Remembering Adam

Adam's inspiring funeral service yesterday was so fitting for Adam's inspiring life. That is the most I have ever seen at a funeral. I heard one person saying, "If you didn't know Adam before the service, you know him now." Another friend who attended but hadn't really met Adam before said, "I am a changed person." Brent Abney, Vincent Mudd, Ben Ries and Adam's brother, Ben Langford, led an incredible service. Adam would have been proud of each one of his friends / brothers.

They asked other close friends of Adam to speak into the microphone one word that described Adam's life. Here are some of their words:

• True. Adam was a true friend and teammate.
• Mukisa. The Lusoga name given to him in Uganda which means "blessed"
• "the real deal"
• Advantageous - not in any negative way but rather advantageous in forming friendships and seizing kingdom opportunities to serve his life.
• Devotion
• Infectious - not of the African illness kind, but of spreading a joyous spirit around him
• "Dude!" - one of his favorite greetings and sayings to friends.
• Dedication
• Passion - about life, about serving God, about loving others
• Brother - a great brother to his two brothers and a great brother in Christ.

There were more and it could have gone on much longer. Read many more comments on his life here in the form of comments to his last written report. Words help but cannot fully express what a great person Adam was. Similar to my experiences with Moses, it is hard to find a more selfless and sold out person for living Christ to others than Adam Langford.

I have my own personal memories with Adam that I'll always consider a great gift in my life. I'm so glad he came to Jinja as an intern. He was a shining light that summer of 2000, afro and all. I always hoped he would go back to Jinja to serve and he did that so well. I was privileged to spend about ten days with Adam and my brother, Mark, in late November. I'll always remember.....

• drinking coffee with him in his little duplex.
• being encouraged by him after preaching at Jinja Church.
• watching him love and be loved by so many Ugandans.
• watching him serve so well with the Jinja Church youth group.
• hearing of his admiration for his teammates and his love of serving with his teammates.
• him giving praise to God for the incredible mountains and God's creation in Africa.
• around midnight one night watching the play by play account on the computer screen of the last 5 minutes of OU's Big 12 South championship clinching football game. We celebrated rather loudly together in the lobby of Gisenyi, Rwanda's Kivu Sun Hotel when they won the game.
• hearing his anger when a few individuals spoke of another person inappropriately.
• hearing him speak so highly of Moses Kimeze, Lazarus, Godfrey and other Source employees.
• watching him light up the place, make people laugh so easily, and gain instant admiration from those we came to know at the events around Roz Carr's memorial service.
• At Thanksgiving dinner around a table of new acquaintances being asked what he was thankful for. He said "Table - and the relationships formed around table." He described how he was thankful for the times of sitting around the table with his family growing up and enjoying great relationship with them. He was thankful for Roz' table where we sat and of meeting new friends.
• hearing his dreams for growing The Source and expanding the coffee and craft business.
• hearing his excitement for starting up the Mvule Project.
• discussing with him the complexities of dealing with African poverty and hearing him apply his personal experiences with such wisdom.
• hearing him laugh at the funny things of life in Uganda.
• hearing him deal with the pain and suffering of living in Uganda - but still living with great joy and hope.
• watching him live and be Christ to the world.

Adam, thanks for making my life better. Thanks for giving so much, yes even your life, for God in Uganda. Your legacy will live into eternity.