Faith, Family And Football Challengeনমুনা

BE PRESENT!

I traveled to Africa with one of my video crews to help an NGO tell their story of serving the poor in Uganda.  I have been in lots of situations like this since I tend to be the guy that can throw a backpack full of camera gear on my back and go find the stories that impact people to get involved with these kinds of organizations.  This one day, we were going into the slums of Kampala to interview a girl whose parents were killed by rebels and she was taking care of her five younger brothers and sisters while attending school.  I sent my crew in to get the story while I decided I would stay with our driver and get some cover shots of the area that we could use for our documentary.  

It is not uncommon for people to come out and yell at me while I’m shooting. In some cultures they are offended that you would take their picture or they want money - any number of reasons.  This lady came out and was talking loudly at me in a language I could not understand.  I usually just pretend that I’m done with my work and get up and leave without interacting with the angry person.  But my driver said to me, “She wants you to come with her.”  Confused, I asked him, “Should I?”  He nodded, and so reluctantly I went with the woman deep into the slums.  

We walked briskly through very narrow alleyways filled with tiny wooden and corrugated aluminum shelters passing prostitutes and drug deals with raw sewage running down the path.  Twists and turns, I was beginning to worry that I might never get back to the driver and our van.  But then, we popped through this blanket, and there were six children happily rolling out cookie dough with a Coke bottle and frying them up on a small stove making cookies.  As the woman smiled at me for joining her, a young girl handed me a fresh cookie.  Their faces lit up as I ate it and laughed and made motions to thank them while truly enjoying their hospitality.

As I arrived back at the van, and said goodbye to the children and the woman, my driver approached me.  “Do you realize you have changed their lives forever?”  “Huh?” I said dumbfounded.  “You have raised their status in this area. They will talk for generations about the day the “rich” man came to be with them. You have blessed them greatly!”  I was broken, literally to tears.  I am nobody, and yet God chose me to be there at that time, using my driver friend, to pull me way out of my comfort zone to serve Him.  Just my obedience, trusting God to allow me to go into their space and join them in their time was a blessing I had no idea I had in me.  It wasn’t about me.  It was about them.   So I say to you, be present with the Lord every day, every hour, every minute, tuned into what He will have you do that might be a surprise blessing to others.  

ASK: Invite God to join you in this time.

READ: PSA.86

WRITE: This is by far the longest reading in this plan so far. Take some notes on the things that stood out for you in this passage, the things that may have meaning for you in your life.   

MEDITATE:  Pray that God would help you understand these things that you wrote down, AND to show you new things in His word that you may have never considered or understood before.  Be open to some new thoughts and viewpoints!

VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/129713008 Russell Wilson, Super Bowl Winning QB