Uganda - The Beginning

I don't know if I can accurately put this in words, but I am going to attempt.

In 1989 (I was 9!), a missionary from Peru came to our church and stayed with our family for a couple of days. He was fascinating! He worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators and translated the Bible into different languages and dialects. Working in Peru, he spoke mainly Spanish and I remember being entranced at hearing him speak! I have fond memories of that man and how he let my brother and I dress up in authentic leather outfits and taught us bits of Spanish. How cool it would be to live in another country - or so I thought 22 years ago!

Fast forward to 1995 (15 years old) and our church youth choir did a musical based in "Lamu, a small country off the coast of Kenya, in East Africa"...yes, I still remember many of the lines and songs! Throughout the musical there are many words in Swahili and a whole song in the language of Kenya. How fun it was to learn bits of this very foreign language...and to make fun of everyone that tried to sing or speak it! We had no idea what we were really saying!

Another time travel to 2008 (28 years old)...God and I have several interactions and I accept His call on my life to adopt a child. I do not know His timeline, but I know that He is guiding me down that path. I begin to 'research' which really meant just looking at options for different agencies and countries that would adopt to single women and what requirements there are for married couples in the event that I would ever become married. In searching the web, I came upon millions of BLOGS of families that were in the process or had adopted children internationally. I got ADDICTED and still read several of the families' stories.

January 2011 - applied for a 2-week summer teaching fellowship to Rwanda, Africa. I have friends that have been and others that continue to be missionaries there and have wanted to visit that country for 5 years.

March 2011 - find out that the family at A Place Called Simplicity was taking a mission trip to Uganda, Africa. The purpose of the trip is to love on the orphans that are there, to connect with boys living on the streets because there is nowhere for them to live, and to begin building a boys' home for orphaned children.

April 7, 2011 - apply for the Uganda mission trip

April 8, 2011 - find out I did not get the teaching fellowship to Rwanda

April 12, 2011 - find out I DO get to go to Uganda - buy plane ticket THAT DAY!

April 13, 2011 - begin my 'fundraising' by posting on Facebook

I began to see God just continue to bless my socks off. People I have never met were supporting me. My friends and family began to write checks and send cards. In one month's time, my entire trip was financed! How does that happen? ONLY God.

This trip to Uganda is with The River Church in Durango, Colorado. I've never been there. I'm going with 21 people from 6 different states. I've never met any of them. Yet, God. God has brought me into relationships with people already - one of the team members is from a family whose blog I have been reading for nearly 3 years. Three other team members are from another blog I have read for years. It sounds illogical and strange, but I know that this was orchestrated by God. There is no other way.

I am so excited to be leaving in just 2 weeks! God has provided people to look after my house, my yard, and my dog while I'm away. I don't like to ask for help, much less receive it, but God has chosen to take this time to teach me. I don't know what challenges are ahead in my life, but I know that God will use the lessons I learn in this time to mold me and shape me for what lies ahead.

I want this blog to serve as a journal for my time in Africa, but my prayer is that as you read the words that I type that somehow God will touch your heart. I want it to break my heart as I share what I experience. This life is all about relationships and I pray that I will be able to let a child on the other side of the world know that they are loved - not just by me, but by the King of Kings!