We’re officially going on our third week here in Jinja. Time
is flying by! The last week we started the malaria
education program in the village, which includes educating on malaria, putting
up mosquito nets for everyone, and spraying around their houses. It’s been nothing short of amazing! Miriam,
who’s one of the ladies who works for Healing Faith, helps out with the
children’s ministry and because there’s a pretty big language barrier between us
and the people in the village she helps translate. If it weren't for her, the
malaria education program would be quite difficult. Since Miriam is the only
one to translate, she constantly has to go back and forth from person to
person. Since she can’t be everywhere at one time there’s plenty of instances
where you will be one on one with a person and have absolutely no idea what
they’re saying.
Last Thursday I was in
one of those situations, I was with this man who was trying to ask me if I
could spray inside his house for mosquitos. I didn't have a clue what he was
asking and we both just started to laugh and had to wait for Miriam. I took
care of what he asked and with a big grin on his face he shook my hand and
thanked me. A little later I was walking
to the next house and I kept on thinking back to that moment. I wished there
was some way I could have communicated with him, and I immediately thought back
to one of my favorite verses.
John 13:35 “By
this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one
another.”
Jesus didn't say some people or even most people, but instead He
said ALL people will know! I’m pretty sure all people includes the man who
lives in the mud hut in the middle of Uganda that couldn't understand a word I
was saying. But he could understand at least one thing, love. I hope and pray
that Christ’s love can be seen through all of us, because regardless of the
language barrier we can all love on people!
Working with the Segner Family has been a great learning
experience. Watching how they selflessly love on everyone in the village just
makes you want to step your game up! It’s not only how they love but also
seeing how the people love them in return. I don’t think there has been a trip
to the village where they weren't given some kind of gift; they even got a
rabbit one time! Going back to the verse in John, Christ is seen just by the
way they love people. And I know for a fact that it works, last week when we
were hanging nets in the village there was this one 12 year old boy named Alex.
As soon as we parked and loaded the wagon with nets and supplies Alex ran and
made sure he was the one to pull it for us, and he did the entire day! At the
end of the day while I was waiting on everyone else to finish up and say their
goodbyes, I overheard Alex talking with another boy. I’m not sure what the
whole conversation was a about but I heard him say, “Jesus loves me!” I quickly
turned around and smiled at him and he gave me a thumbs up.
(That’s right, I’m
already training Aggies over here!).
That right there is why Healing Faith
is here. Yes they fight malaria, help the sick, take care of pregnant women,
but the real reason is to make sure they know that Jesus loves them! In my
eyes, if Alex is the only one to know this it will still be worth it! All the
nets, all the time, all the money, and all the issues and struggles that come
with running a ministry in Africa, it is ALL worth it.
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