“Seek your happiness in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4). Never before have I understood the true meaning of those words. There is no coincidence in the fact that my first day in Uganda is a day that is devoted to thanksgiving; for I have found the greatest joy that I have ever known and the only words that come out of my heart are “thank you God”.
We had been traveling for 40 hours with still a 9 hour journey to our new home, but as I stepped off the plane onto Uganda soil, a rush of adrenaline and a burst of energy jolted through my bones. After waiting and praying and waiting and praying, God had fulfilled His promise to me and had given me the truest desire of my heart. After six years of anticipation, I was finally in Africa!
We were in Uganda but we still had a long drive to Busia, where we would be living. The bus ride in itself was quite an adventure. We were on this bus, maybe from the 70’s, that at any minute could blow up and it was packed full of 14 white missionaries, 2 bus drivers, a Swahili pastor named Moses with a heart bursting with Christ’s love, and a man named Dr. K who had a passion and a vision that cannot be stopped. Pastor Moses taught us Swahili songs and we praised God with this energy that did not come from traveling for 50 hours with only 3 hours of scrunched-up-in- a-chair-half-sleep. WELCOME TO AFRICA!!!
When we arrived at the school, it was super late but we were surprised to see that Dr. K. bought us full size beds, sheets, and pillows. We are going to live in a house with possible electricity and a shower! We are living like royals, which at first is disappointing because we want to live as our community lives but God is providing and for that I can only praise Him.
So now we are to Thanksgiving Day. We woke up to our new lives. The sun was shining bright, all of the students were wearing yellow uniforms; a light not from this world was surrounding us. There was so much color from the red dirt, to the bright green trees and the bright yellow and pink flowers peeking out of the trees and bushes. There is life in this place. We walked into the Kindergarten room to say hello to the kids before we began our journey to town. This tiny, humid room was packed full of the most beautiful children I have ever seen. Their smiles can only be described as the light of Christ and their eyes were filled with such joy; it was as if I were staring right into the face of Christ. To this moment, my heart is still bursting and I cannot comprehend this incredible joy.
On our journey into town, we were greeted by children who would run at full speed towards us with the biggest, most beautiful smiles yelling “mzungu, how are you how are you how are you” (mzungu is “white person” and what we are identified as frequently) just so that we could respond “I am good how are you” and they could walk with us, hand in hand. We literally had about 20 children or more following us and walking with us. One girl in particular melted my heart. Her name, I think, was something like Aliki but she was shy and I couldn’t really understand her because she had her finger in her mouth. She was probably about 4 or 5 years old. She wore a long, red, velvet dress resembling that of what a princess would wear. She came up beside me, looked up at me with her gorgeous brown eyes and I looked at her and smiled with this compassion not from my own heart. She then took my hand with no intentions of ever letting go. Walking with her, it was as if God had blessed me to be her guardian and her to be my angel; my reminder of Christ’s simple love. It reminded me of Matthew 19:14 when Jesus says, “Let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such of these”. I know that even those in those few moments of walking with her, my life will forever be changed and my heart will forever be touched.
Later that night, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we decided to go out to eat at this little café that served chicken and probably some of the best fries that I have ever tasted. As we sat at our table outside, talking about our future ministry and all we are thankful for, I realized that God had fulfilled His promise to me in giving me the true desires of my heart. I looked around at this little town with red dirt roads, little shack stores and all of the people walking by yelling “mzungu how are you” and strangely enough it was as though I was not half way across the world from the home that I so greatly knew, but that my home had so quickly become this place.
My heart is bursting with all that I am thankful for, I can barely make words that can describe the beauty of this place and God’s goodness and the best thing is that this is only the beginning. Pray for me that I never forget this joy and that the love in my heart may be from God, so that this excitement and this delight will never run dry. Happy Thanksgiving.
Tara I am praying for you! Give and love everything you have and more because before you know it you will be back here. I love you and will always be reading your updates and praying for you. I am so proud of you ex-roommate!
Dearest Tara! : )
As I read this post for the first time, there was a brilliant light shining to my right by the entrance of my room… a similar shine I could feel/perceive when I first saw the small church I started gathering at this year!
But even much more light came out of your words describing the beautiful village, community in which you are now living… their radiance is so bright I could even see, picture a little bit the places and moments you mention.
And as much as I try to keep it under reason and in the realm of what we call normal, there are some experiences that take me deeper into my consciousness and a place where only God can reach.
I thank God for your sharing of these moments!
Rest assure the rivers of living water of the Holy Spirit will be cleansing and renewing your heart everyday. God’s love will be flowing through you. You are a child of light. You will be walking among children of and future children of light. Help them discern and receive the true source of light, that is in our Lord Jesus Christ. The key is in His gospel itself, His crucifixion and RESURRECTION; do keep consolidating this in your prayers. I will do the same from over here. That you may share it with clarity and in God’s powerful ways.
It is so beautiful to read about Busia! Even though I had never heard of it before! May God continue to manifest His presence in and through you! Take good care of each other… Say hola! to everyone in the team for me : )
“We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him,’ but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words” (1 Corinthians 2:6-13).
: )
Tara!
What a different yet incredible Thanksgiving! I feel like so many people just take Thanksgiving for another holiday to sit around with family and stuff themselves with food that everyone has brought, yet it’s easy to forget how many people don’t have those luxuries. It makes me feel so grateful for you that you are experiencing all that you are and seeing what God has been doing in you and all around you. Keep it up!