This post was written by Kiri Mcginley, our adopted Philadelphian, (from C.C. Richmond, Virginia).
I sit here still trying to begin to process all that we have seen, heard, felt, tasted, smelled. My heart is aching full with the thought of all our God has done and all that is yet to be seen only when we reach eternity’s shore and are truly satisfied awaking in His likeness. Truly if there was a theme that was sufficient to capture a glimpse of all that happened on this trip it would be that “In our weakness, His strength is made perfect”. It is difficult to find words to explain how it felt to be so exhausted, drained and poured out in every way imaginable and yet still have the power of His Spirit carrying the team and giving strength to our hands and our hearts.
The Lord taught my heart so very much. This trip truly has changed my life. I knew when I heard His words telling me to go that it would be I that came back changed and blessed beyond measure. One of the most beautiful parts of the trips was seeing the true Body of Christ with Him as the Head. As the team was together strengthened by the Word through Colossians we saw first hand the picture of His bride and His perfect hand of faithfulness.
Col 1:17-20 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have the first place in everything. 19 For it was the Fathers good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth to things in heaven.
We were not two churches or two teams from opposite sides of the world but we were one body, with one purpose, one spirit with one Father of all. I can honestly say that there is not a single person that did not lift higher all others before themselves. As I sit here seeing the images of our trip in my head I can see all the brothers and sisters that made it safely from the first boat through the storm praying and weeping together not knowing where our other men were, a brother wet and freezing runs into the cold dark wood slatted church we were huddled in and shouts with great joy “they made it!”. I’ve never run so fast or seen a whole team run so fast to the shore through muddy streets and fields to see the faithfulness of our God. I see so many people crammed on the boat sleeping on each other, warming each other, praying, worshipping and weeping together. No partiality, no divisions, not age, not culture, no height or depth, not a single thing could separate us from the Love of Jesus Christ. To see the beauty of complete strangers enjoying together the depth and fullness of His love in His children was more than words could describe. I also see all standing huddled around a fire passing around and sharing one cup of coffee.
My heart is full thinking of the worship of the saints back at C.C. Entebbe after the islands. Lugandan and English intermingled yet all praises, all prayers rising as a sweet fragrance to our faithful Father and King. Truly His strength was made perfect in our weakness and all glory is given to Him.
I could go on and on, there is so much to be said of our God and all that has happened these last two weeks. My prayer is that of Paul’s,
“that hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom all are hidden the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col 2:2-3
I see faces of all the little ones and all the men and women and my heart is encouraged that each one is known intimately by my God. Each has a name, every hair is counted and known. Any work accomplished was by His perfect hand and we simply had the privilege and honor of not being needed but yet being wanted and used by our Maker. It is with a grateful and full heart I sit here praising our God.