processing africa. part one.

jesus loves the little children. all the children of the world. red, yellow, black & white. they are precious in His sight.

processing our trip to africa is a bit like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. so much emotion. so many lessons. so tired. still.

but i'm determined to write about it this week. 

so as to not forget all that the Lord is doing over there. and all that i believe He wants to do here in the hearts of many. 

one of the things that stands out as i reflect on our trip, is the hearts of the people. overall, as a nation - as a people - they are ready for Jesus to speak. they are hungry. thirsty. and i'm not speaking of a physical hunger {although there certainly is that as well}. 

i'm talking spiritually. in very widespread terms - like nothing i've ever seen - this nation is hungry for Christ. they have a void - that they recognize. the recognition is what we lack over here in the states. and they want Jesus to come fill it. 

here, we get distracted. with organized sports. entertainment. even wonderful things, like education. religion. and we fail to recognize the void. we even attempt to fill the void with other things. even believers do that. {me especially!}

but these people. ugandans. they love with all they are. and when they love Jesus, the LOVE Jesus.

He is moving. 

He is using men and women as lights in this dark country. what seem to me to be hopeless situations have proven over and over to be full of light and promise. His promise. 

and what these people realize that we seem not to, is that ALL we need is Jesus. 

like, seriously. ALL we need is Him. 

nothing else. 

not shoes. not clothes. not food. not shelter.

He will provide any and all past that. 

and they get that. i still sometimes don't. these wonderful people trust Him more than i've ever had to. and they worship Him. and in all their prayers they first thank God for their lives. that they have another day to live - and to worship Him.

i left a piece of my heart in uganda. with these wonderful men & women who seek to serve God with every fiber of their being day in and day out. with the people who aim to make the world better than they had it for just one little boy or little girl.

that type of living inspires me. that joy is contagious. the kind that you can't fake. the kind that you only find when you are living minute to minute on the edge - in the center of God's will for your life. i aspire to live that way. to live on ugandan time.

oh, Lord. please take me back. allow me to transform my thinking. don't let this be a spiritual high, but a journey that i travel for the rest of my days. thank you for allowing me this opportunity to see Your hand working so far away from my daily life. You truly are omnipresent. thank You. thank You, Jesus. thank You.