Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Why Uganda?

So the question keeps coming up- "Why Uganda?" I will probably not be very good at answering this because I am not sure we are entirely sure, but this is what we do know about why...

First, you can go back and see this post and read the one before it also if you feel so inclined. Many of the "reasons" are in those two posts.
Second, we know the God we serve cares not only about the people here in this country, but also about people in the rest of the world! Of course the most "famous" verse in the Bible or the one that is taught and talked about a lot...
John 3:16, "for God so loved the world, that he gave his only son..." Certainly includes more than America.
John 4:9-10, "4:9 By this the love of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. 10 In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins
Acts 10:34-35 reports, "Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right."
So interesting that Peter, a Jewish man, would be recorded as including all nations, but American Christians can so easily forget about the rest of the world. But God is so much bigger than just America.
Third, the verse that most stands out to me is James 1:27 when I think about adoption, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." Orphan is defined as, "a child deprived by death of one or usually both parents."
There are over 2 million Orphans in Uganda and almost half of them are orphaned because of the AIDS crisis. How sad is it that Christians don't see this and many other countries who have similar statistics and answer the call to adopt. God himself adopts us as his own, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:14-16. It seems so clear to me if God chooses to adopt us, we should do as we see the father doing. Will it be easy for us to do? No, probably not. But it was not easy for Jesus to go to the cross and die for all of my unrighteousness either. 

One of the hardest parts so far has been fear. Fear of the financial costs, fear of traveling, fear that something will go wrong and I will end up heart-broken, fear of what people will say/think/do that would hurt one of my kids, fear that our children (all of them) will have a hard time adjusting, fear of the language barrier, and the list could go on. But I do not have to live in that fear. I can give all of that to Him, who created adoption, so that I could live. I stand in his promises." For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim 1:7.

I have a spirit of Power, love and sound mind! So awesome. Thanking Him for that. So we want to ask you, "Why NOT Uganda?" Why not bring an orphan into a family. I say, "Satan, get out of my way! I am coming to get my babies!" After all, the most dangerous place to be is between a mother and her babies!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I love how you say "why NOT Uganda?". I just wanted to let you know that I am praying for you ALL!
-Autumn Pendino (Ahrens)

Ash said...

Thanks Autumn!