A Time To Laugh
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Eccl. 3:1
This past week our first mission team of 2013 was in Uganda. As far as mission teams go, this one may have set a new standard. On the first day as we headed to M3, our van had an unfortunate encounter with a very large manhole cover. The van lost. One of our tires all but disintegrated.
The good news is that we had most of the equipment to replace it. The bad news is we couldn’t get the tire on because the van was too close to the curb. No problem, the team simply lifted the van high enough to get it on. Let me repeat that, they… lifted… a… van. There must have been at least a dozen potential accidents as folks drove by watching 6 muzungus lifting a vehicle off the ground.
As awesome as that is, it’s not what made this team special. What was special about this team is that it was made up of Godly men who love Jesus. So often men are absent from the lives of these children and they rarely see Godly male role models. This team displayed that real men love and serve.
They not only showed the tough gritty side of manhood, but the tender sweetness of fatherly love. They prayed with the kids, sang with them, sat with them and simply talked. They also built one of the coolest forts I’ve ever seen.
Before this trip, the children at M3 really didn’t have an area to play in. The swings and seesaws were rusted and broken and that was basically all they had. Now at M3, the kids can be kids. New swings were installed, the seesaws were repaired, and a rockin’ fort with a climbing wall was built.
On our final day at M3, we had some praise and singing time. After we finished, about 120 kids tore off running to the playground to enjoy some fun. The team just sat back and savored it all. The children were finally able to do what they rarely get a chance to do – just be kids.
Thank you guys. The love of Christ in you was felt by all.
Wish you had a picture of that, but I’m pretty sure I can see it in my head! Sounds like a fruitful trip all around.