Sam

This past Sunday I had a friend at church. His name is Sam Tushabe and he is from Uganda. I was giving a message on vision and talking about where we have been as a church, where we are, and where we are going. God has used our church to do some wonderful things around the world. I am convinced God wants to do more. I think everyone who was there on Sunday was looking around and thinking the same thing. Anyway, Sam was visiting me. He had been driving the last 6 weeks from San Francisco to Maryland and he was coming through Ohio so he stopped to see me. We met in Uganda several years ago. Sam took in an orphan from the street 15 years ago when he saw her eating out of a trash can. Now, 15 years later, he has over 5000 children he cares for in Uganda. He has thousands more in Zambia, Kenya, Botswana, and Ruwanda. Sam is doing some amazing work as an ambassador for Jesus. He had been trying to make contacts with american churches to raise money for his kids. During the last 6 weeks he had spent most nights in his car, a 1989 Cadillac. He didn't want to waste money on hotels. Being with a man like Sam is very humbling. Anyway, I talked a little on Sunday on what kind of impact we can have on ministries and on the world if we become debtfree and then give like crazy to bring the kingdom of God here to earth. At the end of the second service someone mentioned I should make the bucket I was using as a prop a bucket for Sam in case anyone was moved to help him. I did just that for the third service. At the end of the service I said, "Someone suggested I make this Sam's bucket so if anyone wants to give something to Sam after the service you can drop it in the bucket." I closed the service and people lined up. One lady asked if she could sign her paycheck and just drop it in. She did just that. Others gave all the cash they had. It was wild. Yesterday afternoon I got to call Sam to tell him the total. It was a little over $10,000.00. I love it when the church acts like Jesus.