While in Uganda, Adventures Staff Lauren Massey met a little girl she will never forget.
God is not boring. God is adventurous, surprising, and loves to leave us in awe of His goodness.
Heading to Uganda, I didn’t plan on doing a week of ministry with one of the World Race teams. I didn’t even know it would be an option. When the time came for me to decide, my spirit quickly said, “Yes!”
But I’ll be honest, my mind freaked out.
I had a moment of, “I’m sorry, what?! What did you just say yes to?!” I felt some fear but I knew this was where God wanted me, so I was going.
The first few days of ministry were at Rhino Camp, a South Sudanese refugee camp in Northern Uganda. Uche, our contact, had an orphanage in South Sudan. When the war broke out the children and staff had to flee to Uganda. They are all now refugees in a foreign land.
Uche wanted us to sit with the kids, ranging from 5-18 years old, and talk to them. As they shared their stories with us, we would listen.
Though we weren’t capable of completely healing their wounds, we did what we could to help them start to heal; we gave them a safe place to open up and share, to be honest and real about what they’ve faced and how they feel.
We talked about the shame that can come from what’s happened to us and how it’s not from God. We talked about the truth of who God says we are. And we prayed with them. God is the ultimate Healer and Comforter, so we prayed for His presence and guidance in their lives.
It wasn’t about fixing them or their problems because, let’s be honest, we can’t. It was about letting them know they weren’t forgotten. It was letting them know that they are loved deeply and showing them that by giving them our time and attention.
The stories were heartbreaking. The things these children have gone through that put them in the orphanage are bad enough—and now they’ve had to flee their home to save their lives. I can’t begin to imagine facing the hardships they are.
There was one little girl I know God had me there for: Cecilia. She is 5 years old and doesn’t speak a word of English.
When we first arrived, she was curious about us but shy. She’d stand close by but look away when you tried to talk to her. Eventually she warmed up to me and let me hold her.
Though she still wouldn’t look at me, she wouldn’t let me put her down. So I held her, talked to her, and even danced with her until the Mamas (caregivers) took her to get ready for bed.
It was then that one of the pastors told me her story: she lost her mother, father, and younger sibling in a very tragic way. She was so young when it all happened that she’s never really known love or affection.
I knew in that moment God brought me here to love this little girl and speak truth into her life.
The next day, anytime I was holding her or had her in my lap, I spoke whatever God laid on my heart to say, “Cecilia you are deeply loved. Cecilia you are beautiful. Cecilia you are so worthy.”
The whole time I was talking to her I was praying, “God you are more powerful than any language barrier. Let your truth overcome and take root in the depths of this girl’s heart.”
As time went on, she became much less shy and started laughing and talking non-stop. I only wish I could understand what she was saying!
My last morning there, we split into guys and girls to say goodbye. One of the girls on the World Race team had made bracelets and wanted to pass them out. Cecilia had been on my lap the whole time, so I grabbed a bracelet and tied it on her wrist first.
As I kept tying bracelets on the other girl’s wrists, Cecilia jumped off my lap and walked away. A couple minutes later she came back, got back on my lap and grabbed my wrist.
She then proceeded to put a rubber band on my wrist. My heart couldn’t take it. Such a simple act of love from this sweet little girl. I was amazed. I watched as older girls took bracelets from the younger ones or tried to hide theirs to get a second one. But not this precious little girl.
She went and found what she had so she could give something back.
I still have that rubber band and will never throw it away. It is such a beautiful reminder of how simple, yet meaningful, an act of love can be. It doesn’t have to be some huge, grand gesture. It’s all about your heart.
When we know God’s deep love for us, we can’t help but act out of that love. It is such a powerful and life-changing thing. The love Cecilia showed me that day will stick with me forever.
Please join me in praying for the hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Cecilia is just one of many who have been forced out of their homes and placed into difficult living conditions. On top of that, there is a major drought in Uganda and water is scarce. Pray for their rivers to fill and flow with water again.
*1st photo by Justin Marshall
Do you have a heart for what God is doing in Africa? Check out our adult summer mission trips to Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Swaziland, South Africa, and Zambia HERE!
