Love Feast in Uganda

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Robert Franklin

” All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, NLT) 

In early Christianity the  “love feast “was a regular part of the activity of the church. The saints would gather and have something  akin to a potluck.  They would celebrate the Lord’s  table as part of  the feast. 

 Experiencing this wonderful  event with our Ugandan brothers  and sisters was part of the  “the plan” before we left. While nothing really goes “as planned “on a mission  trip, we were able to eat  with two different congregations of believers before we returned to the  USA.

 Both experiences were  wonderful and difficult.

When a Christian sits down and eats a hearty meal with someone who is hungry, it is  wonderful. I had insisted  on having local fare with  the congregations at Kasokoso and Soweto. The ladies  at Kasokoso labored all night.  Chicken and rice and matooke (cooked, smashed plantains) and sweet potato were ready to eat  immediately after worship. Unfortunately we were segregated and had our own food -something the locals thought we would be able to stomach. Ugandan food is simple but quite good even to the Western palette. I asked our host to give the team a special sampling of the dishes we were not provided initially and they were happy to share. Most of the team were not over-the-top about the dinner but everyone tried a little of what was offered. The big “treat” of the dinner was bottled sodas. For most of those we were sharing supper, a bottled soda was far too expensive to enjoy unless someone else was footing the bill. We ate and watched our family in Christ eat. Seeing hungry children filled was immensely gratifying.  During the supper I was distracted and did not finish my Coke (a rarity for me since I absolutely LOVE Coke in a bottle made with real cane sugar).  Michelle, my wife, noticed there was a young boy eyeing the remaining cola.  She handed me the bottle and asked if the boy could have the rest.  I handed my half coke to the young man and he received it as if it were a treasure.  He smile reminded me of the old “Mean Joe Green” commercial of yesteryear.

In Soweto, we actually rented out a restaurant.  We brought the congregation out of the slum up a street and into a very nice little shop.  Just over 100 of us shared supper together.  The children were again overwhelmed at being offered sodas.  Our missionary friend took delight in serving them. It was almost like Christmas.  The fare offered included the regular beef tail, rice, matooke, posho (grits), white potatos and millet (which is something like overcooked brown malt-o-meal with really fine sand mixed in). It wasn’t the favorite thing to eat. 

When a Christian from the USA sits down in a development of “houses” built almost exclusively for displaced persons (refugees without the official status) it is difficult.  On average I spend more in one day than anyone in either Kasokoso or Soweto will see in a couple of months, some in an entire year.  I never really think about the next meal being available, they wonder every day.  I love variety, they live on the exact same three to five ingredients every day, every meal.  Some suffer from malnutrition because what they do eat doesn’t contain a broad enough spectrum of nutrients.  It is difficult to see brothers and sisters in Christ in such need, such desperate circumstances and to walk away.  I know I cannot.

Posted in Current Events, International Travel | 4 Comments

Cheers for Jesus

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Robert Franklin

Over the next few days I will have the privilege of posting some of my recent experiences in Uganda. There is no way to “rank the best” but one of the greatest highlights was the showing of the Jesus film in the Soweto slum in Namuwongo neighborhood of Kampala.

We rented out space in the marketplace.  The marketplace vendors immediately began to complain. We had not yet had opportunity to begin setting up.  The local mosque went into public prayer and our local pastors were trying to smooth ruffled feathers.

Before we erected the movie screen a crowd began to assemble.  Children were anxiously awaiting the candy the “muzungu” were sure to have on hand, men wanted to observe the process of getting the parts together, merchants fussed and grumbled.  By the time the movie was ready to view, darkness had fallen and at least two hundred had gathered.

My team members, Tyler and Gary, handed out candy to the children (now numbering between two and three hundred) and everyone “settled in” as the first credits rolled on the Jesus Film.  There were no chairs, bugs were plentiful.  The crowd continued to swell.

Everyone was quiet and attentive during the “nativity”  and “temptatation” portion of the film but the crowd grew restive as Jesus began to teach and perform miracles.  The first eruption of applause came from the children when Jesus healed Simon’s mother in law (Luke 4.38ff).   The adults gasped in delight when the Simon, James and John pulled up nets full of fish at the commad of Jesus (Luke 5.3ff).  The adults cheere d when Jesus rebuked the religious leaders and declared himself Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6.1ff).  Even a bigger cheer arose from all quarters when Jesus healed the centurions servant (Luke 7).  The children were especially loud as they saw themselves being raised up by the word of the Savior.

And so it went…the crowd swelled to somewhere between 700 and 1000 standing outside, in the dark, in a marketplace, enraptured by the unfolding of the story of Jesus.  The crowd winced at each hammer strike.  They were still as Jesus was taken to the grave.

And then cheers for Jesus!  He rose from the tomb and the crowd clapped and shouted. 

Then they disappeared into the dark.  And we were left wondering if any would surrender to the story they witnessed. 

For my part, I was deeply moved by the response of those who had never seen such a thing before and I purposed in my heart to be faithful from that point on to join in the joy of the age and offer my cheers for Jesus.

He still is worthy.

Posted in Current Events, International Travel | 1 Comment

Moved

Posted on April 28, 2009 by Robert Franklin

“Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” James 4.17, NASB

“But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abind in him?  Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”  1 John 3.17-18, NASB

We have moved.  Stacks of boxes now litter a condominium (could be renamed condominimum) as we attempt to adjust a five bedroom family into a two bedroom home.  For nearly one year Michelle and I and our children attempted to sell our home.  We finally gave up and took the house off the market.  Two days later we received an offer that we could accept and we did.  The sale closed about a month later.

We are exhausted.  Between the preparation to move, the move, dealing with the “evil empire” (our bank) and trying to figure out how to make the best use of a third of the space we so recently enjoyed (and filled) we are stretched to the limit in every way.

I am proud.  My son and daughters have done very well overall.  They have willingly let go of their freedom, independence and space so dad can take them on one of his crazy adventures.

I am humbled.  My lovely wife traded the comforts of a home she worked on for nearly eight years to begin again, with much less.  It amazes me how many useful things we acquired had to go away. 

I am grateful.  A lot of our friends helped generously as we went through this process.  Moving requires as many hands as possible and we used the help of a good sized group.  Some of our friends still store “stuff” we have no idea what to do with; stuff that made it past a garage sale and Craigslist.

Why?

I have long held the opinion we had more “house” than we needed.  However, I enjoyed the space as much as anyone else and busied myself with varied and sundry projects.  After going to Uganda, my opinion transformed into a passion.

My family is growing older and more distant from each other.  The busyness of our lives is becoming frantic.  I have witnessed the formation of nearly separate existences as the “Franklin five” go about the duties and interests of the day.  Being connected enough to hurt when each other hurts and to celebrate each other’s joys is a core value of my family.  No cost was too high to pay to make one last stab at creating that kind of a community in my home.

I desperately want all three of my children to have a well-developed and experienced Christian worldview.  Since the “adoption” of three young people in Uganda, I have been scheming how I could arrange for my American family to meet and understand their new siblings in Africa.  The days have become short for me to do anything with all of them together.  This window was open and I prayed ferverently that God would make it possible to experience what I experienced without them  in Uganda…together.

There were many miracles along the way:  We could not have gone if our house had not sold, Michelle was able to “buy” extra vacation from her employer, the condominium was reduced in price at the last minute, Ryan was unable to get a summer position due to the crummy economy, friends sacrificed time and money and resources to support us even without us asking. 

I get one more big opportunity to live out my faith in a way my children can witness, and choose for themselves, whether or not to live flat-out, no-holds committed to Christ.

I must be clear.  The sacrifices made for this move belong primarily to my family.  We were in no imminent financial danger, but if I had been a wiser steward of money in the past perhaps I could have held on to the house and taken my entire family to Uganda.  As it stood just a month ago, Uganda as a family was financially impossible.  Michelle and I do plan on taking advantage of owing less and having less…we will see what God has in store.

Finally, I am haunted by the instruction and challenge given through James and John.  I know I have a long way to go, but I desperately desire to “do the good I know to do” and to be open handed with my Christian family in deed and truth.  I guess I can genuinely say, “I’ve been moved.”

Posted in Current Events, Devotional, International Travel | 3 Comments

Dropping the Baton

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Robert Franklin

“…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV)

During last year’s summer Olympics the American relay teams managed to disqualify themselves by dropping the baton during the transfer from one leg to the next.  These teams were supposed to be gold medal contenders and they did not even advance to the medal rounds (U.S. 4x100m teams both drop batons ).

I recently went to Turkey with a team of very talented friends.  Our primary objective was to serve people we know who live in Turkey…give them a break and some encouragement.  Since we are all followers of Jesus Christ, we also hoped to share the love of God, given through Jesus, with those we came into contact with.

I was on the children’s ministry team.  We were asked to play with kids for five to six hours a day and anticipated to have mostly English speaking children.  The “English” part didn’t happen.  As day one turned to days two and three, we found there was an increase in the number of children who did not speak English as their primary language.  So we used the universal language of play to engage the children.  My team members Mike, Judy and Dana all did a great job of using what they had available to engage children with whom none of us could adequately communicate.

One child “S” and I got along famously.  All I needed was a balloon and a game I had spent countless hours playing as a child.  S and I played for hours and I got to know his mother.  I was excited about the connection and really wanted our host to speak to the woman, perhaps to share the love of Christ in her language.  Our host didn’t see the opportunity at all.  I did everything I could to try to make the conversation happen, but not even a word was exchanged between them.

I was disappointed.  I had hoped for a chance for the good news to go out as a result of our labors and here I though we had opened a door for the local “expert” and “clank,” a dropped baton.

God, in His mercy, didn’t allow me to be overly critical or frustrated, though.  He simply gently and quietly warned me “you’re next.”  I shivered at the Spirit’s word to my heart and purposed to do my best not to be the second team to fail to complete the circuit.

Just like Jesus’ word to Peter was fulfilled, the Spirit’s word to me rang true.  A couple of my team members had made a connection with a multiligual Turk.  He was very friendly and the conversation flowed pretty well–in English!  My team members got the conversation as far as the male-female cultural barrier would allow and it was my turn to take up the baton.

“Clank”

No excuse, no “second chance.”  Just “clank.”   We were out of the race and it was my fault.  This image is now in my heart.  How many times do I fail to take up the baton of someone’s work for the sake of the gospel?  How ashamed I was and how much more now I feel the need to be ready, hand extended, to take up and run.

Posted in Devotional, International Travel | Leave a comment

A Father’s Heart

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Robert Franklin

Some years ago I was presented with an opportunity for a bit of understanding of our father’s heart toward us. My son had a school function for which it was customary for young men to invite young women to accompany them. My son set his sights on a young lady who, by all appearances, seemed to be an excellent choice and also who would not at all mind being invited by him. Being the gentlemen he is, he found a moment—and just a moment—when he could privately ask the young lady to the event. She answered him not yes or no but replied “I am not going to that event.” My son was understandably confused, but with my encouragement pursued the matter with the young lady. He phoned her the next day and offered to take her to a different event if she preferred, she replied that she and a girl friend already had plans. My son then asked if she would like to do something else some other time—she said “yes” or so he thought. However, during the brief conversation she explained to my son that she was not allowed to date—he said he understood and that he would honor her parent’s wishes.

He immediately wrote a very short and complimentary note expressing his excitement over the prospect of the two of them “hanging” out sometime and reiterating that he understood that she was not allowed to date—but that was ok by him, he just wanted to get to know her better. He brought the note to me; I made some suggestions for revision which he applied to his work. She received the note the next day. That very same night my son entered into an instant messaging conversation with the young lady. She rather harshly informed him that he misunderstood her intentions (she had obviously read his note) and that she did not want to hang out with him. My son was crushed. I was in another room when he received the news. He came and asked me to his room, took care of an unrelated item of business, and informed me of the young lady’s communication with him.

I could tell that he felt like there was something wrong with him, that he failed somehow, that his hope of just being valued enough to be known by a female peer had been beaten down severely. I was distraught. I had guided him through the process, counseled him and encouraged him, but the outcome was horrible—he was hurt, disappointed and left out—again.

I did not sleep well that night, nor the next, it was as if his pain afflicted my heart, perhaps even doubly so since I felt responsible: I had guided his unsuccessful attempt.

How much more our Heavenly Father, in encouraging us to follow His will sees us hurt, disappointed, persecuted or left out.  God is not a general coldly issuing commands to his soldiers on the front from the distant warmth of a war room. He is not a coach, intent on His plan being worked out without variance, screaming orders from the sideline. God is not an employer blithely instructing his underlings regarding the tasks of the day. God is the One who says of us “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25.40)

I understand the meaning of Jesus’ statement far better today.  It is the declaration of a father’s heart.

Posted in Bible Study, Devotional | Leave a comment

Out of Prison, Provided For Day by Day

Posted on December 19, 2008 by Robert Franklin

” And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table, and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived.” (2 Kings 25:27-30, ESV)

This passage, boring on the surface, is full of meaning and application.  By the way of background, Jehoiachin was king in Judah for all of about three months.  His big political move was surrender of Jerusalem, the holy city, to the King of Babylon.  He and his family (and many others) were deported and Jerusalem destroyed.  The kingdom was no more.  Judah was now a fully subservient vassal state to Babylon.  The prophet Jeremiah let it be known under no uncertain terms that Jehoiachin would not return to Jerusalem and his sons would never sit as prosperous kings over the Promised Land (Jeremiah 22.28ff).

How often I could be compared to this pathetic deposed king!  How many the ways!   For instance, consider this passage as an elucidation of daily need.   Jehoiachin was in exile, a banished monarch now incapable of providing for himself and his family. In my sinful state I had not even a royal title on which to cling.  My hands empty, my status prisoner, my hope lost in the rubble of a life destroyed.  Yet the thought that is presented to me is that the Lord provided through the largess of Jehoiachin’s captor the daily needs of the king without a kingdom. How much more so shall He daily provide for us through the King of Kings our Savior Jesus?

It is especially odd to run across this passage because I was considering doing something different with my personal finances so that my family is better able to live within our means.  I have not been exempted from the financial difficulties swirling round us this year and I am trying to stretch what I have to cover both needs and desires.  I so want the best of everything for my family, but I do not have unfettered resources, so I must learn to sacrifice and discipline myself.  I know that it is imperative for me to become completely debt free and to remain so.

Please Lord let me keep this commitment of heart by the acts of my hands (and pocketbook).

Posted in Devotional | Leave a comment