact that the Lord has called me to Africa to walk life with a believer and that I daily have to choose love, is the biggest lesson the Lord has been teaching me. You might say “well that is not a hard lesson,” and you are right.

It is not a hard lesson to get but living it out is a whole other story my friend. Daily I am working on the living it out part. How about you?

Quotes, Thoughts, and Christmas

So I am not 100% me, still fighting the "flu" and spending a lot of time on the couch and in my bed. While I was resting on the couch today....with my first cup of coffee in three days (how did I live without it?!) I watched a documentary.  Little known Cassandra Fact, I LOVE documentaries!!!

It is in-tiled "Beware of Christians." There are many parts of the film that are the stereo-topical "college guy" adventures and behaviors. But if you wad through it you might be surprised, as I was, at the though provoking questions they ask about Christians and issues surrounding Christianity.

 To be honest there were points my soul and spirit were convicted. Yes, me the "perfect" christian. The one who lives for the Lord on the mission field each and every day. (if you do not know me well I was being sarcastic!) Some of the quotes that made me stop and think are listed below.....I would love to know if they make you stop and think as well. (it would be nice to know I am not the only one who doesn't have it all together)

Quote 1: " You know when you grow up in church, you always hear be wear of drugs, sex, and alcohol. We point our fingers at all these different things, maybe we should be pointing the finger back at ourselves. Maybe we should say beware of Christians! Beware of people like us, who know how to say all the right things but who have a really tough time giving their WHOLE lives to God."

Quote 2: "It really doesn't cost anything to know how you are spouse to live or talk about it, it costs a lot to actually do it!"

Quote 3: "The more I try to glorify God, with my life, the more I realize how much I SUCK at it! But, at the same time it shows me how much God had to LOVE me to send His son to die FOR me!"

All three quotes made me stop and think, deeply, about who I am and how my life reflects the the Gospel. But more over number three just hits me in the heart at this time of year. In just a few days we all will be celebrating the day our savoir was born. God in human form birthed in a stinky, dirty, and cold manger! The son of God who would die for all mankind. The lover of my soul!

 There is nothing I can say or do to repay the Lord for what He did for me, nor can you. But as I think about all my FAILED attempts to glorify Him, I just see how much He picks up my slack. No matter how many times I fall on my face He is right there. Every time I lose my cool and let my sinful nature get the best of me He forgives me. When my heart is in shattered on the floor and tears are flowing down He is holding me tight. Why? Why would the God of all creation do that? How could a sinless man take my place?

The only thing I can think of is He LOVES me. Something I will be thankful for and wonder about till I see Him face to face.

The view from where I see it....

For the last few days I have been sick. As they say here in Uganda...."You have flu, sorry sorry."

Because of being sick I have spent A LOT of time in bed over the last 48 hours. Right now I am awake and it is almost 12am, guess that is what happens when you sleep most of the day. My laptop is on by the foot of my bed. Bones season 7 is playing while the fan is on to keep the mosquitoes away.

As I rolled over I looked out the window...through the palm tree I can see the moon. Just one more reminder of what a beautiful country the Lord has called me to. Daily the sights and sounds of Africa touch my soul. Praying for healing so I can be out and about enjoying this beauty soon!

Prayer Needs:

Praises:
-God has lead a Short-Term missionary to help teach MKs in Chad! 
-Had a great 19 days with my mom and aunt
-Confirming 3 new Short-Term missionaries
-A great Sabbath at the pool with a few friends  

Ministry Prayer Needs:
-For the new Short-Term missionaries coming in Jan 2013
-Wisdom in how to get things done before I head to the States in Feb 2013 (for a 3 month home assignment)
-God's love and peace to be with every Short-Term missionary on the field this Christmas

Personal Prayer Needs:
-A passion to work harder on language
-Good time with friends here before Home Assignment 
-For a peaceful and joyful Christmas (my second one away from family)
-My car is acting up after getting it fixed a few weeks ago (pray it is not a big and $$$)
-Wisdom in planing my time in in the States (many people to see, much to talk about, only 3 months to do it all)
-For the chance to spend time with a Christan counselor and have a good time of debrief of the last 2 years on the field

God's glory & Pizza

(So sorry it has been to long. Lots to catch you all up on, but one story at a time.)

Tonight I had a great reminder of why I am here. After hanging out at the pool for the afternoon a short-term missionary came over for dinner. This girl is amazing!

While we made pizzas we chatted. She opened up about the joys and pains of ministry. We talked about how difficult it can be to be an outsider; as much as missionaries can become a part of their community they will never be native. Often this is very hard on people who come to share the love of Christ.

With pizza in the oven we just stood in my kitchen, chatting. I saw her heart. The warmth, the love, and the passion from shining through this missionary were so meaningful. While I identified with her struggles I also saw the hope in her. Things will not change over night, she may never see change while here in Africa, but it is coming!

The Lord works in ways that are beyond us. I cannot wait for the day I get to ask Him so many questions, face to face! For the time He has me here on earth and in Africa I am grateful for evening like this, thankful for a chance to see Him at work, in and through others, all for His glory! It is even better when food is involved! Don’t you agree?!

To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. -Jude 1:25

Day two in the Diginga hills of South Sudan:

How beautiful are the feet who bring good news!

As my fingers touch my cold keys I am reminded of so many people telling me how HOT Africa is and how they admire what I was doing. Yes, many African countries are hot hot, hot. With sun all the time and very little relief from it. But, to say all African countries are hot is not true.

Trust me, my friends working in Lostoth would tell you they are cold for ½ of the year with sown outside their door. And again, as I type this I am in a nice warm REI fleece (thank you Stanley and Harua!) with a big’ol scarf around my neck! Now understand, I am not complaining about the coldness of the South Sudan hills!  In fact, I am embracing it! When I left Kampala yesterday it was HOT and it was only 8am. So this cool change is a welcomed blessing.

Kitchen

Last night I was under three blankets with long sleeve pjs, and fuzzy socks….this would never happen in Kampala. The rain came pouring down on m Tookul (traditional Diginga housing). As the night went on I could hear drops coming through the thatched roof. Thankful, none of the leaks where over my bed, I finally dozed off to sleep that was sound and peaceful!

Welcoming the Hilderbrants at the air-strip

This morning as my computer and I sit outside in the open kitchen I hear the wild blowing, birds singing and, the bells from a near by heard of goats. The whole AIM Team up here talks about the beauty here. Personally, many miss conceptions on my part has never lead me to believe they were right, until NOW!

Really this is a lovely place. Yes, people live in mud huts, have very little and are very isolated but everywhere you look you see the handy work of the Father.

What could be so exciting in that box? Live CHICKENS!

long flight from Kenya+40 minute hick=FRESH eggs!

The team here is doing some great work with an unreached tribe. The two single ladies up here are AH-mazing. Just in the 24 hours I have been here there are stories to stress how truly amazing they are. Like today, a plane came in with some supplies. There was a box of chickens….6 hens and 1 rooster. When the plane landed and we looked in the box two hens were dead. One of the ladies was sad because that means two less hens to lay eggs.  After she closed up the box again she looked at me and said “Well I guess Sunday chicken dinner is tonight!”  So on joke, after she hiked over 40mins back to her hut she cut the head off, plucked the feathers, cut the feet off, and gutted them. Oh yeah, this is also after she taught a full day at the local village school. She’s hall of fame in my book!

What MKs do while waiting for dinner

Some how with all the daily life stuff of planes coming in, hiking to the air field, cutting up chickens, and cooking from scratch I was still able to meet with the Unit Leader to talk about Short-Term. We had great chats about how ST could help with some building projects all over the country. It was a blessing to have time to sit face to face in the mess of it all. The main reason I saw this time as key is because when the Unit Leader says it takes a special type of person out here….I can now literally see what he means. 

Day one in the Diginga hills of South Sudan:

The day started early! Very early! Like 5 am early……for some of you that is not early but for me it is! By 6am my cat was fed, house locked up, and I was in a taxi heading to the airstrip where our bush flight was taking off from. 

Before I lost my breakfast!

Yes, that is right, no commercial flights to where I was headed. Just small planes like a Cessna 206 or the occasional Caravan. This was my first bush flight, and the first time I ever up-chucked on a plane. Thankfully that was at the end when we were about to land and once my stomach was empty I was good.

The beauty of Africa from the air!

Besides losing my breakfast the flight was great! Africa is stunning both from air and road. This day I was blessed to see the beauty from the air. And I could not help but see the land of God. High mountains to flat plains…His handy word was there to marvel at, and I did!

The air strip where we landed

Where we landed by many people’s standers would NOT be an airstrip. A flat quasi smooth patch of land where the grass has been kept low on top of a mountain. Oh, I forgot the drop off on one end of it. But, our skilled pilot landed the plane after two fly-bys. Once the wheels were on the ground people, from out of nowhere, came to greet us! Not only people but cows and goats as well. Hills surrounded us. All you could see where hills and sky, beyond that were more hills. It did not take long to realize I was not in Kampala any more.

Once the plane was unloaded, people and cargo, porters came to carry the boxes of supplies we had flown in. Back home, you would picture a strong mountain man stepping forward to carry the things….but this is Africa! The men tended to the cows and goats while the ladies did everything. These ladies were small but WOW! They carried 50kgs of stuff with no problem, and one lady even had her baby strapped to her back.

The path to the compound

The ladies and I walked over the river and through the jungle to the compound where the team lives (about a 40min hike).