A young woman went out in faith to fulfill the Great Commission in Uganda. Find out how God worked through her and be encouraged to reach out to those around you regardless of your circumstances.
In 1999, at the age of sixteen, I set foot in Uganda as part of a mission team (consisting of my parents, two other team mates, my younger brother and I) from Singapore. Although still in high school, I felt the call of God to go to Uganda. My parents have always set the example for me to follow. When they felt the call of God, they gave up their ambitions and self-interests to step out in faith to serve God. I strongly believe that when we serve God, we also work alongside with Him. I believe that God prepares us for what He has in store. Just as a friend once told me, "God does not call the qualified but He qualifies those He calls."
Uganda is a beautiful land filled with rhythm and talent. The nature and the way of life in all its simplicity will mesmerize you. However, poverty is still very rampant. There were hungry children everywhere. Little ones with huge bloated stomachs were found peeping out of their little huts smiling at us. Despite their physical condition, they were still such a beauty. Empty platters, starving bellies, sick children and broken families are found all over Uganda. I lived in a town called Soroti where AIDS, malaria, cholera, and other sexually transmitted diseases are common due to their lifestyle. Families were falling apart. Husbands drunk on their locally brewed wine would either end up beating their wives or engaging in unwholesome activities. Black magic was also widely practiced in Uganda. I witnessed strange things while living there for about two and a half years. Despite it all, one thing I always bore in mind was the very fact that Jesus is my source of hope and strength!
Living in Uganda was a big exposure for me. The weather was extremely hot. There was not much variety when it came to food. The insects were much bigger and we even had snakes, frogs, and mice surprising us occasionally in our compound. I had twelve lovely dogs. We reared chickens, ducks, and rabbits. We had a hedgehog, some goats, and sheep too. At one point of time, we even had a pig and three piglets. I could never have had those in Singapore!
Everyday, after having our quiet time with the Lord, we would set out by foot to evangelize. We went hut to hut, village to village. We dressed simply and ate the same food as them. We conducted Bible studies and Sunday schools. We had music practices and little outings to fellowship with one another. The love of God filled our hearts and we were able to love them despite the stench, danger, and disease. Some of our members who came to church had HIV. Fresh sores would be found on their noses and bodies. Children would defecate and were almost always naked. Mothers would nurse their children in the open. Men would come with torn and tattered clothing. Young and old, they were all searching for love and truth. The people bonded with us. Most importantly, they fell in love with Jesus.
Things did not always go smoothly. Our town encountered problems with rebels and tribal warriors. There were times when I could hear gunshots. At one point, we did not have electricity or water for up to a month. We had to depend on candlelight and water from the springs which had worms in them. My parents and I had malaria three to four times and it was terrible. At one time, the Ebola virus broke-out. A lot of people in our town and in the neighboring villages were dying. The medication and hospital facilities were inadequate. I often thought that I would never make it out of Uganda alive. Deep down inside my heart, I was prepared to die in Uganda. Our friends from Singapore called and told us to leave Uganda for our own safety. We came to the conclusion that we would not leave Uganda no matter how trying it was. Our lives were in the hands of God. Miraculously, we never got the Ebola virus. No matter what the hardship was, God kept us going.
There were times when I felt cut off from everyone. At one point, with much heaviness in my heart as I laid down to rest, crying out to the Lord, He encouraged me through a vision of people of different races thanking me for leading them and their families to Christ. And I also heard His voice saying, "Grace, never doubt yourself and what you are capable of. Your life is not a waste. Don't ever say that your life has no purpose. You have touched many lives." This strengthened me much.
The church we planted started with around four to five people. Soon, we had ten members. The ten multiplied to twenty. We pressed on for we knew that God was at work. As time went by, we had forty members. People were being set free. Lives were being touched. Healing took place. Marriages and families were restored. Unhealthy habits were broken. The oppressed were delivered. We even had witch doctors who were set free! Soon we had a congregation of a hundred or more, including children.
My adventure in Africa is now over but I believe God has many more in store for me. I feel that evangelism is not just telling people the "Dos and Don'ts" of life. Evangelism is a way, a lifestyle. People do not want to see how much we know, but how much we care. God does not require us to save the whole world. Just touch the one life that has been placed before you and that one will touch another. No matter how unloving they may seem or how difficult they may be, Jesus loves them as much as He loves us. Language and culture is never a barrier for the Gospel. Love is a language on its own. Daily, I pray that God will make my life like an open window for others to look in and see Jesus.
Even if we are not able to travel to another part of the world to share the Gospel, we can do so right where we are. Every heart without Jesus is a mission field. Every heart with Jesus is a missionary. Few people read the Bible, but many will read our lives. There will surely be someone we can reach out to in our family, school or workplace.
Never underestimate yourself. No matter how young or old you may be, God can still do wonders through you. Ask God for the boldness you require. Why give up on yourself when Jesus never gives up on you? He is an ever present help in times of trouble. Despite all the hardships we had to endure in Uganda, we never gave up. I had wonderful moments during my stay there. God filled our hearts with His love, joy and peace. I experienced a wholeness that money could never buy.
The Christian life is never boring. It is filled with challenges and valuable experiences. We can make a difference for others. We can go the extra mile for someone in need. We can evangelize! Our simple gestures of kindness can spark the fire of God in another person's life. All we have to do is hold His hand and embark on this journey and we will truly learn to understand the heart of God through evangelism.
Since coming back to Singapore, Grace has devoted her time in serving together with her parents in their Tamil congregation. Grace loves to sing, write poetry and listen to music. She enjoys spending time with her family and hanging out with her friends. Her philosophy in life is to enjoy and experience each day as it comes.