God’s Timely Encouragements

The day had been long and full. Despite our best efforts, we knew the day-long training hadn’t been as helpful as we had hoped. Maybe we should have used this method rather than that, or dropped this and included that, or…and on it went. We bumped along in our blue Rav over the long dusty road leading from the camp site on the shores of Lake Victoria to the main road that would take us to Kampala.  Dusk was falling quickly as it does on the equator. Once on the main road, we were glad we were going toward Kampala rather than joining the bumper to bumper traffic headed home after work. Our Ugandan colleague sat beside me as I drove and the three of us debriefed the day of training. Not everything had “bombed out”—the Cross Talk evangelism tool had been received with enthusiasm, participants had freely and eagerly entered into the discussion, some truly “caught” the potential and thanked us, a closing circle of prayer initiated by the National Director during which several prayed for the program and for us, and more. But, it’s so “human” to focus on what didn’t go so well, and there was plenty that fell into that category!

Our living room wall where our Christmas cards are
displayed (and almost for sure more will be added)

Ah, our gracious Shepherd knew the turmoil…we had done our best but… This morning, while sitting around our dining table, once again discussing with a friend what had happened, of all things, a cell phone text arrived from a friend in the Philippines, “I’ve been really missing you.” Tears immediately welled up…and it was then that we realized that we were also deeply missing the Philippines…the known, our comfort zone. Thank you, friend, and Thank You Lord. Looking at our living room wall, God reminded us that those Christmas cards of 2013 were from people who loved and prayed for us – some daily! Thank you Lord! While still debriefing together, a phone call confirmed that two and maybe three of the Scripture Union of Uganda Regional Coordinators and their team had volunteered to pilot the program and would meet us again on Friday—Thank You, Lord. Then as if all these encouragements were not enough, just when I needed to “lighten up,” I read an e-mail prayer letter that erupted both me and Ruth in uncontrollable giggles. Speaking of something totally different, they ended the paragraph with “memorable moments we were eager to forget!” O yes, living and ministering in our new culture has caused us some of those moments. Thank You Lord for giving us a new perspective and comic relief!

Yes, our gracious Shepherd is faithfully leading us and providing for all of our needs, even those emotional needs that others don’t even know about. How good He is.