Go Beyond

A Page from My Journal
Uganda, November 5, 2008

   The streets of Kampala come alive early in the morning. Before the sun rises, the currents of traffic begin to push exhaust-belching vehicles past an endless flotsam of humanity. It seems as though the entire population of Kampala is either on the streets, on some form of public and private transportation, or whizzing by on boda-bodas (taxi motorcycles so named because they take people from “border to border”). I never tire of navigating through the streets of cities like Kampala and feasting my eyes on its teeming humanity. It’s always interesting.

   This morning, Pastor Alex and I traveled across Kampala’s sea of humanity to spend the day with pastors and church leaders assembled to learn more about the work of The Comforter’s Center. Veronica, the director of The Comforter’s Center, invited 150 people to attend. 280 showed up! When we arrived they had already assembled and started singing. I love to worship with Ugandan believers (and secretly hope they will get to lead worship around the throne of God). Worship here is passionate and filled with energy and movement. My hips hurt!

   In our morning sessions, Alex and I shared the theological grounds for the work of The Comforter’s Center. Attendees soaked up every word and squeezed them out onto the thin blue lines of their notepads. They affirmed our message and energized us with spontaneous applause and spirited Amen’s. We also listened to testimonies of young women who chose life for their unborn babies. These are the wonderful stories that give a heartbeat to cold statistics.

   In our afternoon sessions, we shared about the people of Kingsland and talked about our unwavering commitment to the unborn and to the least of these. The news that the people of Kingsland had raised the money to purchase the building for The Comforter’s Center deeply stirred the crowd. We challenged them to take ownership of the life-saving work of the center. “We will kick abortion out of Kampala and out of Uganda,” they chanted in unison.

   We enjoyed a wonderful day with our Ugandan friends. But, God saved the best for last. At the conclusion of our time together, just before we prayed, a young man made his way to the front of the room. “I want to say something,” he said. The room became silent. He talked about how God had convicted him to do something to help The Comforter’s Center, but he did not have any money. “All I have to give is twenty pigs, and I want to give these animals to help the ministry of the center.” The room erupted into a holy cacophony of shouts and praises and applause. Those in attendance understood the depth of this man’s sacrificial gift.

   A gift of twenty pigs! Imagine that. But, God will use this man’s selfless gift of twenty pigs to save the lives of the unborn. The Psalmist was right when he wrote that all things serve God (Psalm 119:91) – even twenty pigs!