My wife and I are leading a small group from our church to Arua, Uganda. We leave in 2 days. I can't help but think of the contrast between my last trip to Africa and this one.
I have no regrets of my last trip there, and it is funny how God used that trip to prepare me for this one. I showed up with a small group of leaders from my Army unit to prepare the area to receive our larger unit. Our mission was to patrol the Sinai peninsula and keep Egypt and Israel from getting into any skirmishes. I was armed and ready to do what I was sent to do. I had no idea how much my heart would be affected during this trip. I saw people in need and I saw people who would mock and torment those who so desperately needed love. It was that stark contrast of good and evil that began to stir in me the need to do more for those who had nothing.
I spent the next 10 years fighting this conviction to do something. I spent 10 years being selfish and self motivated. Those 10 years cost me much. I came to realize I am just as broken as those tormentors. I can't help but wonder how many opportunities I squandered to do what was right or how many lives I affected by this inaction. God showed up seven years ago and gently reminded me of those feelings I had as I watched the helpless being picked on and insulted. He reminded me of his love for me and for all of those people. He changed me, he changed me when I couldn't change myself. I knew what I was called to be and I ran from it as hard as I could, but his gentle wooing won me over.
A little over 3 years ago God sent me an Angel named Kimm. Kimm has a similar heart for the 'less of these' and in typical God fashion our meeting was well orchestrated. Online dating can be a minefield, but God will even use the internet if necessary to fulfill his plan. Kimm has been to Africa before as well, and what she saw also changed her forever. It must have been so easy for God to put all of this together, I mean he is God after all, but in our human minds the fact that Kimm and I have ended up here is mind boggling. We are two broken people from two broken families that were brought together for a purpose. I feel that purpose is to show love to those who need it. That love could be for someone across the street or someone across the globe. We are not going to Arua to save them, we are going to show them God's love and to feel some of God's love ourselves.
As we prepare to go I pray we will have eyes to see, ears to hear and mouths to speak what God would have for us and those we come into contact with.
