Team Five Morris

I will read a book a day if given the opportunity.  Dan likes to savor them a bit longer so he rarely finishes a book before me.  Nor do we usually read the same books.  "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan is the exception.  Someone gave us a copy of this book last week and since then Dan and I have been taking turns reading chapters whenever either of us puts it down.  Yesterday Dan acutally finished the book before me.  That alone should inspire you to read this book. 

I'll admit it.  I am selfish and full of pride.  (I'm sure you hadn't noticed.)  It is easy for me to think that we are living the missionary dream.  We live in the slums on very little money and sold everything to come here.  We gave it all up for Christ.  And yet after reading this book I felt very small and ashamed at my pride.  I realized that no matter what walk of life we are in or where we live we can always learn more about God.  We can never out-give God. 

This book touches a lot of "sore" areas in my heart.  The author talks about living on less, downsizing so that you can give more to the poor and needy.  Radical right?  What?  Live in a 1,000 square foot house instead of a 7,000 square foot house?  Impossible!  The American Dream can be very insistent and our entertainment rules.  Here is just one quote that shook me. 

Most of us use "I'm waiting for God to reveal His calling on my life" as a means of avoiding action.  Did you hear God calling you to sit in front of the television yesterday?  Or to go on your last vacation?  Or exercise this morning?  Probably not, but you still did it.  The point isn't that vacations or exercise are wrong, but that we are quick to rationalize your entertainment and priorities yet are slow to commit to serving God."  pg. 167

I don't want you to think this guy does nothing but chastise Christians in the book.  It is a deeply personal and convicting book that encourages us to do something.  If all we do is say, "wow, what a radical thought...great book" and we never change then what is the point? 

He also says this: My suggestion as you think, make decisions, and discern how God would have you live is to ask yourself, "Is this the most loving way to do life?  Am I loving my neighbor and my God by living where I live, by driving what I drive, by talking how I talk?"

We often have "Aha!" moments but don't act; in fact, we're famous for it in the church.  Remember those retreat highs followed by the inevitable lull?  Or the excitement you felt on your first mission trip but forgot shortly after returning home?  Memories are wonderful, but do you live differently because of them?" pg. 164

Dan and I have had a lot to pray about and discuss this last week.  As we seek God and ask ourselves where we can change and do with less and give more I find my excuses rapidly disappearing.  I hope you'll go and get this book and examine yourselves too. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support of the ministry here.  Please pray for us as we make necessary changes.  May we always be about God's glory in all we do!

Last thursday we were coming home from a wonderful few days upcountry with my visiting parents.  We decided to head straight on home instead of having lunch first.  We are so lucky we did.  Thursday afternoon around 2 p.m., riots started in Kampala.  We had just entered the city and were re-directed from the main road but we assumed there was road construction or something.  By the time we arrived home we had heard about the riots.  We literally missed them by an hour.  Some people who own the lodge we stayed at upcountry were about 2 hours behind us coming into Kampala.  They met the angry mob in one area of Kampala and had their windows smashed, they were cut by rocks and fled to the outskirts to avoid having their car looted or burned. 

I am still trying to learn this strange culture so I don't completely understand what caused the riots.  From what I've read and heard there are problems between Uganda's president and Uganda's king.  Yes, they both reign in Uganda.  Strange to some of us but to Ugandans it is normal.  The royal kingdom of Buganda was done away with in 1966 but the current president reinstated the Buganda king in 1993.  Since then the country has been pulled in different directions between the cultural ruler and the governmental ruler.  Issues between the two came to a head when the king was going to attend a cultural celebration.  His presence was contested by a smaller tribe.  The president didn't come right out and forbid the king from attending but the government did discourage the king citing his safety would be in question.  The citizens of Uganda flew into a rage and began burning tires, cars, police stations, looting and destroying property.  The police and military got involved and about 14 people died from stray bullets.  Others were injured by tear gas and there are accounts of police brutality.  The streets were empty downtown and in other areas by Friday and Saturday though in some parts of town more riots continued to break out. 

Having never lived in such a political and cultural hotbed before this surprised me.  We went and stocked up on supplies and money in case things got worse.  Many of you know we live in a slum area and I was expecting riots to begin in our neighborhood also.  Luckily there were none in our area and by last night we were feeling much more relaxed. 

It shouldn't surprise any of us how quickly a situation involving incited people can get out of hand.  Safety is an illusion more times than we realize.  Careless words, hasty actions and people with nothing better to do are a lethal combination. 

For now the panic seems to be over.  The streets are still too quiet and the papers are running out of things to report. I fear this is only the beginning though.  With elections coming up in 2011 the country is already dividing.  There have been scary words about a repeat of Rwanda happening in Uganda due to all the infighting between not only government and royal kingdom but between tribes.  Please pray for Uganda and for the peace and sanity to be restored amongst the people.  God's graciousness is evident even in this. 

So I live in the slums.  By choice.  By request of Jesus.  Why is that so shocking?  I'm going to rant just a bit at no one in particular so bear with me.  We have been living on the edge of the slums of Wabigalo in the huge city of Kampala.  Our house is a modest three bedroom home.  At first sight of the house I wanted to cry and run home to America.  However after a coat of paint and some new furniture it's become home.  Yeah we have a stinky pit latrine out back, but it comes in handy if you don't have water to flush the toilet.  Our "yard" consists of dirt, broken concrete and the most recent addition of a rooster who spreads poo everywhere.  Honestly maybe I've been here too long but I find myself not only loving this house but becoming very protective of it when well meaning Americans "tsk tsk" in sympathy when they see it. 

In a city where there are either very rich or ridiculously poor people I find our house a comfortable in-between option.  So what if our kitchen cabinents are made out of concrete with big gaps inbetween?  What is the important thing here?  Am I supposed to alienate myself from the very people we are here to serve? 

This past month has really opened my eyes to our living situation and how lucky we are.  God has continued to provide every step of the way.  We are known in our community.  We are learning the language.  We are comfortable walking the streets.  In just six short months God has given us a glimpse of what it will be like to be thought of as a real neighbor in this culture.  We are excited by the prospect. 

So please my dearest friends, family and visitors...don't pity us.  Don't assume we are living this lifestyle and suffering.  WE ARE BLESSED!  God is teaching us to give up our American idealism of what a "nice house" is.  I would be lying if I said there weren't days I didn't wish I was on the other side of town where the grass is green and the wind blows away the city stink...but HERE is where God has placed us.  We aren't any stronger than anyone else.  If God asks you to do something you just do it and He makes it okay.  And the safest place to be is in the center of God's will.