Ten days after my last blog post, I injured the nerve in my left arm. I was able to continue working, but with an immense amount of pain. (the details of nerve pain are for another day) One of the most frustrating limitations from the injury was the inability to type on my computer. Thank GOD above that I am finally at a point that I can type for awhile without crippling pain.
I will lift praise to the great HEALER- for how HE has healed me!
All this to say that I never completed the remaining posts from my trip last summer. So here is the next entry:
The second day on the ground in Wakiso was to be spent with the girls who live at the Restoration Home. We were sent on a detour while driving to the home. We ended up at the apartments of young ladies that were currently in the transitional program with Passion Partners. They are former residents of the Restoration Home. Each young woman is a phenomenal example of how love, provision, and blessings from God Himself can change a life. Now they are employed by Passion Partners to mentor the girls at Restoration Home who are starting out much like they did.
What an honor to be invited into someone's home! We were asked to visit the apartments of the women above. While in their cozy spaces, something monumental occurred. Each young lady shared their testimony with us. Their soul piercing, gut-wrenching accounts of how Christ saved them. Individually their stories were different, but the same in that Jesus changed their entire existence. There wasn't a dry eye in the small, intimate apartment as we prayed together, shared together, and worshipped together. They were so open with their experiences that it made me search my own heart.
(God took me half way around the world to see my own faith, or lack thereof.)
I have been blessed beyond measure throughout my life. But I can admit that I have NEVER opened my heart like that and let what God has done for me pour out. I also (hate to) admit that I don't believe I have trusted God in the massive way these girls have. They picked up that cross and FOLLOWED HIM! Right where they were. The Lord changed me in the apartment that day, and my heart will never be the same.
I was asked to lead a devotional for the girls at the Restoration home later that day. I was ready, but had been praying over what I would share; hoping that they would see GOD. I made creative handouts for the girls, to show that HE sees every one of them as special. I realized after the apartment visit that I had only scratched the surface of what God wanted me to say. HE wanted me to go deeper. Deeper like each of the girls had just done in sharing their trials and tribulations. Deeper in my story so that they could see the ways HE has healed me, the ways in which HE delivered me. I prayed that God would protect me because what I was going to share was hard, and it would be painful for me. I prayed even harder that the people there would see HIM and not me. As the time got closer for me to speak, I felt great peace and protection from the Lord. HE knows how much we hurt, when we are scared, and most importantly HE KNOWS when we need to "go deeper" so we can see HIM.... and better minister to those around us.
So I did the small devotional. And I was more honest with myself and others than I have ever been.
What was so liberating was that many of the girls shared similar stories. Our stories of God's mercy and grace bonded us forever. How amazing that we could connect there, in that small place, in unexpected Holy ways.
We ended the day by washing the feet of these precious young girls at at the Restoration Home. If God has given you the desire to serve someone in the purest form, wash their feet. Get on your hands and knees in the dirt and humble yourself as a form of love, and wash someone's feet. It was such an honor to be a part of this beautiful experience.
I loved every minute of the beautiful, emotional place God took me that day. He showed me how to LOVE; the way HE loves. My hope is that the sweet people we served were blessed.
I sure was.
"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
John 13:14-15
