When I am Weak...

He was called and set apart by God. He was a “Founding Father of Faith.” He had many promises given to him by God. Yet, he faced challenges. Surprised? Well, we shouldn’t be. I appreciated the sermon on Sunday in our island church. Pastor David spoke about Abraham, that although he was called by God and given a number of great promises, he also encountered an assortment of challenges on the way to the fulfillment of those promises.


I have a bad habit of having a “green grass” mentality – of thinking the grass is greener there or over there – or anywhere where I am not right now. As I spent some time in prayer after the service, God reminded me that I will face challenges no matter where I am – here in Uganda, at home in Oregon, or anywhere He might call me. But, those challenges are not unexpected blips on the navigational screen or unforeseen detours on God’s roadmap – they too are part of His overall plan, just like the call and the promises.

Rather than resent or fear the challenges, why not embrace them and see them as opportunities for growth? This is easier said than done, I know, but the God who knows those challenges also knows you and me. He will give us the grace we need for the journey.

I have also been meditating some on 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

“For my power is made perfect in weakness…” Hmmm…does that mean God is truly glorified in me when my weaknesses are not denied or “camouflaged,” but are accepted and shared transparently with Him and others? Yes, I believe this is so. I don’t, however, think we should wallow in our weaknesses, saying “Woe is me.” But, I truly must acknowledge that I cannot attempt anything in my own “strength.”

God knows what I am, that I am “but dust.” He is not surprised when I falter, stumble, or trip flat on my face. Rather He is like a loving father watching and helping his child learn to walk. He doesn’t scoff or belittle the child when he falls, but helps him back up, placing His hand under his arms until the child slowly by slowly becomes sure footed.

I am a foolish child if I don’t rely on God’s strength, grace and the power He provides through His Spirit. He delights to display His strength in and through you and me.

God’s power and strength were given a broad platform in the life of Abraham – both in the call and the promises, but also in the challenges and the weaknesses. Does God have a platform in your life for displaying His strength?

Quenching a Thirsty Soul

~ Bujagali Falls, near Jinja, Uganda ~

Yesterday was so hot. I put my thermometer outside around 4 p.m. and within a little bit, it was registering 110 degrees Fahreneheit! I knew it felt hot, but phew that is a bit warm - and it wasn't even the peak of the day!

 Aside from the hot, dry weather, my soul has been feeling a bit parched lately. But, I have been finding some much-needed refreshment in one of my favorite devotionals, "Streams in the Desert." I just wanted to share a few quotes from some passages I have been reading of late.

 "Do the most everyday and insignificant tasks knowing that God can see. If you live with difficult people, win them over through love. If you once made a great mistake in your life, do not allow it to cloud the rest of your life, but by locking it secretly in your heart, make it yield strength and character. We are doing more good than we know. The things we do today - sowing seeds or sharing simple truths of Christ - people will someday refer to as the first things that prompted them to think of Him." - George Matheson (Streams in the Desert, pg. 87)

 "Active faith gives thanks for a promise even though it is not yet performed, knowing that God's contracts are as good as cash." - Matthew Henry (Streams in the Desert, pg. 85)

 "Faith adds its 'Amen' to God's 'Yes" and then takes its hands off, leaving God to finish His work. The language of faith is, 'Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this' (Psalm 37:5)." - From Days of Heaven Upon Earth (Streams in the Desert, pg. 84)

 "We are able to have as much of God as we want. Christ puts the key to His treasure chest in our hands and invites us to take all we desire. If someone is allowed into a bank vault, told to help himself to the money, and leaves without one cent, whose fault is it if he remains poor? And whose fault is is that Christians usually have such meager portions of the free riches of God?" - Alexander Maclaren (Streams in the Desert, pg. 83)

P.S. An interesting fact - Where I am in Uganda, it is often the hottest right before a rainstorm. : )

Lessons from Lily

 Lilias Trotter - Missionary to Algeria, North Africa

 Yesterday's quiet afternoon afforded me the chance to return to a book I had brought with me to Uganda, but had devoted little time to since arriving. And, I am so glad I resumed "A Passion for the Impossible," an autobiography of Lilias Trotter (1853-1928).

  Lilias, also known as Lily, was a talented writer and artist, but rather than pursue a potentially promising career in those fields, she instead answered the call to bring Christ to Algeria in northern Africa. The extensive autobiography is drawn primarily from her detailed diaries and journals which she kept before going to Africa ad during her many years there. Incidentally, Lily was a friend and contemporary of Amy Carmichael, another remarkable woman who devoted her life to God's work in India.

 The following are a few selections from Lily's diaries and journals that particularly blessed me.

 "The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. May it not be that the human impossibility is just the very thing that sets His Hand free? - & that it is the things which are possible for us to do that He is in a measure to let alone."
- From Lilias' Diary, 22 May 1899

"How the angels must watch the first day when that light reaches a new spot on this earth that God so loves - and the great wall of darkness is pushed back one tiny bit - and oh the joy of being allowed to go with His message that first day. How can His people hold back from that joy while one corner remains unvisited by the Dayspring!"
- March 1895

"Other workers may come later; meanwhile we can be loving them and praying for them (the people of Algeria). I have been thinking lately what a work for God it is, just loving people. He says in Deut. 22: 'If an ox or an ass has gone astray, thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee till thy brother seek after it.' I think He gives us sometimes a like service for souls - wandering souls that we cannot bring back to Him; sometimes all we can do is to keep them near us, and show the kindness of God to them, and hold them in faith and prayer till He comes to seek them."
- 25 April 1891

Photo Source: http://www.dhp.org/passion/images/trotterportrait.jpg

Smelling My "Roses"

 Just as it is good to take time to stop and smell the roses, it also good to take the time to be thankful you have roses to smell.

  So, here are just a few things for which I am presently thankful.

- Visitors - In recent weeks we have been blessed with three teams of visitors to the island. Each visitor brings their own talents, personality and heart for the people of Uganda. I have been blessed by the fire and motivation that these short-termers have - they help to reignite me! They bless both the SHIM staff and the people of the island.

Lizbet, a visitor from S. Carolina, and me at the top of the island.

- What the visitors bring - Our visitors have been quite generous as they have carried things from home, fulfilled special requests (like bringing us chocolate chips and duct tape), and sharing their goodies, such as Hidden Valley ranch, A-1 sauce, chocolate and coffee creamer. : )

- Ranch and coffee creamer - It's amazing what these do for food and coffee, respectively - so yummy!

- Water - We are now entering the dry season, which means we won't get as much rain as during the wet season (Go figure!). So, I am having a greater appreciation for the water we do have at the base. And, I am also grateful for the dear Ugandan man, Musabe, who faithfully brings us lake water each morning and then purifies part of it for bathing and drinking. Our water is some of the best-tasting in Uganda!

- Cold Water - Yes, with plenty of sunshine, we can run our solar, and in turn run our little fridge, so we can enjoy cold water - a special treat.

- The Internet (when it is available) - My Internet modem has been down for about a week, which I find rather frustrating since the provider took my money for the month, but didn't bother to restore my service. So, I am grateful that Andy has been graciously sharing his Internet modem. And, not having easy access to something sure does make it seem all the more special when I do get it.

- Peace - One of the reasons I love the island is because it is peaceful. (Visitors have beeged to differ because of all of the animal noises, but I guess I have become accustomed to them.) I do find island life quite peaceful and fairly relaxing.

Dear friends, the Smith family, on the boat.

- Friendship - Karina was just remarking this morning how a number of years ago when we were friends back in Clatskanie we couldn't have imagined we would someday be working together in Africa. Only God could have orchestrated this and wove together our paths. I am also thankful for Amanda who is a "steady eddy" and whose laid-back, people-person personality balances out my go-get-em, task-driven personality. I have also enjoyed forming friendships with our visitors who come, and don't stay quite long enough.

- The folks back at home - I certainly wouldn't be here without my dear family and friends who have so faithfully supported me, prayed for me and encouraged me. I am very thankful for all of you!

 I know I have many, many blessings which I could list out here - but these are just a few that have been at the forefront lately. Blessings to you all!

The Beauty of the Pearl

Uganda, "The Pearl of Africa," is a beautiful country. Here are some photos of the "pearl's" treasures.

Okay, so you might not consider a bug beautiful, but I think it is a perfect picture of God's creativity. So, is this a leaf that is actually a bug or a bug that is really a leaf?

We used gift bags during a recent VBS on the island and one of the little children became quite creative with his. : ) Isn't he adorable?

The sun shining on Lake Victoria

A view from the top of Lingira Island

Another view from the top of the island

Sunset from the crown of Lingira Island

Sometimes the cloud formations over the lake are simply incredible.

Some beautiful flora (I wish I knew the name of the tree and flowers, but I don't.)

Tea fields

Fishermen on the lake

Two beautiful ladies - Mama O (Olive Okoro), who lives on the island, and Mrs. Regina Wolfer, who is visiting from South Carolina

A praying mantis. Okay, so some may say bugs are not beautiful, but Uganda has some interesting critters. : )

Two cuties - (So, Amanda and David are not native "Ugandan," but they do call the country home. And, they are beautiful. : )

 Okay, so these are just a few snapshops of Uganda's beauty. I hope to share more in the future. : )

P.S. Anyone inspired to come visit? : )

A Weekend of Celebrations (2 Parts)

A Weekend of Celebrations – Part 1

  It was a fun weekend of reunions, a sacred union and a silver birthday.

  Ugandans know how to celebrate. They very much enjoy parties and know how to dress “smartly,” make speeches and prepare delicious food.

  Amanda and I helped to host a 25th birthday party (the silver birthday) for a Uganda friend, Susan, on Friday evening. Birthday parties are rare here as most do not observe their birthdays. Susan, who was raised at a local orphanage, said she had not celebrated her birthday since leaving the orphanage at age 18 – seven years ago. A broad, beautiful smile hardly left Susan’s face the entire evening as she reveled in some American games, the praise and encouragement of her friends, enjoyed a delicious meal, featuring traditional African foods, and feasted on not just one, but two cakes.

                                                                        Susan, center, prepares to cut her cake.

  It was truly a delight to be a part of blessing someone who was so very happy and grateful for the occasion. I believe for those of us from the U.S., we take it for granted that our birthday will be recognized in some way each year. But, here, when a birthday is observed (maybe once every few years) it is truly a celebration. And, it was truly a delightful evening for a delightful person!

  The weekend also held two happy reunions. I exited the kitchen at the SHIM office Friday afternoon to see a face I had not beheld for more than three years. I met dear Sarah during my first visit to Uganda (from Oct. 2006-March 2007) as we were “neighbors” on the island’s YWAM base. She was a sweet and warm friend who remained very vivid in my memory. When I came to Uganda this past January, Sarah was one person I definitely wanted to see again. But, since I had left in spring 2007, she had continued with her high school education and was no longer living on the island. I wasn’t sure how or when I would meet her again.

  Sarah was as excited to see me on Friday as I was to see her. She had changed a bit, but I recognized her by her beautiful smile. It was an unexpected, yet happy reunion!

  (By the way, I am writing this post on Saturday afternoon as I wear a dark blue formal dress and silver high heels – no, not my normal writing attire. I am waiting for the big event of the weekend – a wedding of one of the island’s teachers – to begin. It was supposed to start at 3 p.m., but it is now nearing 5 p.m. and few people have arrived at the church. But, this is Uganda. :)

  We learned Saturday morning that Lynet was traveling from Kenya to Jinja. Just about a month ago, Lynet was living as the sixth wife of a Muslim man on the island. Through mercy ministry to Lynet and her small prematurely-born baby, Cowsala, Karina and others of us were able to reach out and show the love of Jesus to this young mother. It was a happy day in March when Lynet returned to her Savior, restoring a relationship begun in her youth. To begin a new life, Lynet and her little girl, renamed “Hope,” then left the island to join family in her Kenyan homeland.

Lynet and Baby Hope

  Hope was born in November - four months early. When she left the island, she weighed less than 4 pounds and her arms and legs were so thin. But, to our delight this weekend, she had grown some and gained weight – now tipping the scales at 6 ½ pounds. She even sported a double chin! It was with joy that we were reunited with this dear mother and her baby!

Hope's tiny hand gripping my pinkie finger.

 Time is passing and we still await the beginning of the wedding festivities. I will write part 2 after the celebration.

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A Weekend of Celebrations – Part 2

  I mentioned in one of my previous posts that one phrase I like to quote here is “Hurry up and wait.” Ugandans are not known for being punctual and functions rarely start on time. However, yesterday and today’s events were beyond anything I had experienced so far.

  We had been told that the introduction of one of our island teachers and her fiance would be held from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday in a village located on a peninsula that juts out into Lake Victoria. An introduction is a formal event where the couple is formally “introduced” and the bride price is negotiated. What transpires during an introduction varies depending on what part of the country you are from. We learned last night that in central Uganda (where we are), they can be quite long.

  The wedding was scheduled to start at 3 p.m. the same day at a church in Jinja. Gloria, SHIM’s secretary, arrived at the church at around 2 p.m. to help prepare. She was also to be our “scout” to let us know when to come, so we didn’t arrive too early and wait too long.

Amanda and I in our dresses for the wedding.

  Amanda and I had special formal dresses “tailor-made” for the occasion and bought matching shoes, jewelry and handbags. (Truthfully, I never thought I would buy a pair of heels in Uganda, but I did.) We prepared throughout the morning and into the afternoon of the big day – fixing our hair, applying our makeup and putting on our dresses and shoes. However, we waited and waited…and waited. We continued to check in with Gloria as time transpired. Five people were present and then seven. At around 6 p.m., three hours after the wedding was to begin, we figured we should head to the church. When we arrived, we found about 20-25 people there, but none of the wedding party. It began to grow dark and we continued to wait.

  Entertainment in the interim consisted of visiting, listening to the practicing praise and worship team, performing our own unique wedding march, and slapping the many mosquitoes that believed the wedding feast had already begun.

  Around 7 p.m., Gloria received a phone call from the officiating pastor saying that the wedding would be postponed until 9 a.m. the following morning. However, Gloria, knowing the pastor is a jokester, believed he was teasing and the bride was actually going to arrive at 9 p.m. that night.

  Amanda and I and decided we could wait no longer (especially since we were unsure of how we would get home after the late ceremony), so we left around 8:30 p.m. – five and a half hours after the wedding was to start. Before departing we heard that the wedding party’s vehicles had become stuck in the mud as they traveled from the introduction to the church. We also learned that it is illegal to marry after 6 p.m. in Uganda, so as to prevent any hidden or illegal activity.

  This morning (Sunday), Gloria informed us the wedding would be held at 9 a.m. at the officiating pastor’s church. So Amanda and I once again donned our fancy dresses and shoes and headed to the church, hoping we would actually get to witness a wedding.

  We arrived at around 9 a.m. and waited for church and/or the wedding to begin. The pastor had told the couple that if they arrived at the church before mid-day, he would marry them. We continued through prayer, praise and worship, and testimonies, with no sign of the bride or groom. Finally, near the end of the pastor’s sermon, the groom and his best man arrived. Honestly, I breathed a sigh of relief.

The happy couple

  At about 12:30 p.m., about 20 hours after the wedding was to actually begin, it started. It was a brief, but happy celebration. The bride looked beautiful and the groom shy, but happy. The guests were excited and the cake and sodas were yummy. What more could you want? It was worth the wait.

P.S. I am quite curious to hear the bride's side of the story.

“Normals” of Uganda, Part 2

I started this series a couple of weeks ago, so if you want to read the first part, keep scrolling.

I was standing in line at the bank a few weeks ago and came up with quite a list of “normals” of Uganda. These are things – mostly practices and behaviors, which are considered entirely common and normal here, but would likely be conversely “abnormal” for those of us from the U.S. One of my greatest challenges since arriving here is trying to understand the culture. The longer I am here, the more I realize how different it is from my home environment and culture, the way I was raised and the way I was taught.

The following is meant to be humorous and to help you catch a glimpse of Ugandan life.

Being carried to the boat.

“Waiting”
  One of my favorite phrases to repeat here is “Hurry up, and wait.” Time is definitely not as strictly followed here as it is in more developed countries. For instance, this past week I was with friends who were going to catch a boat from the island. The boat was expected to arrive at around 9:30 a.m., but didn’t show until after 10 (mostly because of the morning rain. Rain can delay many things – see the first part of this series for more on that.) The following day, when I wanted to catch the same boat, I arrived around 9:30 a.m. and found the boat ready to leave the shore. I nearly missed it. Another morning I rushed to another camp where the boats are usually pretty punctual. I sat and sat and sat, for an hour as several boats passed by. I finally left on a boat about an hour later. So, you may be rushed to do things, but may also find yourself only having to wait for the thing to actually occur.

“Queues” or “Lines”
  I commented to Amanda yesterday, as we stood in a Jinja restaurant, “That is one thing the Ugandans didn’t learn from the British, is queues (lines).” We were picking up food for a friend and I thought there was some kind of an order of being served at the counter. But as people kept coming in behind us and filling any openings at the front, I realized I was being passed by and needed to be more aggressive in making my order. It seems only in banks, where they have signs and ropes to tell you to form a line, do people here actually seem to make them. For me, who was taught to be courteous from a young age, it is hard for me to think about being pushy and to tolerate those who don’t seem to understand, “first come, first served.” Ah, I guess just more opportunities to learn flexibility and patience. : )

Worship in an island church.

“Church Services”
  If you asked me to describe the Ugandan church services in one word, I would say “joyous.” On the island we know church has begun by the sound of the drums. As we walk closer, we hear singing and shouting coming from within. There is very little, if no sitting during the praise and worship part of the service, but much movement – swaying, clapping, greeting, dancing and even jumping. These are the people’s expressions of joy – joy to be in God’s house, to be in His presence, to be alive and able to praise the awesome God who has given them life. But, it really only makes sense that we should respond to our God with such joy and excitement!

“Football”
  If you want to get a Ugandan really talking, ask about their favorite football team. This is football as in soccer, not American football. It is the sport of Uganda – others, less “noble,” are left far in the dust. I like soccer and have played a little, but have never really watched much on television, so unfortunately, I can’t contribute much on the topic. A few weeks ago, I was part of a SHIM team visiting two islands further into the lake. Lufu seemed well-organized, even having “streets” and many iron-sheet roofs. However, I was still surprised when I spotted a large satellite dish there. My first thought was “Oh, so they can get television here.” But, I was told that “It is for football.” A satellite dish just for a sport?

“Painted Shoes”
 I was sitting in a bus a couple of months ago and spotted a very interesting site out the window. The bus was parked in an area of business, including the seller of used shoes. The shoes arrived at the seller of various colors, but when offered to the customers, most of them were black. I learned that many shoes are painted because black shoes sell better. Pretty industrious, eh?

My friend Flex holding a cellphone.

“Beeping”

  Nearly every Ugandan owns a cell phone. There are few landlines here so the best way to reach anyone is via cell phone. Of course, though, airtime costs you and not everyone can afford to keep enough time on their phone to call and talk to their friends and family. So, they resort to “beeping.” This means you call someone, letting it only ring once or twice, with the expectation that the person you “beeped,” and who you assume has more airtime than you, will call you back so you can talk. This term of “beeping” can also be used when you visit someone for only a short time.

“Typos”

   I don’t have a long list of pet peeves, but there is one that is very near the top of the list – typographical errors - typos for short. I know I am definitely not exempt from making such boo-boos, in fact I invite you to please tell me if you see typos on my blog here. My mom, and former teacher, is good at catching such errors. ; ) Typos are abundant here in Uganda – on signs, on vehicles, in newspapers, in brochures, in school information, etc. – just about anywhere you might look. “Inconvenience,” “receipt,” “welcome” and “compliment” are all commonly misspelled. Having been in the newspaper business and often proofing my fellow writers’ work, I find it often difficult to not let out a cry of anguish when I see such glaring typos. I can make exceptions for the common man, but not for those who claim to have higher education. Ah, well, I guess the world can only be fixed one word at a time. : )