Christina in Arizona: Breathe

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

It's natural and comfortable... at least I hope so. Being around my friends who've served in Uganda is always just like breathing. I can't describe it well, but it's a relief. (It probably seems like I'm in some sort of perpetual state of discomfort or something the way I say that, but I'm not.) It really is like a breath of fresh air. It's exciting. They don't get sick of talking about Uganda and they understand exactly what I'm talking about. They have clear mental pictures and can hear the sounds. They know the smells. They know the smiles. They understand the frustrations that pop up in daily life. They've been burned by the equatorial sun. They've been to the markets and eaten the food. It's a shared experience... it makes sense, right?

This past weekend my first Uganda roomie, Jean, my friend Jodi, and I drove down to Atlanta to celebrate the marriage of some very dear friends. The groom, Francis, was the first Ugandan I got to know quite well. He was a colleague at the international... our beloved music teacher. We've been friends and partners in ministry for 6 years now. The bride, Missy, was my roommate for a few months during my second year in Uganda and she's been a very a dear friend and encourager in my life.

Jean and I were asked to participate in the ceremony, so we arrived at the church Friday afternoon. They had just started the rehearsal so we grabbed some seats in the back of the church. It was such a weird feeling. I had hung out with Missy in the States a few different times over the years, but Francis had never been here prior to this month. Sitting there, I was beyond anxious to run up and hug them both. I've been saying for two and half years now that I want to go back... if only to visit, but I've not had the opportunity. To see Missy and Francis in the States brought a little bit of Uganda to me. Memories rushed back. Things fell right back into place. They brought love and greetings from my dear loved ones. They brought tears of joy. They brought the joy of the Lord.

After the ceremony, at the reception, we had lots of time to catch up with dear friends... ones we've served with, but haven't seen in years. I was very honored to have Francis ask me to give a speech representing him and the Ugandan community. What a privilege to share with people just a little bit of my love for the Lord, for the couple, and for Uganda. It was a very special time. And to top it all off... we all stayed until the reception was over. We helped clean up and as things were wrapping up Francis, in true Francis fashion, took my guitar out and we had a jam session. My heart was exploding with joy. It's just what we always did in Uganda. Francis always has a guitar (or some other instrument) in his hand. We're all always singing. It felt so natural and right.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Trust Jesus.