#ohuganda We’ve been here for all of three minutes, and you are already so good to us. Imagine the best trip home you’ve ever had. Maybe your grandmother met you in the drive as you pulled up in your car, and she wrapped her arms around you in the hug you didn’t even know you needed. You released the breath you didn’t know you had been holding in because of the busyness of every day. She hurries you in to the dining room where your favorite meal is waiting. And then she tops it off with your favorite, fresh-from-the-oven, cookies. That’s what it’s been like to be hosted by the staff at Christ Sanctuary International (CSI) here in Uganda.

Our team is huge: 12 strong. We have a lawyer, a teacher, mothers, fathers, women, business owners, men, a handful of daughters, and more. It goes without saying that not one of us knew what this trip would bring out in us. Good and bad, hysterical laughter and exhaustion, we’ve felt a lot so far.

We started out in training with questions. I mean we had a lot of questions: what will the food be like? How long is the flight? Is it safe? And on and on. But the questions I mean this time were between us and God. Our fierce leader, Wendi, challenged us to ask God two questions we wanted answered by the end of our trip. This is probably the weirdest task I have ever been given. Not weird because we can’t ask questions of God. It’s more that I realized I don’t do this. I don’t ask God questions.

Some of you might think that seems great—that I don’t question God’s plans, but truthfully, I realize that I have swung too far to the other side. Don’t ask questions. Never ask God why. Don’t doubt God’s plan. Questions=lack of faith. All of these thoughts sped through my mind when Wendi threw out this challenge. Was I even going to be Christian enough at the end of this activity??

I came up with my questions. I actually had to pray for God to help me dwindle them to two once I got started. I’ve realized we can ask all sorts of questions and still be saved. God isn’t mad even when we ask him why. Did you know that? I’ve heard a lot of pastors say how that’s inappropriate, disrespectful. But it turns out I am made in God’s image and I have questions. It also turns out that God wants to be the one I turn to for all my answers. He doesn’t have limits to what he allows in our conversation. It’s his kindness that draws us in. His love that spurs us on. It’s his open arms that pull us in and say, “Child, you fit here. Ask me anything.”

So, what are your questions? I’d like to challenge you to join our team in asking God two questions that you want answered on this trip. Ask him. Just try it. He’s waiting.

Blessings,

Shontell