Megan Glassman
How have you been challenged or how have you changed since supporting UWP financially?
James 1:27 “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” Later in Chapter 2, James talks about seeing a brother or sister lacking basic needs, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing and you say, ‘Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” We MUST act on our faith! I have a lot of student loans left, and that means I have some big bills to pay each month. I sometimes feel like I’m in bondage, with no freedom to give generously or go on mission trips, and that I won’t really be serving Him until the debt is paid. But what does God ask of me in my current situation? I believe I should give a portion of my income back to God, no matter the amount on the paycheck and no matter what debt is owed. I MUST act on my faith! But I struggle to feel the equal value between a monthly donation and boots on the ground work with UWP. I am challenged to believe that it is God’s plan for UWP to receive and resource my monthly donation, rather than me always being in the center of the work. It’s not about me. It’s about God’s creativity and majesty on display, using different kinds of gifts all over the world to spread the Gospel! A donation multiplies through the UWP staff and straight into Ugandan communities in ways I can imagine but may never see, and that can still be God’s best plan. My absence from Uganda means my presence serving my local church. It also might mean an open spot on a trip to Uganda or space to let the Spirit move in ways that wouldn’t happen if I were there. Both going and giving are faith-filled actions.
How have you been challenged or how have you changed since supporting UWP financially?
James 1:27 “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” Later in Chapter 2, James talks about seeing a brother or sister lacking basic needs, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing and you say, ‘Goodbye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well’ – but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” We MUST act on our faith! I have a lot of student loans left, and that means I have some big bills to pay each month. I sometimes feel like I’m in bondage, with no freedom to give generously or go on mission trips, and that I won’t really be serving Him until the debt is paid. But what does God ask of me in my current situation? I believe I should give a portion of my income back to God, no matter the amount on the paycheck and no matter what debt is owed. I MUST act on my faith! But I struggle to feel the equal value between a monthly donation and boots on the ground work with UWP. I am challenged to believe that it is God’s plan for UWP to receive and resource my monthly donation, rather than me always being in the center of the work. It’s not about me. It’s about God’s creativity and majesty on display, using different kinds of gifts all over the world to spread the Gospel! A donation multiplies through the UWP staff and straight into Ugandan communities in ways I can imagine but may never see, and that can still be God’s best plan. My absence from Uganda means my presence serving my local church. It also might mean an open spot on a trip to Uganda or space to let the Spirit move in ways that wouldn’t happen if I were there. Both going and giving are faith-filled actions.
In what ways have you come to understand that the provision of water is a key to transforming another area of life?
Water is required for life. It’s essential for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing dishes and clothes. If I recall correctly, water in Uganda is primarily collected by the women. Sometimes they walk hours just to fill a jerry can and walk hours back home. But it’s not even as simple as a long walk with a heavy object (it’s over 5 gallons!). Oftentimes, children are recruited to be the runner, meaning they may miss school. They are literally collecting water just to stay alive while missing the opportunity to learn and grow with schoolmates. Additionally, the path to the water and the water supply itself may be dangerous, with wild animals and diseases that even boiling can’t kill. And just like everywhere else in the world, crime appears in just about every community. So think about this – a young girl misses school so she can walk several miles while constantly looking over her shoulder, hoping there is enough brownish redish liquid (“water”) left to fill her 5.3 gallon jerry can, dodging the snakes and mosquitos, walking back home trying to not get attacked or spill the jerry can, hoping her mother can boil it enough to kill most of the icky things just to have a small drink or eat dinner that night. While this seems dramatic, it really isn’t that uncommon in places like Uganda. So how does access to clean water transform another area of life? Access to clean water provides a better chance for attending school, safer living conditions, more time for other activities like playing and just being a kid or spending time with family. It builds confidence and provides practical resources to get out of the poverty cycle so they can learn to thrive as an image bearer of Christ.
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