Passing It On

This morning I was scanning Mukulu Jonathan's (OOCM's founder and director) personal facebook page for potential back dated content for the new "blog" I've been helping out and putting together in my spare time and I happened upon this statement he posted in November 2012 (before I met him). I think, mostly, we only see bits and pieces of people's lives posted on facebook, rarely knowing them in a more personal way. I have also noticed over the years that people tend to become more aware of a "named ministry" and rarely take the time to get to know the people behind it all or how it all started...

Mukulu Jonathan, a local christian and a friend of mine in Uganda, posted this and I think it shows insight into his heart and what drives him in ministry to orphans and the disadvantaged. I have to say though that it is wisdom that is being lived out in their lives on a daily basis but it can also form in us a "seed" of understanding that can grow into a direction in our lives as people and believers in many other different ways and directions.

"All believers need to share yourself with others, life begins to find its meaning to our lord. When you help others you start planting a generation, happiness to young ones. The time you touch the lives of others is the moment you truly live your purpose near to lord. The kindness we do is never lost or forgotten and each act takes root to grow and every bit of love we show in time will come up with good fruit. we also need to uplift friends in prayers, AMEN"

I heard an old brother from the welsh revivals (early 1900's) speak a word once from his experience of many, many decades of life:

"You produce your like!..."

I was thinking this morning about that "word" and how it might apply to Mukulu Jonathan's heartfelt statement above. And how what he said could very well change our lives in the Lord...

How Things Come About

How things can come about...

This is my personal blog so guess I can talk about things that are happening in my life right?

It's amazing sometimes how we can be walking along a path or even stumbling along it and God can orchestrate circumstances that draw us into another new facet in our lives or even a radical change in direction. I've seen it happen to me in my lifetime many times...In the Lord, I think it almost always starts with being made aware of a need. Virtually always someone else's need. Sometimes it can start with a vision or a dream and other times God just slowly and methodically places things in our lives (even disruptions) that draw us in the direction we need to go.

Seven months ago, (It seems a lot longer than that), a good friend of mine told me he was taking a trip to visit some friends in Uganda. Something perked up in my spirit and I knew I needed to pray for him the whole month he would be there. (Jan. 2013) Never really gave it much thought beyond praying for him except for a growing sense of "being there in spirit" but in mid Jan., a young christian nursing student from Uganda, looking for christian friends in the West, sent a "friend request" to me on facebook and after praying about it, (I am very careful about who I "friend" on facebook), accepted the request. She's about 3 years younger than my youngest daughter.

After months of endless chats with this young lady who was so delighted to meet and get to know this christian father (however imperfect) with a family, (and I to her as well) I slowly found myself being more and more aware of the country, the people and in particular the believers in the Lord Jesus through her. I learned about the lack, the hardships, the poverty of the people and yet witnessed the most amazing ability of a lot of people there to rise up above circumstances and to look forward in life by having a trust in God for things that others in the west would see as impossible or even crushing under the circumstances. One brother from the West who has been there told me it's because they have no choice. They have to believe God. There simply are no other options there. Delightful, inspiring, worthy of mention. This young lady is now in her 3rd term of nursing school with a little help from her friends in the west and will graduate in early 2014. A blessing for her and yet a blessing for many, many others in Uganda because there is a dire need for medical personnel there. Her name is Luthy Monica...

One thing leads to another... One day, I saw a comment on her facebook post by a guy named Mukulu Jonathan and I sensed a particularly strong nudge from the Lord to befriend him on facebook. Well it turns out that he is Luthy's cousin but a little older and he had started a local orphans ministry in a village in a rural area. (most of the country is "rural"). I learned more and more through him and others I've met online about the orphan situation there in Uganda that is an utterly devastating situation... I have found myself involved in one way or another since then.

I really can't help myself in that regard... Somehow in all this, I have not only been growing and challenged to change and respond, but I have gained some very dear brothers and friends in the Lord. I am finding it more and more difficult to hide in my "cave." Now I ask you my friends... Is that really a bad thing or is that a "God thing"...