He Qualifies the Called

"Therefore go and plant churches in all nations."

Wait, what?!

Over the past year, I've had a good number of people discuss with me how I am helping to plant churches in Uganda. This conversation always irritates me.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19)

Each time this conversation arises, Matthew 28:19 comes to my mind. From what I know, perhaps I am incredibly wrong and have missed something, but nowhere in the Bible does it say to go and "plant churches."

Don't get me wrong, churches are incredibly important. Hebrews 10:25 states, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." I feel that meeting together as a church body is something we must do as Christians. And I also believe that God has called some to go out and plant churches for all that Hebrews 10:25 states. But the Bible instructs us to go and make disciples.

I remember a number of years back taking the junior high U-Turn group to Hume Lake Christian Camps. There was a missionary couple there to speak to the junior highers that week. They were serving as missionaries in South Africa and were not your "typical" missionaries.

They were not out planting churches, but were spending their time making disciples. The husband spent his days out on the ocean using his gift of surfing to make disciples. He would go out to the beach, teach young boys to surf and then would take the time to preach the gospel to them and disciple them.  His wife had opened a small store, which had been a dream of hers, where she also made disciples. She employed women who were struggling to give them a hope and a future, and would also take the time to teach the gospel to them and disciple them.

We are called to a life of love. The greatest commandment is to love. And we are called to make disciples. Making disciples does not solely look like church planting. Making disciples can look like an orphanage, surfing, working in a store, playing football with kids on a Saturday morning, and for my dear friend Taylor, being a waitress at Cheddar's.

Without these "non-traditional" missionaries, we would not be able to go and make disciples in some of the most unexpected places.

I think of Kari and Cassidy who are in the process of becoming dorm parents. They will not be church planting, but making disciples. This couple is extremely inspiring and they are the ones who continually encourage me to go and  make disciples in my own life. They have loved me with the love of Christ and have encouraged me to continually always put God first in my life. Kari and Cassidy are who I look to for an image of an "everyday missionary."

I believe Bible knowledge is important, but do we need a Bible degree to make disciples? I do not believe so. There is a quote that states, "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called."

I'm not going to be naive and say that we will simply be qualified if we don't do any work. Of course we must study the Bible, be involved in the church, etc. But wait three more years, just so we can go to Bible school? No!

In Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, he states, "A friend of mine was speaking recently. Afterward a guy came up and told him, 'I would go serve God as a missionary overseas, but, honestly, if I went right now it would only be out of obedience.' My friends response was, 'yes, and...?' Jesus said, 'If you love me, you will obey what I command.'(John 14:15). Jesus did not say, 'If you love me you will obey me when you feel called or good about doing so...' If we love, then we obey. Period. That sort of matter-of-fact obedience is part of what it means to live a life of faith...As a result, I've made it a commitment to consistently put myself in situations that scare me and require God to come through. When I survey my life, I realize that those times have been the most meaningful and satisfying of my life. They were the times when I truly experienced life and God."

Coming back to Uganda was most definitely a situation that scared me. I knew I was returning with a lack of financial funding for about half of my stay this time out, but I knew I had to take that leap of faith because God had prepared the called.

I have a teaching degree and here in Uganda I am able to make disciples in the school I teach in. If I were out church planting, would I be able to make disciples in the school? Nope. God has given me all the tools I need to make disciples right here and now. In obedience, I am here in Uganda making disciples.

It's having crazy love and radical obedience. It's about taking a leap of faith. It's about going and making disciples of all nations.

These past three months have been the most meaningful and satisfying of my life. I trusted God and came back to Uganda. I do not regret my decision to return here to Uganda at all. In fact, I am more than happy with that decision.

The cynics were outraged screaming, "this is absurd." 'Cause for a moment a girl in ripped up jeans got to rule the world.

Sweeter Than Fiction

The more time I spend in Uganda, the more my heart breaks for those in need. I have seen so many people with so little. I often think about how many of the 48 students who attend the school I teach at walk miles to and from school each day and often go to bed on an empty stomach. It makes me sick.

I can honestly say that I've given up numerous of my school lunches because I can't stomach eating that food when I know my students will go home to nothing. I will return home to decent amount of snacks to choose from, where as they will maybe get a cup of porridge for dinner. And believe me when I say that porridge is neither filling nor that tasty.

God has truly been breaking my heart for what breaks his over the past month. I've learned things I never wanted to know about my students. I feel miserable standing in front of a child each day, who has close to nothing, while I have a guitar, iPod, iPhone, iPad, a stack of books, a bed to sleep on, snacks, toiletries, and a suitcase full of clothes sitting in my room back at the children's home.

And the fact is, it's extremely sad. But I've realized that God did not bring me here to Uganda to be sad, but to find joy and to bring joy to those in need. Whether it be sending a pack of noodles home with a student, or simply walking them home from school, I've been called to love.

God has given me the gift to teach and through teaching, he's allowed me so many great opportunities to share his love with the students and their families at New Creation Centre. The past month has been the absolute most challenging in my entire life. But it's also been the sweetest.

This past month I've committed to:

• Walking home with my students
• Sharing at least part of my lunch (if not all) with my students
• Serving the families of my students in different ways
• Giving basic needs to my students and their families
• Playing football and feeding my students on Saturdays
• Getting to know students individually

It has been one of the most rewarding months of my life. Challenging as I stated before, but also overwhelmingly wonderful. I end most days being extremely exhausted, but it's all worth it. I am happier than I've been before and I'm so content with where God has me and how he's using me.

So here is to the simple fact that life is sweeter than fiction, and that I will always stand next to each one of my students. I believe in my students and I know they will beat the poverty they live in. 

Hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground
Only sound that you hear is, "no"
You never saw it coming
Slipped when you started running

And now you've come undone and I've

Seen you fall, seen you crawl on your knees

Seen you lost in a crowd, seen your colors fade
Wish I could make it better

Someday you won't remember

This pain you thought would last forever and ever

There you'll stand, ten feet tall

I will say, "I knew it all along"
your eyes--wider than distance

This life--sweeter than fiction

Just a shot in the dark
All you've got are your shattered hopes
They never saw it coming

You hit the ground running

And now you're onto something

What a sight when the light came on
Proved me right when you proved them wrong

And in this perfect weather

It's like we don't remember

The rain we thought would last forever and ever

I'll be one of the many saying,

"Look at you now"
I'll be one of the many saying,
"You made us proud"

And when they call your name

And they put your picture in a frame

You know that I'll be there time and again

'Cause I loved you when you

Hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground

only sound that you heard was, "no"
Now in this perfect weather

It's like we don't remember
The rain we thought would last forever and ever

There you'll stand, ten feet tall

I will say, "I knew it all along"
your eyes--wider than distance

This life--sweeter than fiction

It's sweeter than fiction

Saturdays on the Field

Since I began teaching at the New Creation Centre this past June, I have been wanting to plan something to do with the students at the school. I looked for a park while riding on the boda numerous times, but never came across any. Time passed and I never really took the time to sort something out.

Upon my return back to Uganda, and again into teaching, I really wanted to make it a point to do something one Saturday with the students. I had previously thought about going out to play football (soccer) but didn't know where to go.

With the thought of football on my mind, and knowing that a majority of the kids enjoy playing, I did a little research to sort something out. Uncle George helped me choose a field location, I went out with Peter to get him some cleats, I purchased some food, and we were all set.

The kids arrived at school at 8am, we walked to the field together, played some football, and ate PB&J sandwiches for lunch.

It was an absolute hit!

Once the day was over and we were on our way back to the school, the kids continually asked if we would be coming out to play the following Saturday. I was not too sure about it, since it had been a long day, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to make that commitment.

I took the week to think about it and felt God placing it on my heart to continue taking the kids out each Saturday. So needless to say, we headed back out to the field today. We ate biscuits and peanut butter for a snack, and spent 9 hours out on the field, including our walk there and back.

I have never felt joy like I feel when I am out on the field with my students. William will do anything to have me on his team, so I am guessing I am not too shabby. I've found that it's quite difficult to tell who is on my team when they all look alike. So today they decided to go skins and shirts. Of course I was on skins which they found quite funny. Yes, I kept my shirt on. I am pretty obvious to spot out anyhow.

The girls tend to dance around, do some gymnastics, or pick mangoes. I love turning around while Will is up the field with the ball to see the girls lying in the grass giggling. I caught this sweet photo of them today. 

And then there are the moments I just like to sit back and watch the kids do their thing. I have been so blessed by these children and all I wish for is to bless them in return. I am committing to continuing to take them out at least twice a month to play football for the remainder of my time here in Uganda.

Many of these children eat one meal a day and have to walk anywhere from 1-5 miles to even get to the school to come out to play football. Their feet become torn up and blistered from the poor quality of shoes they have. 

My desire is to simply show these students how much they are cared about. I want them to have a fun day once during the week. A time to fellowship and spend time with their classmates. 

I am purchasing food for the children to eat for lunch when we play football, would like to purchase a second football, a ball pump, and reusable water bottles. We also need some band-aids since the kids play rough and I have gone through mine like water. So if anyone feels led to help support our Saturdays out on the field, please let me know!