In 2010, Africa and its people captured my heart. I left a piece of my heart there. That happened again this past June.
After having experienced Uganda already, what exactly drove me to choose to return to a place filled with so much heart-break, desolation, and evil? At first I would have given you a true, but simplistic, answer that I enjoy mission work, and I love knowing that I made a positive impact on the Ugandan people's lives. But really, it's much deeper and more than that. Yes, I have been called by God, but it's more than just my obedience. It's more than just spreading the Message throughout the world. It's about having my heart broken, being stripped of personal comfort and security, and being humbled. Over and over again. Forcing myself to step into a place where I know I will be left completely vulnerable to emotional turmoil is by no means easy. And even sometimes terrifying. But it is necessary.
After that, you may be thinking, "That still doesn't sound like something that would drive one to take the leap...", which is true. The beauty, joy, and life of the people and the culture is unlike any I've ever experienced.
Seeing the people constantly praising God--spending hours singing and dancing, loving each other, and rejoicing in everything, then traveling home with them to see their one room shack, in which 8 people live and finding out they, along with several family members, are living with HIV/AIDS and don't get enough food each day.
Watching children run around without pants, worms in their belly, flies swarming them, and not knowing where they will get there next meal, but seeing them laugh and giggle and skip around in the school yard, just grateful they get to come and learn.
Spending an afternoon in a jja jja's brand new house, while we hear her story of how she has no income and poor health, but all her kids are dead, so she has 11 grandchildren who live with her and are completely dependent on her. Yet she feeds us a traditional African feast (more than enough food), serves us cake, and she can't stop smiling, singing and dancing.
Each of these things brought so many tears to my eyes, happy and sad. But in that jja jja's house, as we sat on mats in the empty home and sang Jesus Messiah, I felt the presence of God stronger than ever. It was in that powerful moment, surrounded by my team and the jja jja that I had my heart broken again. That's the moment where I remembered what it's all about..."He humbled Himself and carried the cross, love so amazing...The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all."
Kelsey Stiers
