Africa in the Rear View Mirror

I have been home a week now from my time in Africa. I am fighting a nasty and uncomfortable intestinal parasite and avoiding any internet research that will only make me even more uncomfortable. And last night, all I could think to say between my sighs of discomfort was "Jesus is worth it!"

That's not a conditioned Christian response, it's just genuinely what my response was. From my gut, literally. For 2 weeks I traveled through Sudan, Uganda, and Ethiopia to investigate on my own what crazy things Jesus is up to in that part of the world. Let me tell you, HE IS PRESENT...

He is present in the pain,
in the poverty,
in the healing,
in the community,
in the heartbreak,
in the sickness,
in the church,
in the hunger,
in the orphanages,
in the widow's home,
in the recovery of alcoholics,
in the life of Birukti,
in the X-prostitutes' eyes,
in the mosque (trust me, He's THERE...),
in the homecomings of refugees...
JESUS IS PRESENT!

Whether we know about it over here in America, whether we participate in it (from home or while abroad), whether we ever believe it is even possible... Jesus is CONSTANTLY transforming broken lives in these countries. Jesus is hard at work moving, engaging, stirring, and above all LOVING the people in this corner of the world. As a witness, I testify that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever... a surrendered servant who loves the "least of these".