First few crucial moments

It takes me a while to get around to posting things between power outages and being in the right frame of mind to let the words flow freely. But I've finally got around to posting an incident that happened a few weeks ago.  I did post a status on Facebook about it so some of you may know already but here's the full story. Here are my thoughts since the incident and from a different angle. Be aware this isn't our proudest moment!

We have been here for 9 months and have managed to get away with any sort of accident that involves damaging the car. I say "damaging the car" because I have actually ran over a Boda Boda (motorbike) and hit a person while driving, both times it was their fault of course! I guess you could say they were accidents. Please take note that no one was hurt either of these times. I have learnt though the importance of using a horn and it's not to abuse people, instead, simply to inform people they need to move out of my way, fast, otherwise I will run them down!!! 

But on the 9th month of being here, a big 4WD (with a bull bar) hit the driver's back rear side, leaving a nice dint. The man driving simply continued driving as if nothing happened. Will pulled into the shopping complex where the driver was also going, in the hope that the man would pull over so we could sort it out, instead he continued to drive. This infuriated both Will and I, so Will being Will floored the accelerator and took after him, being thrashed around by the lack of concern for potholes. We caught up with him and just like a scene from a movie (where the cops cut off a getaway) we smashed the brakes on cutting him of so he couldn't go anyway, our car diagonally blocking the road with approx. 1.5m distance from both our cars. Of course me being me strongly encouraged Will to do so, in fact it was my idea to chase after him and to cut him off.

We both got out of the car and boy did Will let the driver have it!!!

I tried to calm Will down, which worked finally. Meanwhile two Indian men got out of the car and came over asking what the issue was. Will showed them the damage. Immediately the older man out of the two said that they need to take responsibility for what had happened and agreed to pay for it to get fixed. We found out that the man that was driving was just the driver for the Indian men, they pay him to drive them everywhere. Before we knew it we were having tea and biscuits in his office, he owns an engineering business.

This Indian man who was Hindu, highly respected by other people which was clearly evident, humbled us. The way he conducted and presented himself was full of grace and love. Here we are the so called "Christian's, followers of Christ" blasting the crap out of a man we didn't know from a bar of soap. Not once did the man raise his voice, get angry or point the finger. He could of got angry at his driver, but not once. We didn't even ask him to pay for the damage, he simply offered.

While we were having tea and biscuits in his office he asked us why we were here in Uganda. We shared about how God called us here and about God. He opened up to us about his wife passing away. It was a divine appointment, no doubt.

It was also special time where God really gave us a big kick up the bum, gave us a slap in the face, humbled us and woke us up big time. As much as we were able to share God with him, had we already done too much damage with how we reacted for the first one and a half minutes?

We still took the opportunity afterwards to share about God, but what about those first few minutes, we did cause damage no doubt. I needed to ask for forgiveness and even when I think about it now I'm ashamed. Some so called "missionaries"!!!

My God assures me that he uses even the most unworthy, uneducated, most sinful for His purposes, all I need to be is ready, willing and obedient. But it was this very moment that all God had planned for us to do or say was compromised in those first few moments. Know doubt God did something in that man's life as we shared about our creator, we could see it. But I ask the question how much more of an impact could it have been if we handled the situation differently in those first few crucial moments?

My Heart Sings

Today was one of those days that made my heart sing, the song in my heart couldn't have been any louder. That song was praise to my Papa.

Over the past weeks we have been doing assessments, home visits and interviews for possible new intakes into our child sponsorship program. We enrolled 22 in total, who now have a chance to get a free education. The school term started last Monday and now these children are getting an education that otherwise would be non-existent.

These children come from backgrounds and situations that make me ask the question "Why?!" with anger, heart-ache and frustration. This question is so simple but yet the answer is so complex and I may never understand. Often it feels so unfair and unjust but in the midst of it, when my heart is breaking, God fills my heart with a song, praising the one and only who is unconditional love.

For the first time today, these children received their school uniforms. The absolute joy on their faces brought tears to my eyes. Many were posing for photo's in their new clothes, many couldn't stop smiling, they were filled with so much excitement that they were just running up and down for no apparent reason, children charged at me with a huge hug, smile and a massive "thank you!". But it wasn't me they needed to thank, it was their Daddy in heaven, who loves them more than anything. As I stood back watching these precious children, my heart sang praises and I thanked God. It was one of those moments that I was literally falling more in love with Jesus, I couldn't stop myself.  As children around me were laughing and giggling with pride, my heart was rejoicing. I couldn't think of any other place I would rather have been. I don't know if these children will remember it for the rest of their lives but I most certainly will. When I asked the question "Why?!" I found my heart singing and I fell more in love with Jesus.

My heart also sang when prior to the children receiving their uniforms I sat with them and asked what they have learnt so far at school. All they could tell me was "friends!" They had learnt how to make friends!!! I have built a closer bond with these children and they are my friends and that's something that also makes my heart sing.

Maybe I need to ask this question more, "Why?!". The more questions I seem to have about this life and the things of God, the more God reveals Himself to me. Sometimes it's in ways that make me cry but today it made my heart sing!

Children before they received their uniforms (some wearing old uniforms from other schools)

Looking so smart in their new uniforms!

Isn't she beautiful, she makes my heart sing!!!

Posers!!!

Anger that makes the devil flee

Exodus 32:19-20
"When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it."


I love this verse!

I know this might not be the right biblical interpretation but this is what God showed me. And who's to say that what God reveals is wrong.


Moses was angry, I could only imagine him running through the camp screaming, being so full of rage that he had so much adrenaline pumping through his veins that he was able to tear down that damn golden calf.

I want Moses' anger! I want to be full of rage at the things of the devil. I want my anger to be so great that the devil flees.

Yes I know that anger isn't normally something that people pray for or something people would even agree with me on, but that's cool. I don't need people to agree with me.

Anger causes people to do and say things they wouldn't normally. They have the balls and guts to confront people and situations. I want this courage that anger gives someone; to tear down city walls that are holding a generation and generations back, things in my life that the spirit of complacency has allowed me to settle for, the things the devil is orchestrating right in front of my eyes that before I would let slide and think not much of it. If this alone isn't something to get angry about, than I ask the question... "How much power will the devil have before somebody gets angry?"

Ultimately the devil is a coward and when he knows that we are angry about his ways of power over us and holding us back from where God has promised to take us (just like the promised land was promised to the Israelites by God), he will without a doubt back off and flee. Because when we are angry God gives us the balls to take him on head on and the guts to rip him down and shred him to pieces as we declare Jesus!

Blessed

A few weeks ago we had a team from Melbourne come help out at Jordan House for a week. Will and I were blessed by their presence with us in Uganda, even if it was for only 7 short days. Fellow Australian's and to hear our own accent and slang again, Yay!!! Just hanging out with them, sharing stories and laughing was refreshing.

The whole team was fantastic and they truly loved their experience and who could blame them. God was moving in their lives and it was so evident.

The time we spent with them was really special and when they left one of them, Robert Agius, said that we will be friends for  life. This words were so true, we made friends for life in 7 days and we really miss them! Being able to share this experience with each other is rare and defiantly something to be treasured.

You all blessed us so much and we miss you...

Courage to be obedient!

Last week I received a link from my Mum for a position in Vietnam, working with a missionary family. Naturally I wanted to find out more, so I emailed the contact that I was given immediately with my experience, qualifications and asking them more about the details. Within half an hour I received a reply saying that I was well suited for the opportunity, the family would be contacted to find out more details and someone would contact me soon so I could start the application process.

"Wow that happened fast!" I thought to myself.

Honestly I don't think the opportunity is suited for Will and I, for many reasons, but it got me thinking...

Would we be obedient if God made it clear that this is where He needed us?
Would we be willing to give up our plans knowing full well that His plans are for eternity?

I want nothing more than to spend time (a long time) with my family and close friends, after being away from them for a year. But if God calls us else where for a season my prayer more than anything right now is that we would have the courage to be obedient.

The first thing that came to mind when I received the link about the position was "Why would Mum email me this, she would be so sad to see us go again". Later I find out that the Holy Spirit prompted her to do so and she emailed me the link with tears streaming down her face. Whether something comes of this or not, it doesn't matter, she was obedient and that's all God requires from us.

With just over 10 weeks before we land back on Australian soil I wonder what and where God will lead us to next? What will be our next season? I have no idea! Yes we have our plans but we need to be prepared to through them aside at any time if God needs us to. It may be in the little things not necessary moving to Vietnam but whatever it may be may we have the courage to be obedient!