Hitting the Streets

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” Man I am glad that scripture is true. Much of our time up till now and after this will be spent on the street working with the street boys and in the slums. I am very glad that God sees things in a completely different way than we do. Our eyes can deceive us. We value clean, new, and wrinkle free. However, it is the heart of these boys that is the most beautiful.
We are a part of a group of ministries working with these kids. Sunday we were working with a group called Tomorrow’s Heroes. Tuesday we worked with Abaana. Wednesday we went to work with Frontline, a ministry of Calvary Chapel, but the work was run by Peace for Africa’s Children. Friday will be the same and Saturday is Frontline at the church. All of these organizations are working to bring the love of God to those who are most often overlooked.
So, what does it look like? Sundays, we are in the slums or on the edge. We set up shop just behind a church that lets us use their facilities. Above us on the hillside are the back of the buildings from the city. Look to the left and you see an abandoned, broken, and condemned apartment complex. Look to the right and you see the beginnings of all of the inter-connected slum houses. Yeah, the ones you may have seen before. Tin and aluminum pieced together to form walls and ceilings. We stand and wait in a small 50 by 30 yard dirt field. Slowly the boys come walking out, cautious at first to come and see new muzungu friends. Their clothes are torn, half hanging on their shoulders, down their chests, and covered in dirt. Most come without shoes, but there are those who come with one, and then others who happen to have two, maybe not a matching pair but two none the less. The dirt is everywhere. There is no way around it. Today, it has started to rain just as we are about to start games. So, we get the kids inside the classrooms of the church to play cards and just try to talk. Sometimes it’s hard to have a conversation, not just because we speak different languages, but because your attention is drawn to two who are fighting. However, it is what they know. They fight, not just each other, but for their lives. Eventually, we get some games started among the 5 small groups. Now you see beyond the outward appearance. The smiles come out and the laughter begins. If you closed your eyes, you would have no idea where you were. Next we gathered them in one room. Today there are about 45. One of the volunteers is giving them a message about heroes of the Bible. The boys listen and then shoot their hands up when asked a question. After the talk they are again broken up into small groups to have a chance to ask more questions about what was said and to make it easier to feed them. Rice and bananas are passed to each person. As we finish up I see Katie, she has been tirelessly sitting in her little medical station, a bench in the corner, putting on bandages, cleaning wounds, and touching them with the love of God. As we get back together as volunteers to discuss the work, we hear that 1 boy, here for the first time, has asked to know more about Jesus. 3 others has asked Christ into their hearts. Each is assigned a person to follow up on them next week and see about getting them to a church. 2 others had questions of a deeper nature and have again prompted the discussion of a discipleship group to start next week for the boys who are starving to learn more about God’s word. Names are thrown out of boys to include in it. Finally, we pray and are out the door to battle the traffic and busyness of a city that cannot see. It is a great day!
Tuesday we find ourselves on a larger than regulation dirt soccer field in the middle of the city, amid businesses and building. It has rained during the night which is only adding to the messiness. However, it is cutting down on the dust floating around. Some boys come walking up the hill from the main road to the field while others pop out from the shacks on the edge of the field. After many high fives and name asking a game begins. About 30 boys plus volunteers are playing. Off to the side, Mallory has a group of 10 boys playing cards. Katie is set up behind one of the goals on a tree stump. The game lasts for about 45 minutes and then they are gathered up for a devotional. Some of the boys I recognize from our work on the streets on other days and some recognize me. Abaana is the only one of the organizations to use all former street boys as their counselors and volunteers, and it shows. The relationships they have with them and their desire to see these boys come out of the situation they are in is amazing. The boys circle up on one side of the field and are now having a contest to see who can yell louder, “God is good, all the time and all the time God is good.” I have now joined Katie as she is finishing wrapping a foot up in a bandage and wrapping up her medical work for the day. As the boys are taught about God’s love for them and how they should love others, the rice from a local restaurant arrives. Mallory, Ryan, and Maria, our helper, translator, friend, and adopted team member, put it on plates to serve. More on Maria – surely God knew what he was doing when she was chosen simply to help us get around. She is involved in all the same work whether she is doing it with us or not and it is great to watch her get in and do some of the dirty work we can’t because of the language. So, I will speak about her as part of the team now, since she is. After the devotional is over the food is passed out. I can’t help but smile as I see little Maurice, probably 8, finish his food and start serving others. He goes around and picks up plates from those who are done with a smile. He is just one of the amazing kids who is learning to love. We give out our final hugs and handshakes as we head off through the city to catch the “bus”. Many of the boys follow us holding our hands and creating quite a stir as we walk along. They jump out in front of cars to block them so we can pass safely, guess they think the muzungus need help. And we do, as we are still learning to love. Once at the bus stop two of the boys who have made the 10 minute hike with us say bye and we head home covered in mud, dirt, and God’s love.
Wednesday we met up at Calvary Chapel. CC is doing a great job of reaching out and ministering in their community, not just to boys, but adults as well. When everyone arrives we hit the streets. 4 muzungus together, walking in places people don’t expect, always seems to get us a lot of looks. Through the alley and up the crowded dirt street we go, passing shops, and street vendors begging for our attention. Soon we arrive in the slums at the community center. The center is no more than a concrete building with rows of metal benches and one chalk board. The boys are laid out on the benches trying to sleep. Today’s group is full of ones we have not seen before, and they look even more beat down than the previous days. Their clothes are simply threads and early on there are not very many smiles, even as we try to bring them out. Soon the math lesson began. The boys went over their numbers and worked on counting. The team is spread out as we break into groups. Katie is up front in a corner working with another volunteer on their line of boys needing to be looked at that is continually growing. Mallory, Ryan, and I are each in a different group helping the boys go through their work sheets of math problems. I love math and so it was great trying to teach it. Mean while, Maria is gathering information from each of the boys to keep in the records. “Uncle, Uncle.” I hear as they are calling for my help with the problems. I had the chance to work with two boys who were struggling for about 30 minutes and then finally I think they understood. As Mukasa finished three problems correctly by himself he looked up at me with a huge smile. Katie soon caught my eye. She looks tired today and has been at it as the boys here have had more serious conditions. As she pulls of her gloves she tells me to convert the temperature of one of the boys who is having trouble breathing and has diarrhea. 104 is what I tell her. You can see the frustration she has as there is not a lot we can do for him. She takes a cold pack over and has someone explain to him to keep it on his neck. I decided to help her as a volunteer from Ecuador gave the message of God’s love. Many of the injuries are on their feet and are infected and dirty. I watched her as she asked each boy what their name was as they sat down in front of her and pointed to their injury. I watched as she touched them with the hands on God, softly cared for their sores, and blew on the places it hurt just as a mother would when she was applying the medicine. I held back my tears as a watched with the pride I have for who she has become. It is a long way from that little girl who hated me when I moved to White House to be her youth minister. The next boy up had an open would on his leg and as Katie rolled the medicine on, he began to squirm from the pain. As I stood there the only thing I could think of was to reach my hand down to give him something to squeeze. After two more applications and a little love from Katie in wrapping it up, I found Mukasa looking up at me and smiling as he let go of my hand. I had not realized it was my friend I had helped teach how to add earlier. Mother Teressa is often quoted as saying, “There are no great acts. Only little acts with great love.” I see that all around me in our team. The food was passed out and then it was time to scatter. We packed our stuff and headed back into the streets to wind our way to the bus park and the ride home.
Some days it is so hard to leave your new found friends to fend for themselves. It is hard to see them so battered and bruised from the world that has kicked them to the side. It is hard to see their wounds and the blood coming out of their fragile bodies and think they are OK. However, I believe there is a God who sees much more than I do, a God who is healing them from the inside out. It is evident in their smiles. Maybe my sight is being fixed. Soon I hope to have “cross-eyed” vision, and I am thankful for each little glimpse of Gods work that I get. See ya on the streets.

Who am I?

Many of you know that I an ego. I like to hear good things said about me and if others aren’t saying them then I will praise myself. Believe it or not it is something that I DON’T LIKE ABOUT MYSELF. I struggle like many of you with self doubt, and so the human part of me wants to hear things to build me up. The one thing that I do struggle with though, is when people actually do think something of me. I know it may sound weird that I want to hear people say great things about me, but I really don’t want them to think them. I feel embarrassed or sick if people think there is something special about me. I would rather people see God in me, and if they are actually seeing me, then I am not doing a good job of pointing them to Him.
So many people have tried to praise me for coming to Uganda. It makes me sick. Then, there is dealing with the praise you receive from the Ugandans. They just believe that because you are a white person (mazungu) you are special. Although, it is so cute to drive or walk down the street and hear all the kids yelling out mazungu. This Sunday we went to one of the high schools were some of the boys are in boarding school. They were having a celebration/talent show/pep rally. Of course they all got really excited when we arrived, sat us in the seats of honor, and thanked us many times for being there. Here is a whole school of kids who don’t know us and are happy to see us just because of the color of our skin. It is hard to try to teach them that each one of us has the same value. We are all loved so immensely by the same God.
One of my hopes and dreams for my time here is to be able to right the things I don’t like about myself. I PRAY God gives me new eyes to look at myself and see Him. To understand the lessons I want the people here to know. I want to believe and not doubt myself so that I don’t have to praise myself. It should all be headed His direction. Praise God, for he has done great things, and those great things are us, ALL OF US!

Welcome to Uganda

We touched down in the early morning on Friday among the mist and clouds of a passing rainy season. After we made it through customs and got our bags we met up with Adrian and Pamela. Pamela is the director of Abaana Uganda and Adrian works with the schools and child sponsorship. We filled the truck with our bags and headed back to the guesthouse. The trip gave us a good look at all of the city. I was quickly reminded of the dirt that is everywhere and the pollution that comes from all of the vehicles. Needless to say they don’t have to pass emissions testing. The city is large but not as busy as Freetown. It is more organized and developed. I find myself comparing Uganda to Sierra Leone a lot. The guesthouse is about 30 minutes from downtown and is in a very quiet part of the world. Once we arrived we met Sarah who takes care of the house. After breakfast we got together as a team and met with Pamela to talk about what it is that the Uganda staff would like to see us do and how we could help them. It was a good conversation. That afternoon she drove us around to try to get us more familiar with the area and to find some of the schools in the city. We first stopped by Christ the King. The kids got so excited to see the muzungas (white people). We really just stopped by to get a really quick tour and see how the school was doing. We did say hello to the kids and tell them that we would be back. Next we stopped by Grace High School. Katie and Mallory really wanted to stop by as some of the boys from the homes are now attending boarding school there. They were so excited to see each other and it was great to hear the high pitched screams of the boys as they hugged. Next we headed off to Strathern Primary. It was on the other side of the city and I think all of us fell asleep on the way. School was out for the day but we did meet the headmaster and some of the staff. Abaana started working on a second section for boarding and a secondary school here. The construction was moving along quite nicely. Finally we returned to the house, ate dinner, and then passed out.
Saturday morning we headed into the center of the city to visit Calvary Chapel’s program for street boys named Frontline. Abaana is looking at starting a partnership Frontline in order to accomplish the goals each one wants to see with the boys. So today we got to sit in and watch what goes on on Saturdays. We meet Andrew who is the director and listened to how the two might coexist and what their dreams are for it. I think this is going to be a great thing. We also met Nathaniel, who is from Indiana and has lived here for the last year and a half teaching at an international school. He lives at the home they have started for boys who could not be reunited with their families and have finished secondary school and does discipleship classes with them. Later Andrew and I had a chance to sit down and just talk. He is really excited to learn about youth ministry from me. I was very humbled by that, and as we just briefly shared he was soaking up what I had to say. We ate lunch as we headed out to the boys home for our first visit. The girls were again excited to arrive, since it is where they spent a lot of time on their previous trip. We introduced ourselves, played some games, Katie lead a Bible study, and then we broke them into small groups to talk further. It was exciting to talk in smaller group with the boys and hear a little more about them. It is also amazing to see how far these boys have come from being removed from the streets. Hearing them share about losing parents, getting run over, and many other heart breaking stories, just shows how much God is into redeeming things. Later we went out and played. Word had gotten out that I was a soccer coach and so they were excited to meet me and I played soccer with many of them.
One of my goals for this trip is to learn stories of people, To stop and listen to their lives and then compile those into word pictures. I will occasionally post some of those stories but will save most of them for later. Now I’m enjoying a nice quiet night listening to Katie and Mallory play their guitars and worship with Ryan on the porch. Ryan and I were talking earlier about how jealous people should actually be of us for being here, and I have those moments about every hour. Feeling lucky and blessed.

Recapping Northern Ireland

Well after dinner with Scott and Fi, we sat and just talked about life and the trip. Scott is the founder of Abaana and Fi is his wife. A little later the chairman of the board for Abaana UK came over to meet us and talk. The night ended earlier as none of us could keep our eyes open. I think they got tired of talking to me and I wouldn’t answer. As soon as Ryan and I reached our house we went to straight to bed. I slept like a rock. The next morning Scott fixed a traditional breakfast called an ulster fry, I think that is what he was saying. It was good, but was full of cholesterol. Amanda, who runs the Abaana office, gave talks on culture and something else. I’m not sure because I feel asleep. Afterwards, Scott talked with us about programs we would like to work on. We finished up around 2, had some lunch, and then headed out to the cultural museum. It was fun just to walk around as it was all outside. The weather was wonderful. For dinner we ate with a former Abaana employee, and just enjoyed listening to her and her friends talk. Wednesday morning Amanda led sessions on safety and medical. Then we finished up with Scott on programming. We are going to be busy and have some great direction on what to do. Our afternoon was with Scott. We headed out to the Giants Causeway, one of the natural wonders of the world. We took the scenic route along the coast. I just had to hold all my excitement in or we would have never made it. The scenery was gorgeous. Rocks, cliffs, green pastures, sheep, cows, quaint little villages, old men, young kids, and blue skies were all around. Soon we reached the rope bridge but it was closed so we hurried down the coast a little more to Giant’s Causeway. I wasn’t sure what this was going to be and I really can’t describe the rocks you will just have to look at a picture. Anyway being on the sea below the cliffs was exciting enough for me. We just hung out and relax until the sun set. We then headed to the next town for traditional fish and chips in a box. The fish was bigger than the tip of my fingers to the end of my elbow. Throw some salt and vinegar all over it and we were Irish. We even went to eat it with the old men sitting on benches in front of the church, but they got up when they saw the Americans coming. And thus ends of adventures in Northern Ireland. Today has really been getting up and catching our flight back to London. Then it’s on to Uganda. Check ya then.

Can we pray for you?

“We wanna pray for you.” That was the statement from the Breakthru ministers as we got together in Gulf Shores for our meetings and then, the whirlwind of travel began. Earl and Jason drove me to the airport in Pensacola, which was quite nice, the airport not the ride. We did our best to find our way there on time. My noon flight landed in Atlanta with no problems. I had enough time to search my new kindle for some free books and then I hopped on my flight to Richmond. I was greeted by Ryan, Mallory, and Katie, which made for the first time the team was together. We drove back to Mallory’s house and just talked. Saturday night Mrs. Short made us Thanksgiving dinner, and it was wonderful. We did some packing of our 13 bags of supplies, skyped with people for the last time before leaving and then went to bed. I didn’t sleep all too well. So at 3am I was checking things out for our trip and our nervousness about moving these bags around London. The next morning we went to church, “We would like to pray for you is that OK?” was the question from the pastor. Group number two in prayer, I like this. After lunch we hit the road and made the trek to Washington DC. It was about a 2 hour drive. The fun was packing 11 50 pound, we know because we weighed each one 5 times, bags, two guitars, our carry-on luggage, and 6 people in the two vehicles. We were sitting on top of things. Our next prayer at least for us was getting all the bags on the airline without penalties. Success, as one of the scales broke when our largest bag was put on it and the others didn’t even look at the weight. As we waited for the flight we made our last phone calls. The flight was, well let’s just say none of us went to sleep for more than 30 minutes. However, our movie selection was great. I even got to have chicken curry with long rice for my dinner and it was awesome. We landed in London around 6:30am and made it through customs by 7:30. Now it gets really fun. Luckily, Heathrow does not charge for you to use luggage carts. So we each loaded up a cart and pushed them through the airport. We are using a mission organization for our travel that allowed us to have three bags and our flight to Belfast allowed us none. So Mallory had a friend in London whose pastor agreed to let us leave the bags at the church. We just had to get them there. I don’t know how many of you have traveled through the London underground with 13 items aboard a full tube. Well, I can now say I have. The fun of it was making transfers to different lines and having to pick all 13 items up and throw it either on or off before the doors shut on us. Ryan’s leg was almost cut off before my eyes one time. We called them to come and meet us at the station and they were so surprised to only see 4 of us with all 13 things. We then drug and wheeled all of it the 4 blocks to the church. So there we were sleep deprived, tired, and a little flustered by all the looks we got while on the tube. We did get to rest for about an hour before we had to head back to the airport. “Can I pray for you guys?” was the question from Mallory’s friend Erin. Just as she said amen I had a sinking feeling. I knew I didn’t have my passport. I had left it at the airport on the luggage cart. Lot of phrases fit right here. As we rode back I was furious at myself, but did carry a little hope that it was in a really obvious place and maybe an employee would have grabbed it. When we arrived at the station and told them what had happened they laughed at me and said they had it, but it had been taken to the central office so someone would have to bring it to us. Well, we were running short on time. They assured us that it was on the way so the other three jumped on the tube and headed to our terminal to check in. When the passport arrived I already knew I would be cutting it a little close. I waited and waited and waited for the next train and then they came on and said there was a problem with them and the next one would not come for 20 minutes. It is now 12:53. The flight leaves at 1:24. I AM NOT EVEN TO THE TERMINAL TO CHECK IN. I asked if I could get there another way, and they pointed me to a different train. I ran to get there and then sat in the station for 5 minutes while it waited for more passengers. I got off and the stop was ¾ a kilometer from the check-in. I know cause it was on the wall. So there I was sprinting with my hiking pack on my back. When I GOT TO CHECK IN THEY JUST LOOKED AT ME LIKE YOU HAVE NO PRAYER. AHHHH but people have been praying. They decided to let me try to make it, gave me the boarding pass and said “You better run. Security check is right behind and you are at gate 78.” So the first thought is Security, I still gotta get through that. I shot through. Then it was sprint through the terminal and then the gate numbers started. Terminals should not have 78 gates. My legs were burning I was tired but I kept running. When I reached the gate, the woman just said, “Where have you been?” “Running!” I said. “Not fast enough! They have already shut the door” she said. She went down the tunnel yelling to see if she could catch them and then reappeared to say hurry everyone is waiting. I think the three others were as happy to see me as I was them and we all just laughed. Everyone slept on the short flight to Belfast. We met up with Amanda and Fi from Abaana and they took us to the houses we would be staying at. After a freezing cold shower because we didn’t know how to turn the water heater on, we headed to dinner. I won’t write about everything that has happened here. But, everybody we have met or been introduced to has asked to pray for usor was excited to meet us and let us know they would be praying. It has been one of the most humbling things. I know those of you reading this are in prayer as well as many others in the states. Now, here we are in other countries and people are praying for this same trip. I feel amazed at how God’s people are surrounding us in this wall. Not to keep us from having anything from happening to us, but rather to call for God’s hand to be upon us and for us to do His work.
So yes, you can pray for me, and believe me I feel them. Thanks for being on your knees with me as we ask for God to use us for His glory. PS Ryan says it was necessary for this story to be this long!

And we are off

And I’m off, sort of. Good byes have been said, parties have been had, the house has been cleaned (not all by me), stuff have been put away, and I have made at least journey step number one away from home. Today I find myself watching the sun come up in Gulf Shores and watching the dolphins about 40 yards off shore. A storm is rolling through, but it’s still peaceful. It kinda represents what I feel has been going on with me. It has been a whirlwind of getting stuff together, working on the house, making sure this and that is done, and simply everything that comes with leaving, but yet there is a peace. It seems like everybody around me is in some sort of storm. Everybody has a lot of worries and has to get to this and that. Most people seem to be really nervous and worried for me and they are always asking me how I feel about it and if I am scared. Maybe that’s why I’m not, they are doing it all for me ! I usually answer “No. This is just what I do. It feels really normal and isn’t a big deal. It’s just what God called me to do. The same as he calls each of us to do something every day.” Now honestly I say that because this feels so right. I have told my youth for years that when you line up with what God calls you to do then all the worries and stuff will go away because God has made, designed, and gifted you to do it. I believe that with all my heart and I can’t wait to discover all the ways God has been working on me and preparing me for what he wants me to do.
This morning I was reading quotes from Mother Teresa, and she was talking about needing to have a clean heart, I do believe that was in the Bible first ;) However, today it hit me different and it seems as though a good way to look at it is a clear heart. I need to make sure my heart is clear of things and would block me from allowing God to fill me and inject his love into me, and I need it clear of obstructions so I can push out the love of God through me. If either way is blocked I either become loveless because I am not being refilled by God. Or I am becoming selfish because as Michael W Smith says “Love isn’t love, until you give it away.” So as I prepare to head to Uganda or just simply to meet people in Alabama today I need a clear heart so I a channel flowing with God’s love. THAT IS MY FIRST STEP. I’M NOT THERE YET, BUT AT LEAST I’M SORT OF ON THE WAY! Here’s to enjoying the journey.

I'm off - sort of

And I’m off, sort of. Good byes have been said, parties have been had, the house has been cleaned (not all by me), stuff have been put away, and I have made at least journey step number one away from home. Today I find myself watching the sun come up in Gulf Shores and watching the dolphins about 40 yards off shore. A storm is rolling through, but it’s still peaceful. It kinda represents what I feel has been going on with me. It has been a whirlwind of getting stuff together, working on the house, making sure this and that is done, and simply everything that comes with leaving, but yet there is a peace. It seems like everybody around me is in some sort of storm. Everybody has a lot of worries and has to get to this and that. Most people seem to be really nervous and worried for me and they are always asking me how I feel about it and if I am scared. Maybe that’s why I’m not, they are doing it all for me :)! I usually answer “No. This is just what I do. It feels really normal and isn’t a big deal. It’s just what God called me to do. The same as he calls each of us to do something every day.” Now honestly I say that because this feels so right. I have told my youth for years that when you line up with what God calls you to do then all the worries and stuff will go away because God has made, designed, and gifted you to do it. I believe that with all my heart and I can’t wait to discover all the ways God has been working on me and preparing me for what he wants me to do.
This morning I was reading quotes from Mother Teresa, and she was talking about needing to have a clean heart, I do believe that was in the Bible first ;) However, today it hit me different and it seems as though a good way to look at it is a clear heart. I need to make sure my heart is clear of things and would block me from allowing God to fill me and inject his love into me, and I need it clear of obstructions so I can push out the love of God through me. If either way is blocked I either become loveless because I am not being refilled by God. Or I am becoming selfish because as Michael W Smith says “Love isn’t love, until you give it away.” So as I prepare to head to Uganda or just simply to meet people in Alabama today I need a clear heart so I a channel flowing with God’s love. THAT IS MY FIRST STEP. I’M NOT THERE YET, BUT AT LEAST I’M SORT OF ON THE WAY! Here’s to enjoying the journey.