Day 13: A Mission Of Love

Every morning for five years I have prayed for the people of Uganda. Over the past two it has morphed into this specific prayer, “Lord help us meet the basic human needs of the people of Uganda and spread the Good News.” I can confidently say we accomplished the second with top grades. Peyton and I were able to speak to students at the five schools we visited. This was my message, “Jesus Loves you! He formed each one of you in your mother’s womb and you are all Children of God. He wants you to respond to his love by doing two things. He wants you to love your neighbor and to pray to Him while asking His mother the Virgin Mary to intercede for us!”

Fr Jude, Peyton and I traveled the backroads of the middle of Uganda taking Jesus Christ to remote parts of this country. We visited thousands of children and greeted hundreds of adults. In Uganda everyone greets you with, “You are most welcome.” Due to Covid that was given along with a smile and a fist or elbow bump rather than a handshake or hug. My response at the beginning of our mission trip was, “We are glad to be here.” Towards the end the Holy Spirit enlightened me to respond, “It is good that we are here.” This was St Peter’s response to when he saw him Jesus glorified in all of his beauty at the transfiguration. (Matthew 17:4)

We were evangelizing and spreading God‘s love by traveling 44 hours from our homes to theirs. (As I type this post my back is aching from sitting for 16 hours on one flight, I’m confused if it’s morning or evening, I’m tired of wearing a mask, I’m a walking Zombie, I feel sorry for the man next to me because I can’t even stand my own smell, I’m over chicken, my scratchy beard is annoying, and I miss my family dearly.) The people of Uganda want to be valued and they want to be heard. They want to know that the world cares about them and is here to help them through their struggles. They have an amazing message of Christian faith to tell. I’m returning to America to tell that story and to help America grow in our faith. America I traveled 44 hours from Uganda on the other side of the world to tell you that, “Jesus Loves you! He formed each one of you in your mother’s womb and you are all Children of God. He wants you to respond to his love by doing two things. He wants you to love your neighbor and to pray to Him while asking His mother the Virgin Mary to intercede for us!”