On Thursday, we were surprised by God.

Beth and I awoke on Thursday morning in Kampala with great joy and excited anticipation, though we were not sure why. We unintentionally dressed in the same JAF T-shirts and black pants, and endured team teasing at breakfast for it. Beth gave the team’s morning devotional on 2 Corinthians 3:4, encouraging us to “leave our mark”. We sang as we walked in the sun from the Namirembe Guest House to the school, arriving at the dorms in time to help a room of young girls brush their teeth and get dressed. The morning flew by, busy with physical therapy and wheelchair modifications for me while Beth met with the staff of Sports Outreach International (SOI).



After lunch, Beth and I found ourselves to be the only JAF team members feeling well. Spirits still high, we drove to one of two basketball courts in Kampala with Patrick and Paul, two SOI coaches, for an afternoon of basketball clinics. The first clinic was for some of the disabled students of KSPH. What fun we had practicing skills with the students side by side as our worlds of basketball and disability merged on that court! In wheelchairs, on knees, with shoes too small for their feet, the students dribbled, passed, and shot basketballs at the hoops. The laughter was great and contagious.


The second clinic was for a team of 19-24 year old men. While Beth moved fully into “coach” mode, I was left literally holding the bag of basketballs and equipment on the sidelines. Soon, a group of neighborhood children gathered like mice towards cheese, curious at these Mzungu (white people) and their basketballs. Though my first instinct was to protect what had been entrusted to me, I heard the whispered words “they just want to play”. Gathering them around, I began to copy Beth and run the children through the same drills on the sideline that she had the men doing on the court. Taking our cues from “Coach”, this “team” practiced karaoke, high knee skips, fire feet, and follow-through...SWISH!

When the men began to play a game on the court, Paul spoke in Luganda to the “team” of children and shared the good news of the Gospel. What a privilege it was to meet these young coaches whose life work is to spread the love of Jesus Christ through sports among the slum children of Uganda. And what joy was mine to witness the prayers of these children - their response to what they had heard.

And if all this was not enough, the evening held one last surprise. As our team studied the Sovereignty of God, I received an SMS from John: Yahoo! You passed the exam! You are a Pediatric Clinical Specialist! The rest of the night was filled with prayer and praise as we danced and sang of the steadfast lovingkindness and faithfulness of the Lord!

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 89:1