“He is the image of the invisible God, the
firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and
on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or
authorities-all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before
all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the
body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
everything He might be preeminent. For in Him all the fullness of God was
pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether
on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.” Colossians 1:15-20
The second week
I got to do 2 pretty incredible things. The first being, going back to work at
the school Rays of Hope, on Tuesday, which is a primary school (K-6th)
in the slums of Kabalagala which is right outside of Kampala about 30 minutes
away from SOZO House 1 and SOZO House 2. When I arrived I could see that God
has done incredible work in the renewing of the school including using people
to fix floors, paint walls, put a water faucet in the school so no more walks
to get water and build a kitchen area designated for cooking and serving food
for the kid’s breakfast and lunch. The kids had not forgotten me and I was,
with the help of a few of kids, able to remember most of the kid’s names I had
gotten know the year before. God has supplied new and more teachers (which
meant I didn’t have to teach which is good because I would rather them get and
education….I do not have the gift of teaching school). Joel, the Headmaster of
the school said that most of all of them had been able to pay their school fees
and the others had made arrangements to do so soon. To see this school thriving
like ever before gave me so much affirmation and joy that the Lord has his
mighty hand over this school and His spirit has and will continue to let it
thrive as he transforms lives using education and the teachers and kids of this
school to radically effect there nation and neighborhood they live in.
The second was
on Wednesday of that same week I was able to go to a family group that the
interns had been going to all year. I went with Carrie, Quinn and Paige because
the guy, Jake in their group was in Kenya. The families, like the school, were
in Kabalagala just a few blocks away from the school. As we arrived, we were
greeted by the grandfather of the house and then by his granddaughter and his
grandson Ronald. When we entered the home I was told that the Grandfather,
alone, takes care of his 10 grand children and 8 of them live in the small home
that we had bible study in. Before we even sat down, they showed the kindness
of the Lord by the way they spoke, smiled and acted while we were there. The
Grandfather was still thanking the 3 girls for the glasses they had given him a
few weeks before and the son showed thankfulness too as well. As they served us
tea and bread, the 2 more grandchildren arrived and say down in the small room
just to see us and hear the word of God again from us. This time though Ronald read
from Word and gave the teaching in English and Lugandan so that his grandfather
was able to clearly understand as well. This family, even though not having a
lot, still had so much joy in their lives, and praised God for every gift that
they had. As we left, in the pouring rain with no rain jacket, I was truly more
blessed by that home visit than I ever thought I was going to be.
In Colossians
1:16-20 (the verse above) Jesus is praised by Paul for all of His glory, mercy,
power and honor. As the second week came to a close, I was constantly reminded
of how awesome my God is. He is the ruler and power over all creation and loves
each one of us even though we deserve to live without him. We live in a world
of wrong and right, yes’s and no’s and in this world, my God is in control of
it all. He is the one that created all things, sees all things and knows all
things and though Him alone I have life. Our world, especially America is a
country thriving on the next best thing, how much you have, what don’t you
have, I want to be better than you and yet in all that, the times I see God the
most are times like the first 2 stories. In places that don’t have much, but
yet have everything because they have Christ and have little to replace Him and
He alone is enough to fulfill every desire we could possibly have.
My heart burdens
to see the world, myself included, except Christ as all they need. Last weekend
we took the kids of SOZO to play soccer and as I was walking back with House 2,
I was walking with Remmy and pointed to the house of the hill that belongs to
riches man in Uganda. I asked Remmy if he would ever want to have that much
money, and Remmy, who a few months ago barely had food and no bed replied with
these simple words… “You know a rich man dies too….I may have no money, but I
have Jesus, and that is all I need.” Jesus is all we need and I desire to have
the same heart as Remmy and to look around me and see a world that has that
same heart as well. We have become a possessive world, but I pray that we as a
people and nation become a prayerful and thankful world. “For it is written, if anyone shall boast let him boast in the Lord.” 1
Corinthians 1:21. May God’s love and mercy affect this nation so much that
we no longer boast in what we have or don’t have, but only boast in the love,
righteousness, glory, mercy, forgiveness, power, and redeeming sacrifice of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted
and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7
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