TIA: Signing Out
Posted on 22. May, 2009 by Josh Agerton in Formation, Uganda
TIA: This is Africa…and God is here.
I’ve just gotten settled into a 8 ½ hour flight from Entebbe to Amsterdam and I’m flooded with thoughts about the last 10 days. So here goes a few snapshots from my memory:
- The family whose home I visited that had very little to eat. The 6 year old son was so lethargic from not eating. They had been on school break, thus he was not getting the cup of hot porridge he usually got at school.
- How the people of Buloba Community Church received us the first day…you would have thought the President arrived. An awesome drum reception.
- Walking around the church building by myself pondering the overwhelming complexity of poverty, disease and education in Uganda.
- The dude walking around downtown Kampala with a huge live turkey across his shoulders. This was hilarious. Could not get camera out fast enough. (TIA)
- Meeting Mariam, the little girl our family sponsors and seeing with my own eyes how God is changing her life with our small gift. Also loved playing with her…she’s a little rascal.
- Kneeling on the ground and holding the rough hands of two women who were talking to Jesus for the first time, asking him to come and live inside of them.
- Hearing Amanda on the bungee platform say, “I don’t even do roller coasters” and the dude strapping up her ankles replying, “Roller Coaster’s are @#$%ing dangerous. Bungee jumping is perfectly safe.”
- Being overjoyed standing in the ARM (African Renewal Ministry) office in Buloba looking at the long list of children who are sponsored by people from Cornerstone Church.
- Seeing the beautiful faces of Buloba Community church (many with tears) as we drove off this afternoon.
- Watching out team say goodbye to our dear friends in Buloba. I was especially torn by watching Jordan saying goodbye to Remie, the little boy we had all come to love that especially captured Jordan’s heart. Jordan took off the watch on his wrist that Remie had been playing with all week and gave it to him.
So many more visions of this week. But all of them merge into one idea. One word that has been with me since we first arrived. Redemption. This is what Christ is doing in this world…in Auburn…in your town…in Buloba, Uganda…and maybe even in your life.
The words of Isaiah speak well to the redemption that our Jesus is up to:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance for our God, to comfort those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3
Jesus Christ. He is the only hope for overcoming the brokenness of this world. The only hope. He is alive and on the move, many times in ways we don’t fully see. But this last week it seemed like the covers were being pulled back a bit and God allowed me to catch a small glimpse. He’s in a little 8 year old girl singing her heart out to Jesus. He’s in the beautiful smile of a little boy who has lost his parents and is now living with grandparents. He’s in the heart of a girl who pulls out her school uniform to try on for me, so happy that someone believes in her. He’s in college students who have given their life away to Christ and who desire to be his co-redeemers. He’s in the simple acts of kindness that flow from hearts full of his Spirit. It’s been a good time for me personally. A much needed break from my normal routine. Thank you Jesus.
I’m going to miss the people I have come to love in the last 10 days. I’m hopeful it’s not the last time I see them. But now I’m turning my heart towards the 4 people I will see tomorrow. Leslie, Benjamin, Liza and Grace. I have missed them dearly (By the way, got news from Leslie just before getting on the plane that Liza pee peed in the potty today!!!) Can’t wait to see these most important people in my life.
So that’s it for now. I’m sure I’ll share more about these last days in Uganda as this all unfolds in my heart. But for now I’m going to vege out and watch movies on the plane for the next 7 or so hours. (I’ll post this when I get to Amsterdam.)
TIA…signing out.
