Rescued From DarknessÖrnek

A More Personal Relationship

God wants to have a more personal relationship with us.

Africa has taught me that one of the best ways for me to have this more personal relationship with God is to have a personal relationship with the poor.

Jesus taught the same thing when he said that whenever we care for the hungry, thirsty or forgotten, we are actually caring for him (Matthew 25:33-40).

Africa has also taught me that the poor want friendship even more than food. They want to know they aren't alone... just like every human being. The poor need material help, but they cry out for something more than that. They are crying out for a personal relationship with you... just like God.

Building a Bridge to Uganda

That's why I love the work of Building a Bridge to Uganda in this film.

They aren't building schools in Uganda. They aren't digging wells in Uganda. They aren't reforming Uganda.

Instead, they are building friendships with Ugandans and then out of those friendships schools, wells and reforms are emerging by the grace of God (instead of their own plans). They are simply an organization serving as a bridge for Christian friendships instead of an organization with all the answers.

Missionaries to Themselves

Pope John Paul II, whom the school in this film is named after, once said to the Ugandan people: "You must become missionaries to yourselves." That is exactly what Building a Bridge to Uganda does: help Ugandans help themselves or be missionaries to themselves. It's one of the most empowering things to behold.

To honor this vision, we resolved when making this film that the Ugandan students, teachers, and community would do everything from narration, to music, to explaining their experience instead of having Americans do it for them.

It really is an Ugandan film made by God with the help of some American friends. And I absolutely love that about this film God created through us.

Think and Pray

Listen to this priest, who was abducted as a child during a genocide in Uganda, explain how God has used obedience to Jesus' words in Matthew's Gospel to change his community in this brief video from Rescued from Darkness.

Then ask God these two questions in prayer:

1. Who are the poor in body or spirit God wants me to grow in a relationship with?
2. Who are the people God wants me to help become missionaries to themselves?