This was a weekend of milestones. We are carefully
considering each one, using the stones to build a mental altar of worship to
God as we see how far the Lord has brought us. Throughout the Old Testament we read of stones gathered and altars erected to commemorate God's faithfulness to his people. Here are some stones gathered for our (mental) altar.
July 1st marked six months since our return to
Uganda following our homeland ministry assignment and medical leave last year.
Hooray! Jeff’s health is great. He is not experiencing any heart problem. God’s
has faithfully provided for our every need here. This stone we added to the altar.
We mentally picked up another milestone as we remember that
one year ago we were waiting for the first appointment with the cardiac
surgeon. We were eager to know the plan and timeline for Jeff’s open heart
surgery, recovery and our return to Uganda. Admittedly, we were still
navigating varying measures of uncertainty as we tried to wrap our heads around
the news that Jeff’s heart valve was rapidly failing and he had an aneurysm
growing close to a dangerous size.
During that time we had so many thoughts rolling around in
our minds, some of them rising and receding like a tide but never leaving
completely. “Will we ever get back to Uganda?” “In what ways will our lives
change forever because of this condition?” “Should we travel for other surgical
opinions?” “What if this is Jeff’s last birthday here on earth?”
But praise God, Sunday we celebrated Jeff’s birthday at our
home in Kampala, Uganda! God provided for our every need along the journey of
Jeff’s surgery, recovery and return to Uganda. In recent weeks, over and over
we have talked of God’s faithfulness. It is still fresh in our minds how God
miraculously carried us through all of that. We find it hard to believe that we
have been in Uganda six months already.
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| Celebrating God's Faithfulness |
So we had a party on July 3, Jeff’s birthday! Friends
gathered with us to celebrate God’s faithfulness and wish Jeff a happy birthday.
Our hearts were greatly encouraged as we shared evidence of God’s faithfulness
in our lives. We heard of God’s faithfulness in provision, in protection, in
comfort and in giving direction. We laughed together, wept, sang and prayed. We
are still basking in the blessings of that corporate worship of our God.
Another stone piled on the altar.
The third milestone in our mental altar is participation in
a 5K fun run/walk here in Kampala. July 4, we joined several of our WGM
colleagues and ran/walked a very user-friendly 5-K route in
solidarity with a church in Indiana that is also doing a Fourth of July 5-K fun
run/walk as a fundraiser. They are raising money for WGM Uganda to provide school
scholarships for orphans living on Buvuma Island in Lake Victoria.
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| Completing the 5-K run/walk |
We remember how last year during Jeff’s rehabilitation from
surgery we would encourage ourselves by planning to get Jeff’s stamina back to
the point where we could participate in a 5-K run/walk. And yesterday we did it, in
the hills of Kampala, no less. Jeff was able to run/walk for an average speed
of about 12-minute-miles. Hooray! Way to go, Jeff! One more stone gratefully
placed in worship of our God.
What milestones are you using to build your mental altar of
worship to God? Please share your story so we can rejoice with you.
God is faithful and we praise him!
Jeff and Christine
