Have you ever taken 8 teenage girls horseback riding? How about 8 teens who have never been riding before? How about 8 girls who have never even touched a horse before? I had the absolute pleasure of doing just that on May 5 to celebrate my 25^th birthday!

Betty, Namubiru, Esther, Joy, Jennie, Aidah, Rebecca, and Rachel joined Meredith and I at Nile Horseback Safaris along the banks of the River Nile for a two hour ride along the river’s edge and through rural Ugandan villages. We were greeted by some kind people who led us to the horses. The girls were all giddy with excitement, most laughing, smiling to the point of splitting their faces wide open. And I was among those most thrilled!

The ride started off well when three of the horses went down for a roll after their riders hopped on-resulting in a quick bail out. Watching the kids stare confusingly at their downed mounts made me giggle. Once we established that pulling back on the reins meant “stop” and kicking meant “go,” we were off! The horses took every opportunity to take a crunch out of tender green maize plants, and they slowed our progress considerably. But as time went on, the confidence the girls had in their ability to control their steeds also grew and we were able to press on.

Then came the fun part! Our guide asked who wanted to go faster, and myself along with Rachel, Betty, and Rebecca jumped on the opportunity. Remember, these girls had NEVER been on a horse before, and there they were-ready to run! Or trot anyways. I even have some videos to prove their incredible feats of riding skill!

I love spending time with these girls. And am amazed at how they learn, grow, take on challenges and adventure. I love watching it unfold before my eyes. The smiles on their faces are even visible through my terrible videographery as we bounce along. I think many of them never even paused to relax their facial muscles-they just beamed.

It is amazing to think that God hand crafted those horses we rode. I have loved horses ever since I could remember! And God was the one that thought them up. How much more I should stand and marvel at the Creator, rather than the (albeit stunningly beautiful) creation?

"A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love" -Ps. 33:17, 18

Riotous Love

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

The evening of April 28 was as normal as any at GSF, until one of our older teens came in with a soccer injury. After assessing him, it turned out to be a very dislocated shoulder. After several unsuccessful attempts to reduce it, we decided to take him to Kampala the following day to get it set properly. I was disappointed, because we had planned to take public taxis to get to town for a retreat that weekend. But now we had a change of plan. How could we know that God was orchestrating for our safety?

On Friday, April 29 we moved towards Kampala in a fellow missionary's private car, blissfully ignorant of the unrest happening at that very moment. What began as peaceful protests had morphed into violent demonstrations over the most recent arrest of the man who lost February's presidential elections, Kizza Besigye. When we arrived in town, we noticed something was amiss. There were no cars in the streets. And pedestrians were not moving, just staring at our car as we passed. A passerby simply told us, "if the police stop you, just tell them where you are going."

Moving close to the clinic, we were greeted by a sight I would not quickly forget: hoards of people running past, debris blocking the roads, and the sound of gun fire and tear gas being released. Police were everywhere. Many were dressed in full out armored riot-gear, all carried weapons, and most had gas masks strapped to their faces. A man bleeding from his head clung to the back of a boda, and an unconscious woman was slung across another boda, moving with the rushing crowd.

Our small band quickly left the car and went into the safety of the clinic. The remainder of our morning was spent watching ambulance after ambulance pass which were carrying some of the injured, random crowds of people running past us, and the pops and booms of gun shots and the release of tear gas. I felt like I was on the inside of some CNN news special report!

But through all of that, God was loving us! If our plans had gone as I had wanted, we would have been on a taxi, in the downtown taxi park where many sources say the worst fighting was. Instead we were safely tucked away in a medical clinic, getting the care people needed, and we even had a private vehicle for our convenience. All because a young man has been injured the night before!

All day as I thought about the "what if"s, I couldn't help but notice the beautifully orchestrated protection God extended over us.

Never underestimate what God can do with a dislocated shoulder.