What’s up fans!
If you’re reading this right now it means I am alive and thriving in the beautiful country of Uganda serving God’s kids with my best friends. This has been a dream of mine for years and I am so thankful for the Lord’s faithfulness in guiding me here! I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life except for serving and continuing to fall more in love with God everyday, walking with Him and learning His ways.
On the final plane ride from Qatar to Entebbe, I journaled for a while in attempts to keep myself awake. As I prayed for the trip ahead of me, I wrote a prayer that reflected my heart’s desire for this portion of internship. “Lord, on this trip to Kenya and Uganda, help me to learn what it really means to worship you. Help me in every moment to give all of myself for you.” I had no idea how God would answer this, but I prayed it with expectant faith that He would change my heart.
On Sunday evening our team was traveling to our East Africa campus and we were told that we would be teaching at a local primary school the next day. As the coordinator read off the team names, I was so eager to have the opportunity to teach as I really want to pursue education as an occupational focus. I was really disappointed when the last list of teachers was read off and I wasn’t anywhere on the teaching team. Rather, I was placed in the meal team because of my work in hospitality (check out the last blog!). I listened around me as my friends planned their Bible lessons and PE classes while I sat discouraged knowing that I wouldn’t have the chance to teach.
On Monday morning we woke up and headed to the school for an exciting day of service. We started with an assembly where we got to praise and dance with the kids and bring some light onto their campus. Then, I was tasked with cutting all the eggplants for lunch. I learned quickly that the Africans are much more efficient at cutting vegetables than Americans and I still have yet to learn their skills.
Anyway, from my seat with the eggplants, I could see all of campus and I watched as my friends sang, taught, danced and served hundreds of students whose smiles brought so much light to my heart. While I was doing a seemingly small task, I was able to use my time to pray for the students, my intern team, my leaders, and for the rest of the activities we had going on that day. After I cut the eggplants I got to stir the biggest pot of rice I have ever seen in my life.
As the day went on with other cooking and serving activities, I began to realize that real service is doing what you’re told with a joyful and obedient heart, even when it seems like small or unimportant tasks. I’m learning that God needs labors willing to do work that most people overlook… stirring the beans, cutting watermelon, organizing food service lines, scooping rice, etc. Service isn’t always stepping into the work that I am skilled at, service is doing the work that needs done and finding joy because the Lord is there.
I have felt this theme come up during my service with SLAM as well while I am working in hospitality. A lot of hospitality is working behind the scenes and creating spaces for others to enjoy. As I’ve allowed God to work in my heart, He has helped me find more joy in watching people enjoy hospitable environments than participating in them myself. It’s a joy to be able to serve my team and the SLAM students by doing the work that goes unnoticed because I know my Father sees, and that’s more than enough for me.
I’ve been reflecting a lot on the prayer I prayed in the plane, that God would help me give all of myself in every moment through worship. I’m learning to worshiping while serving chai, I’m learning to worship while setting chairs at tables, I’m learning to worship while I wash dishes late at night, I’m learning to worship as I create environments for people to enjoy God’s presence together as one body and I couldn’t be happier. Mostly, I’m learning to serve, doing to tasks that are overlooked and finding joy watching my friends shine in their skills.
My time in East Africa has been life changing and I’ve only been here a little over a week! Praise God for the way He is developing me, changing me to look more like Him in every way.