My Journey with God to Africa
By Denise Matthews
“For where your
treasure is, there
your heart will be
also."
Luke 12:34
ur trip to Africa was nothing short of amazing, inspiring and an awakening of Gods truth. The idea that what we had to offer the people in Uganda (in the form of gifts and God’s word through conferences) would be just the thing they needed to know him personally was far from the truth, and as far from the truth as anyone could possibly get! God was, is and has been at work in the lives of the Ugandan people long before we ever arrived, in fact from before time began.
The life that would change would be my own and I’m certain the lives of those on our mission team. Each of us with our own purpose to be fulfilled by him, yet linked together like a mosaic, creating a beautiful picture of him and revealing his glory.
We met with Pastor Ruth Kahawa, founder of Smile Africa ministries. Smile Africa started back in 1988 and now helps 425 orphans and street kids, and over 800 widows in the surrounding area of Tororo. Our original mission was to help the children with a vision project and do a women’s conference for the widows. It was everything and more!
As we pulled up to smile Africa 425 children greeted us with screaming, yelling, singing and much excitement. It was very hard to contain any emotions at this kind of reception coming from children as young as 8 months and as old at 17.
We toured the facility, and could see that there is still much work to be done on behalf of the children.
They are taught at the very young age of 2 to be accountable for themselves and start to become self-sufficient. Children at the age of 5 carry younger siblings on their backs for miles so they can be fed, bathed and given a basic education at Smile Africa. This is a heartbreaking scene, but one that they are accustomed to.
We met with Dr. Bwonya, who was in charge of the vision screening before we arrived. The love of Christ that this man has, and his love for his people is admirable. On the day before we arrived, Dr. Bwonya brought his wife along with him to the screening of the adults. She was pregnant and due anytime. One hour into the screening she began to have labor pains. He drove her to the nearest hospital, and trust me when I say you don’t want to drive to a hospital in Uganda, the jarring of the road would have been enough to cause her to deliver. After he made sure that she would be ok, he returned to finish his job of screening patients. He did this for free, and for many days, several hours each day. He would call and check on her periodically during the remainder of the screening. After he had finished the last patient he packed up and headed back to the hospital. Two hours later his wife delivered a healthy baby girl. Wow, was God in this or what?
Dr. Bwonya and his assistant would look through the glasses and match up to those that needed them while myself, pastor Ruth and the team members started the vision celebration. The president of Tororo, mayor and mayors assistant, local newpaper and radio talk hosts were present for this celebration. It was something that pastor Ruth needed to reinforce the good work she is doing in her community. We passed out 43 pair of glasses to those in need. Something that would be next to impossible for most that received them. Little Jenni, at 7 yrs old, was able to see clearly for the first time. A wonderful gift from God!
The government officials made huge promises to pastor Ruth that would help to assist her in her efforts to care for the children and the widows. She is not a woman that will soon let them forget about those promises!
The next day we spent working directly with the children. We were able, through wonderful donations, to provide them with a lunch that included meat and fruit, something they rarely get. We spent time in the classrooms giving puppet shows of Bible stories, songs with action movements, and a salvation message. Crafts with the theme “I’m a new creation in Christ” were done with the kids. They were encouraged, uplifted and loved on all day long. Our hearts were so tender towards these children that it hurt at the end of the day. Small candy treats were passed out as they left for home… a home that we had yet to see but would be able to see soon.
Our next day would be spent at Kings Primary School in Mbale. We were able to share in another vision celebration with the kids at this school. We were again greeted with singing, praises and songs. It was so cute and yet overwhelming. We felt like celebrities, with no right to feel that way! Dr. Bwonya was on hand for the celebration as well and passed out several pair of glasses to the children. It was another day of Gods provision and overwhelming emotion for all of us. Again, through wonderful donations, we were able to provide fruit, toothbrushes/paste, the story of Jesus pamphlets, small candy treats and each child went home with their own Bible. Each teacher wrote the names of each child inside the Bibles.
God is so good!
Before we left Mbale we made a visit to a grandmother of a Ugandan soldier in Iraq by the name of Deo . He was born and raised a muslim. While in Iraq he heard the chaplain of the U.S. army playing his guitar at night and was curious to see what this music was all about. The area in Mbale where he was raised does not have musical instruments available. After talking with Chaplain Chris he went back to his barrack and began to have dreams about a man named Jesus. Those dreams became increasingly urgent and by the forth night he went to chaplain Chris and accepted Christ!
Through the vision project I had the pleasure of being introduced to Deo through email from the assistant attorney general in Arizona.
We spent some time with his grandmother Feddy. She is blind, but wanted us to say a blessing for her, her grandson Deo and her home. Everywhere we turned we had an opportunity to tell about the love of Jesus.
Our next day was spent visiting the homes of the children of Smile Africa. We did not plan on this, but God wanted us to see it. Pastor Ruth had to get permission from the government to go into this area deemed “the slums”. What we saw there would forever change the way I see America and all that we have. These children come from homes we wouldn’t even let our dogs live in. The poverty and despair is overwhelming. We visited several homes and were able to provide bags of rice and beans and pray for them. I began to question God myself as to why he would allow them to live this way. We headed back to the school and were able to play more with the kids. Through our donations we provided them with the story of Jesus booklets, clothing, soccer balls, toothbrushes/ paste. The kids were so excited by our being there. They all wanted to be held, but most are so sick that you couldn’t really hold them. By the end of the day I was done. I wanted to go home. I just couldn’t take it anymore. My heart was bleeding on a daily basis and I could no longer stand it. Why did God bring me here to see this, why does he allow children to suffer?
We spent the next day at a women’s conference. 200 widows were in attendance. The theme of our message was on planting seeds and growing in the Spirit. We had a wonderful day of praise and worship and each of our team members shared a message of Christ. A salvation message was given by Jan Ross, and four women came forward to accept Christ. What a special blessing it was!! Again, through our wonderful donations and provisions of God, we were able to provide a lunch with meat and each woman went home with a garden hoe, seeds, and toothbrush and paste. Something they need to provide for themselves and their families.
We were also able to visit some churches in the area. This was a treat! We were asked to speak at a service also. Everyone wants to hear what you have to say about Jesus. They want to know that He cares about them. Many Ugandans think that God loves some more than others. This is just not so!
Again, God poured out his blessing on the people we met. We were able, through the provision of God, to provide basic needs for many when we knew (based on what we’d already given) that we had run out…we knew we had nothing left, and yet we always had more than enough. It just didn’t add up, but that’s because God was doing the calculating!
There were many more exciting things that we experienced in Africa, and many more people that we were able to meet and share Gods love with. When I ended my trip I was sad to go. I had grown to love these people and the simple life they enjoy. Things that seemed important to me before I left no longer seemed important. These people that had nothing, that lived in poverty, yet had a joy I had never known. They didn’t have “things” of this world. They had Jesus and they believed in Him and that he would provide what they needed to survive.
The answer that came to me about why does God let children suffer?… they weren’t suffering…we are! We suffer because of wanting to have all things that bring us nowhere. Do the children still have a need? Yes, and he sent me to see it first hand. Can we help them? YES! Should we help them? YES, but this verse kept coming to mind as I returned home..
Luke 12:34
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Luke 12:34… I can tell you first hand where the hearts of the Ugandan people and the children are. In a world of excess it seems we are the one’s suffering, striving to have, to do and to be all we can be through our stuff, when God is all we need. We need to take an honest look in the mirror and check our hearts, for the things we treasure most is where are hearts will be. <3
Below you can find links to Denise's blog and also to Sharlyn's Blog. Sharlyn was a VIP Team Member and is the Director of Education for Heart of God, Uganda. Both Sharlyn and Denise are blogging about the recent trip to Uganda.