My Inbox of Daily Inspirations: Daily Heartlight -- February 14, 2008

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\ / HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine --

http://www.heartlight.org/
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February 14, 2008

Editor's Note:
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This week Phil is in Uganda, Africa with 15 other bloggers
who are seeing first-hand the work of Compassion International.

You can read the moving story of Phil personally meeting
Doreen, the little girl his family sponsors:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200802/20080213_doreen.html

He is posting updates from his trip on his blog:
http://blogs.heartlight.org/phil/

Please prayerfully consider taking part in this effort!
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================

Down the Dusty, Bumpy Road, by Phil Ware

Our bus shook and rattled and shimmied and clattered down the old dirt
road as we made our way out of Kampala to the countryside. Old, dried
clay from the road collected in layers on the homemade brick houses
with their rusting tin roofs. Toddlers wandered around playing, tops on
and diaperless, in the clouds of dust left by the traffic. We didn't
choose a lane, we just dodged the oncoming trucks, skooters, and
bicyclers on the road. We laughed and joked and shook and tried to stay
in our seats on our journey to a place we had never been.

Not all hard journeys over pot-holed roads lead to glorious places.
Ours led to a window into heaven: a place where the Kingdom of God made
a brief visit in all it's fullness. As we pulled to a stop, the dust
hadn't settled before the toddlers came tottering in their waddled run
to greet us. Our hearts were full of anticipation as we jostled our way
off the bus to be welcomed by peole whose lives are far different than
our own, in a place far away. But, we share in our differences, a
common faith in Jesus and an abiding hope that grace will ultimately
right all wrongs and break down any walls that separate us and the life
God wants to share.

Earlier in the morning, Shaun Groves had given a short devo on
the true nature of God's Kingdom and humility. He shared how the poor
are blessed to know they are dependent upon God and the rich are
blessed to be able to help the poor find daily bread. Somewhere in the
middle of our sharing of grace, our prayer, "Your Kingdom come, your
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven," gets answered. Our day was
a sliver of Kingdom experience. Although filled with visits in homes
that were smaller than most of our closets to mothers who had AIDS, but
who were trying to raise their small children with love and care, it
was also a day of great joy, friendship, hugs, play, food, song, and
celebration.

For several hours, the barriers or color, culture, distance, language,
life-style, social convention all melted away. Our pace of life slowed
down. We drank in the beauty of this far away place, the smiles
of the children, the generosity of those who have far less than we who
treated us like kings and queens, yet also like fellow school children
on the playground. None of us wanted it to end. Trying to get us back
on the bus, each of us surrounded by circles of kids, was a glorious
chore. One more hug. One more high five. Two more waves. Once again, a
toddler running up to hug your leg, offer shy smile, and a reluctant
good bye. The moms, whose circle of weaving mats and potholders was
full of smiles and waves and thank you's. Poverty and AIDS could not
win in a place so full of grace, even though we all knew it would leave
its mark upon each of these people.

Yes, for a long precious moment, we experienced Kingdom come.

As we clattered our way back down the dusty, pock-marked road, our
hearts were full of love and heads were full of the sounds of song —
the songs of children to the beat of an African drum pure and sweet,
and at full crescendo ... the songs of a group of women in African
harmonies singing and swaying to the beat of joy ... and to the songs
lead by one of America's best known worship leaders who had come to
Africa to lead us in this moment of shared grace. Yes, for a
long precious moment, we experienced Kingdom come. O how much sweeter
will be its full realization. I know now, because I have had a taste,
caught a glimpse, and can't wait for such a glory. But until then, I
choose to help make such moments happen in my life, and the lives of
children and their families, because God has blessed me so that I can.

If you haven't chosen to sponsor a child and be part of such a
celebration, please know, it costs one cup of coffee a day — just a
little over a dollar a day — to sponsor a child. As children told me
the names of their sponsors from the Netherlands, England, and the
U.S., the spoke of love, letters, and of joy. Yes, I'm shamelessly
asking you to join the team, choose a child, change forever ... and
know that somewhere, down a dusty road, a taste of heaven is happening
because of your love and God's grace.

To sponsor, please go to the following page:
http://www.compassion.com/sponsor_a_child/default.htm

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that
no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,
standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the
elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces
before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and
glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to
our God for ever and ever. Amen!" (Revelation 7:9-12 TNIV).

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Daily Heartlight -- February 14, 2008