I have been back in Canada for almost a week now. It has been great to be back. I have connected with some friends and family, but there are still many more people I want to see. I have enjoyed sharing some of my experiences and hearing how life has been here while I have been gone. I have a great community here that I have missed this past year.
My last month in Uganda was very busy. I was trying to wrap up projects at work. I got most of the work done that I wanted to but not everything. I was getting my apartment set up. I had borrowed some furniture from an EMI family that will be leaving while I am away and there are people staying in my apartment while I am in Canada. So I need to get some furniture before I left. It took longer to get made than they said, which didn't surprise me, but it arrived the day before I left.
I had a great time with friends at EMI and at Doors Ministries in my last couple of weeks. As I look back it has been a great year. I have been so blessed with community in Uganda.
I have been blessed to work with some amazing people at EMI. I have been blessed to work on some wonderful projects: Leadership Academy of South Sudan, UCBC, an office building for MAF and EMI, Africa Renewal University, Wentz Medical Center, African Children's Choir.
My time at Doors Ministries, I refer to it as Doors, has been a huge part of my life in Uganda. I don't think that I have done a good job of describing Doors and my involvement there. Doors at its core seeks to make disciples who love Jesus. They run a home for boys who previously lived on the streets, a primary school in one of the nearby slums that provides education, two meals a day and basic medical care, and a women's ministry in the same area as the school where they teach literacy, English and bible study. I have been involved with the Doors home. The home currently has 11 boys ages 8-18, one Ugandan "uncle", and two American "aunties" staying there. They provide food, clothes, education and a wonderful family environment for these boys. They are amazing young men who have been a pleasure to get to know. I spend time there each week playing games, wrestling, leading bible study, eating dinner, talking, and sharing life. It has begun to feel like family and has been a huge part of Uganda feeling like home to me. It has been a blessing to me to hear how God has been working there. Their story is amazing and if God was not part of it the whole thing would have failed numerous times by now. If you ask me about it I would love to tell you more. One of the biggest things that I have learned is that there is always hope with God. Living on the streets of Kampala is a hopeless situation. There are very few people that care about these kids, they don't have enough food, they don't have anywhere to sleep, they getting beaten by the police, thrown in jail, etc. But even in the midst of those situations God is still there. God is still able to take these boys restore their lives. There is so much joy in these boys lives, it is amazing. This is where my heart has been in Uganda and it was hard to leave, even for a few months. I am excited to see how God is going to continue working in their lives.
I have a hard time explaining where home is. There are many places I go that feel like home, it is such a blessing as many people don't have a home, both in Uganda and in Canada. No matter where I am, I am away from some of the people I love and that will just be the reality of my life. But the blessing of being in the body of Christ is that we have family where ever God calls us. It has been great to see God's faithfulness in that this past year.
I am in Canada for the next few months. God willing, I will be returning to Uganda after Christmas. I am not sure what my life will be like the next few months. I have some leads on work that I need to pursue. I have a wedding to attend in October. I have many people that I want to connect with. I have to continue to raise support so that I can return to Uganda. There is a lot of uncertainty, but I am excited for the possibilities.
This is home for this season of my life and I am excited to return to home to Uganda at the end of the year.
Prayer Requests:
-Raising support to return to Uganda. I am excited to be able to share my experiences the past year and to catch up with friends and family. God has been faithful to provide for my needs in the past and will continue to be faithful.
-Seeking God's plan daily. I am good at seeking God for big decisions that I can't figure out myself. But I don't seek God for daily living, I want to be in control of that. I desire to follow God more, especially in the smaller, daily things. This season of my life is a good opportunity to learn some of that lesson.
-There are many opportunities for my next four months. I ask that God would make it clear what I should be doing with this time.
Thank you for all your support. It is a blessing to be able to go to Uganda to work at EMI and volunteer at Doors. This would not be possible without the love and support that I have received and I am very grateful.
Blessings,
Matt
