Well, the purpose of this blog is simple, to magnify to name of Christ and to share a little bit about what is going on in my life.
In just 12 short days I will be on a plane (with two levels might I add) to a country I know next to nothing about, with no travel buddy, and a lot of time to think. I will be heading to "The Pearl of Africa," Uganda.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may
proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his
marvelous light.”
-1 Peter 2:9
Christ is the reason I will travel over 6,000 miles and be plopped into a city where next to no one knows my name. Christ has brought me here and Christ will see me through this journey. Christ will provide, and Christ already has, abundantly may I add.
Last winter a friend came to me at a house concert in Grand Rapids and said, "My friend worked in an orphanage in Africa and I think I want to go." To which I replied with a smile, "Let's go."After this I did my research contacted the right people and filled out an application for mission work in Africa. Granted, it took me nearly a month to fill out and submit the application, finally I gave in, held my breath and hit "SEND." To my surprise I got a reply from a family within the week!
This family had some good news for me that there was an opportunity to serve alongside them in Mbale, Uganda as of January 2014. The catch was, I had to come for a visit before I could say definitively that I was going to go in January. Soon after, I got the arrangements made to head to Uganda in April for the trial stay. In God's providence three days before my flight was scheduled to leave my dad passed away ending his year long battle with prostate cancer.
This is one of our last family photos taken
at the very beginning of Dad's battle.
We couldn't all be ready at the same time:)
One could say that they feel awful for my family and I, but I don't. The Monday before he died for the first time he told my uncle he had Jesus in his heart. Knowing Christ had captured his soul was enough for me to let go and get ready for him to go meet the Father face to face. After this we spent a week in hospice, and can I say, it was one of the hardest, but one of the most memorable weeks of my life. His last words were on Wednesday (to the best of anyone's knowledge), to me he said, "I love you too." On Sunday around 5:00 PM he went to be with the father while his favorite baseball team was playing, the Tigers, amidst good friends and family.
Christ had finally captured my earthly father's heart, and my soul was at peace with his passing. Christ broke in where I didn't see it possible, Christ knocked down all barriers, Christ rescued his soul from the pit of hell in the last days of his life. What greater gift can we have than this?
Through his battle with cancer he would always reassure me that I should go to Uganda no matter what and "do what I thought was right." After he passed away I made different travel arrangements and here we are today, just 12 days away from my two week trial visit to a country I know very little about to meet people I have only ever talked to through e-mail and... I am excited.
I am greatly humbled for the chance to have this experience! During this two week trial visit I will be discovering if it would work out for me and for the family to come back in January for a 6 month stay. The trip will consist of meeting the family, visiting an orphanage, attending worship service, teaching a VBS-type lesson to preschoolers, preparing for a new family to join the team in Mbale, hiking, exploring Uganda, probably some culture shock and maybe even an upset stomach.
Oh, and that friend I mentioned...she's headed to Brazil in a month and a half, how exciting!
Thank you to everyone who has influenced me in my walk with Christ and encouraged me to go to Uganda. When I was baptized four years ago I never expected to be heading to Africa!
May the grace of God and the peace that surpasses all understanding be with you all!
