Get Out of the Boat and Walk

Something has been on my heart lately. I can’t get it out of my head. And I have heard it talked about several times in just the past two weeks. I don’t know about you, but when I hear something more than once, I think it is something to listen to. Maybe God is trying to teach me something. I don’t literally hear God’s voice like people in the Old Testament would. I wish I did, but I don’t. I think everyone ‘hears’ his voice differently, but the way I hear God’s voice is through repetition.

So what God has been speaking to me lately is about staying focused on Him. Through the business of my everyday life, it is easy for me to forget that I am not doing life on my own. I’m not doing ministry on my own. The story of Peter walking on water has been brought up on several occasions in the past couple weeks. But the story doesn’t stop with just Peter walking on water. Peter would never have been able to do it without Christ, who was already walking on the water in the midst of the storm.

My mom used to have a book laying around the house when I was younger. I’m not sure if she still has it, and I never read it, but the title has always stuck in my mind: If You Want to Walk on Water You Have to Get Out of the Boat. I think about this all the time. I’m sure Peter was a little scared, if not terrified about getting out of the boat in the middle of a storm and having to trust that he would miraculously walk on the water with the Son of God. Talk about having to get out of your comfort zone! What great faith he had. What great power God has. I always wonder if I were in Peter’s place, if I would’ve been able to get out of the boat.

The truth is, I believe in our own ways, as believers in Christ, we are called to get out of the boat and walk on water every single day. Every day we struggle to get out of our comfort zones, be obedient to God, and walk on water. I was called to get out of the boat when God brought me to Africa. And I am called to walk on water every single day as I put every ounce of my strength into trusting that God will keep me from sinking. But there is only one way this can happen. And we can go back to Peter for this one way.

When Peter got out of the boat and began to walk, his eyes were on Jesus. He never took his eyes off him. But as soon as he did look away, he began to sink. It was not until he looked backed to Jesus and called out to Him that He was able to stand on the water again. This is powerful for me. As soon as he took his eyes off Jesus, he sank. It wasn’t hours after he took his eyes off Jesus. It wasn’t minutes, or even seconds. The very moment he turned away he sank. This is a powerful reminder to me that we don’t have time to turn away from Christ, because as soon as we do, we begin to sink. And we will sink deeper and deeper until we turn back to Jesus.

So as I work here in ministry, daily I am reminded that I can’t do this without Jesus. I stepped out of my boat when I left my home in California and came to Uganda. And I am struggling to walk on water every day in my ministry with the street boys. Sometimes I turn away, forgetting that everything that has been accomplished has only been done because of Christ. That is when I struggle. But I turn back to Jesus and realize that I am not alone. God is getting His hands dirty right through me in this work that He has called me to in Africa. He is standing on the water with me through the good times and the bad, through the calm waters and through the storm.

Oh, how wonderful it is to know that even when I look away, my Lord is standing on the water with His arms outstretched ready to reach down and pick me up out of the waters when I turn back to Him. What have I done to deserve the love and compassion of my God? Absolutely nothing! So every day I thank Him and praise Him for the strength He has given me to get out of the boat, and the grace He gives me to keep walking on water.   

We only have 10 days!!!

I am so excited about something that is coming to Kampala!

 

One of my many childhood memories I think about often, and when I look back, I always smile.

 

There is a play that my sisters and I, along with several of our childhood friends would watch

 

over

 

and

 

over again.

 

I remember us all gathering in the family room after a long day playing and we would watch

 

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!

 

This is an exciting and fun show about the story of Joseph in the Bible.

 

My friends,

 

this show is coming to Kampala!

 

I would love to share this opportunity with some of my street boys.

 

We try and do something special for the boys once every month.

 

This month, we will be taking 8 boys and 4 chaperones to this event at the local theater.

 

Would you like to help us?

 

Our goal is to raise $200.

 

But we have only 1 week to do it!

 

But I know with your help, we can do it!

 

For $20 you can sponsor one of my boys to go to the show. Your $20 will not only get a ticket into the theater, but will also provide him with a new outfit, pair of sandals and a meal.

 

You can send a tax deductible donation to this address: 

 

Stephanie Madrid

C/O Christ Presbyterian Church

24861 Tigris Lane

Hemet CA 92544

 

Checks can be made out to:

 Christ Presbyterian Church

 

 Make sure "Boy's Night Out" is entered as the memo so we can make sure your donation goes towards this event.

 

You can also make a non-tax deductible donation online at  

 

http://ssuubirefugeuganda.blogspot.com/

 

If you want to make a general donation towards our needs for this special day, you can make a donation in any amount and send it just as it says above.

 

Since we have so little time, if you are making a donation towards this event, please take the time to send me a quick email (madrid.stephanie60@gmail.com) and let me know so I can plan ahead.

 

Thanks so much for taking part in this special night out for the boys!

 

I'm so excited!

 

And remember...

 

We only have 10 days!!!

20 Year Struggle...

This isn’t the usually post you might see on my blog,

but since I usually write about what I am learning and how God is teaching me I thought I would share this.

This is something that I have long struggled with in my life (my parents can attest).

The daunting tasks that it requires will sometimes bore me or be too overwhelming to even interest me in beginning anywhere.

 I often find myself avoiding this at all costs, hoping things will improve

 tomorrow,

next week,

next month…

but it never does.

 I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m talking about.

Let me enlighten you.

I’m talking about

Keeping House.

Yes, you heard me right.

The conglomeration of many chores that some people find simple and routine sometimes feel too much for me to handle.

But I really can’t stand living in chaos.

It makes me crazy.

Recently, I was forced to take action in my own home.

 I could barely even walk in my front door (maybe a slight exaggeration...slight) .

I lost my chairs in the abyss and had nowhere to sit.

 I forgot there was a rug in my house (oh wait, there’s two!).

 Clothes hangers? How do those work?

Now, keep in mind I don’t have a huge house.

I have a sitting room, which doubles as a ‘kitchen’ (really just a table with a stove on top), and I have a bedroom and bathroom.

Pretty small. But it works well for me. And it was a mess.

Unsure of how to begin, I did the best thing I knew how to do in such a bewildering crisis; I googled.

“How to keep my house clean”

 “Organizational tips for small apartments”

 I even took to typing in “how to organize (insert section of house here i.e. closet, bathroom sink, shower, bed, refrigerator, etc.)

Pathetic? Probably.

Necessary? I thought so.

 While on Pinterest fantasizing about a cleaner house and looking at pictures of homes that seemed to be nicer and less dingy than mine,

I stumbled across a blog entitled Aqua Lane Design.

She had a wonderful blog post on how she keeps her house under control.

She had tips such as, "don’t go to bed without doing the dishes".

Sweep the floor after dinner every night.

Make your bed every day.

I was reading this and though it was revolutionary.

Of course I soon realized that it  really wasn’t.

These were things my mom had always taught me.

This was the way I grew up.

But in all honesty, I would rather feel the Ugandan sunshine on my face and enjoy the neighbors than be locked up alone in my house.

I sat in all seriousness, and wondering now if all my internet surfing had actually cleaned my house,

and with the realization that yes indeed, my mother was right again when it comes to keeping house (along with a boat load of other things).

I have a dear neighbor friend who lives on the same compound.

She sometimes sends her kids over to visit me.

She saw my house one day and I think she was scared that her kids would get lost in the abyss with my chairs and rugs if she ever sent them over unsupervised.

She encouraged me to clean up, and she helped me the whole way.

I was so thankful!

We got the work done rather quickly.

Now it’s clean, and I love my house! I enjoy being in it.

It is simple, but it works for my Ugandan life.  

I have enjoyed keeping it clean (I was up at 10:00pm last night cleaning and I was actually having fun!).

So, in an effort to keep the “theme” of the rest of my blog posts, what have I learned?

Well, mom is always right.

She knows how to keep house like a serious pro and I never had to go online to find out how to do it.

She definitely raised me right.

 I was simply in denial.

 Second, God has gifted me with such a beautiful little home on a beautiful compound in a country that I love, and I want to honor that and be a good steward.

 So here’s to my mom, and my new daily cleaning routine!

Praise God!

 

 

 

 

In Christ- My Home

   Well, I have been in America for the past two and a half months spending time with family and fundraising for my ministry, and in just one week I will be headed back to Uganda. This is such a bittersweet time for me. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to get back to Uganda- I can’t wait to get back to my boys- But there is also a part of me that aches at the thought of leaving my family in America yet again. Let me see if I can explain.

   For a while now I have been struggling with trying to find my home. If you were to ask me where I call home, I would answer without hesitation saying that Uganda is my home. This is where I have made my life, and more importantly, this is where God is calling me and where He has made my life. He has given me a family with the street boys and so many other people that I have been blessed to meet and get to know. When I was sitting at the airport in Uganda waiting for my flight to California, I was aching over the thought of having to leave this new family with whom God had blessed me.

Making memories with the kiddos!

    Now, I prepare to return to Uganda. I am leaving the family that has raised me and helped to make me the person I am today. It breaks my heart. I have three younger siblings that grow like weeds and I never know if I will even recognize them the next time I see them. I wonder if my parents’ eyeglass prescription will get a little stronger. I wonder if my sister will be pregnant with her second child, or if my new nephew will recognize me after I have been away for so long. I wonder if my dog is going to make it one more year. It hurts me to leave- this is my home, right?

My sweet 2 week-old nephew, Carter Alan.

   After living room conversations and Bible studies with my beloved family, I have come to the conclusion that I have no home; at least not an earthly one. Uganda is the place that I live most of the time, surrounded by the people I love. California is the place that I grew up and where my entire family lives.

   So, where is home? My home is in Christ. He is everything that I need. He is my provider, my comforter, my strength, my hope, my rest, my Father, and I can trust Him to remain faithful to me. What else do I need? Who else can provide everything that I need?

I live in Uganda. My family is in Uganda.

I live in America. My family is in America.

I live in Christ. He is my all.

This is the life that God has called me to.

Praise the Lord!

Waiting To Go Back

Praise God for new life!

 

I have been back in America for exactly 8 weeks today (not that I’m counting).

I have loved every second that I have spent with my family.

Staying up late making puzzles and playing games with my mom.

Working with my dad.

Running around with my little brother and sisters. Holding my first nephew, my sister’s son, just a few minutes after he was born.

I love my family.

But my heart aches for Uganda.

Uganda is my home.

I know this is where God has put me.

I have been spending the past 8 weeks spreading the word about what I am doing in Uganda.

This is mainly a fundraising trip.

I am raising money so that I can continue my work and hopefully reach out to people in different ways.

Speaking about my trip has often moved me to tears.

I miss the boys that I work with so much.

I can’t wait to get back to them.

I can’t wait to love on them.

These are my boys, and I can’t wait to get back to them.

Please be praying for me while I am in the states for the next few weeks.

Pray that the funds come in for my return trip.

Pray for the boys as we are apart and that they will be protected and taken care of.

Most of all, pray that they would know and love Jesus!

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas as we remember the birth of our Savior!

Trusting Fully

   One of the most important lessons that I have learned here in Uganda, it is to trust the Lord with everything that I am. I wish I could say that my entire life before coming here has prepared me for this lesson, but it hasn't. Not to say that I haven't trusted God before coming to Africa, but being here is a whole different ball game. Sometimes I feel a little crazy when I'm on my way home from the slums and praying quietly to myself asking God to let the power be on when I get home in hopes that I will be able to cook my supper and get some work done on my computer. I need to trust God when I go to the internet cafe and make sure the internet is working on that particular day. I need to trust that it won't rain so that my overwhelming amounts of dirty laundry can dry on the clothesline after I wash in a bucket for three hours out of my day. I need to trust that the boys are taken care of, and that someone will provide food for them when I'm not around that day. The list goes on. I have to trust in such a different way than I ever had to in the States. It's times like these when the world seems so big. Just a 24 hour plane ride away from the place that I used to call home, everything is so different; tradition, culture, religion, trust. Everyday is a new day- unexpected, somehow difficult, a new experience, another lesson learned, a new phrase of the language memorized, one more friend in the slums made, witnessing something beautiful.

   Life here is full of trust. It has to be. And I think it's exciting! I know that I can't make it through the day without spending some time in my Bible. It's incredibly difficult to filter through the sermons and theology taught here if I am not spending time reading a good book about Christianity. Living here has taught me something that was harder to grasp while I lived in the States; it's completely, fully, and absolutely NOT about me! Without Him, I can't even be here. And it is wonderful! It is relieving to know that He doesn't even expect me to be here and do it all on my own. He never intended for me to be in Africa trying to figure it out alone. He knows that I make mistakes, he's knows I'm not (and never will be) prefect, and he knows that I'm too weak and sinful to be here on my own. While this might sound depressing and discouraging, it's the best news any one could ever hear, because it doesn't end there. God was here before me, he is working before me, he chose me for this work, and I trust that His power will be made perfect in my weakness; His grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:5).

   The other day I was on a boda boda (motorcycle taxi) on my way into town and a man on the side of the road yelled out to me, “Mzungu (white folk)! You're good!”. It got me thinking. Am I good? This man doesn't know me. I could be a serial killer, a robber, a drug lord, a streaker, or I could have just gotten out of prison for urinating in public (which is actually not an illegal offense here in Uganda, and is part of everyday life to see someone taking care of business on the side of the road as you walk by). Okay, I realize I got a little crazy on that last bit, but my point is, that man had, and still has, no idea who I am. Truth is, I'm capable of being the worlds most dangerous killer that will show up on tonight's showing of Uganda's Most Wanted, or I could be the most notorious streaker in all the major cities combined, yet he still yelled to me that I'm good. I realize that he probably had other motives for yelling that to me, but it still got me thinking. I want people to see me and yell something different. Though I don't encourage anyone to yell “Mzungu” at me (it gets old after a while), I want someone to yell at me, “Mzungu! I see how God is using you in Uganda. And God is good through you! Rejoice that God chose you!” I'm probably dreaming to big to think that this would even be said to me as I pass by on a boda boda, but I think you get what I'm saying. It's just nice to know that He doesn't expect perfection from me, He doesn't expect me to save the world. It's not my job. My job is to follow His Word, and trust Him. His power is made perfect in my weakness, not my strength. What a great reminder! Praise the Lord! Mukama Ye Bazibwe!

Update from Uganda!

   I have been living in Uganda for almost three months now, and in this time, I feel that my heart has been broken so many times by the struggles of the people and the heartache that they have endured. But then there are the times when my heart has been put back together by seeing the joy and passion that fill the people here. I love every minute of it. Before coming to Uganda, I had some crazy idea in my head that when I got here, I would be teaching people here and be reaching out to them, but I’m going to be perfectly honest and say that many people here have spoken and taught me more deeply than I could ever dream about doing for another person. I hope that I can make even half the difference in their lives as they have made in mine.
    In the next few weeks I’m going to share with you some of the opportunities I’ve had in my time here! My hope is to speak to you of how I am growing; of how the Lord is teaching me. I want you to see into my heart and see how the Lord is challenging me.
I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of several different ministries while I have been here, and there is much to tell you all about. I came to Uganda under Rafiki Africa Ministries, which is a children’s home in Kampala (the capitol of Uganda) in a small village/town called Namugongo. The children’s home cares for 12 children that have been abandoned by their families or have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS and poverty. These children are beautiful inside and out and I have come to love each one of them more deeply than I ever thought possible. There are five precious girls and 7 feisty boys who all have very different personalities and it has been so special to me to get to know them all; their interests, their dreams, likes and dislikes, and the things that make them bust up laughing. Fauziya loves when I sing to her and she is terrible at staring contests because she can’t go five seconds without smiling and giggling. Annet loves when I speak Luganda (the local language) and she thinks it’s hysterical when I miss-pronounce the words she teaches me. Brenda thinks she’s a monkey and always jumps on me when she sees me as if I’m the mama monkey, even though she’s too big to carry around now. Esther get’s huge eyes when she gets excited and becomes speechless when you do something she likes. Carol is miss prim and proper and she loves everything to be just right; she’s the little lady in the house.
    Joshua dances every night and sings his heart out, I’m always surprised that he has any air left in his lungs. Joel is quiet and reserved, but when you get to know him he lets himself go which is a beautiful sight; he loves to draw and to be held, even though he’s almost too heavy now! Oscar is a smarty-pants; ask him anything and he probably knows the answer; his nickname in the house is Professor and he giggles every time he hears it. Cocus loves hugs and he pretty much lives for any moment he can get to cuddle with someone. Jerom smiles constantly and thinks that "play dough" is really called "potatoes" (and that just cracks me up!). Don is a surfer dude and he’s a little punk (the good and funny kind of punk); whenever he comes home from school he’s the only one that doesn’t have his shirt tucked in. He’s a prankster and I think it’s adorable! Emma is tiny (I just want to clear this up- in Uganda, Emma is a common boy’s name); he has a tiny raspy voice and loves being the baby in the house, being held and being completely spoiled.
    I wish you could get to know these kids. I love them dearly! A few weeks ago I was sitting on the ground while the kids were running around playing and a couple of them jumped in my lap and started laughing uncontrollably, I was suddenly overwhelmed with this feeling that I would do just about anything for these kids. The Lord as given me a special love for them and they will always have a place deep in my heart.
    Another ministry that I have been able to work with is called Sanyu Babies Home. Sanyu is located in downtown Kampala. They house babies and toddlers who have been orphaned or abandoned. It’s always heartbreaking to spend time there. This is the oldest babies home in Uganda. They have grown in children faster than they have grown in resources and you can only imagine what sort of outcome that has. These babies need so much love and attention and there just aren’t enough people to give it to them appropriately. I’m still not sure how to help there more effectively, but for right now I am there once a week for a few hours doing laundry, mopping, playing with the babies, and feeding them all during lunch time.
    I am also involved in another ministry called A Perfect Injustice (API) and I love every minute of it! This ministry works with street boys who live in a slum in Kampala. These boys have been in the streets for years and for many of them, that kind of life is better than the life they had at home. These boys collect scraps and sell them for an incredibly small amount of money and many of them use that money to buy drugs. API has “project days” (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) when the boys all get together and meet at a church (more of a roof with two walls made out of scrap sheet metal) in the middle of a slum. On these days they have a school lesson, game time, worship, and a Bible lesson before being served dinner. Rachel (a girl that I work with) and myself are in charge of the Monday program. Every week I plan a school lesson and then we play games and Rachel plans a Bible lesson. The rest of the time we hang out with the boys- building relationships which they so desperately need. The other day I was walking down a road in Kampala and I ran into a few of the street boys. We were excited to see each other and stopped in the middle of the busy sidewalk to talk. Street kids aren’t hard to miss. It’s sad to say, but they are usually dirty and they wear clothes that look like they’ve been around the world a few times over the past century. People usually avoid them, so you can only imagine how people were reacting when a Mzungu (the word used for a white person) stopped to have a conversation with them in the midst of afternoon traffic. In less than a few seconds a group of people surrounded us and I was a little nervous about what might happen. Nonetheless, I was determined to talk with these boys. They’re my friends, and I wasn’t going to ignore them because people were watching. I would trust these boys with my life- I love them so much! They are good kids and I’m not going to let anybody tell me otherwise. As soon as we finished our conversation I started walking away and the crowd around us began walking as well, whispering to one another, and I knew it was about me talking to the boys. But honestly, I trust those boys more than I would trust a lot of people. They’re good. I know they do things that are wrong, but don’t we all? I’m going to keep spending time with them and it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks! I’m happy to say that I am now able to spend two days a week with these boys at API instead of the one day that I have been spending with them for the past 3 months. I’m really excited to spend some extra time with them!
    Our God is amazing! He is doing great things in Uganda! I am so blessed beyond belief that he is letting me be a part of it! I want to thank you all for your support. Because of you, I get to be here in God’s presence. Because of you, I see miracles. Because of you, my heart breaks every day for the needs of the people. And because of your support, I get to be apart of meeting those needs.
    I would love to hear from you all. I want to hear how the Lord is speaking to you. If you have any questions, I want to hear them. If you are interested in more information about a specific program or organization I am working with, please let me know! Email me any time. I hope you are all being blessed this year!

madrid.stephanie60@gmail.com

If you would like to read more about any of these ministries on your own, check out these websites:

Rafiki Africa Ministries

~http://www.rafikiministries.org/

~http://rafikiministries.blogspot.com/

A Perfect Injustice

~ http://www.aperfectinjustice.com/#!

~http://aperfectinjustice.blogspot.com/

Sanyu Babies' Home

~http://www.sanyubabies.com/index.html