Jesus knows how to minister and encourage my soul…friends and Mexican food 🙂 

Relationships here are deep. At home when our friends face tragedies, depression, or life is just hard we often don’t know what to do or say to our friends in those moments. We often find ourself backing away leaving our friends or family to cope alone. It’s not because we don’t want to be there or help it’s because we honestly don’t know what to say or do, so we do nothing. It’s safer and easier for us. Here in Uganda they have no choice but to get in the trenches and walk with each other. It is a part of their nature to step in and help their family or friends who are experiencing a tragedy. They give of their selves even if they have nothing to give physically. I often wonder if this comes natural to them because life here is hard, death is a part of every day living, hunger and poverty bring depression and all they can do is bind their hearts together and walk as one? Or is it because they know what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ? To give is better than to receive whether that is a kind word of encouragement or the only food that they have for a week given to one that has none. Maybe it’s a little of both. 

I have found that there is an unexplainable bond that develops when a friendship is born here in Uganda. I can confidently say that I am blessed with the most incredible friends in the world. Honestly, I believe that. So it would take a lot to impress me in the friendship realm. I have been blown away. Not only are the friendships I have developed here with my Ugandan friends been deeper than anything I have ever experienced so have my friendships developed with others who God has brought to this country whether that be Ugandan, Australian, American, Canadian, Irish…

I could write about many and tell every detail of how the Lord has uniquely tangled our stories together. So many amazing stories that only He could be creative enough to compose. I am thankful for each one. Each one has brought a new friend into my life that has seen what my eyes has seen, walked the orange roads, held dirty hands, seen miracles before their own eyes and been changed in a way that only this place can change you. It is a true treasure to experience that with another Believer. It is beautiful to watch someone else come to life here. 

Last night was a night around a table eating good food with old and new friends that were all gathered together because of one thing..He had brought us all here to Uganda. All stories and journeys different…needs assessments, water development, adoption, and this random girl that He graciously allowed me to be a part of what He is doing. Curtis and Laura, from Canada have been here three months doing need assessments were getting ready to leave to head home. As we discussed their time here and what they would miss the most they answered, the relationships we have created. I loved it because here we sat all together as friends and some had just met a week ago, some over a month ago, and some that same night but we shared a Love that binds any heart together and that is Jesus. 

For me He sends people into my life some for a night, some for a couple of months, some for seasons and some for a lifetime to teach me, sharpen me, laugh with me, and encourage me and I am so very thankful. I am learning to go deeper in my relationships and not hurry on to the next. I am learning to sit and listen. I ask God to allow my heart to feel the weight of what my friends here are walking through whether that is a Ugandan or someone else He has brought into my path. I ask God to teach me to be silent or to speak. I ask that I would fall more in love with Him so that my relationships here are just an overflow of my relationship with Him . 

Tonight I just imagined a banqueting table bigger than my mind could conceive, filled with the most fabulous wine and food (of course mine had mexican food) and faces of every color, every age, and every background just laughing, enjoying and telling stories. We all are different and we have different journeys that led us to this table but we all have one banner. 

His banner over us is Love. 

Thankful for relationships. Thankful for laughter. Thankful He chose me. Thankful for Tex-Mex in Uganda that lives up to Texas standards. Thankful for the One relationship that makes this all possible. 

Take time to take inventory of the relationships He has placed you in.