Love Does
Love does crazy things. Love jumps on planes to Uganda and sleeps under mosquito nets and rides hours in a hot van.
Because love is never stationary.
I’ve now been in Uganda for almost a week. And I love everything about this country. I love the people and the terrain, and the red dirt, and the sunrises and sunsets that will take your breath away. I love how cool it gets after it rains and I love the old basketball court – tattered nets and all.
Before I got here I was trying to imagine all that it would be. I tried to imagine the children and what my days would look like here….but nothing prepared me for this. Because it’s better than I could have ever imagined. The children are beautiful and joyous and funny and so intelligent. Most of them speak at least 2 languages proficiently by age 5. Their native tribal language (mostly Lugandan) and English. They are in love with their lives and content and joyous with what they have. When they pray they never cease to amaze me. Yesterday in a group of 14-19 year old girls, one girl prayed that they “wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunities they’d been presented” and that “the Lord would bless the missionaries [i.e….us] richly”. This opportunity she’s praising God for is four, 20-somethings coming to her village to teach the basics of sports. (And let me tell you….we are in wayyyy over our heads with football [soccer in the states]). But they are so grateful. And their hearts are constantly filled with praises of thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness. And I’m blown away that God would chose me to be here. And I feel so inadequate.
Today I was reading a passage from Kisses from Katie…the magnificent story of a high schooler who felt The Lord’s call on her life to go to Uganda and who now, at age 22, has moved to Masese (a village not far from my own) and adopted more than 20 Ugandan girls. Read more about Katie Davis on her blog here.
My heart and soul long for the way these children know God. Not just Creator of the universe, but their own personal Creator. And I thought all along I was loving them the way God loves them….but maybe, it’s the other way around. Maybe, instead, they’re loving me the way God so deeply loves and cares for me. I hope you all have someone in your life like that. Someone who loves like Jesus. Because that changes everything.
-Katie Wilkins, University of Nebraska
Love does crazy things. Love jumps on planes to Uganda and sleeps under mosquito nets and rides hours in a hot van.
Because love is never stationary.
I’ve now been in Uganda for almost a week. And I love everything about this country. I love the people and the terrain, and the red dirt, and the sunrises and sunsets that will take your breath away. I love how cool it gets after it rains and I love the old basketball court – tattered nets and all.
Before I got here I was trying to imagine all that it would be. I tried to imagine the children and what my days would look like here….but nothing prepared me for this. Because it’s better than I could have ever imagined. The children are beautiful and joyous and funny and so intelligent. Most of them speak at least 2 languages proficiently by age 5. Their native tribal language (mostly Lugandan) and English. They are in love with their lives and content and joyous with what they have. When they pray they never cease to amaze me. Yesterday in a group of 14-19 year old girls, one girl prayed that they “wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunities they’d been presented” and that “the Lord would bless the missionaries [i.e….us] richly”. This opportunity she’s praising God for is four, 20-somethings coming to her village to teach the basics of sports. (And let me tell you….we are in wayyyy over our heads with football [soccer in the states]). But they are so grateful. And their hearts are constantly filled with praises of thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness. And I’m blown away that God would chose me to be here. And I feel so inadequate.
Today I was reading a passage from Kisses from Katie…the magnificent story of a high schooler who felt The Lord’s call on her life to go to Uganda and who now, at age 22, has moved to Masese (a village not far from my own) and adopted more than 20 Ugandan girls. Read more about Katie Davis on her blog here.
- “I’ve had people ask me why I think Africa is so impoverished, but these children are not poor. I, as a person who grew up wealthy, am. I put value in things. These children, having no things, put value in God. I put my trust in relationships, these children, having already seen relationships fail, put their trust in the Lord. This nation is blessed beyond any place, any people I have ever encountered. God has not forgotten them. In fact, I believe He has loved them just a little bit extra.”
My heart and soul long for the way these children know God. Not just Creator of the universe, but their own personal Creator. And I thought all along I was loving them the way God loves them….but maybe, it’s the other way around. Maybe, instead, they’re loving me the way God so deeply loves and cares for me. I hope you all have someone in your life like that. Someone who loves like Jesus. Because that changes everything.
-Katie Wilkins, University of Nebraska
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To God Be The Glory!
Or, Donate directly to our cause quickly and easily via our PayPal Account HERE.
To God Be The Glory!