Being Present

As I look over past entries of our blog, I've noticed that I give a lot of space to writing about our family and our kids.  Once we're in Uganda, I'm sure, I'll start posting more about cultural observations, ministry in action, occasional insights, interesting life situations and the like, but I'm confident that the majority of the posts will still be connected to family.  Why?  That's who we are!

We see the most significant part of our work in Uganda -- and anywhere -- is being the people who God has called us to be.  Travis, Leslie, Jesse, Georgia, Lucy and Julia, as individuals and as a family, living, loving and learning together, shaped by God, living in His presence, His presence living in us, and living out of that.  When Leslie and I attended New Wineskins in April, one of the themes we kept hearing from missionaries on the field was the ministry of presence, or what some call "incarnational ministry."  There is so much to do in ministry, but what impacts people the most is who we are when we're with them.


One of the men with whom we spoke, Dr. Scott Kellermann, has been used by God to do an amazing work among the Batwa Pygmies in Uganda.  Hospitals, education, houses, evangelism have all been established among this downtrodden people group.  When Dr. Kellermann asked the Batwa which of these gifts they valued most, however, they responded with a word in their native tongue which means simply, "Sitting with us."  More than all these other important works, simply being with them, listening to them, living among them was of most significance to the Batwa.

So it is here.  So it will be for us there.

A post script:  My last posting had a reference to my kids and the pedagogical practice of "teaching to the test."  That comment came both as an attempt at humor, and out of my own frustration as a teacher in the past being forced to teach to the test.  I would like to state clearly, however, that Jesse and Georgia have had a wonderful experience at Sunnyvale Elementary here in Texas.  I realized after a brief email exchange with their teachers this weekend that others reading this blog could get the wrong impression of the quality of education our kids have received here.


Our kids have grown significantly in both their academic and personal development, and we're very grateful to the important role their teachers have played in lives.  Our experience has been that these are teachers who give individual attention to our kids, affirming and challenging them, and taking an interest in them beyond the classroom.  Leaving Sunnyvale Elementary is one of the sacrifices our kids are making, and there is great sadness in doing so.