Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Proverbs 25:11

Although ‘apples of gold’ is not an often spoken of subject in our everyday life, the right words at the right time is always a beautiful thing.  The phrase “actions speak louder than words” isn’t always the case.  Just like our actions, words can form out a variety of intentions and motivations, but what if we did and said things not to be “heard”, but to show, share, and live love?

Since my return from Uganda, I have been deliberately trying to figure out what makes people smile the most…we are guilty of not slowing down enough in life to enjoy the small things, so I wanted to figure out a few ways to make life more enjoyable-even in the chaos.

·      Smile first. 

·      Ask, “How are you?” and actually stop to hear the response.

·      Hold the door open for others-simple, I know

·      Send random cards/letters/packages-yes, students get really excited about random, unexpected mail.

·      Laugh even when the jokes aren’t funny.

·      Listen.  Be actively engaged in the conversations you have-show people the respect they deserve.

·      Go out of your way to acknowledge others-There is nothing worse than feeling invisible to the world.

·      Be present.  Wherever you are, be completely there. Soak up the here and now instead of dwelling on the future. 

I am all too often disappointed in humanity and the way we treat one another, and it’s past time for us to change that.  We are called to love one and all, and my challenge to you is to bring about that change.  Speak words of encouragement.  Be intentional.  Be gracious.  Be present.  

I Think I Caught Something in Africa

P.U.S.D. Post Uganda Sadness Disorder.  It may not be clinically proven, but it's real.  I didn't know what to expect when it came to my return to the States, but after being home for a few weeks I would definitely say it covers a wide range of emotions.  It's not that I don't want to be back at Williams or even back in the States-honestly, I have enjoyed seeing everyone and value the time I spend with others all the more after discovering so much about relationships in Uganda.....It's the small things that make me sad-Like the lack of warmth, the pace of life here, not seeing my precious little brothers every morning, and yes, I even miss the simple food and lack of options.  I guess rice and beans has become a newfound "comfort food" for me.  

The hardest part about being back is answering all the questions.  My personal two favorites are "How was Uganda?" and "What's next?".  I just don't know how to explain four outrageously incredible months of my life in one sitting.  Honestly, I feel like a lot of it hasn't even sunk in yet.  And then the question that every soon-to-be college grad dreads.....what does the future hold for me?  Where do I see myself in 5 years?  What's next?  

I have pretty much avoided giving a direct answer to that question and me not knowing is only the tip of that iceberg.  One thing Uganda taught me in both deciding to go there and staying there for a prolonged amount of time is that God is going to use you no matter what "path" you choose.  Being such a planner, this is quite the challenge for me, but I know whatever God has up his sleeve is better than what I could muster up on my own.  Instead of dwelling on the future, Uganda taught me to invest in the here and now.  

On the other hand, being back to the States has been quite the adventure.  Over the course of three weeks I have moved back into the dorms for my last semester of college, figured out a couple of next steps in life, and baked like there's no tomorrow! I think I missed stoves a little more than I realized.  It’s been great reliving the past five months as I tell stories about what I encountered and how much Uganda (and Africa as a whole) has stolen my heart.  

All Over Again

Life as I know it is about to change once again.  Last night (December 9^th) was my last night with my Ugandan family.  We have three days of debrief in Entebbe and then I am Arkansas bound.  It feels like just last week I was arriving in Uganda and now I am leaving once again.  I remember thinking about how different my life here in Uganda was going to be, and I was right….my time here has changed my life, but more than that, it has changed how I value things; especially people. 

It is all too easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and miss out on the incredible people that God has placed within your life.  My time here has taught me to slow down; to stop and just appreciate life for what it is.  If my family here has taught me anything at all, it’s that people matter more than your own agenda.  There were times this semester that up to 15 people were staying in our 3 bedroom house simply because they needed somewhere to go.  When is the last time you stopped, looked someone in the eye and really asked how they were doing?  I’m not saying be a good person and care for someone, I’m saying we are called to love one another and that could look like a million different things, but how are we loving? The Bible clearly instructs us to love one another in word and deed, and I’m sure that each of you would agree with that statement, but how are we living out what we read (and agree with)?

This semester was not about abrupt change, but a gradual metamorphosis.  It’s as though life is a clay pot and this semester has been a beautiful, intricate addition to the already existent masterpiece.  I wish there was a phrase or a picture or something I could give you to define my life right now-to show you what Uganda has done to me, but it is next to impossible.   I came to Uganda in hopes of clarity, but I think I am leaving with more questions than what I came with, and I’m ok with that.  Something else this semester has been about is tension-finding the balance between what we have learned and the application we are all seeking out in our daily lives.  Life as I know it has been changing for the past four months, and I know this is only the beginning. 

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

2 Corinthians 4:7

Embrace It

 It’s December….crazy, I know.  This previous Tuesday two of my colleagues and myself went to Kampala to visit a project site.  There was one major problem with this endeavor:  none of us knew exactly where we were going, and with all three of us being girls, we knew this was going to end up being an adventure, but I certainly did not expect a little life lesson to come out of our journey.  After riding in the taxi (an outrageously packed bus) for about 30 minutes we hop out close to the Mandela Stadium.  Since we had no definite direction to our destination we followed the street names in hopes of walking upon our site.  After about an hour of walking in the rain, we discover that there are two roads with the same name, and of course, we were on the wrong one.  A nice boda boda (motorcycle) driver told us how to get in the general region of our desire location and laughed when we told him we planned to “foot” there. 

           

Being in an unknown area can be a little stressful, and being stuck in the rain during this confusing time just added to it, but the three of us pressed on.  With the rain receding and our energy depleting we jumped back on another taxi in hopes of a successful day.  When we got off our 2^nd taxi at the stage we asked another local how to get to our site…..the beautiful thing about Ugandans is that they are always willing to lend a helping hand.  The sweet little man that gave us directions this time told us to cross the street (which had some heavy traffic going on) and take the following street up the hill.  This hill turned into a mountain, and it turns out our road went all the way to the other side of it.  As the three of us were growing more and more tired and frustrated, we made it to the top of this gigantic hill.  Although our hope was dwindling, we stopped on the top of this hill to admire a part of Uganda we have never experienced.  As I stood there looking over the city, everything seemed right in the world.  It made me realize how incredible every part of my time here in Uganda has been.  Sure there are times that stress me out and challenge me, but what would life be without those times?  Life is so much better when you just embrace it.

“My Father,

I abandon myself to you.

Make of me what you will.

Whatever you make of me,

I thank you.

I am ready for everything

I accept everything.

Provided that your will be done in me,

In all our creatures,

I desire nothing else, Lord.

I put my soul in your hands,

I give it to you, Lord,

With all the love in my heart,

Because I love you,

And because it is for me a need of love

To give myself,

To put myself in your hands unreservedly,

With infinite trust.

For you are my Father!”

-Charles de Foucauld

Why Changing the World is Difficult

The past weekend we went to Lira, Uganda.  Since it was only a weekend trip, our Saturday was full of touring/visiting two different organizations.  These two organizations were Otina-waa and Helen’s shelter. 

Otina-waa is an organization that covers a wide range of things: an orphanage, a vocational training center, and a school.  Otina-waa is run by Bob and Carroll.  They are a retired couple from Oregon and are probably two of the most precious people I have ever encountered.  They did not come to Uganda until after retirement, and have now been living in the Lira district for 12 years.  Bob and Carol came to do pastoral training alongside the natives, but followed God’s guidance over the course of time and felt led to begin vocational training as well. 

The admirable part of Bob and Carol’s story is the way they follow God’s agenda instead of their own.  They did not plan on spending the next 12 years of their life meeting the needs of the Liran community, but they followed God’s lead to where they are today. After being here for so long, I have realized how quickly we as Americans are to do things our own way-assuming that we know best.  This more often than not, does more hurting than helping when it comes to meeting the needs of the people. 

I think it’s a great thing to be willing to go to another country and serve that community, but how you serve said community is very important.  Bob and Carroll sought out to meet the real needs of the people, and that is how Otina-waa came about.  Missions is a beautiful thing when done in this context.  The reason I struggle with the motives and actions of mission groups and other organizations is because there are many things they set out to do that the community itself should be doing.  And when these groups come in and take care of the problems for them, the community becomes dependent upon them instead of working together to achieve a better future.  After leaving Otina-waa, our team went to a local-ran women’s shelter. 

Helen’s Shelter is a safe haven for used and abused women and children.  Helen’s story is much different than Bob and Carols.  Helen is a native and is a female cop.  Being so involved in the community during her work, Helen saw the needs and hurts of these women.  She realized the injustice these women faced simply because it is not “culturally acceptable” for women to speak out.  She saw a need and she sought out of fulfill it. 

In life we all-too-often think changing the world means taking drastic measures and choosing a life of suffering, and in some cases, this may be true, but making a difference is really about seeing the needs of the people and meeting them.  

Reality Check

With just a few days more than a month left in Uganda, I want to share some of my recent realizations and convictions from this semester. 

For starters, there are starving children in Africa, but not to the extent in which American propaganda portrays.  The truth is, Africa-Uganda specifically- does a great job tending to orphans and others that are facing suffering.  When a child is left without parents, the community takes him or her in as their own.  Ugandans appreciate the aid that Americans offer when it comes to the downtrodden, but they are also aware of their own community obligations and biblical mandates.

 Seeing this kind sadness first hand completely changes your perspective on things.  I feel that the media often bombards us with so much pain and suffering in the world that we just become numb to it.  Numbness is our response because the way we are informed leaves us feeling overwhelmed and unable to help…..when we are no longer able to recognize suffering persons as fellow human beings, their pain evokes disgust and anger rather than compassion. 

Living in Uganda for a semester does not turn everyone into a Mother Theresa, but it does force you to live life from a new perspective-being completely aware of the lack and hurt in our surroundings.  Doing life with these people changes your perspective in ways that a “feed the children” commercial could never dream.  I did not understand solidarity with a group of people until this semester.  While being here, I have encountered several NGO’s and other teams that come in for a few weeks in hopes of making a difference, but they wind up doing more harm than good.  The reason they do more hurting than helping is because they do not spend enough time with the people. They do not take the time to understand the real needs of the community.

It’s not that NGO’s are incapable of doing good or being here for the “right reasons”; I’m sure they have the best of motives, but when you give someone a fish instead of the supplies to fish for themselves, where is their next “fish” going to come from once you are gone?  Taking time to understand the real needs of the community and establishing the necessary relationships to meet those needs may take more time, but it will also have a greater impact. 

What does this mean for the Church?

We must face the facts: There is great amount of pain in the world, but we also serve a great God.  When overwhelmed by the needs of the world, we are still expected to make an impact. Not only should we still strive to make an impact, but we need to have the right motives in doing so. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tells us to “Do everything in love” (16:14). Turning a deaf ear to the pains in this world will not fix anything.  “As long as religious people are well dressed, well fed, and well cared for, words about being in solidarity with the poor will remain pious words more likely to evoke good feelings than creative actions”.  Once you really walk in their shoes and do life together-see the pain, smell the pollution,  hear the stories first hand, it is much harder to use being overwhelmed as an excuse.  The truth is, God often calls us to places we would rather not go…..those places are often stinky, dirty, and dark, but it is in those places that we are called to bring light.  As long as we continue to avoid what God intends for us, we will continue to miss the life that God calls us to.  Faint Not

Extraordinarily Ordinary

One of the biggest frustrations about being here this semester is the pedestal everyone back home seems to place on the idea of being here.  Spending 4 1/2 months in Uganda is not some type of suffering grievance; I came here by choice and out of opportunity.  The truth is, being a Christian in Uganda is even easier than being one in the States....God seems closer as you seem to cling to Him all the more.

The real heros here are the moms that give all their time and affection to ensure a beautiful life for their children, the pastors that make hospital visits even though they are tired, the friend that gives an encouraging word, the dad that works hard to support his family, and the many others that are doing ministry in the here and now; whatever and wherever that may be for each person.

We all want to make a difference in the world, but the world includes where you are right now. As the body of Christ we are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus rather that be in Camden, Jonesboro,Walnut Ridge, or Uganda-to be the change you want to see in the world. I'm not going to be in Uganda forever.  In fact, I will be back in the U.S. in 41 days.  This semester is just a small season in my life, and according to Ecclesiastics, "there is a time for everything".  What time is it for you?  Are you willing to go wherever He leads?  Are we being Jesus in the here and now?  


Uganda may sound special or adventurous, but everyday life is just as valuable.  Each extraordinarily ordinary day is our opportunity to live the life God has for us.  May we always make the most of it no matter where it may be.