A little Goes A Long Way by Chris Eidse

In a big world with overwhelming problems, it’s good to be reminded that a little can go a long way and small things can make a big difference. This biblical concept came to life as I helped lead a small team from our church in North Carolina to serve near Kampala, Uganda, in the summer of 2019.

Serving in Uganda was a rich experience! The culture and atmosphere were pure Africa. It was everything I had hoped for. We drove down dusty and bumpy country roads and navigated through dense and noisy urban streets. All around us were kids playing soccer, bustling markets, small jungle villages, and smiling and welcoming people.

Our team partnered with PUR International and 2 of our church members who had spent 3 years in Uganda through this mission agency. Our task was typical of the many short-term mission trips that I had led in the past. We connected with children, we helped run medical clinics, and we helped with building projects. The aspect of this trip that had the biggest impact on me was based around our Sunday morning church service.

The church was in a small village in the middle of the jungle. Our daily drive involved bumping down rough roads and navigating through sugarcane fields as we drove an hour east of Kampala. Our church team from Lenoir, NC, shared some unique connections with this village church. We had both been “portable churches” for many years. Our church (Waterlife) met in a rented facility for years and was in the process of constructing our first building. The village church had been meeting under a tree for almost the same amount of time. Their church took “portable” to another level! We were honored to be at the first church service in their new building.

Half of our team spent most of the week finishing the stucco and then painting the interior of the church. This was hard and slow work. Everything was mixed by hand and applied with trowels. The construction techniques needed were hard to learn, but our expert African tradesmen patiently taught us what we needed to know and put up with our imperfect results. The stucco and paint were completed just in time.

The Sunday morning service did not disappoint! It was everything that I had anticipated. It was vibrant, festive, and filled with energy and life. Women wore their traditional African attire, tons of kids actively took part, and there were plenty of bongo drums, dancing, and shouting. While we didn’t stay for the entire service, after 4 hours we had to take a break.

The most significant part of the service for me happened when our team, along with the church elders, cut the ribbon for their new church and lead the parade in and down the aisle. We were honored to be able to lead because our church funded the majority of the project. Our previous Christmas generosity offering covered almost everything. It blew me away that for just a few thousand dollars we could fund an entire church building project.

Every year Waterlife takes up a Christmas offering to help 8 different causes. The village church in Uganda was just one of those causes. With 1/8th of one offering, we could fund, help finish, and then open a new church building to a deserving congregation that had been meeting for years under a tree. I was reminded of Jesus’ stories about how faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. Our small team with a relatively small amount of money could make a big difference in God’s Kingdom. I was honored to share the Good News of Jesus at that first service, and villagers stood and walked up the aisle at the end of the message to accept Jesus. Our small contribution not only built a building, but it made an eternal impact. What an incredible celebration. Many times, I just closed my eyes and breathed in the experience with thanksgiving.

As I look back at that trip, I am not only grateful that our small contribution made a big difference, but I am thankful for the many of the small acts of kindness that I received. The Ugandan people treated us with love and kindness. They were patient with our differences and went out of their way to include us. Their small investments into my life have changed me.

This revelation that small acts make a big difference is even more true to me now, a year after that trip. Amid a pandemic, an election, and continued racial tension, it is more real to me than ever before. My small acts of kindness make a bigger impact than I realize. The more I focus on sharing the Good News of Jesus through my actions and attitude, the more alive and vibrant I become. The more I utilize my small resources to build into others, the more my community starts to resemble God’s Kingdom. Our small contributions make a big difference. A little still goes a long way, just like Jesus proclaimed.

WaterLife Church