A Colorful Promise

(I wrote this in my journal while I was leaving Kampala last May. I recently re-read it and decided to share.)

Sitting on a plane waiting for the departure from Kampala and African rain begins rolling down the small plane window. With this beautiful rain comes the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. More unique than any one I have ever seen, I could see its beginning and its end. I sat in awe as I stared at it over amazing African landscape with confidence that God must have painted this breathtaking picture in the sky.

The past few weeks of my life my eyes have been opened to much pain, suffering, and injustice and it breaks my heart. Its hard to know that I am leaving this place to go home to a family, shelter, an abundance of food, and clean water when over 10,000 young boys are sleeping on the streets of Kampala. It is even harder to know that even through all my prayers... God is still going to let them sleep there tonight.

I think about this, and then I think about this rainbow... and I remember the promise of my sovereign God. Genesis 10:13 says, "I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth." God makes many covenants to the earth like in psalms 38:28 which says, "For the Lord loves justice, and He will NEVER abandon the godly." or Psalm 9:18 which says, "But the needy will NOT be ignored forever, the hopes of the poor will NOT always be crushed." Or Psalms 9:9 which says, "The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."

Looking at this beautiful rainbow I know with confidence that God is reminding me of a promise. God promises to be a shelter for these boys, He promises their needs will not always be ignored, and He promises that He loves justice and will NEVER abandon the godly. He doesn't promise any of us comfort. He doesn't promise any of us shelter, food or clean water. He doesn't promise life is always going to be fair. But the promises He does make are much greater than these.

Ironically, one of my new friends name is Musoke. Musoke means rainbow. This young boy lived on the streets for many years and  now is part of the API family were he has a bed, food, and a lot of people who love him. Most importantly, he loves and worships the God who provided it for him. He is an perfect example of exactly what his name means - the promises of God are so evident in his life. 

The same God who provided for Musoke can and will provide for all 10,000 street boys of Kampala... and for you and me.

How amazing that God can remind me of this mind blowing truth through something as big and beautiful as a rainbow?