We are actually quite similar...

This month three Mains travelled to Adjumani, UGANDA to meet a treasure of a boy named Sebur.  Sebur is 11-years old and he loves soccer, the color green, fish and posho.  He is an exceptional artist and a kind, compassionate and fun-loving boy.  Like the other children in the home, Sebur is an extremely hard worker. Like my own 11-year old, sometimes he finds a creative hiding spot and takes refuge from both work and people.  He jumps at the chance to play with the youngest member of the children's home- the ever-adorable baby Joshua.  Although reserved, Sebur is friendly and eager to try something new. 

(India, John Z. & Josiah with Sebur. Photo by Will Campbell)

We have reflected on how VERY different our lives in America are from Sebur's life in Uganda.  And yet there are some very significant similarities that bond us deeply together. 

Here are some of the things that we found to be the same for Sebur in Uganda and the Main family in America. 

The human spirit and the God who created and sustains remain the same across cultures. We saw this lived out time and again.  

People are people and God is ever-present-- In our homeland and in Sebur's. 

When the contrast is stark...

This month we got to meet our friend Sebur.  For real.  In person.  Like, we played and laughed and sang and danced and drove and ate and cried and worshipped and crafted and sat and read and just lived together.  It was fantastic.

Have we told you yet that we think Sebur is amazing?  We do and he is.  It was an absolute gift to get to do a bit of life with him.  

During our short visit, the boys and I discovered that there are a lot of differences between the lives that we live and the one that he lives in northern Uganda.  Understandably, our visit was short and our vision is limited- we only saw a piece of a very complex and incredibly beautiful land and culture.

With that in mind, we started brainstorming and came up with some obvious differences...

(we didn't forget the photo- there really isn't much in the way of dessert for Sebur)

It's astounding how different our lives are...and yet. And yet there are some very significant similarities that bond us deeply together.

I'll share those in our next post...