Our Sabbath: I Lost It

We were all a little slow getting up this morning.  Our taxi was here at 9:15 to take us to church.  Watoto Church is fairly famous worldwide.  Chris Tomlin featured their Children's Choir on the Hello Love Album.  A few things that struck me about this church:

• We got there 30 minutes early for the 10 a.m. service (they have Saturday night, then 8, 10, 12, and 2 on Sunday).  There were a swarm of people lining up outside waiting to get in.  Those in the current service exit to one side, then those heading into the next service file from the other side.
• They are a church with eight sites in Uganda and one in Capetown, South Africa.
• The service was very African, but in English (Kampala speaks mainly English).  They have also been clearly influenced by the Passion and Hillsong Worship Movement.
• It was very Connection-esque (our Video venue at NMC) in it's worship style.
• We were sitting in the 3rd row.  As I looked behind me, every seat was filled.

There was a Children's Ministry available, but because we didn't want to freak Katylynn out, and we're working on the bonding deal with Moses, the kids joined us.  They did great (we only had to take each one out once).  Katylynn loved the music.  So did I.

Janelle handed Moses over to me after her arm was falling asleep.  We started singing the song "Mighty to Save."  As I began to process the lyrics and think through all that was happening in that moment, I lost it.


I serve a Savior who is the hope of Nations.  As I stood in a church that was started in 1983, at the time when the country was war torn and many would be running, I realized how true the statement is.  As I worshiped alongside my Ugandan brothers and sisters in Christ, many with needs very different than mine, I was reminded at the heart of it all, our greatest need is for a Savior.  He is all our hope.

My Savior Can Move Mountains:  There have been a lot of mountains in this process.  Whether financial, emotional, political, or mental... there have been no hurdles to big for my God to overcome.  It was at this point the tears really started to well up.

My God is Mighty to Save:  I always look at this line through the salvation experienced by death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross. Although the song clearly seems to point toward what you may call "spiritual" salvation, our God is not limited to simply that.  My God saved my little boy from dying when he was abandoned.  He saved him from a life on the streets as an orphan.  He saved him from a life spent in an institution.  He saved him so they he could become a part of our family.  At this point, I was gone.

Fortunately, I was sweating a lot, so I could simply wipe my forehead and then make a sweep of the eyes so as to not let too many know what a wreck I had become.  Yet, every tear was filled with deep appreciation for the reality that MY GOD IS MIGHTY TO SAVE!

The rest of the day included lunch, some grocery shopping (this kid likes to eat), a couple of good naps, and Moses' first exposure to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  Katylynn loved explaining each character to Moses.  Moses sang along to the songs and had a huge smile on his face!

Katylynn has been amazing!  She has been key in helping warm Moses up.  He clearly loves her, and she loves her baby brother back.  They have laughed together a lot, and already had a couple of good disagreements!

Some key ways to be praying:

• Janelle/Moses fun bonding.  Janelle was the first of us that he found comfort in, and we're thinking that he gets somber when he is in her arms or near her.  I think we all know Janelle is not a very somber mommy, so just pray for lots of giggles and fun times together.
• Visa Interview.  It doesn't happen till Wednesday, but it's key that it works on Wednesday.  One little misprint, a missing document, or some missed step could cause for delay.  Everything seems to be in perfect order, but the adoption law and process in Uganda is an ever-evolving deal.
• Key Visits tomorrow.  Tomorrow we visit the place where Moses was found as well as the home of a lady who took him into foster care for a few months during a time where he was not developing well.  These are huge parts of his story that we want to capture and understand so we can share with him years from now.