No Language Barrier

So my final master's classes have started so I went from busy to "hair on fire" no time to put it out busy.  I've said it before and I will say it again, busy is the story of my life.  Today, right now is a perfect time to put this post out.  It allows me to connect with so many of you who are like minded and like hearted about being in the transformative presence of the Most High.  I sense that when I get together with so many of you, that there is an understanding and excitement that exudes from you that can't and quite frankly shouldn't be contained.  So I'm going to just share a fun and awesome story tonight.
Back in July of 2010, I took my first mission trip ever, it was to Uganda.  Most people start small, but not Justin Williams.  80 miles away, 8800 miles away, whats the difference.  To be very honest, while I was excited to go to Uganda, I certainly thought that this would just be one short term trip and I'd be done with Africa.  That was my plan and I believe to this day that God lovingly still laughs at my agenda during that time.
When we arrived in Uganda, I was hit with a little bit of culture shock, I thought, "Justin, what are you doing here?  What do you really know about Uganda?  What on earth makes you think you can make a difference in this place?  I wrestled all night with those questions, yet it would soon become very apparent why I had come.  For the next two weeks, God allowed me an intersection with Ugandan culture that I am and will forever be grateful to Him for.  Every time I got an opportunity to meet with Ugandans, there was something that just pierced my heart with an inexpressible joy to be enjoying the privilege of these people.  Even the smell was a comfort.  At first, you didn't like the smell of Uganda, then you got used to it, then by the time I was flying home, I was aching for it because it meant that they were near.
It is hard to pick one moment that stands out among the rest, but for the sake of this post, I will give you one. One of the ministries of World Gospel Mission and Men With Vision is out on the Buvuma Islands.  The main Buvuma Island is roughly 19 miles long and 6 miles across.  There is no electricity or running water on the islands.  This is where God brought me to an experience that resides as fresh in the back of my mind as the day that it happened.  We had been cleaning and painting for about four days and during that time, we got to know many of the kids from the school and from Kikongo village which was very close to where we were.  They would come and spend time with us and we were so blessed to have them with us.  It was very tough because we had a language barrier between us.  It didn't stop us from playing games and having good times, but it was difficult because I wanted to know their stories.

On our last night on the Island, I was finishing up a classroom when behind me I heard the shuffling footsteps of kids.  There were about 60 of them standing behind me, silently watching me and smiling.  I didn't know what to do, so I drew a heart with brown paint and began to write the name Jesus in it.  Before I could finish His blessed name, one of the children in clear English said, "Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world".  My eyes just welled up and then the gut check came.  At this young man's declaration every child in that room proclaimed Amina-Amen.

They left the room and I sat much  like I imagine Mary did pondering all the great things that were going on. I wept for a while that God privileged me enough to come and have that connection with these children.  I was frustrated because I wanted to communicate with them, but God's name knows no language barrier.  Jesus pierced my heart on the spot as I began to desire to see these kids grow in Him, lean on Him, live in Him.  It was there that God confirmed to me that I should come to Uganda and be apart of what He is doing in this nation.
Friends, I wouldn't trade that moment for any worldly luxury known to man.  That 3 minutes of experiencing God in Uganda is precious to me.  God is so good.  YESU AMALA-Jesus is enough!!!!