Manry Family

One of the movies that helped me work though my “calling” into mission work has been The Rookie.  In a climactic scene towards the end of the movie, “rookie” Jim Morris (played by Dennis Quaid), who has defied conventional wisdom and improbable odds and suffered through minor league baseball at the ripe age of 35, walks awe-struck into a Major League locker room.  There he sees a jersey with his name sewn into the back among the recognizable names of Major League up-and-coming stars and tried and true veterans.  You could sense along with him the difficulty he was having distinguishing the present reality from the boyhood dream that had recently been awakened.  But that feeling was trumped only hours later (ten minutes on film) when his number was called in the bullpen and he ran out onto the field, taking the mound to throw his first major league pitch and earn his first major league strikeout.  This movie and these scenes in particular help me describe and reflect on my own return to full time ministry and mission work.

Off and on I experience the feeling of entering the locker room of a team I couldn’t imagine myself playing for or with. I’ve been constantly impressed by the group of people I have found myself among in the Jinja Mission.  Lori and I have been mentored over the past year by John and Sara Barton who both work at Rochester College after spending eight years in Jinja.  They both selflessly throw their intelligent and gifted selves into the lives of the students they come in contact with everyday.  We’ve also got to meet Greg and Jill Taylor who ministered in the villages around Jinja for seven years before Greg returned become the managing editor of Wineskins and work at a church.  And we couldn’t ask for better teammates than the ones we’ll be joining in just a couple of weeks. 

Now don’t misread me here.  This feeling of admiration has nothing to do with my teammate’s egos or self-depreciating tendencies, but everything to do with the deep respect I have for them and their faith. They know, like Jim Morris knew when he climbed the mound as a Major League pitcher, that they are a part of a “game” or story much larger than they are: the unfolding reality of God’s Kingdom which they and we are so privileged to participate in.

I re-experienced the greatness of the Jinja “locker room” and mission last week when I met Mark and Marnie Moore, missionaries in Uganda for nine years, but now working in Washington DC.  While in Jinja, Mark worked with the Jinja town church like I’ll do, but he also invested himself in development projects of all kinds, hoping to realize the fruits of God’s Kingdom and its earthly implications in the lives of the Basoga people.  So last Friday I wheeled around Washington DC with Mark Moore talking about life as a missionary and ideas, challenges, and dreams for God’s Kingdom in Uganda.  What makes Mark unique is that his lofty words are usually accompanied by committed (albeit spontaneous) action.  Our last stop of the day illustrates a commonplace encounter for Mark, but one that refreshed and impressed me.

We went to the Ugandan Embassy where Mark worked his way through the reception and into the Ambassador’s office.  Ambassador Edith Ssempala is a warm and remarkable lady (she can speak Russian, Swedish, English, as well as African languages).  Although we came in unexpected, the Ambassador spent over an hour with us, asking about my family’s plans in Uganda, and discussing with Mark ideas for development in Uganda.  But the part that impressed me (besides just being there) was her faith in Jesus Christ.  She told us of a conversation she had with a U.S. congressman who declared Jesus one among many saviors.  Edith proceeded to witness to him and express the deepness of her particular faith in Jesus Christ as God’s salvation for humanity.  I wondered to myself and then out loud who the real missionary was in the room.  God is active in his world and it is amazing to see Him move!

To read more about the true story behind The Rookie, click this link: http://www.click2flicks.com/the_rookie/the_rookie_ch1.htm

Mark Moore’s newest endeavor is a non profit development partnership called the Kibo Group.  Visit them on the web: www.kibogroup.org.

You can keep up with Greg Taylor and his latest reflections and exploits on his weblog: www.gregtaylor.blogspot.com.