But God!!!! I am in awe at the many ways that He shows Himself and His provisions, His love, His grace and His generosity when we surrender ourselves to serve Him in foreign lands.  Our Heavenly Father continues to prove to me that I can trust Him wholeheartedly to provide my every need.  Therefore, I can live my life completely openhandedly even when I think that I don’t have enough.

Exceeding our fundraising goal, generous donations of money and supplies, extra baggage allowed, unexpected acts of kindness before and during our travel, physical health for the tasks needed (knee injury 2 months before trip), just the right blending of gifts and talents (storytelling, medical clinic, mattress ministry, etc.), adequate provisions for specific requests even when supplies were left behind,  confirmations of God’s will being done (letters from American children), lessons in faith through people and devotions, and many other demonstrations of God’s hand in our work were evident throughout our journey.  Even having all hands on deck from our Ugandan team to help us shop for crafts our last day there was amazing to witness. We had just enough people, shillings and time to get it done and packed and to get to the airport – a true team effort.

As a first-time team leader, I willingly gave up my wants and desires to ensure that other team members had the best experience possible.  But it was not me, but God in me that made it possible.  The experience of mission work brings out something in all of us that we would never know existed without this experience.  It was wonderful to see Caroline, Claire and Jadyn stepping out on faith to have an experience of a lifetime that few people get to have. We place ourselves at the mercy of people – imperfect humanity in order to bless some of the most vulnerable of God’s creation.  And it is only by His Grace that we go and return safe and sound.

I always look forward to seeing the children in Koreng.  This, my third trip there, was different from the first two because of my new role as team leader and our focus area this year was Kadacar.  But this would be the first year that I got to travel to Kaihura.  Just as the Lord showed me his perfect will for my previous trips to Koreng, He faithfully did the same for me in Kaihura.

What always amazes me are the names of the people I meet (children and adults) and how they relate to significant people in my life back home in the US or biblical characters whose stories I know.  To also hear the stories of the children and adults at Bringing Hope to the Family (BHTF) and Home Away, etc. and to hear the needs, both met and unmet, helped me understand why the Lord allowed me to go there this year.  Even the other Americans I met there, like the Duke students who I never saw in Durham but got to talk to them thousands of miles away from home.  I am so grateful that I had the chance to visit Kaihura this year and already see opportunities to return and be of greater assistance.

REGRETS

The stupidity and audacity of me to go out in the mission fields and take an extra pair of shoes to change into.  How stupid was that considering that I would encounter hundreds, if not thousands of people that day that may not have one pair of shoes.  It was thoughtless and insensitive.  It didn’t even dawn on me the absurdity of what I had done until I was asked by a young woman if she could have the shoes in my hand.  I denied her request because I had brought them to change into for the speech that I would later give that night.  What possessed me to be carrying a pair of shoes that I was not planning to give away!  And then on top of it all, a storm arose before the time for me to speak, and I never even gave the speech that night – and never changed into the shoes.  Lord, forgive me please for the loss of my mind and heart that day!  Given the chance to do it all over again, I would have gladly given that young woman those shoes.  I just pray that I will get another chance to be a blessing to her or someone else next year!

Thank you, Embrace Uganda, for making this opportunity possible!

As this trip comes to an end, I am able to reflect on the experience as a whole. The hardest thing about this experience was overcoming my fears and stepping out of my comfort zone. Before leaving for Africa I knew it was going to be different. I knew that things I was accustomed to in the States would be challenged here in Africa- things such as taking a hot shower or going to the bathroom conveniently, eating the same foods, etc.

At the very beginning of the trip, when we arrived at the first house located in Kumi, I broke down. In private, I cried. I didn’t think I could do it. I did not think that I could step out of my comfort zone. I was home sick and feeling guilty for feeling this way when millions of people live daily like this. All of these emotions came over me so I began to pray. I prayed to God to give me the strength to move forward. I wiped my tears and picked myself up. I went to the dining room where everybody was eating dinner and I sat down. After praying I felt a whole new sense of confidence. The following two weeks moved fast. Before I knew it, I was at the airport saying goodbye to the strangers that quickly became family. I began to cry again. Instead this time, I was crying because I did not want to leave.

If anyone is reading this and considering going on a mission trip but is scared, please, go for it. Do it. Sign up. Step out of your comfort zone. Take a risk. With fear, you are stuck exactly where you are with no chance of growing. I have changed as a person in so many ways because of what I saw, the people I met, and the confidence that is now instilled in me.