Go Beyond

   08 October 2009 | Kampala, Uganda

   We stayed in Kampala for our third day of training. Once again, the threat of rain did nothing to keep people away. Folks from all denominations assembled beneath a tin-roofed church building surrounded by a row of neighborhood vendors. The aroma of chapatti, and other local foods being cooked outside, wafted into the building and mixed with the ascending sounds of praise. People outside the church scurried about, doing what they do everyday. As soon as the singing started, some stopped and peered in the windows.

   As in our previous days of training, we divided the almost two-hundred people present into smaller teaching groups. Perhaps the thing that has impressed our team of teachers the most is the eagerness of the learners and the steady flow of questions. Everyone, it appears, comes prepared to take notes. Again, pastors told me how grateful they were that we had come to teach on the sanctity of human life. They asked for copies of our material, which we are providing through The Comforter’s Center.

   After our first break, all of our groups reassembled for another time of worship. Only this time, the host pastor invited folks to come up and sing a solo, if they felt led to do so. This was the Ugandan version of the open microphone. Several people accepted the offer and blessed us with their renditions of familiar praise songs, others made up their own songs on the spot. Some of the singers were really good and others were painfully bad, but those assembled offered equally enthusiastic applause to all. Each singer started their song in the key of their choice. After a few bars the instrumentalists locked in on the key and improvised an accompaniment.

   One of the painfully poor singers was a young man who walked to the front of the room and announced that God had inspired him with a song … just moments before! He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny model of a twelve-week old baby that we had distributed earlier. Looking at the model he said that he wanted for God to use him to help save babies threatened by abortion. “Like Noah,” he said, “I wanna build an ark to save babies from the floods of death.” And then he started to sing. The first few dissonant notes made it clear that he was not a singer. But, there was something about his heart that was infinitely more beautiful than his singing. His heart was heavy with concern and this was his way of expressing his determination to do something to help.

   It’s easy to giggle or roll our eyes when we hear someone who sings so poorly. However, I’m glad that God does not respond to us in that way. The psalmist admonished us to “make a joyful noise” (Ps. 100:1). The singer who sang his heart out about building an ark to save babies did just that. And, God received his offering. This man will never record a CD or have his song featured on iTunes, but he will do something much more important. He will stand for life in Uganda and speak on behalf of those who have no voice. I’m glad that he had the courage to sing his song. He has inspired me to continue building an ark.