From the first steps on Ugandan soil (beautifully rich soil) our team of sixteen girls, who became like family after a few short hours, adopted the phrase, “Just Go with It”. I’m not talking about just showing up at churches and being unexpectedly requested to sing a song, or to show what we have prepared for them. The phrase “just go with it” also implies not taking the time to complain or question the situation. God’s been showing me so much, but one of things is listening, and obeying. At the training camp, back in Atlanta, God had laid the lyrics “I want more, I want more, I want more of you God” on my heart. I wanted to hear God so bad. It’s so easy to SEE Gods work around us. I shortly learned since our arrival in Uganda that a desire to hear God is only half of it. You have to be willing, and quiet long enough to listen, to hear what God’s been replying. The more you stand out on that limb and dare to follow through with what He tells you the more you find it easier to hear him. His voice gets louder, and you find yourself no longer on a limb afraid, but possessing a determination that leads you out to proclaim the word.
Natalie, one of the girls on our team and I were paired to teach together at one of the schools we visited. We chose a P6 class which has students ranging from thirteen to sixteen. The Pastor introduced us to our classroom filled with twenty curious, skeptical, boys, and girls, then left with no outline or instructions to what we were to teach. We turn to each other in this moment of confusion and casually, and in unison, say “Just Go with It”. We ended up playing spelling games and singing worship songs that they knew In English. We taught about the six days of creation and the day of rest, then switched it up and played some football. Keep in mind we had six hours and after about two hours of games and lessons we had completely ran out of planned stuff. Four hours to go, I prayed that God would give me the words to speak that would be important and effective in their lives. Something meaningful that would last in their minds even after these strange mzungus left for home. Prayer. That was it. Natalie and I proceeded to talk about the importance of prayer, the power and the thankfulness that we can talk to our father anytime of the day about anything. How it’s very easy to focus on asking God for our needs and wants but that we should also focus on the adoration side of prayer. Focusing on how perfect our God is usually refocuses us on how little we are and how great our need is for Him. Then, not even sure of where I was going with this idea, God laid it on my heart to have them write down on a piece of paper a praise and a prayer request. We gave them an option to keep their paper or give it to us to remember them and continue praying for them, even after we leave. They really appreciated it as each and every student turned theirs in. One moment that I won’t forget, that is now captured and printed in my mind forever, was when we read them and the one kids response for their praise and thanks was simply: life. BOOM. Like a semi truck of realization had just rammed into me. Thanking God for life each day was never a concern living in such a rich and blessed country. I encourage everyone who reads this to not only thank God for what you have in your life but your very life alone. I know that I valued that kids response because as the teacher for the day I couldn’t have learned a more important lesson.
