Embracing the Unexpected: 32 More Children Come to Christ in Gonve by Katie Ragains

As our team drove down the bumpy red dirt roads this morning we anticipated God to move in big and unexpected ways. The night before we interceded for our ministry unsure of what the day might hold.

It is sometimes overwhelming to try to understand the vastness of God’s plans. He brought together a team of 7 women all the way from California to this beautiful country. Though we have yet to discover all that he will use us for, we have gotten to see glimpses of his plan unfolding. Wether in little things, like holding babies knowing they have not always been taken care of the way they should be, to extravagant things such as 250+ children getting to hear about Jesus and many of them accepting Christ.

I am beginning to understand more every day that God is a Father who cares deeply about the details. For us right now that might mean being flexible during travel plans, or standing for hours in the African heat dripping in sweat as we carry out each portion of the vbs. These things may seem insignificant sometimes but I am realizing that somehow all of these things are what God has brought us through so that he can rescue his kids from darkness with passionate grace.

So as I sat in the back of a van with my teammates, Selah Balli and I recounted talking the night before about how about how open all those we have encountered have been to receive us, though we are mere strangers. Our last few days have been filled with warm embraces from little ones and adults alike every time we walk in to the compound of AICM. This seems to be the same openness that has allowed 32 more children to accept the love of Jesus today as our vbs program came to a close in the village of Gonve.

Out in the middle of a dirt field surrounded by lush greenery and huts, we were instantly greeted by over 160 smiling little faces who were eager to spend their day with some “muzungus”(Ugandan slang for white people). Though it is only the second time with have done the children’s program we have seen 86 beautiful souls come to know the saving love of Jesus Christ.

The children of Gonve were so unexpectedly joyful! They laughed, taught us to dance, and eagerly listened to stories, coming to know more of God’s love with every passing hour. The shouts of glee they produced are still ringing in my ears as I am writing this, a sound that I think echoes those of heaven. These kids, are no small thing to Jesus. He perfectly orchestras everything so that his extravagant love can be poured out to the least of these. I am in awe of what the Lord is doing and expectant for him to keep showing up in big ways as we continue to serve him with the little things.