Two Copper Coins

There are so many small little moments that I witnessed in Africa that I have not shared.  With anyone really.  It seems like daily there are little glimpses of my brief time there that God reminds me of.  I sit, ponder and unpack what I saw.  Take today for instance... I read Luke 21:1-4 "Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting in their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.  And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." 

Let me set the stage for you:

It is my second day in Uganda. 

We show up at Sangaalo Babies to get 20+ kids ready for church. 

(Gosh I miss those little naked black bottoms! Aren't they so cute!?) 

We load up in a couple cars.  Literally, a couple cars...I think 3 to be exact. 

 

We drive through town...

 

 

Then through a little more remote area.  I would call it the bush.

 

We passed miles and miles of houses just like this...

 

We pulled into the church driveway and saw their sign.

Got out of the car and walked to where we would be having church.

 

This was the view...pretty incredible, huh?

 

I watched parents drop their kids off at "children's church."

Then we sat down, sang, and heard a message.  After that the pastor said they were going to take an offering.  A what!?  Do you remember the town we drove through?  Do you remember the miles of house we passed.  An offering?  These people don't have anything to give.  I was kind of offended that the pastor even asked for an offering.  What happened next, I will never forget.  (And now, I am a little offended at what I thought.)  All the people at the church began to get up and carry things to the offering bowl.  See that stool in the front of the tent?  That is where the bowl was.  I can still picture it overflowing with offerings. 

When I say things, I don't mean money.  I am sure there was some money but what I noticed was bags of rice, fruit, anything they had.  Two small copper coins.  They gave out of their poverty.  I witnessed Luke 21 with  my own eyes.  Except, I was the rich giving out of my abundance.

As we drove back to the orphanage with babies on our laps (some of us getting peed on), looking at the mud houses, the kids walking with no shoes, I couldn't stop thinking about the people giving what they had. 

We didn't meet in some fancy building, with the best children's program, and the greatest worship band.  We met in a field, on hill, with a tarp, 4 people singing with one drum, and people giving ALL they had.  Best church service I have EVER been too.  (And still one of my favorite days of my time in Uganda!)