It is all for His glory

What an amazing journey. We started the week with delayed flights, missed flights, little sleep, no sleep….but, in the end, it was all so worth it. The children of Uganda have made it so worth it. They have so much need, but yet so much love to give. My first day started with the realization that I left my belt back home in Nashville. Mike was kind enough to let me borrow his to get me through the day. Within the first hour of our visit at the orphanage, a young boy came up to me and offered me his belt. We had just met and he had no idea I needed a belt. It was just one of the very few things considered his and he wanted to give it to me as a gift. There is just no way I could accept a gift from an orphan who has very few possessions, right? After seeing the rejection slowly cover his face after I declined the gift, I retreated quickly and accepted the belt. Ten seconds passed and I was overwhelmed with a rush of emotions recognizing that my Almighty Father was reminding me that He is my provider. If He chooses to bless me through an orphan, then that is His choosing. I was so overwhelmed with joy. I went into this journey thinking I was surrendering my time and my resources in an act of obedience to God’s calling. I went into this journey thinking that I was in Uganda to help satisfy the needs of the children at the orphanage, but little did I know that one young boy helped satisfy mine as well. I say the young boy helped me because he did not have to say yes. God prompted him to give up one of the very few things he had. It was up to the young boy to say yes. I am reminded of God’s word in Paul’s letter to the Philippians (4:19)…”And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. Our God is the beautiful grandweaver, weaving lives together one story at a time…and I love Him for that.

There are several things I will take away from Uganda. A nation that is very broken, but yet very hungry for the word of God. The children….they just want to be held, touched and smiled at. At times, there were no words that needed to be said, just a hand held. There are so many children that are deprived of a simple night’s sleep. Providing beds and mosquito nets go a very long way to a child’s health. It cuts down on the risk of malaria and allows the children to be focused the following day on their education.

The need is great. I pray the response is as well. In John 14:12 Jesus says “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”. If we, as the body of Christ, say yes (like the young boy said yes), then these needs will be met. It is all for His glory.

Jake Embry