Sunday, June 19, 2016

Uganda 2016 Update

It's hard to believe that I have already been home from Africa for over a month! I have been wanting to write about the trip for awhile now, but each time I think about doing so, I feel as though I don’t even know how to adequately express all that God allowed us to be a part of there. I know that I still can’t put it all into words, but I would like to share a little bit.

First of all, I want to thank everyone who prayed for us. We could not have been there without the prayer and support from those back at home. Prayer is so vital to any mission trip, and as those of us on the team had a great need to be in continual prayer, we also greatly needed the prayers of others. Thank you for being a part of our trip through your prayers. It means so much to me! 

Our trip began on April 25th. We flew from Portland to Seattle, and from Seattle we flew to Dubai, where we spent the night before flying onto Entebbe. We had so, so much luggage that we took…not only did we have our personal things, but we had things for the missionaries there in Uganda, medical supplies, and suitcases full of glasses for our vision clinics. Because of this, checking in at Portland took a good amount of time, and I was thankful when we were finally past that and on our way. In Seattle we had a bit of a scare, as a worker for Emirates got out a scale and began weighing each individual’s carry on suitcase. Never before has this happened, and so most packed the carry on as heavy as they could get it. We soon found out that Emirates really is strict about the weight restriction.

Thankfully, for those who did have carry on suitcases that were too heavy, Emirates checked them for no additional charge. I had tried my best to get my carry on close to the weight limit, and almost all of the things it contained were medication. I didn’t want to check the medication in case the luggage got lost, and Pastor Kevin explained this to the lady who worked for the airline. Thankfully, she let me by even though it was a little over the limit.

The flight to Dubai went so much better than I had anticipated! I was actually really nervous about that flight for some reason, mainly because I had never been on an airplane for that long of duration. I mean, two hours had seemed like an eternity to me when my mom and I would make our trips to Oakland, and so I was a little nervous about fourteen or so hours! I remember as we were getting on the plane to Dubai, literally walking on, I said to Deanna, who was ahead of me, “I hope we make it”. She just looked at me with this sort of nervous look and said “What do you mean?” Deanna also has a fear of flying, and so perhaps my sharing that thought and my fear with her was not exactly the wisest choice!

A lot of people were jealous of me when I said we were flying through Dubai, and it was neat to see a different airport and go to another country that I had never been to, but, since we were just passing through, we really didn’t see much of Dubai at all. The airport was nice though, and it was interesting to get even just a small glimpse of the culture there.

I woke up at the hotel really early the next morning. I think it was three or four something. My friend, Joey, and I had coffee and got ready for the day before we headed downstairs to meet the rest of the team for breakfast. It was exciting to think about the fact that that very afternoon we would be arriving in Uganda! Last year, when the Lord first made it possible for me to go, I remember waking up each day with such a feeling of thankfulness simply to be there. I had waited for what seemed like a very long time (in reality only two years) to go on another mission trip, and I didn't expect to be able to go to Uganda! Because of my treatments for Cystic Fibrosis, I didn't really picture myself being able to go there, and so it seemed almost unreal to wake up each day in Uganda! I was on my way back to that very place, to the place where I didn't think I would be able to go, and now I was going for the second time. God is good!

Because this trip was a medical mission, it was very different than the previous year. Instead of going straight to Ishunga, where Bill and Danyal (missionaries from our home church) live, and spending all our time there, we spent the first part of our trip in different cities. I will be very honest with you; I was disappointed that we weren’t going to be spending the whole trip in Ishunga, though of course I knew this long before we even left. I am thankful, however, to have been able to see different parts of Uganda, as well as for having the opportunity to also partner with others in ministry there. 

On the trip, I soon learned that I needed to continually lay my expectations down at the feet of Jesus, surrendering them to Him. On my very first mission trip to Germany, I remember being told to go with no expectations. I never really had a problem with this, as I knew each trip would be different, but, for some reason, this year I really did struggle with this. I think it’s because I so loved my first trip to Uganda, and, like I said, I awoke each day with such a thankfulness simply to be there, that I expected the same feelings and emotions to fill me again. I struggled with this, and even felt guilty for not feeling those same emotions as on the first trip, though I really was so thankful to be there again. A song by Kari Jobe, “You Are Good”, greatly ministered to me so many times during the trip. I love the lyrics..."Every day, I’ll awaken my praise, and pour out a song from my heart. You are good. You are good. You are good, and Your mercy is forever…” Even though, as I said, I struggled with not feeling the same emotions, I did feel so thankful for God calling me back there. 

As I mentioned before, this was a medical/vision mission trip, and I helped with the vision clinics. There were four of us who did the clinics, Bryan, Karla, Brandon, and me. This was the first time for all of us doing vision clinics like this, and I really had no idea what to expect. I’m very thankful for Global Eyeglass Ministry, and for all the training we received before we left. I still wondered how it was actually all going to work out once we were there! I’m so thankful that God went before us, and for Him allowing us to be a part of those clinics.

We saw so many people come to the clinics. It was amazing to me how many people would sit and wait, and how patiently they waited! Even if it was all day, the Ugandans did not seem bothered by having to wait their turn. To me, this was huge, as I’m used to working in a fast paced environment where nobody wants to wait! 

We did our best to stick with our numbering system so that it remained fair and that those who came first would be seen first, but it did get a little difficult at times. People would come with a really good reason as to why they should be bumped to the front of the line. Sometimes it was because they traveled from far away and really needed help, or sometimes it was due to their medical condition/age or because a doctor referred them to us. It could become overwhelming at times, and it was hard to know what to do sometimes, especially when so many people were waiting ever so patiently. It was hard not being able to see everyone who came. I remember thinking about Jesus and how the multitudes would come to Him. I wondered if Jesus was ever overwhelmed by the amount of people and their needs. Of course, He is God, so on first thought I would think no, He would not feel overwhelmed, but, as I think about it more, I know that though He was God, He also became man, and He experienced our weaknesses and limitations to a certain extent. One thing I do know is that Jesus had compassion on those who came to Him. He loved each one, and I really hope that that same love and compassion was felt there in Uganda. It is such a privilege to have been able to go and be a part of the vision clinics, and I am so thankful that, by God’s grace, He allows us to be His hands and His feet.

In the vision clinic, we tested the distance vision of the patients at the eye charts. If they saw any less than 20/30, we would send them onto the autorefractor, which is where their eyes were measured to see what prescription of glasses they needed, and hopefully, we had the right one. After testing at the eye charts, and before sending them onto the autorefractor if needed, we would test to see if they also needed reading glasses. For the most part, I helped at the eye charts and at the table where we tested for reading glasses.  I had said before the trip that I didn’t really feel comfortable doing the autorefractor, and so would prefer not to if possible. On our second to last outreach, however, I needed to help at the table with the autorefractor. I found that I actually really enjoyed it! After matching the patient with a pair of glasses, we would then test them at the eye chart again to make sure there was improvement. It was really neat to see how much of an improvement the glasses did make! I found that I actually did like to work back by the autorefractor, and so the next day my team made sure that I got to work back there again.

I really enjoyed getting to know our interpreters and building a relationship with them. We depended upon them so much! This year, I tried more than last year to speak a little bit of the language, and I had so much fun doing so! I loved greeting the Ugandans and seeing them smile and, yes, laugh at my attempt to speak the language. My go to word was “agandi”, since that was a simple greeting I could use at anytime of the day. I remember hearing one of the people in the crowd saying, “She only knows agandi”. Instead of being offended by this, I found it humorous. They really did appreciate me trying, and I enjoyed it too.

One conversation that I will always remember is a conversation I had early in the morning while it was still dark. I was sitting outside at the hotel where we were staying, having some quiet time. One of the men who worked at the hotel came up and started talking to me.  I told him about why I was there, and I will never forget his words to me. He said, “Thank you for loving us”. This touched me so deeply. I struggled with feeling inadequate, even though I worked at the vision clinic; I still struggled with feeling as though I wasn’t really doing anything of importance. I know that this was self focused, and that those thoughts were not from the Lord, but still it was a struggle for me at times. The words that Chris spoke to me ministered to my heart so sweetly. I felt as though God had sent Chris to speak those words to me, because I needed to be reminded of why I was there. Even though I was telling Chris why I was there, Chris was really the one who reminded me of why I was there…to show Christ’s love. It was easy to get consumed in what I was or wasn’t doing, but really what mattered was loving the people as Jesus loves us. It didn’t matter so much as to what I was doing or how I was serving, but what mattered was showing the love of Jesus. God knew that I needed that reminder.

Last year, I met a little girl named Halima who quickly stole my heart. I spent quite a bit of time with her on that first trip, and am so thankful that I was able to see her again this time! She is so sweet, and she says the funniest things. Her smile lights up the room! I’m very thankful that I was able to spend some time with her. Here is a picture of Halima and me:


When I look at this picture, my heart is filled with thankfulness, and I remember a couple of my favorite Bible verses.

“Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
~Psalm 37:3-4

 For two years I struggled with being home and not being able to go on a mission trip. I struggled with waiting for the Lord to fulfill the desires in my heart. I struggled with waiting on His timing, and wondered when and if He would allow me to return to the “mission field". I’m so very thankful for the Lord’s perfect timing. I now see how He was indeed working, even in my waiting. He was preparing me to go to Uganda, making it possible for me to be able to go. I felt as though the study for my new medication was keeping me from the mission field, but in reality God was actually preparing me to go, because with the new medication I have been so much healthier than ever before. I honestly don’t know if going to Africa would have been an option for me without it. God is so good! I’m thankful that He is so faithful to do what He knows to be best, even when we don’t understand.

I am so thankful and blessed that I got to be a part of this trip. I’m so thankful for all my team. We blended really well together, and it was a blessing being able to serve alongside one another. I’m thankful for the prayers and encouragement of my team in the rough moments, and how God’s love was displayed through them. I’m thankful for the good moments, the laughter and conversation we all shared. There was one night when a few of us girls were up really late, and we were laughing so, so hard. There is something about being overly tired that makes everything seem a thousand times funnier, but those are memories for which I am very thankful. One night, my roommate, Nancy, was helping me put a band aid on a cut, and she said something like, “You do realize we have only been here one day and already we are both falling apart".  It cracked me up. She would say the funniest things and it was such a joy to be there with her. 

It was hard coming home, and I guess I was prepared for that, but then again I wasn’t. 
During one of our outreaches in Ishunga, I remember shedding tears as I felt overwhelmed by the needs of the people, and I wondered how I could possibly go back to work after being there. How could I return to “normal” life after being a part of the clinics? How could I leave? There was so much need there, but I’m learning that there is so much need here. Too often I though think I’m just blind to it, to the need right in front of me. There in Uganda, the need was pretty obvious, but I think here in the states people do a pretty good job of covering up the need, of hiding their brokenness. Some may look like they have it all together and that nothing is wrong, but the brokenness might be shown in how they rudely respond to me at the checkout, or how they still complain when I do my best to make them happy. These are things I deal with at work, and honestly, sometimes I have a really hard time loving others and wanting to serve them. It’s hard for me to love the woman who is so demanding, or to want to serve the man who speaks to me rudely. And yet, I’m called to love. I’m called to serve. I’m called to love and serve wherever Jesus places me, right here, right now. Even though the need might have been more obvious there in Uganda, the need is just as real here. I want to have a heart that loves, a heart that reaches out to the needy. Chris thanked me for loving them, and how his words touched my heart! I want that love to be seen here in America just as much as in Uganda. I’m also very aware that God doesn’t need me. He doesn’t need me to serve. He lets me do it. Even though I had to leave Uganda and the great work that was happening there, God hasn’t left. He’s still there, and that’s all that matters. He loves the people more than I do, and His hands and His feet are more than able to serve in the places where I cannot. He is always faithful to care for His people. 

I recently finished reading in Colossians, and one of the very last verses in that book really stood out to me:

“And say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’” ~Colossians 4:17

I want to fulfill the ministry the Lord has given me right here. Maybe sometimes the ministry isn’t the one I wouldn’t have chosen, but it’s the one He has given, and I want to fulfill it with a joyful heart.

Thank you again so much for your prayers and support. I’m so very thankful to have been able to go back to Uganda. I’m thankful for all that the Lord did there, and for all I know that He is continuing to do. I’m thankful that God lets us be a part of His work. What a wonderful God we serve!

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