How God used homemade enchilada sauce to teach me about creating a ministry

On Fridays, at Kitiibwa Home, we have, what we’ve lovingly come to call, Fiesta Fridays.

I cook an entire Mexican meal and a handful of friends come over to join in an evening of food, fun, and fellowship.

Each week, I’ve transitioned further and further away from store-bought and incorporated more “made from scratch.”

The first week, I made all the salsas- pico de gallo, mango-pineapple salsa, and guacamole. The second week, I made the tortillas. The third week, I made every single thing from scratch- including the enchilada sauce.

As I was standing in the kitchen simmering the enchilada sauce, made from fresh tomatoes, olive oil, flour, and lots of herbs and spices, I was talking with my best friend who is half the world away.

“Besides the fact that it’s easier, why do we even eat that pre-made junk?” I asked her.

Yes, it’s easy and fast (for Americans) to run to the grocery store and buy a package of tortillas for dinner.

But it only takes four ingredients and a little bit of time and you can have an entire batch of made-from-scratch tortillas that are so much better and definitely more fresh than the store-bought kind.

Sometimes, it’s the strangest things that I say or think that God uses to teach me something.

I haven’t posted a lot of details here or even on social media yet, but two weeks ago, God gave me a huge vision for beginning a ministry here.

When my plans were all shifted literally days before I boarded a plane to come here two months ago, multiple people asked if I was going to come and begin a ministry of my own.

I think I responded with something along the line of, “No way-- that would be crazy! There are thousands of ministries and non-profits in Uganda doing anything you can imagine. So why would I need the headache and hassle of starting my own?!”

Well, I was right. There are thousands of organizations doing lots of different things in Uganda, specifically Kampala. It is a lot of work and details to launch something from nothing. And it might be slightly crazy of me to begin a new ministry. (But a lot of things God has called me to over the years has seemed slightly crazy, to myself and others, and I’ve always seen God’s plan in them.)

So, I’ve been walking forward, one step at a time, on this path of building a ministry where there is an unmet need and I’ve seen God answer lots of prayers for clarity and direction.

There have already been a few times, though, where I think, “Wouldn’t it just be easier to partner with a pre-existing organization that is doing similar things?”

This is where God used my enchilada sauce as a life lesson.

The can of enchilada sauce that you can buy from the store (but not me because they don’t sell it in Uganda hah) is great. At one point in time, the creator had a dream to make good enchilada sauce and used their time, money, and resources to develop and grow it to what it is today. It’s good, it serves its purpose, it’s successful, and there is really nothing wrong with it.

But why do we feel the automatic need to go with something safe, easy, fast, and familiar?

Why can’t I spend a little time, money, and resources to develop something that meets the need I can see and has every part of what is needed or not?

I often alter store-bought sauces anyway. I add spices, herbs, and sometimes even other things like fresh produce to them to increase the flavor and make it the way I like it. So why don’t I begin from scratch and make it the way I want it to begin with?

Usually, it’s fear.

Fear of failure. Fear of trying something new. Fear of wasting time, money, and resource.

Or it just seems like too much work.

When I came to Uganda, I wanted to fall back on the safe, easy, fast, and familiar option. I knew of something pre-existing and I wanted to just step right in and help build on their foundation. Not a lot of risk. Not any fear. And, honestly, next to no strenuous work.

Thankfully, God had bigger plans and he made the comfortable option very uncomfortable for me.

I’ve left the safe, easy, fast, and familiar option and begun to fully embrace the scary, hard, slow, and unknown.

This upcoming week, a lot of things will (hopefully) happen.

There are mission and vision statements to write, a P.O. box to open, a social media presence to build, a website to consult with professionals about, projects to describe, a workspace to create, and artwork to paint and hang to complete its identity.

This week, Kitiibwa Ministries will transition from a big dream in a notebook to a tangible, operating ministry!

In the midst of the transition and the “to do” list being completed, I will also be writing a follow-up blog about the dream and meaning of Kitiibwa Ministries, in order to help you understand more about it.

But for now, I’ll provide you with a quick Lugandan lesson: 

kitiibwa means glory. 

Kitiibwa Ministries will bring glory to God by helping vulnerable, poverty-stricken children thrive through education, sports, and the Word of God. 

Prophecies, Prayers, and Provisions: The birth of Kitiibwa Ministries

"You want a better-paying job. God has plans for you that will include that soon."

"You have been missing days at school due to sickness but not anymore. You will leave here healed and able to attend school."

My skepticism is high at this point.

Of course a middle-aged man wants a better-paying job.

School children here miss classes every week due to some kind of sickness they are experiencing, so that’s not exactly profound.

The “official” church service has ended.

After four hours of meditation, worship, and preaching, we are free to go home.

In Uganda, however, there are hours of fellowship, meals, prayers, and prophecy that sometimes follow services and we have transitioned into the pastor prophesying.

I found myself praying, “God, I don’t necessarily think this man is faking, but the things he is speaking are very general. Give him words that prove to me that he is receiving all knowledge and revelation from you.”

Stephen, whom I went to the service with, was pointed at by the pastor. 

“Young man, come here.”

The words spoken over Stephen were very, very specific and very true.

“Ok, God. Thank you. There’s no way he could have known those things, apart from your revelation.”

But God is full of surprises; he had even more evidence to convince me.

Before he was allowed to return to his seat, the pastor looked at me. 

“You come up, too.”

This pastor was a man whom we had never met before. A man whose church we had never set foot in or even been in close proximity to.

He went on to tell me things that he had no worldly way of knowing.

He told me about my stomach issues and my recent illness. He told me it was a serious thing, but that it wouldn’t require the things the doctor told me would be a worst-case scenario.

(Long story that I’ll try to make shorter--

For those of you who are not on social media, on Friday, I was on day two of dehydration due to stomach issues. I was weak and very tired. I had also begun to feel intense pain around my abdomen and stomach. By midday, the pain was so bad, that I couldn’t move or breathe without honestly feeling like I was going to faint from pain. I know it sounds dramatic, but I was really scared. It came on so fast and was an intensity that I’ve never experienced before. When I could finally muster up the strength to walk down the road to the clinic, they did bloodwork and found that I had a very bad infection that had made its way to my bloodstream. It was now trying very hard to make its way to my organs and attempt to shut them down. The pain was my body fighting with everything it had to keep the infection away from my organs. I was given immediate anti-nauseas, pain medications, antibiotics, supplements, and a type of Pedialyte via an IV. I was given an oral regimen of those things to take for five days, as well, with the precaution that it might not work and, if I keep experiencing those symptoms and the infection stays the same or worsens, drastic measures will have to be taken. They mentioned blood transfusions and surgeries to repair ruptured organs. I decided not to mention that to my immediate family and friends until it was necessary, though, because- honestly- that really scared me. I just gave the facts and asked for prayer warriors. I’m feeling much better today. I finished my treatments last night and, while I’m not yet 100% and still get exhausted easily and a slight fever comes and goes, I feel the great Healer at work inside my body!)

The pastor also gave a quick recap of my journey to get to Uganda this time. He said that my journey this year was not easy; that the program and plan I had in place fell apart right before I came and that I was constantly walking in the unknown. He praised my faith and commitment to Jesus and said that things were finally starting to come together; that God is showing me pieces at a time and, very soon, big things are going to happen—that doors will be open and opportunities will be presented to me.

There were other things he said and a very long prayer that was prayed and I returned to my seat feeling very encouraged.

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The night before, I was praying for clarity about how my new home will be a ministry and a source of God’s love and will show his glory and be a testimony.

I was led to 1 Chronicles 16:8-12 as a verse to pray over the house and to be the verse of the house:

"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

    make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him;

    tell of all his wondrous works!

Glory in his holy name;

    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!

Seek the Lord and his strength;

    seek his presence continually!

Remember the wondrous works that he has done,

    his miracles and the judgments he uttered.”

The word “glory” jumped out at me.

Glory is one of those words I have always loved. It’s so powerful and has so much weight. 

Just go to an online bible resource (or even Google) and type in “glory” and read some of the verses that come up.

God’s glory is amazing and astounding. 

You cannot encounter God’s glory and leave that place unchanged. 

It’s powerful and life-changing.

I wanted this house to be a place where you encounter God’s love, yes. But I also want it to be a place where you encounter God’s glory and leave restored and changed.

After some quick research and consultation of local friends, I found the Lugandan word for glory: 

Kitiibwa. (Chee-tea-buwah)

I wrote it out a few times and knew that it was the name for this house.

Kitiibwa Home.

I knew the name and the vision, but I wasn’t sure how to move forward.

Was I crazy thinking of stepping out and starting a ministry from my home that will eventually have more branches of ministry within it? I told myself months ago that I didn’t want to start something of my own. There are thousands of organizations here in Uganda doing everything you can possibly think of, so why do I need to start something new?

Big and crazy ideas are how I know the ideas are not my own and are from God.

This is something I would have never imagined to do or even thought possible.

But God is opening huge doors.

Things are happening where there is no worldly way it should be happening.

Those words of encouragement and prophecy from that pastor were not a coincidence. They were God-given to assure me that what I was feeling and hearing was real and that Kitiibwa Home and Kitiibwa Ministries are in the beginning stages and they are bigger dreams that I could have dreamed for myself.

I am slowly, but surely, getting more clarity about the overall vision and ministries that will happen within Kitiibwa Home and those that will be outside, as a part of Kitiibwa Ministries.

A digital mock-up of what the front of the house will look like

Please join me in rejoicing at the birth of the vision of Kitiibwa and pray for continued guidance for the road ahead, as this dream becomes a tangible reality—as it becomes a place to experience God’s glory.

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.”

The past two weeks I’ve been learning a lot about grace but even more about God’s plan.

To try and help you understand, but not to give too many details and stir up things, a few people whom I thought were friends were intentionally spreading false information about myself and others, believing said information without asking us about it, and, because of those words, took action that was done in a very poor and immature manner that did not reflect Christ. Those actions have deeply affected myself and others.

Throughout this time, I keep hearing the same quote over and over in my head:

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.”

My mind keeps going back to the story of Joseph in Genesis.

Joseph’s brothers became jealous and self-serving. They put their own interests and jealousy above any concern for Joseph’s feelings and, even, his life. They had no regard for the consequences or affects that their actions would have, so long as it pleased them in the moment.

While I don’t think my life was in danger and then they decided to settle for malicious words, I have been empathizing with Joseph’s story.

I have felt hated, betrayed by those I trusted, confused as to what I did to cause them to harbor such feelings, angry at the actions they took and the way in which they did so, and sad at the disregard for emotions and how it would affect me.

I can only imagine what I have been feeling is just a small scale to the range of emotions that Joseph was going through as he was in chains being taken from everything he knew into a land of unknowns.

We don’t have a lot of details about Joseph’s journey from a personal point of view, but I can’t help but wonder what he was thinking.

Did he cry out to God and say, “What next?!”? Did he ever question what God was doing? Did he feel sorry for himself and weep at his unfortunate circumstances? Did he feel bitterness and hatred towards his brothers? Did he gleefully skip behind the caravan, his chains clanking, saying, “It’s ok because I know God’s in control!”?

(If he was anything like me, he did all those things at different times.)

I don’t know if Joseph’s revelation that I quoted earlier was something he always had in his mind and heart or if it took him the 14+ years of ups and downs in his new life to get to that point, but it has been an encouragement for me to lean into during this time.

I know this isn’t the end of my story!

I know my story’s barely just begun! 

 I know that the best place to be is in the middle of God’s will.

I know my actions or those of others aren’t a surprise to God and they cannot derail his plans. 

I know that God knew this would happen.

I know God has bigger plans than I can imagine. 

I know I can only see a step at a time, most times, but that he can see the entire journey. 

I know that humans can be selfish, hateful, and very flawed, but that God can use anything to bring about a testimony that glorifies his name.

I know that, in the end, Joseph stood before his brothers that literally sold him into slavery. 

I know he forgave his brothers for their actions and feelings. 

I know that he approached Pharaoh and requested land for each of his brothers. 

I know his brothers were given not just any land, but the best part of the land.

I know Joseph also provided food and resources for them.

I know that Joseph’s life became very different than he thought it would be.

I know the actions of those around him impacted every area of Joseph’s life.

I know Joseph knew the Lord was with him, even in the unknown.

I know Joseph got it right when he told those who caused him the most pain and invoked a drastic change in his life, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done.”

There are still a lot of unknowns I am experiencing because of their actions, but I know being in the middle of God’s will is the best place to be—even if you don’t know what is happening next. I am still having to cycle through continuous forgiveness to those people. I forgive them, then I hear something else they have said or hear how their words have affected someone else and I get angry and bitter. I’m constantly reminding myself to have grace and forgive. I am taking life one step at a time and trusting God has a big plan for my life.

I’ve already seen God work in ways that are nothing short of miraculous in the past two weeks.

He’s provided ministry partners, a place to live, furniture to fill every room, and friends that have stuck around and been an encouragement through the difficult times.

My life today might not look like I thought it was going to when I was planning this trip, but I have no doubt that it’s so much better than what I could have planned, even with all the ups and downs I’ve been experiencing.