Welcome!

Hi,
Its Cristin
I had the privilege last week of sharing with the women of First Baptist my trip to Uganda. Coming home from Africa has been a process...unable to explain my thoughts to others, having too many moments flooding my mind, ideas, visions for the future, convictions and challenges plaguing my heart. I asked the Lord to help me relay my story in a clear applicable way! A chance to share my story but more importantly challenge myself and others to change the way we view Faith!
FAITH....my story of Africa. I thought I knew what it was, I thought I knew what it looked like lived out.... I was wrong!
I welcome you to read my story...my story of TOO MUCH FAITH!

*** There are several pages so when you get to the end click "older posts" to continue reading
*** my story ends on "headin home" the next posts are from John while we were in Africa...you are welcome to read those as well!

Here We GO!!!

First two days were difficult for me. From our first bus ride to our hotel, to the trip to town for a little shopping, my eyes saw too much. Too many people, too many children, too many without shoes, too many without clothing, too many digging through the trash only to share a banana between three young boys, too many babies, too many in need, too many tears I cried those first two days, too many thoughts that haunted me.









Then Sunday morning rolled around and everything changed. As we pulled up to our literally “underground church” I saw too many children with the biggest smiles, too many hands to hold, too many high fives to give out and as we descended down the stairs to church we were greeted with too many hugs, too many smiles, too many hands to shake, too many voices worshipping, too many feet dancing, too many hands raised to the heavens, too many songs sung to the King, too many hearts on fire, too much faith to contain in one room. That was the beginning of the most beautiful week of my life.
The week where the Lord began to reveal to me TOO MUCH FAITH!

Let the Great Week Begin

arly Monday morning I awoke with a terrible stomach bug…that’s the moment I knew God had something big in store and someone wanted me to have nothing to do with it. I went anyway…taking it easy though.
We were greeted once again by the most beautiful children you could ever lay eyes on…they escorted us down the stairs and into the church. They were shoved back as we made our way to the front where the women had set aside chairs off to the side for us to sit in, but never loosing sight of us. The kids kept their eyes locked on us as we listened to the first speaker….we would look back and make faces as often as we could. Once worship began we could no longer contain ourselves…several of us got up and made our way to the back to sing songs to our Jesus with little ones by our side!
Oh to worship like a child, in Uganda even the adults do:)

(these two hung out with us all week)



(playing peek a boo...with a little one across the room)

My friend Shannon and I decided we would stay in the back with the young ones while the next teacher got up…thinking that might keep them quiet and less distracting…we were wrong. Oh I am so glad I did not miss that first day….they made circles around us. They touched our hands, our elbows, our earrings, our hair. They were fascinated by the smallest things we did. Silly hand shakes, funny faces, they loved it all. I kept thinking to myself….so this is how we will be in heaven! Sitting at the feet of God wanting to touch him, in awe and wonder! Oh to have faith like a child!! To love unconditionally, to forgive quickly, to believe our father can do no wrong, to be fascinated by everything the father does!!!


As we sat there I began to witness the mothers and women of the church reprimanding the children for being too loud. They would poke them with a stick or shoosh them, if a child began to cry the oldest sibling would have to take the child outside….my heart broke for the young ones; how they were at times a burden, a distraction, an inconvenience. God began to stir something in my heart that I couldn’t let go of.

Shannon and I decided there was no way we could not do something with the children so we decided that from then on we would do a small children’s program once a day!!

Let the Program Begin

Tuesday morning rolled around and after worship we took the young ones out to the school across the street and into a “classroom” basically an 8x10 metal shed with benches. The children piled in!!!


We sung some songs and told some stories about Jesus! It was a very short but sweet time with them. We were given the chance to share the gospel and tell of our Great and powerful God that does miracles and loves all of them. Many raised their hands wanting to accept Jesus….oh a child like Faith! No questions or concerns just pure belief in Jesus! We gave them a chance to perform a song to the group, to share a bible story if they knew one, to come up front and sing and dance with us! They loved it all and we enjoyed every minute. It was a beautiful experience to be singing songs and to look over and make eye contact with just one child, to give a smile or make a quick silly face and watch their eyes light up!





They desired personal attention, affection, love, significance, and an intimate smile just for them, a single touch! Another reminder of how much I desire that from my God! The Lord again began to burden me with the message of motherhood. He laid it on my heart to share with the women what a privilege, responsibility and important ministry it is to be a mother …that children are a gift, a blessing and to remind them how God views HIS children. Shannon and I decided that after I would share with the women on Friday we would have the young ones come down and perform a few songs for the mommas…so the rest of the week consisted of us teaching the little ones two songs that they would perform…. along with more stories, more silly games, more conversations, more hugs, more funny faces, more friendships made, …oh how I loved making eye contact with one, watching them smile and hide behind a brother or sister but you know they just wanted more!!







I asked them if they knew a song and a few of them broke out with this...the rest joined in...I love their voices!!

Change of Plans

Wednesday came and plans had changed a little. Two from our group had become ill and had to stay at the hotel, so we were needed to help run the small groups with the women. Feeling completely unprepared and unqualified I unknowingly stepped into the group with the “pastor’s wives”. WHAT? Oh dear, does someone want to trade? No? awesome.


One of the women from our group had taught on the “woman at the well”…so I asked the women if they had ever experienced a one on one intimate moment with Jesus. Every woman had a story! They have all met with their Lord in a personal way…He spoke over them as they were cooking, He healed their children from several diseases, He has kept their family free of sickness from the AIDS they carry. These women have experienced life! Life with hardships, trials, death, illness, some of these pastors wives are now widows carrying for their 10 children all on their own, without a home …and yet PRAISING THEIR FATHER IN HEAVEN! And I thought taking a trip to Africa was FAITH. They are grateful for a God who listens, for a God who answers their prayers, A God who speaks to them, a God who provides! As they spoke all I could do was ask God to give me the right words to encourage and to pray over them. Knowing all along that they were teaching me far more then I could ever try to teach them. I was the student at the feet some of the most beautiful teachers I had ever laid eyes on!





As I listened to one who is an outcast due to epilepsy , (she is shunned and rejected even at her church where she is the pastors wife, because it is seen as a curse) all I could tell her was that her Father in heaven does not waste anything. That she has been given an opportunity to be the change in her culture. To be the ambassador for those with this illness, to be a voice to those who have been shunned, to show compassion because she first was shown compassion. I did my best to encourage the pastors wives that they have all been given a difficult road to travel, but they have been given an opportunity to live life in such a way that when others look at their circumstances but then see their faith withstand, that those who are watching will be able to do nothing but PRAISE THEIR GOD! That when we are in a ministry position many eyes are on us. Many are watching our every move, both believers and unbelievers and the enemy wants nothing more then to watch us fall but if we choose to have Faith we cannot be shaken. Oh the message of the week for me….FAITH!

Sobering Day

Thursday we spent time with the children in the morning but needed to begin collecting prayer requests for the bookmarks we were going to make! Thursday was a sobering day as I sat their on my pretty little lap top and listened to each woman one by one share their requests to me….my heart began to sink into the pit of my stomach. I was so grateful their was a translator sitting in between us because I do believe I would have just turned to each woman and begun sobbing like a baby over them….praying over them and frankly making a fool of myself. Oh the faith of these women are far too great! They would ask for prayer with a smile on their face, for God to heal them of their AIDS, for God to build them a home to live in, for their husband to show favor to them as they are the 2nd wife in the marriage, for salvation for their families, for their husband to return as he has left them alone, for stomach aches during their monthly period, for headaches, demon possession, witch doctors to leave them alone, being poisoned, without food, sick and dying. Little ones asking for wisdom in school as well as being sponsored in school so they can further their education! These women believe that if you pray God will answer!! Their faith in Christ is all they have to live for!!



(this women sang a song to her Jesus, thanking us for coming to Uganda....love her)

(two young girls came to sing songs to jesus...so sweet)
I was able to witness something truly amazing that day….during our time of worship I watched a young girl come up to one of the women leaders of the church. I watched as they began to pray, I saw passion and even as we shouted to the lord I could hear those two in the corner praying…later on that week the woman was able to share with me what happened. She told me of the young girl who has terrible stomach aches…she asked if the girl was hungry, she said no. She asked if she needed water, she said no. She asked her if she believed God could heal her of her pain, she said yes. She asked if she believed that this could be an attack from the enemy, the young girl said yes. The woman began to pray, she said that as she prayed she began to feel a tightening in her stomach and that she was confident that the pain was from the enemy. After the prayer the young girl said she felt much better but the woman said her stomach hurt. She said she began to pray and worship and told the enemy that he had no place in her and by the end of the worship song, her stomach ache was gone!!
She asked what we do for stomach aches and I was embarrassed to tell her we take Mylanta.
They have prayer and faith we have pills and doubts!

That is Bernadette the woman who prayed over the young girl!

Finishing the Week

Friday rolled around and I had the chance to share with the woman…it was a super neat time! I had the chance to tell them how much I loved my children but at the same time how often they could frustrate me and how I always needed to be careful how I disciplined, reminding myself that these are not my children but the Lords. That they have been entrusted to me for a time but I am responsible with how I care for them. I encouraged them to be careful in their discipline and to make sure it is never done in sin. How in their culture, children are extra hands around the house and will soon bring the family money as they sell their daughter off in marriage but in Gods eyes they are a blessing, a treasure, His bride. At the end I shared Mark 10:13…How Jesus rebuked the disciples and had the children come to him. He took them in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. At that time the children came down to sing songs before their God and we had the chance to pray over them. It was a truly sweet time!



little ones practicing earlier that week!

I was so grateful that God had given me a chance to share. I had many conversations afterwards with women who struggled with the issue of discipline! I was encouraged that God chose to use me to speak to His women.

The team we had this week was unbelievable! The women who taught were such a blessing. They made God's word so relatable and applicable. God truly spoke through each one to the point that every time I had a chance to listen I was being fed as well:) Their hearts were so pure and their love for these women were so evident. Each of us had a chance to speak to the women at some point and each one that spoke God used in a mighty way. Each of us had women coming and thanking us for the message we had...that it was something they were going through or struggling with. God had something to tell His women of Uganda and we had the chance to be a part of that!



That last day was a beautiful time of celebration, we danced, we sang, we danced some more, so we worshipped some more! I was truly blown away by the hearts of these women. That I had the chance to hear each and everyone’s hearts through their prayer requests and despite every trial there was a smile on every face and a song on every tongue. They know their God, they have heard Him speak, He walks with them, they talk with Him, they can’t get enough teaching, they want more of his word. Their God is far bigger and than mine. Their Faith is far bigger than mine. And I want what they are having. Cause they have life in Christ!!! They have true Faith!





Then it was goodbye to the women and little ones in the village. Many needed to head home so they could not attend our Saturday session. So we gave our last hugs and goodbyes...until next time:)




Friday night we met with the women leaders of the church who hosted us that week. They had dinner with us and we shared about the week, shared ideas for next year, and how we could encourage them in their women’s ministry!
These women are opening an account, contributing what they can so that they can start a business of making cakes, and selling them so that they can raise money to purchase flour, sugar, food for the orphans and widows that they go evangelize to. Not just giving them the word of God but giving them an act of love. They are the living breathing ACTS church.

Saturday was a great closing day to pass out bookmarks, bibles, our men had time to answer questions that man of the pastors had... and give one last goodbye to all the beautiful faces and shared one last meal! We combined the pastors and the women together, so there were close to 400 people on Saturday, as some had to head back to their homes on friday! They thanked God for those who gave so that we could come. They thanked God for those who prayed over this trip! We were so blessed!












They had a time of Praise to God for those who gave and those who prayed for this conference! They knew it could not have been done if it were not for those who supported us getting to Uganda!!