I am home, but I am different. I am an American, but I lack faith like the Africans. I am anxious, but I am encouraged. I am learning, but I am a slow student. I have been entrusted with the secret things of God, but I have no clue how to even start to apply it to my life here in Atlanta.
When I was in Uganda, I prayed for the Lord to refresh my heart and grow my faith, and He exceeded my expectations by far. I realized after watching the Africans live their daily life and serve us that I have little faith, little trust, little character, and a little prayer life. Needless to say, I was humbled. Simon (the YL Uganda Area Director) told us that faith is a simple thing and without it we cannot please God. I has been trying to please God out of my own strength and have made it much more complicated than it is. We laughed often and used the abbreviation "TIA" meaning "This is Africa" because the Africans live a very simple, slow-paced, and faith-filled lifestyle. They are not efficient in the administrative sense at all, but their faith can move mountains.
While in Uganda, we traveled around a visited Younglife clubs and helped them with their program and games. I thought I had a passion for Younglife, but compared to them, I have little. One of the leaders walks 4 hours ONE WAY to go hang out with ONE kid, and I have a hard time getting in my car and driving ten minutes down the road. They truly get the mission and meaning of not only Younglife, but the urgency of the gospel message.
The Lord gave me this verse as the theme of my trip to Uganda. May this be my prayer as I return home and start life again.
1 Corinthians 2:5
"That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of man but in the power of God."
Some of my favorite pictures:
Our group at club in Pallisa
Everyone has a Western Tour shirt
Our group after rafting
Our group at the Younglife office
We had an amazing and fun team
Another group picture at the training center in Jinja
