It's been two weeks since my last update! Yikes! Sorry about that. I promise I'll keep this more updated in Uganda...Hopefully I won't be so darn busy!

I got in to Chicago on Monday and been here just saying hi to family, buying last minute items and preparing to leave. I haven't found as much time with God and His Word lately, so just be praying that God would prepare the way for me to go. I can't wait! I'm excited to watch God work and ready for Him to work more on me.

A friend of mine asked me about a month ago what my goals were when I was in Uganda, and i had no answer for her because I hadn't really thought about it. But since then, I've been praying that God would simply use me as a means for His ends. I don't think I've been available to Him to use, and I want to be from now on. That's my goal. To just be His servant, to allow Him to humble me through all of this, teach me to become more of a leader, and to be more kind (meaning to be more compassionate and loving others). I think all of that starts with letting Him know that I am ready for Him to use me in that way and to be a servant to others just like Jesus was to us. I'm excited by that!

I know that leaving the U.S. and going to Uganda doesn't mean that all of a sudden God's going to suddenly be more important to me. I won't get some flash or revelation because I'm in a different country...but I do think it will allow me to focus on Him more and not be distracted. The reason I am going, and will be there for more than 5 months, is all for God, and it will be hard to forget that. I want to become a much more focused Christian. I want to be a man devoted to God...and because I'm devoted to God, I will also be more loving to others. I don't think that's the person I've been the last few years, and things don't feel right. I want that to change in my heart and my head. I love God, but I don't know how much yet. I want to find out...

I've told only a few people, but I think about that girl at Columbine who was martyred. She had a gun to her head, and the other student asked her if she believed in God, and that if she said yes, he would kill her. She didn't deny God. She said yes, and paid the ultimate price. I wonder how much of us have that kind of courage. Would you have still said yes? I don't know if I would. I'm not going to seek out that kind of a situation, but if I were ever put in it, I want to be able to say that my answer would also be yes. That's how much God wants us to love Him. I want to make sure my answer is yes, too...

In Christ, Matt <><