2 weddings and a funeral- The Gift of Life

I'm definitely reminded this week of how powerful the Lord truly is. I'm reminded how grateful I am for the breath of life. I'm reminded how quickly life on this earth can end and I don't want to waste one second!

Earlier this week I attended my first African funeral and burial (hence the title of my blog. I've now attended 2 weddings and a funeral in the short time I've been here). Wednesday afternoon we had arranged transportation to take our team (of 11) out to the village where Samuel was now staying (the 17 year old boy with HIV who we've been visiting for the past several months). However, he passed away around 5am Wed morning, before we could make it out to see him....so instead of visiting him that afternoon....we traveled out to the village for his funeral and burial. I wasn't quite emotionally/physically prepared for all of that! It was about a 1&1/2 hour ride out there and most of it was "off road", meaning dirt roads and traveling through very remote places. It was really, really bumpy and a rough ride, but quite refreshing at the same time! It was nice to get out of "the city". Just seeing all the trees and mountains and little streams...the untouched nature that God created! Also, driving past the small random, remote villages was incredible! It made me desire and crave to go on a mission trip! What an odd, strange thought...I desire to go a mission trip, while I'm here in Africa ON a mission trip?!?! What I meant was that I have such a heart to go "into the bush", into remote villages, and reach the untouched people, those who haven't yet heard about Jesus!!
Well, we finally arrived at the village and the service was just about finished (they were actually waiting for our arrival before the buried him). About 150 people were sitting all around, some on plastic chairs but most on the ground, and in the middle of them, under a small tarp, lay the open wooden casket of precious Samuel. They spoke and sang for a bit longer and then closed the casket and carried it into the woods, with all of us following behind, to the burial site. They spoke and sang a bit more, lowered the casket in, several people threw some sand on top and then they started digging the sand on top to bury the casket. You could hear many people wailing from the funeral site, while we were singing down at the burial site. This whole day was a bit surreal and difficult to process through and I do believe I'm still processing through it. Obviously it's sad for such a young man to die at an early age, but I feel so unresolved not knowing whether he was actually born-again or not. Really reminds me that this isn't a game, these are people's eternal lives and also makes me treasure the time and life God has given me....I can't take it for granted :)

This whole week has been quite different from our "normal routine". We have been in a trauma training program. A counselor from the US has been working in Gulu (northern Uganda) for about 2 years with a team of "trauma counselors" that he has trained. You should hear some of the amazing stories of healing, forgiveness, and freedom from the work that the Lord is doing through them!! Also, about 80-90% of people that have gone through this program get saved (born-again) by the end of the program...this includes drunkards, witchdoctors, former LRA members (Lord's Resistance Army), etc. It's incredible what the Lord is doing! (It's a 2 week program, and the "trauma counselors" do this program usually in IDP (internally displaced person) camps, and actually humble themselves and live in the camps during these 2 weeks). So, they are wanting the program to be launched in Kampala and our class is going to help launch it...starting with the children in Suubi village. So, this whole week we've spent training and the next 1& 1/2 weeks, we will spend doing the program with the children. However, we will also be living in the village. Soooo, I will be "mission trip" living for a bit! No hot showers at all, no electricity at all (obviously no internet access), and actually living with the people (the international team is being split up). I'm very excited about this, however, got a bit overwhelmed yesterday. Most of our class is split into teams of 3, with a trauma counselor (from Gulu) as the leader of the team, and each team will get 15-20 children to go through the program. Well, I got in a team with no trauma counselor from Gulu....and I'M actually leading the team!! How did that happen?? Overwhelmed...but trusting God. God will have to be my strength and source of wisdom. The Holy Spirit must work through me (us), because it's not about us....I want the kid's lives to be changed forever and I want them set free from bondage and feel the love of Jesus through us!!

So, I won't be blogging for the next 2 weeks (because we won't have electricity and internet access). We are actually in the village for 1& 1/2 weeks and then traveling to Gulu for a couple days!!

Please pray for me and the 360 class, as you feel led (I know some of you have been, and I REALLY appreciate it!!!!) I'm feeling physically exhausted and drained...like I've got nothing left in me to give. I'm in incredible pain from the kidney stones (I believe they are about to pass....inconvenient timing, right before going to the village and I'm in charge of a team). Traveling to Suubi and especially to Gulu...roads are not in good condition and there's constantly accidents happening. But, despite what outward circumstances may look like, I have a quiet inner strength and peace from Him. I'm relying on His Strength, which IS sufficient, unlike mine :) I confess my complete dependence on Him. I trust Him and want to serve Him and bring glory to His name...while having fun and building relationships :) Just knowing that He loves me, gives me hope to carry on!!

Thanks again for your prayers, support, and love!
I'll be back bloggin' in 2 weeks....


Knowing He is with me on ALL the roads I travel on,

Michelle