A Blog by Josh Agerton

TIA (this is africa) and Christ is Alive

Posted on 15. Nov, 2009 by Josh Agerton in Formation, Uganda

I’m here once again in my beloved Uganda. This place is really starting to grow on me, although internet has been kinda sketchy in the last few days (hence the lack of blog posts). This time we have a small but nimble team: Christopher Slagley (AU Building Science Student, Youth Volunteer Extraordinaire), Brian Johnson (Cornerstone Worship Pastor), Kristen Johnson (wife of Brian) and myself.

Our work this time has been different than before. We are not digging trenches for building foundations or laying bricks. But we are working on a different kind of foundation. We have spent the majority of our time collaborating with Buloba Community Church leaders about vision, our strategic partnership, and the next steps for each of us in spreading the love of Jesus Christ in their community. Our team has worked really hard – getting up early and staying up late – praying, learning, listening, processing, and more praying about the next steps Christ is calling us to do here. We have done this together over these last four days and my mind has shut down a few times. In this Christ has been our guide. We have seen his direction as well as his face. Been good.

Aside from this we’ve also been working hard to capture the story of what is happening here through video and photography. We’ve done several interviews and have storyboarded several videos we hope to produce when back home. There is a great need to creatively tell the story of what is happening here and expand the invitation to become a part of what is happening here in Buloba.

But we’ve also had the usual fun through all of this as well. Brian at a fried caterpillar (video to come once I get home to a good internet connection). We bought a bag of them from a dude on the side of the road while in traffic. I’ve been slamming down orange Fanta out of the bottle like crazy. Ya, I know we have the in the US but for some reason I only drink it over here. We’ve had fun watching all the craziness as we drive through Kampala. We rode through the woods on a boda boda (motorcycle- Ugandan style). And of course after 3 days in close quarters bodily functions has become a part of normal conversations.

Redemption is happening here in a big way. I see it every time I come here. It’s the transformation from ashes into a crown of beauty, the trading in of a spirit of despair for hope; people being turned into huge oak trees of righteousness for the display of Christ’s name. Good times here.