Reflections

My time in Uganda gave me the opportunity to reflect on my first 3 months in the Congo. It gave me the opportunity to answer some questions God was prompting me to answer. Tough questions, not easy questions. And while some questions are trivial matters with answers that have little impact in our lives, the really tough questions of life are different. We need to have an answer for those kinds of questions and we need to have the right answer because we are going to be charting our lives by them.

How do you know you are following God’s will for your life? How do you make decisions in a godly manner and then be happy with those decisions and not continue to second-guess yourself? Basically, am I on the right track? Am I in the right place? In Gods eyes.

These are questions many of us have probably asked ourselves. I know that I have asked them of myself many times and continue to do so. I felt God especially prompting me to reflect on these thoughts?

Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered, and endured, because he trusted in his Father’s wisdom, love, and word. He began learning obedience as a child in his home in Nazareth Remember, in Luke 2:51 after his parents found him , it says: “He went down with them then, and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them.” He didn’t learn it through punishment as we often do, he learned it through knowing and experiencing that perfect obedience brought him perfect peace and union with the Father, even when what he had to go through was painful. He learned it through love. In the Gospel of John we have Jesus’ own words on his life in obedience to the Father.

In John 15:10-16 of Jesus’ last discourse, Jesus instructs his disciples and us: You will live in my love if you keep my commandments, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and live in his love. All this I tell you that my joy may be yours and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if You do what I command you. I no longer speak of you as slaves, for a slave does not know what his master is about. Instead, I call you friends, since I have made known to you all that I heard from my Father.” The blessing of obedience is complete joy in friendship with Jesus.

Obedience frees us for friendship, intimacy and union with God through Christ. Obedience makes us citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven where God’s will is done perfectly and therein lies all our joy and peace, our bliss, the beatitude of God.

I have to say, that right now, i feel a real closeness, intimacy in my relationship with God. A realm sense of peace. Its no secret I was very frustrated for my last 6 months at home, especially in my walk with Jesus. I didnt feel like I was in the right place, now I do. I looked around me and felt other people were growing in their faith but I was not. The decison to obey the Jesus and obey his commands has given me that sense of peace in my walk with him right now. I am confident I am in the place, on the right track. For now, anyway!!!

Kids House

An afternoon with some of the kiddos. My new friend, Wilson was charming me with his dimples!

Morgan & Wilson

Emma & Torrie


half of the kids house, with JaJa Margaret

Wilson & I

Wilson waiting for the pass

Kampala Riots

Im back in the Congo, in Bunia right now and travelling on to Isiro tomorrow. It was an eventful R&R, not always restful. At the end of our trip to Murchison National Park, we were involved in a road accident. Thankfully, nobody was injured but we rolled the car and the vehicle completely overturned. Of course, then comes the hassle of trying to sort all this out. For my dad, who was visiting and on his first trip to Africa, it is an experience that he is unlikeley to ever forget. The enduring image for me was sitting in a police staion in Northern Uganda for several hours, trying to report the incident to a policeman who seemed much more interested in talking about Premiership football and Manchester United. Of course, we needed the police report for insurance purposes.

Then on to Kampala and a much more serious discussion point. Last Thursday, riots erupted in central Kampala, leaving myself and my colleague Melanie in the Medair team house unable to leave for a couple of days. Evidently, we had enough food and water. People from the Buganda tribe had started to riot because the government had prevented their traditonal King from holding a rally. When Ugandan TV started to show pictures of what was happening on Thursday, we started to realise how serious things were getting. By Thursday afternoon, the protesters were engaged in running battles with the police and military, who were responding by firing indiscriminately into the crowds, beating people up, conducting house to house enquiries. By Saturday afternoon, the military seemed to have taken control of the city.

Tribial conflict always seems to be lurking just beneath the surface in this part of the world. Maybe the use of the word `tribal` is a little simplistic on my part, but many of the recent problems in Central Africa, whether Congo, Rwanda or somewhere else, do seem to have been split along these lines.

Uganda has a deeply unpopular president in Yoweri Musiveni, and with an elction scheduled for 2011 it will be interesting to see how things develop. For more info on the riots, Id suggest reading either the New Vision or Independent newspapers.

http://www.independent.co.ug/
http://www.newvision.co.ug/

Listening

I’ve spent the past two weeks listening. I’ve heard stories of pain, of joy, of beauty, and of despair – stories of this community. Many faces I’ve seen before & names I know, but stories take time to tell and trust earned through presence and interest. I want to share with you the stories I’m hearing & hope to in the following weeks. I want to tell you about Deborah who has lived with the kids in the children’s home since they brought in the first kids from the streets and dances with amazing joy; about Francis who lost his job over false charges of theft, has no money now to feed his family and was arrested today for reasons we’re not sure about yet; about Emma, an orphan who is a vivacious 4 year old that steals everyone’s hearts the moment they meet him; about Vena and Wilfred, their amazing story of love and the pain-filled journey they’ve been on this year with the loss of their first child…and so many more.

So many beautiful faces, each with a unique story, a unique soul. All in need…aren’t we all?

Mother Theresa once said, “being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

Thank God for ears to listen and hands to provide with.

some pictures

We took a trip to Mityana to visit Deo's family - here is Deo, Dylan & Morgan in the taxi

the family pic with us after a lovely meal & hospitality :)

Dylan & I making fishy faces

Vena & I...playing while the taxi was being fixed on our way home

on the roof of the guesthouse, watching the smoke rise around the city during the riots...we felt safe enough at that point!

Rioting in Kampala

Well, some of you have heard that its been not so quiet around this part of the world this week. On Thursday morning a feud between the 'non-political' King of this area of Uganda and the President fueled tension and resulted in riots around the city. Lots of burning tires creating roadblocks & much chaos in the center of town brought the city to a halt. I'll put a link to an article below for more info.

We here in Nansana are fine, though we were restricted to our compound for a few days...makes me very stir crazy! But at least we felt safe & were safe during these crazy days. Today seems to be quiet, we're hoping & praying the worst is over & life will be back to normal around here. The fragility of any society seems to hang by the fear & insecurities inside each of us, which when brought together under a common opportunity for power can easily be broken. By Grace today, we here have experienced only a crack in the structure, but it is a reminder that the crack is still there...not yet mended...

BBC News: Kampala riots

Murchison, Uganda

A less serious post from me, to reflect my mood on R&R. I have posted some photo highlights of my trip to Murchison National Park in Uganda. Enjoy!!! My dad came all the way to visit me from good old Manchester, and we had great fun exploring the park and this part of Africa. An experience that will stay with both of us for a long time!

I’m in Uganda again!

Just settling in here – hope to have more to tell soon!

Bristol - Center of the Universe

Or so says my friend Trace…but I do have to say it is quite an enchanting city and countryside on the East coast of England. The city has many historical sites to experience and lots of beauty.

But the highlight of the ‘England’ experience was a Saturday trip to Malmesbury in the countryside – quintessentially English is the best way to describe this village! Our friend Moira grew up here and we took the day to explore and enjoy the outdoors with walks through the fields, picking blackberries, and helping to harvest potatoes at the allotment (community garden) that Mo & her sister have.

We even did some kite flying on the downs on Sunday afternoon!

Of course all the excitement of seeing another view of English life was great, but the best part was spending hours talking with good friends, old & new. Ali stopped by for 2 days – she had worked in Kaabong right before I arrived in 07 & is now in Jordan studying Arabic! We were delighted that she passed through Bristol to spend time with us over her holiday – her wisdom and love are such blessings.

Thanks, Trace for being so very hospitable and sharing your life with me!! Already looking forward to my next visit!