Life Changing

“This is going to be a life changing trip for you!”  That is a message that I have heard many times over the past couple of months – most recently was on my flight back from Florida yesterday.  It is interesting how many times I find myself speaking passionately about wanting to help people that I have never met in a country (let alone continent) I have never visited.  Without exception, the response from people is the same – this is going to be a life changing trip.

When I was saved, THAT was life changing.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.”  I remember clearly that experience of becoming a new creation and how my life was changed forever when I met Jesus Christ as my savior and was forgiven of my sin.  In a moment, the message of the gospel and the truth of Jesus Christ transformed me and I was different – it was truly a life changing event.

For myself, the trip to Uganda is about the people of Uganda and how I can, even in a small way, be a part of God performing life changing work for the people there.  My prayer has been and continues to be that God use our team to share the same gospel that changed me to change people’s lives in Uganda.  How?  I don’t know for sure – each member of our team are stepping out in faith here.  I don’t expect that I can set foot on the continent of Africa, with all of the issues they have been struggling with for generations, and expect to turn things around in 2 weeks.  If we can help one person, if we can encourage one church, if we can enable one pastor, if we can make one life better, if one person is saved as a result of our sharing the same gospel that saved me – we will be part of God’s life changing work.

But, all of that really isn’t up to us, it is up to God.  We need to go faithfully to where He has sent us and be the evidence of changed lives. Being part of God’s work is life changing, and that is what I want for this trip, what we all want.

We are looking forward to the commissioning by the church on Sunday, knowing that we are going with the full blessing, support and prayers of Canby Christian Church to Uganda and the village of Kachungwa.  Only a couple of days now…

Dave