Uganda is a beautiful place located on the equator that makes the weather and vegetation perfect. There are countless types of plants with amazing scenery. The people are so nice always waving and smiling usually yelling mzungu mzungu which means white person. We stayed with missionaries Natalie, who works at the orphanage where we worked and with Tiffany and Sarah who were from the UK. Sarah is a nurse and Tiffany does a lot of different projects and works with a lot of groups who come into Uganda. It was awesome being in a home and having meals around a table. It was great hearing the missionaries stories on why and how they came to Uganda and how the Lord is so good and faithful.
We worked at Luwanda Orphanage in Mbale. We worked with the Thrasher team from Texas. It was so much fun having another Texas team with us. They are mostly teachers doing a teacher training for all of Luwanda teachers and staff. The girls on the team were in charge of filling in for the nursery school teachers while they were having training. I was helping a man named Mark with putting shelves together. We didn’t have very many resources so we used a variety of ways to make shelves. The lord is so good in working things out. We were able to make 12 shelves took about 3 days to complete, but I was signed up to just do construction. But God has ways of working things out and changing plans. There was a lady named Mary Jane from the Thrasher team that was in charge of doing science experiments with the 6th and 7th graders. She wasn’t a science teacher, but came up with many different activities to do with the kids. After the first day we were there Global Journey team was talking and sharing with the Thrasher team what we do back in the states. I shared that I was a science teacher for 5th grade and just finished my principal certification. The leader of the Thrasher team was so excited said that I could help Mary Jane with the teaching part of the experiments and investigations. I had so much fun teaching Ugandan students and knowing God had me here for a reason and seeing how things work out. God can use our talents and passions on the other side of the world. The students were not used to doing experiments and fun things that involve science. They usually just memorize facts and regurgitate those facts but never get to see it hands on. The kids were so excited and had a great time doing these activities. They just don’t have the resources to do these things, but the Thrasher team brought over lots of science equipment to help with this problem. I would love to help collect materials for the school and maybe send over to them when I get back. Above all the experience was all about God. It was so cool that everything we did centered around God. He has truly blessed these children and totally redeemed their lives.
Natalie told us a story about one of the girls and how she was found in a bag abandoned and left for dead. A little old lady found her and tried to take care of her but was unable to for long because she was very poor. The little girl ended up at the orphanage and now is doing great. She is so in love with the Lord. It is so great seeing God work and how he loves these kids so much. He has taken something that satin meant for evil and made it into an incredible story about his love and redemption.
I was able to also continue to help Mark with construction and we built book ends for the library and repaired things around the school.
The people here in Uganda have been evangelized to, but discipleship is missing. Pray that God is raising up a generation that seeks his face and will change Uganda. You can see especially in the orphanage that God is doing this. You see how God has given people Hearts for Uganda and his people here. One of the days we were able to go into the village and deliver buckets full of food and materials that will supply there meals for a month. We delivered these buckets and were able to pray and share the love of Christ with these people. The people in the village live in mud huts and have very little. It was great to see the faith of some of these people. They could all teach us a few things about living and relying fully on God. It was a very humbling experience.
My time in Uganda has come to an end but my heart will forever be here. I love the people and how God is changing this place. I hope to come back if the Lord wills.
This is my last country and now I’m headed home. I had other commitments that the Lord has prepared for me to do. I am sad about leaving my team as they travel to France, but know it is God’s will. I am so excited about the next half of the summer and what He is going to do in the life of my youth at camp. I pray that walls will be broken down so the Lord can do work and change lives.
My life is forever changed by this experience. I don’t know if I will ever be able to express all of the things I saw, did, and all the ways I encountered God. Pray for safe travel for the team as they go to France and pray for me as I travel back to Texas. I want to thank all the people who gave and supported me. God is so good in providing a way.