I Am a Good-For-Nothing Slave, I Have Only Done My Duty

"You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ........But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE for God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are the PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY but now you RECEIVED MERCY."     1 Peter 2:5, 9-10

God loves us.  Completely.  Deeply.  Madly.  And He has called us to be a HOLY PEOPLE for HIS GLORY.  When I STOP (not just pause for a brief second but really stop and wait on the Lord) and truly THINK about this it MOVES me. It moves me to action.  To get up and do something about this incredible outpouring of God's love for me-to share it in real, tangible life-giving ways to others.  The God of our universe, the Creator of all things, loves me!  A finite human being-an ant of a person really.

One of the stories that Robert (one of our team leaders) shared with us during our Vision Trip was Luke 17:7-10.  It was very humbling to me.  He shared it one evening as we set around the dinner table a few days after we arrived in Kaabong.  I was feeling pretty proud of myself for being in Africa and being obedient to God's call.  Then Bobby shared the story and I was like boom!  Sucker-punched in the heart!  What a blow to my pride. These verses had never stood out to me before but after he told them as a story (several times) it finally began to sink in.  Here I was giving myself satisfied pats on the back for going to Uganda, and the Word of the Lord, living and breathing cut me to the core, revealing the sin in my heart.

Dear Jesus, any righteousness in my life I try to offer on my own is like filthy rags.  Anything good in me is only the result of YOU.  If I am going to take up my cross and follow You I have to see myself as Your SERVANT, Your SLAVE.  Please forgive me for my pride when I am only doing what You have commanded me to do-to  GO and make DISCIPLES of ALL NATIONS.  I praise You that just as You have called me to this task, You will also equip me with the daily grace to accomplish it for Your Glory!  Continue to search my heart and reveal the areas in my life that need to be given to You completely.  

May we fall in love with our Savior more and more each day and seek His will for our lives.  May we make it our daily prayer that when we stand before the King of Kings we have done all He has commanded us to do and yet we say with humility and adoration, "We are good-for-nothing slaves; we've only done our duty."

Saturday, August 25:

Yesterday was an amazing day-by far our best day in Africa yet!  Selvin and I along with the team were given the choice of 4 different assignments to complete during our time here these 6 weeks:  1) to live in the tuekel for 2 days, 2) to bathe in the boar hole for 7 days, 3) to fast for 72 hours, 4) to do 10 hours straight of language learning outside of the base camp.  We chose the last one!  And we were a little nervous because we could only bring 1 liter of water, diapers for Abby, and our language learning notebooks.  No money or snacks or anything else was allowed.  But Selvin and I really prayed the night before about it and gave it to the Lord.  It was such an affirming day on our calling here too-being with the people out in the villages, learning more language, about the culture, and becoming more familiar with Kaabong. It was really good for us as a family too in experiencing this outing together.  Abby did really well too bless her heart, even with her lingering diarrhea from her virus the whole week earlier.    

We first left the mission at 8 a.m. and headed out to Peter Ben’s village to meet up with him (this is Selvin’s language tutor).  We got to talk with him and many people from his village just sitting on the ground outside the manyata.  

After a couple of hours we took off towards town and Judiss (my language tutor) came running to greet us from where she had been working in her family’s field.  I was so excited to see her! It had occurred to me that it would be awesome to meet up with her but since I couldn't just call her up on the phone (she doesn't have one) and let her know we were out and about, I did the best thing any way-I prayed that God would allow our paths to cross today.  And He answered me!  I had been wanting to meet her family and visit her home but we hadn’t been able to yet.  Judiss left her work in the field to hang out with us and we were finally able to go do this. It is amazing to me the power friendship holds here-both her and Peter Ben just dropped everything they were doing to help us and spend time with us because we are all friends. Would I be that willing to drop my normally very scheduled day to do this?  Lord, I know I have much to learn!  When we arrived at her village we found it to be behind a beautiful wall of sunflowers-absolutely gorgeous!  After crawling under and through the tiny protected doorways of her village, we all sat and talked for a while at her manyata.  Abby took a nap on my lap as we sat in the cool shade there.


Today God really began putting an intense love for Judiss in my heart for her to know Him.  I found out today that she is Catholic.  (At least this is what her family is although I am uncertain if she truly practices it or if it is more of a cultural thing.)  Judiss asked me for money for her boarding school fees.  Lord, I pray that You would give Selvin and I wisdom about how to best help her and her family.  Begging is so common here from everyone and I don’t want to make the problem worse but I do want to help.  Show me the way, Lord!

After a couple of hours we left Judiss’ village and headed to town.  We went to Riverside Restaurant (this was the first restaurant in Kaabong we’ve ever eaten in) and had chaptis!  Yum!  Judiss paid for us since we had no money.  She is 15 years old which seems like she is so much older most times.  I was so blessed by her incredible generosity and willingness to help us out!  

As we walked to town we met her mom (who has been in the hospital because she had surgery to remove her liver because of some problems).  They look so much alike!  Then we visited Joyce (one of the missionary’s house helpers here) with her newborn baby which she decided to name Night (because she was born at night time).  I then discovered that she is also Judiss’ aunt!  

On our way both to town and leaving it, crowds of people-especially children gathered-following us and asking us questions.  Lots of people wanted Abigail.  We had many great opportunities to practice our Karamajong too!  We took our time, enjoying ourselves since we were in no rush to get home.  It was nice not having to rush and actually having plenty of time to visit with no particular agenda.  We got to meet Judiss’ dad who actually doesn’t live with them but she says they are close and see each other every day.  It’s so hard to understand culture here-where it’s acceptable and quite common for men to have a couple of wives.  God, give me understanding for this concept as I ask questions.  Show me how I need to change my worldview when learning their culture and not try to fit them into my American worldview.  

A little while later Judiss headed back to her village because she was needed at home.  We continued on with Peter Ben.  We visited another guy named Peter who owns a store across from the mission.  Judiss had left some money with Peter Ben so we could get a few snacks.  We bought biscuits and Coke.  Selvin bought some extra bisuits to share with a bunch of kids who live near Peter’s store.  Then we continued on our leisurely journey (after meeting J.B.’s father who is actually the guy who is always to excited to see Laura and I when we are running, no matter how many times we pass by).  We went back to Peter Ben’s village and actually hung out inside of his hut.  He was so hospitable-inviting us inside where we all sat, tightly cramped together but so comfy, eating our biscuits and drinking our refreshing, chilled Cokes.  Although I’ve been to a couple of villages before I had never sat inside of one.  Peter Ben was so proud of his home because he had built it with his own two hands.  It was literally only big enough for us 3 adults and a baby all sitting together, side-by-side.  Yet his generosity was so humbling to me because he offered all he had to us.  God, bless him and Judiss along with their families.  I thank You for the beautiful example of their sacrificial giving today.  

Our day began to wrap up as we headed back towards the mission.  Along the way we met up with some guys who invited Selvin and Peter Ben to play football (soccer).  It was great watching Selvin enjoy himself as he continued to build relationships with the men of the community.  Abby and I played with some of the village kids and shared more biscuits on the sidelines.  She had a ball!  Then we said goodbye to our Karamajong friends and headed back to the mission.  Jesus, I thank You for such an incredible day today!  I pray for countless more days such as this to get to truly know the people and learn about the culture here.  Help me to love the Karamajong like You do!

Our fragrance or stink?

I recently finished up the James Bible Study by Beth Moore with a friend from work. It has been incredible and sooooo convicting. This quote really spoke to me:

"James wrote for people serving actively, openly, and humbly right in the world's thick, pungent pollution. So, how on earth do we serve in it without smelling like it? With serious discipline and determination, that's how. With courage and deep conviction. With a large daily dose of the Holy Ghost. You don't live this kind of life accidentally. You make up your mind who you want to be and daily die to the rest. You surrender yourself to living in the tension where you'll always be stretched and often be broken. Religion pure and undefiled is grit without the grime. You accept that far easier ways to live exist, but you were born for nothing less. And when we sniff ourselves and smell the world, we run to the One who can wash us."

Lord, this is my prayer that I DAILY, MOMENT BY MOMENT surrender to your Holy Spirit at work in my life-as scary as it might sometimes be. Help me to be open to all that You would have me do each day-to see every opportunity you place in front of me for what it is-a chance to share Your love and hope in tangible ways that ultimately lead others to Your saving grace.

Your Sphere of Influence

"I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours." John 17:6-9

How powerful are these words from Jesus as he prays to the Father. These words spoke to me in such a different way when I read them today. How interesting that Jesus says he is not praying for the WORLD but for THOSE God has given him. What a vivid reminder that it is GOD who gives us people in our spheres of influences to share the Good News of Him with and to disciple. It is the duty of EVERY Christian to share Christ and make disciples of the people God has given them influence over. And how incredible that God so beautifully matches these people with the gifts and talents He's given us.

Our individual spheres of influences take so many different forms. For me, God has put specific people into my life as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, pastor's wife, and teacher. Take my sphere of influence as a teacher in a public school for instance; God has put many people into my "world" there-my students, their parents, community leaders, and my fellow collegues-whether they are teachers, media specialists, or custodial staff, the parents, etc. Or another part of my sphere of influence-being the wife of a Student Pastor-the youth, college students, and even kids. And one day in the near future my sphere of influence will expand globally as we move to South Sudan and make disciples of the precious people there!

So it is really FANTASTIC how God has a purpose specific to each of our lives. If we only surrender to Him COMPLETELY: We must truly do as Romans 12:1 says "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." God does have our best in mind!

Our Journey of Obedience

It's so incredible to me how our journey to Africa has unfolded! We can attribute it to nothing but the mighty hand of God. He has led our steps every moment of the way. Thank you, Jesus for never failing nor forsaking us.

We are SUPER excited about the next stages in our journey to meet our Echelon team in Uganda and then South Sudan. We have a more definite timeline now since we have been officially job matched with our team. We await the meeting of the IMB (International Mission Board) trustees in March. Please pray that God will grant us favor in this final stage of the whole applicatin process that we need with our sending agency. Our appointment service will be May 23rd where we'll be commissioned.

Pray for wisdom for us as we are intentional about our final year in America-with our families, ministry, jobs, and everything that has to be done to prepare to go. The reality is truly sinking in now and it is of course somewhat bittersweet as we will be preparing to say goodbye to those whom we love so dearly. Please pray God will give us His continued peace that surpasses all understanding.

It is our prayer that when people commend us for our sacrifice that we are able to testify that it is NOT us. God has called us and we are just trying to be faithful and obey. We are NOT super Christians or extra holy or ANYTHING like that. We love God, He has called us to Africa, and if we truly love and trust Him we will follow. We realize that by worldly standards we are foolish in the eyes of the culture-we have great jobs with promising futures, we are surrounded by an incredible family who showers love on us, a community of friends who are so faithful, and a church family who has genuinely supported us and sacrifically loved us over the years. We feel so blessed and humbled that God has surrounded us with you as our cloud of witnesses over the past several years.

Yet as believers we are not called to stay where we are comfortable. We must be ready at all times to follow in obedience to where God is leading next. For us, He is calling us to the unreached, unengaged people groups of South Sudan. Who are we to tell God no? We are trusting that He has our best in mind. We know the TRUTH- that it is only Jesus who can save souls and the way to eternal life.  It is His command that we go and tell this GOOD NEWS to those who have never heard-for us this means the beautiful people of Uganda and South Sudan.  So we step out on faith, trusting and believing with all of our hearts that God will hide us in the shelter of His wings and fill us with His Holy Spirit as we journey to Africa!

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:6