You have heard about many trips to Kampala but what goes on in one's head is another story.
I have regularly been asking God to help me be attentive to His Spirit working in me and to be attentive to His promptings throughout a day.
A few weeks ago we were in Kampala, in purpose for only a few hours. As I came to the car while there, I saw our trip would take longer. I had a flat tire. Geoff, another American here at New Hope, and I quickly changed it and headed off to the tire shop. Verdict: No damage to tire. Small hole in the hub/rim. Three hours later we left the tire shop.
However, while we were there I was asking God what the purpose was for our time there. Instead of an answer, I just kept noticing things that seemed to really stand out.
The first was a gal who shuffled her way through the shop, periodically sweeping up a small piece of garbage. I looked at her face as she shuffled by and she looked emotionally numb; lost but not even looking for a path. My heart broke for her.
The second was the guy who was helping me. He wasn't the original guy but suddenly came on the scene and seemed to take over. It appeared he knew what he was doing and took it seriously. Unfortunately, as soon as another Western person drove into the shop, he immediately jumped up and began to help her until he had gotten her far enough along that she was very grateful for his help. Eventually, after getting a tip with all of his colleagues looking on with a bit of frustration on their faces, he came back to work on my rim. I was incredulous.
The third I noticed was the manager who clearly worked hard to make everyone who was a customer happy while he seemed to be rather sharp in his interaction with his employees. I felt compassion for the workers who seemed to be beaten down by the intermittent and commanding and almost capricious communication from him.
The fourth were the two Muslim gals behind the counter who were often turning around to look at their reflection in the window into the shop, constantly adjusting their head covering just as they might their hair. My heart explored how I question my own value based on appearances. I was sad for them.
As we drove away, I asked in my heart, "What was that delay for? What should I learn from that? How do I communicate with You, Lord, during times like that?"
It seemed He answered by showing me each of those people in the tire shop He had revealed to me. By lifting them up in prayer, when He showed me or even as a drove away, I would be listening to His Spirit. Praise God that He redeems and answers prayer.
I long to be there constantly. I love exploring this type of stuff with my good brother in Christ, Geoff shown in the picture.
Only by God's grace, Tim
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