This past week…there is truly too much to say. As I haven’t said much about my classes, I
guess I’ll first say a few things that I’ve learned in them. In Faith and Action, I’ve come to the
realization that God is present within every culture, and even in other
religions. He is not just a God of
America, but rather an all-encompassing God who meets each person within their own
culture. Here in Uganda, I have found
that He speaks through stories and myths, through the victory that He has over
the evil powers that are so much more visible here, through his presence here
with us, (not just above in the sky), and through unity in Christ that
dissolves all tribal differences.
I have found the
African view of God and life to be really beautiful and so full of truth. Rather than saying, “I think therefore I am”,
they say, “I am because I participate.”
All of life is about relationships and being presence with each other –
even if it’s in silence. This translates
to their relationship with God – for no longer is it an individual relationship
between just you and God, but it’s a communal thing. Every Sunday in church, we hold hands with
our neighbors in prayer, even if, to my astonishment, we didn’t know them at
all! Telling each other our needs and prayer requests, we then as a whole
church body lift up each other up in prayer, filling the room with the noise of
passionate cries to God. I definitely think
the whole church could learn a lot from them.
I have also begun learning about how we should respond to
poverty, and what the role of “rich Americans” is. What I have found is that we are all poor and
broken, and it is only when we realize this that we can begin to bring healing
to others. I am learning that poverty
isn’t just physical, but so much more – it is the sense of hopelessness,
despair, and lack of purpose that physical poverty brings, as well as the
broken relationships that we have with ourselves, others and God. No longer is it something that Americans can
just “fix”, because now, we are among the poor too.
Ooh this is pretty heavy stuff…but this week has also been
amazing as well. I have experienced
God’s presence like never before. As I
have begun learning and practicing spiritual disciplines, such as praying, meditating,
and fasting, I have found that when I constantly am listening to God and
praying His will, crazy things happen!
And it always happens when you are the most weak too. I tried a prayer walk, in which I prayed joy
and God’s presence over each person I passed, and it was in that 10 minute walk
that I struck up conversations with strangers and received huge smiles from the
guard at the gate, an old lady, and other people on the street. When before I was constantly trying to figure
out how I was to engage with my community and what I should do, suddenly doors
were being open for me and things just started happening. Walking to my gate and finding no one home to
open the door for me, I decided to walk down to the crafts market and just see
what happened. At first this venture
began as an awkward explanation that I just wanted to sit and watch a girl
weave a mat, but then it turned into meeting the whole street of artists. I talked for almost an hour with an amazingly
talented local artist who painted and carved exquisite artwork, and then sat
and learned how to make a drum from a boy about my age. It was amazing…and I was invited to come back
from the old lady who wove mats and the boy who wanted to continue teaching me
how to make a drum.
This week has been full of freedom and joy in surrender and
being in his presence. It’s so easy to
be caught up with the distractions and busyness of the days, but when you do
get away and decide to be still and listen, the rest of your day is transformed
into one with purpose and joy.
Well, I hope you all are doing well! February is a pretty exciting month for me,
for first of all, it is the month of birthdays.
Yesterday was my aunts birthday, tomorrow is mine, and then three days
after that is my sisters. We are
planning on doing a huge barbeque at the end of the month, which I’m pretty
excited aboutJ It is also the time of my rural homestay,
which will last for a week with another new family!! And today officially marks 1 month of being
in Uganda …and
yet it feels like I’ve been here so much longer! School has also started up for the rest of my
family, and so, sadly, I had to wave goodbye to my brother and sister who were
off to university. My sister left this
morning at 6 am for her school – one that I have found is super different from
American schools, as they have 15 subjects at a time, are graded for the
semester from only 3 tests and, as you can see by the time – start verrrry
early!!
Love you all, and do miss you!!
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