Post by: McKamie Chandler
I am currently in Kampala, interning with the Supreme Court of Uganda. Since being here, I’ve heard a saying: “In America, you have all the money. In Africa, we have all the time.” When I first arrived, the pace of things was frustrating. A quick lunch took two hours; meetings scheduled for 11:00 happened at 1:30; and after a long, exhausting day of running errands I realized I had only gone to two stores! Not only did I have to adjust to the slower pace of life that just comes with being in a new culture, two weeks into my internship, Uganda went into a full lockdown in response to rising Covid numbers.
As a sat in my hotel room watching the Presidential address, my mind flooded with thoughts. Am I going to have to leave the country? Will I have to find a new internship? What if I can’t get to the airport because of local travel restrictions? I found myself quickly sinking into old habits. I was being rash and reactionary. Within a couple hours I had plans and was ready to go. Then I felt the Lord gently nudge my spirit. “Slow down,” He said. That night, God took me on a little trip down memory lane. A little over a year ago, all my life plans came crashing down. How did I respond? Panic, anxiety, fear, scrambling to come up with a new plan—it was a dark time for me. And yet, God, in his faithfulness, brought me through. The plan He had for me was more than I could have asked, thought of, or imagined. In short, God made a way for me to come to Regent, to study Law, and to be a part of a program that seeks to bring His justice in a deeply broken world. He has held me in His hands. He remains sovereign on His throne. Whom shall I fear?
With this reminder, I dropped my backup plans, and waited. And as surely as the sun rises in the East, the Lord provided for me. He made a way for me to stay in Uganda. To be honest, my internship looks quite different than what I expected, but I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. I cherish each moment in Uganda, knowing that anything could happen. I’ve already experienced a second lockdown since being here, and another one is not off the table. I am grateful for the opportunity to walk day by day in faith and perfect peace. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but that is not of my concern. I do not fear the future because the Good Shepherd holds me in His Hands.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Intern. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent School of Law, or the Center for Global Justice.