Following God to a water well in Uganda…
I guess it’s time to explain what has made me so passionate about living out the Word of God. Although I had professed faith at a young age, God started to take me deeper around 13 years old. God began trying to shift me from believing in Him as Savior to trusting in Him as Lord. It was a hard sale. I thought I believed in Him as Savior AND trusted Him as Lord, until He whispered Africa into my spirit.
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25
I did not believe God’s Word. I did not believe if I followed God to Africa, I would find life. In fact, I was convinced I knew the best way to find life—happiness, success and prosperity. So, I set out in pursuit of the American Dream. A little like Jonah when God told him to go to Nineveh and he hopped on a boat sailing in the opposite direction. I didn’t end up in the belly of a fish for 3 days, but I did spend years heading in the wrong direction. I pursued the American Dream, only to realize it fell flat. It didn’t satisfy my desire for intimacy, purpose, adventure, peace or prosperity for my soul.
In 2009, I got stumped on the greatest commandment. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.(Matthew 22:37) I recognized, if this was the one single thing God most wanted us to do, then maybe I should start with it. But I realized I had no idea what the fruition of this scripture would look like in my day-to-day life. I wasn’t even sure what God meant by love. I dug into the Word and began to consistently pray for God to teach me to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
The book that changed the trajectory of my life…
Christmas 2013, Jennifer gave me the book Kisses from Katie. After reading the book, I mourned over failing to trust Christ as Lord. I whispered…Use me Lord, don’t let me waste my life. www.amazima.org
Over the next couple of months, Tim read the book to our children. One day in April, Ben (5 years) came downstairs wallet in hand. He pulled out three $1 bills and said, “Momma write this down and send it to Katie. ‘Dear Katie, we love the poor people.” Although I felt quite awkward about sending such a note, Ben would not relent. By May, Ben had received a hand-written note from Amazima (Katie’s non-profit) encouraging him in his faith along with a beaded key chain.
Fast forward to October 2014. I was running on the treadmill watching a segment on mission by Joyce Meyer Ministries. The ministry highlighted the need for water wells in many 3rd world and developing nations. I sensed the clear prodding of the Holy Spirt. He whispered into my soul we were to drill (sponsor the drilling) a water well in Africa, take our children with us to dedicate it and cast vision in our lives for Him.
I glanced down at Henry (2 years old) playing beside me and thought Henry’s too young to go to Africa. We don’t have any money to devote to a water well in Africa. We don’t have any money to take our family half-way around the world. After reminding God of all these details, He eventually got me to “yes, Lord”. Show me how Lord. Get me there. And He did.
I sat on the conviction for months but eventually began to step out in faith. In February 2015, I dedicated a raise to this unknown well. Two months later, we dedicated a larger portion of investment income to the project.
After several months of doing what “we could do”, God began to do what only ‘He can do”.
At Ben’s end of the year kindergarten party, we met the Guthries. They had sold everything they owned and were headed to Uganda to build and run a secondary school. After sharing we have a heart for Africa, I asked if they were building the school with a church or ministry. To my utter amazement, Laura stated they were working with Amazima. Three weeks later they moved to Uganda.
In August, Tim received a promotion and once again we dedicated it to the unknown well.
By September, I began to contact ministries to determine how we might sponsor a water well. After 2 dead ends, I reached out to Mark Guthrie in Uganda inquiring about a visit. They seemed open to a visit, so for the first time I shared our desire to sponsor a water well somewhere in African and take our children to dedicate it. AND hopefully, come see them along the way.
Five minutes later, I received a call from a strange number on my cell phone. Reluctantly, I answered. It was Mark calling from Uganda. He mentioned they had found out two weeks prior their school was going to need a water well. Were we interested in our water well being at their school? I could not believe it. Sitting in my mini-van, in the middle of the preschool parking lot– I was overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. I mentioned I would need to discuss/pray about it with Tim, but yes, I believed this was the direction God was leading.
Nine months later, our family boarded a plane for Jinja, Uganda. We dedicated the water well in June 2016 and God’s been faithful in casting vision ever since.
Lessons learned…
The journey to the water well took me outside my comfort zone, stretched my faith and taught me the importance of saying yes to God. It taught me to not only believe in Christ as Savior, but trust Him as LORD.
I had to walk by faith. I had to give, trusting it would be given unto us. I had to trust God instead of leaning unto my own understanding. I had to trust that following God to an unknown water well in Africa would actually lead to life. And it did.
God was answering my prayer. He was teaching me the greatest commandment. He was teaching me how to love Him with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Ironically, loving God looks a lot like loving others. I didn’t do it because I loved Ugandans. I did it because I loved God. But God loves Ugandans. By teaching me the greatest commandment, He fulfilled the second greatest commandment…“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.” Matthew 22:39
Now, I’m convinced the only way to find life is to live out the Word of God.
