Living Water

Happy Monday, lovelies! Today, I'm linking up with my friend Sybil for Make A Difference Mondays, and talking about water. 

This past weekend, some girlfriends and I ran the first annual Vines Into Water 5K up in gorgeous Los Olivos {aka: wine country}.

This race was put on by causelife, an organization that seeks to provide clean water for those in developing countries, an issue that now carries more weight in my heart after seeing its gravity first hand.

In case anyone's new around here {hello!}, I was beyond blessed to go on a mission trip to Kisoro, Uganda earlier this year. I can't even to begin to explain the effect this had on my heart. 

There were two days that our villages hosted medical clinics, where our incredible team of doctors and nurses were able to serve this community in their mission field. During these days, I saw the effects of malnutrition for my very own eyes. 

You know what else I saw though? I saw the love of Jesus at work. I saw the look of unbelievable graciousness in a father's eyes when his son received medical attention. And the look of joy in eyes that saw clearly for the first time in who knows how long with the aid of a new pair of glasses. 

His love heals. Sometimes bodies, but always hearts. And what a crazy privilege that we have to be a part of that?

Today, I want to share how you can be a part of helping to provide clean water to those who don't have access to it. The very team that I was incredibly humbled and blessed to be a part of is actively engaged in this mission, and you can join them. 

Fuel Uganda is committed to bringing Christ's love to Karamoja, Uganda through clean drinking water. Their well-drilling efforts are providing the drinking water, and Christ Himself is providing the Living water for community transformation. 

Watch the video here to see exactly what incredible things are happening over there, and be moved by the desperate need for clean water sources. 

Feel your heart tug? Get involved! You can give here, and trust me, with how Spirit-lead this organization is, you will be making a difference. 

Same Love, Different Place

Hey, remember that time I went to Africa, and it took me nearly 2 weeks to actually sit down and write about the part where I was in Africa? 

Yeah, about that. 

Time to start writing. 

***

I love the world of blogging. I love that I can meet someone for the first time in a Washington DC airport, hop on a plane to Africa, and spend nearly 2 solid weeks sharing every awake and asleep moment together, and it feels totally normal. 

I love that Christ can bring someone into my life from across the country, and somehow, despite many differences in our lives and our testimonies, we just get each other. Our friendship just effortlessly flows over gchat or texting or phone conversations, and the first time we hug feels like any other reunion between long time friends. 

I love Diana. And I'm thankful that she allowed me to share in this amazing adventure that God cooked up. 

{Also, it's her birthday today. So wish her the happiest of birthdays!}

I wore that outfit for a lot longer than I'd care to admit. And luckily, I couldn't admit it if I tried. Going between so many different time zones, your guess is as good as mine. 

Getting off that plane in Ethiopia was beyond surreal. For a girl who has never gone out of the country (besides Mexico and Canada, and I don't remember either trip very well so that totally doesn't count), just being in a place where English wasn't the primary language was a big deal. 

Add in the fact that I was heading off to share the gospel in Uganda and mind = blown. Why God chose to bless me with this opportunity, I will only be able to ask Him in heaven. Lord knows He didn't need me to accomplish anything that He accomplished on this trip. 

I so wish I could time travel back to myself. Not to change anything, there's God's glory written in every detail of my testimony. But I wish I could just go back and look that girl in the eye, smile, and say I know what you're looking for. In that drink, or that man, or your friendships. I know what your heart is yearning for, and you just wait. You're going to find it, and so much more. 

We drove from Rwanda to Uganda, ate a quick dinner, packed up some medical supplies, and went to bed. I think all of us were praising the Lord for a bed and a pillow after all of that traveling. 

The next day, we spent time together as an entire team before breaking off into smaller ministry groups. That day was devoted to experiencing Fuel Uganda's pygmy project. Just the other day, I watched the video on their website. Tears fell from my eyes as the gravity of what I witnessed came back to me, and more importantly, the reminder of what an incredible blessing it was to see this in person. I don't think words can truly capture what God is doing here, but that won't stop me from trying. 

The pygmies were living in the forest until the government relocated them to create a gorilla refuge in the 90s. They're currently living in the slums of Kisoro, understandably struggling to adapt to their new home. If you watch the video on Fuel Uganda's webpage (link above), you can see the conditions.

The relocation effort is completely changing the lives of these people. We were able to visit some of the families that are in the transition process, and we were blessed to hear them share.

As I listened to this man share, the world felt a whole lot smaller. Sure, he was beyond thankful for Fuel Uganda, and for the help of everyone involved with the relocation efforts. But you know who he was mainly thankful for? God. 

Not only are homes being built, but scripture is being shared. These people are not just given a new home, they're given Living Water from the King of kings to run in that new home. They know who is responsible for the transformation that they're experiencing, and it's no organization. It's Jesus Christ. 

Hearing about how Jesus is transforming these lives, I couldn't help but reminisce over how He has transformed mine. It may be a different continent, but it's the same love having the same crazy, life changing, powerful impact. 

My restoration process might look different than theirs, but restoration is restoration.

Transformation is transformation. 

And freedom is freedom. 

And on that day, standing in Kisoro, Uganda, I was thankful for all three.