Some of you know I have a love/hate relationship with
running. I love it because it is a
release of so much. I’ve often called it
my “saving grace”. The hate comes
because of the pain it brings. Running
doesn’t come and has never come natural.
It was a discipline God brought into my life a year or so before we came
to Uganda. Then, I had no idea how
valuable it would become.
Over the years, running has challenged me, pushed me, and a
few times almost killed me. Uganda’s terrain and climate isn’t exactly west
central Illinois, this would be where the challenge and pushing play a
role. Crazy Kampala definitely lives up
to its’ name in regards to the traffic element.
Let’s just say pedestrians don’t have the right away. I’ve been knocked by more exterior mirrors than
I care to remember; battle scars and souvenirs.
Every time I finish with a run, Wendy asks me “So how was it?” My answers never vary…it is either a good run
or a brutal one. For me, there’s no in
between.
Lately, life in Uganda has felt like a run…it’s either good,
or just plain brutal. For those who have
lived in a developing country, you know this far to well. But let’s face it, life is full of
challenges regardless of your residence. There are good days and not so good days. Maybe I could add though, challenges are
relative. For some it’s not having a
microwave, for others it’s sleeping on an empty stomach. And then there are relational challenges.
These can be the most painful, and also most damaging depending on the situation. Only if our yes could be yes and our no,
no…oh how the world would be different.
People from both sides of the globe have been admiring the
growth and success of FNC. Let me
acknowledge the true cause of FNC’s progress…God and God alone. I honestly have no worldly explanation for
what God continues to do here. Not one
of us is truly qualified for what we do.
Still God does His thing here amongst us and through us. What most people don’t know, or just haven’t
vocalized, is what challenges are we facing today? What is the single most obstacle standing in
the way of forward progress? It’s a fair
question and one, which deserves a clear answer.
Ryan Johnson, a recent visitor, and now a serious ambassador
for FNC and true friend, served selflessly and compiled a short video, which
truly tells the story of how FNC became FNC.
The video also contains footage of our current facilities, some of our
teachers testimony and the mountain that continues to stare us down. But more than any of those things, it shows
God’s continual hand and provision, which allows us to be us… Loving the least
of these. Words are powerful. Pictures
are powerful. Songs are also
powerful. My hope is all who witness
this creation are moved. For me it was a
reminder…to praise through the pain.
