Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

We are nearing the end of our summer in Uganda, and Rebecca and I are constantly asking one another, “Where did the time go?” It really seems like yesterday that we were just arriving, and now we are on the final two week countdown.

I am constantly amazed at how the Lord uses so many little details and weaves them together to perfectly orchestrate not only my life, but also the lives of those around me.

Two of my close friends from Birmingham arrived with a team on Saturday afternoon. Mallory, MaryBeth, and I go to church together and travel together on mission trips to Honduras. I was thrilled when they decided to come to Uganda while I was here this summer!

After seven weeks across the world from my home, it was a breath of fresh air to have familiar faces come (and bring peanut M&Ms) to just give encouragement and renewed energy and excitement for what God is doing through Sozo. It always means so much to have people that are close to you come and experience the things that are so near and dear to your heart, but you cannot put into words to describe to someone. Anyone who has spent time doing missions understands what I am talking about… I’ve enjoyed spending a little more time with the team this week since they are here.

A few stories from the past few days that I would like to share…

Every night for devotion at the Sozo houses, we gather for a time of worship, prayer, and studying scripture. We use a children’s devotional book to guide our time in the Word. Unfortunately, sometimes the examples and illustrations are really geared toward American culture, and our Sozo kids do not quite understand. Last night was one such night. The title of the devotion was “God’s Signature” and it used the illustration of having a football signed by 30 professional quarterbacks. Considering the fact that “football” in Uganda is a whole different sport, that one didn’t quite translate. The other illustration was about parents hanging children’s artwork on the refrigerator. Well, considering there is only a small ‘fridge that is probably not even magnetic at a house of 20+ kids, pictures don’t typically end up hanging there. The whole point of these illustrations was to remind us that it is not the item that makes something have value, but the signature on it.

It was a PERFECT lead in to an illustration that I was able to connect for the children. Rebecca and I have been working with the kids on drawing self-portraits to have at the Sozo fundraiser dinner as silent auction items. (You can get more information at www.sozochildren.org/dinner) I connected this devotion to that project. I told them that even though many of them were telling me that their self-portrait was not good and no one would buy it, I always tell them that the muzungus would love to have it! So at devotion, I was able to tell them that it is not about the artistic ability that they have, but the fact that they are the ones who created the art… that is what gives it value! Just like our lives are sometimes really messed up, and we think they are far from perfect, God chooses to use our lives and put His signature all over it. We are special and we have value because of our Creator. The God of the Universe created them EXACTLY as He wanted them to be: the shape of their eyes, the color of their skin, their personality… The God of the Universe handpicked all of it. Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”

Sadly today we were not able to teach with Margaret in the Village. The father of two of Margaret’s children became very ill and passed away on Sunday night. The burial was today, and so there was no class at her school today. Please be in prayer for Margaret, her children, and her family as they process through this loss.

Although it was not good circumstances, I loved getting to go with the team today to do ministry door to door in the village. It is always so neat to see believers from different cultures come together and encourage one another as the body of Christ.

Not only were we able to visit two awesome families, I personally checked another item off of my “Uganda Bucket List” for the summer: I carried a baby on my back like a true African. Sweet baby Susan was only three months old and was a trooper!

I still covet your prayers specifically for good health and rest for my last two weeks. There have been a lot of sick children and interns, so pray for healing and for the illness to stop spreading, despite close living quarters. Pray that I will make the most of my time here, and that I will be sensitive to the Lord’s direction and leading. Pray for the relationships that I have formed with teachers in the schools, and that I will have opportunities to share my faith with them boldly. And pray that God will start to prepare my heart for the transition back to my home in America when it does come time to leave.