Tuesday November 27, 2012

Hello everyone!

Yesterday was an exciting day for me. The Eritrea National Football Team had invited me to attend their opening match against Zanzibar in the 2012 CECAFA Tusker Challenge. Not only did they invite me to attend their game, but they allowed me to ride to and from the game with them. Once there, I found myself sitting on the team bench throughout the match. So how is that? My first ever football (soccer) game, and to have such a great seat at the beautiful Nelson Mandela National Stadium here in Kampala, Uganda.

After the match ended in a 0-0 tie, the team asked me to join them for dinner held in their honor by some in the Eritrean community here in Uganda. Using injera as the platform, the coach piled my plate high with what he thought I should taste. Those of you who know me well, know that I'm a picky eater, but everything was great!

You guys can do your own research on the Country of Eritrea, but I can tell you that these young men have represented their country very well. They have all invited me come to their country for a visit. I'm very likely to take them up on that offer some day.

One of the blessings that God has given me is the ability to meet people. For that, I am so thankful! Actually, I think that God blessed us all with that ability. Unfortunately, we sometimes let fear take over. Satan uses fear as one of his biggest tools to stop the spread of Jesus Christ. The best way I know to spread his love is for us to love each other. We can only do that by taking the time to get to know each other.

I'm challenging each of you that read this blog to stop sometime today and just say "hi" to someone you don't know. Maybe you have seen them, but you don't know them. Stop today and just say "hello!" Ask them "how they are doing?" and wait for an answer.

Relationships are all around if we just take a moment to see them. I've been blessed with meeting my new friends. Don't miss out on What God is blessing you with today.

I'm heading back to Soroti tomorrow with a repaired vehicle ready for its next battle with the roads. Thank you for your prayers!

Tom Cox

Friday November 9, 2012

Hello everyone!

This has been an incredible week here in Uganda. It has been a solid week with some of my Church Family that I miss dearly. Gloria, Kim, Jackie, Jimmy and Sean, thank you for coming to Uganda! All of you have been here before, so you understand the calling. Uganda has a way of touching you like nothing I have ever experienced before.

Uganda can be tough. It has rained every day this week. My poor car has been stuck twice. I think the rear springs now need replaced. The bumper was ripped off while attempting to get out of the mud. Uganda just flexed her muscles a bit this week. She just wanted us to know a sample of how tough she can be.

This week has caused me to look within myself. I'm thankful of the relationships I have with those who came. Its safe for them to say whats on their mind and to give me their opinions. I'm not going to lie. Sometimes that's tough. Am I becoming callous to the problems that are all around? The need here is so much. Have I shut down the part of me that cares so much about Uganda? It's true that things I see today don't have the same affect on me that they used to. I saw that this week with the reactions I saw from the others. I do remember feeling the way they have felt this week.

So how does that happen? Now this is just my opinion, so take it for hat it is, but when everyday presents you with some need, how do you react? I can't help everyone and I can't fix everything. I like to think that I am a glass half full kind of guy. I like to focus on what is going good here, not what is going bad. And there are a lot of things going good here. Kids are healthier, men and women are working, I see more parents involved with their kids. Everyday I learn more about Jesus here. More about His love, more about His provision, more about Him. On the other side of the coin, I learn a lot more about whats bad.

One day, I here from a young lady that has moved to Denmark, so that she can find work. She has been looking here for over two years. I met another young lady who told me she was taking a job in the UAE. She too has a college degree, but hasn't been able to find work. Girls here who go out of country to find jobs are usually forced into some sort of human slavery. Today I met a young mother, 17, who was promised, by the father of her baby, that if she could produce for him a child, he would marry her. Now that she has produced, he is no where to be seen. Everyday there is another person, with another problem.

Let me be very clear about something. Ugandans are not lazy. When there's work to be done, they are there. Both times this week that I was stuck in the mud, here were plenty of Ugandans right there to help.

So how do we help? How can I help? The answer is...... I don't know! I simply don't know. What I do know is, is that God has a plan. We are his children. The people here are my brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters. My heart breaks for them. My heart also swells every time they tell me welcome home or every time they call me by name. God gives me a lot in return for the little that breaks.

Its been great having my friends here! Please pray for the rest of their trip, and their safe flight home.

Please keep praying for me!

Tom Cox