INADEQUATE

This word defines everything that I am, and all that I ever can be. Inadequate. Inadequate to do alone the work that He has brought me here to do.

We are here working with the Kampala Christian Church Network. This is a house church network that targets the slum areas here in Kampala. There are 8 different churches, each in a different poor area, that meet on Sundays (celebration services) and then throughout the week over 50 different small housegroups (compare to a lifegroup/cellgroup in the states) that meet for bible study.
My team has come to help begin children ministries within this network and train the leaders that will continue this ministry after we are gone. I am inadequate.
Here is the logistics of this task: none of the churches have an actual children's program that runs effectively. Some of them have people that are "children's leaders," but some of them do not. We are here to help ignite passion inside of them for this minsitry and train them on how to effectively teach their children about God and living our lives for Him. I am inadequate
We have decided as a team that the best way to achieve our goals is to choose 2 church areas that we will be targeting specifically. Trying to do all 8 would be overwhelming and counterproductive!
So.... there are 2 church areas we will pour our hearts into: the church, the children, the leaders, the parents, and the people in the community. We will be focusing there on Sundays, during their housegroup meeting, and other times throughout the week when we will go and hang out with the kids/meet their parents/etc. We want to truly become a part of these communities! These areas are: Kawuku (where Jake and I will be.) and Kisugu (where Will and Sarah will be) I am inadequate
Along with those 2 places, we will also be in/out on sundays of a 3rd church (Kibuli) doing some modeling for them and some training. I am inadequate.
For the other 5 churches, we will not be there on Sundays, but we will hopefully have meetings with their leaders to teach and train them. I am inadequate.

The vision that we have is that each church will get some training for their leaders, but the 2 churches that we are pouring our hearts into will be the example and foundation for the other churches. I am inadeqaute.

I have been praying a lot over the past week about what success is going to look like. My prayer team has been praying through this with me. (thank you!!) The church that Jake and I are targeting, Kawuku, has just begun in January as a church. We truly are getting in on the foundation level of this church. God specifically laid this place on both of our hearts, seperately, so we know this is where we are supposed to be. So.... success, what does that look like to the Lord and what should that look like to me?! I am inadequate to even define that.

So, I have really been praying about it and bringing it before the Lord. And here is where my heart is: I know that realistically speaking, I may get on the plane in May without seeing the fruits of our labor. I may leave Kampala and not see thriving children's ministries. Especially since we are at a church that is just beginning. The work that the Lord is going to do may not be tangible to us. So.... when I am on the plane rides home, what is going to fill my heart with thanksgiving that we were successful. Only the Lord can define that!!!!! I am inadequate to even decide my purpose for being here!

So, as the Lord continues to tell me to sit before him and be quiet. To sit in His prescence and listen with a discerning spirit.... this is because I can not do anything lasting without Him. I could go and do and serve all that I want with my own intentions...but if they are not the Lord's...this ministry and our time here will not be successful!!! Only He can begin these ministries....only He can place the calling on people's hearts to serve....only He can embed passion inside of people to fight for something after we are gone...only He can call people to Him. I am inadeqaute.

After much prayer, I think that success will be if we leave behind people that are passionate about children's ministry and people that are going to fight for it after we are gone. We are only here for 4 months. What a short time!! We are just a link in a huge chain! We can do some training and some teaching....but that alone can not make a ministry stand. What will make these ministries last is if there are people that become passionate about it and feel in their heart that God has called them to serve in this way. I can not do that. Only the Lord can.

So....my prayer request for this week is for the Lord to work within the churches and lay children's ministry specifically on people's hearts.For God to begin place passion inside of specific people who will be the leaders! This is not something we can do. I can pray for them, I can be used by God to explain why it is so importnat, I can lay the foundations of training, but only the Lord can create this ministry.
I am thankful I am inadequate. I am thankful that God has humbled me to the point that I know I can not create a ministry here that will withstand without His leading and guidance. Because the Adequacy rests in the Hands of our Lord. There could not be a more powerful place for it to be!

So.... if I am obedient to the leading that I feel in the stillness of my heart, even if I leave here not seeing any tangible fruits... I will know that my God has still worked!! He doesn't have us labor in vain. Our prayers do not go unheard. He would not burden our hearts with this pursuit if He did not have great plans!

Here is the verse the Lord has given me (thank you dylan for sending this to me! You didn't even know how powerfully it would be used by God).
We will fade away...we are here for only 4 months and then we're out...but if we build this ministry on the Word of God---the Word will always stand on its own and speak for itself.
Isaiah 40:8: "The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.”