Direction: forward

Thank you so much for your prayers and thoughts this past weekend. Though no epiphanies nor the audible voice of God reached me, I believe the alignment of my values and hopes with the Come, Let's Dance team continues to be affirmed as I spend more time with them. This retreat was a lot about defining the core values and mission of their organization. As they have been growing very quickly, their grassroots-nature can easily become a burden and spread them too thin. Their desire is to still claim that nature, but with some clearly defined values that will help them limit the needs they can address and the roles they will play in Uganda.

I love that one non-negotiable is a commitment to the dignity of every person they come into contact with. Be it the street kid who needs a home or the American volunteer who comes over to Africa for the first time, all are welcome and cared for. Their mantra/motto right now is "Love Hard". One of the core team, Jeremy, shared with us a challenge he's had on his heart and what helped inspire this motto. From 1 Corinthians 13, probably one of the most quoted portions of the Bible, where we learn all about what Love is and is not. Verse 7 says, "Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

We are only asked to love, to offer hope to the many hopeless. We don't get to choose all the endings, but we are asked to play the rescuers. We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way. We were made to be lovers bold in broken places, pouring ourselves out again and again until we're called home.
~ Jamie Tworkowski, To Write Love on Her Arms

This is why I love this group of people and am excited about the opportunity to be about God's love for the most desperate and vulnerable of our friends in Uganda.

I hope to have some more defining conversations in the next few weeks of what I might be able to add to this team come the fall. I'll share with you as soon as I know more. For now, I'm living fully here and daily trusting in the Lord's leading for my next steps...day by day. Thanks for journeying with me!