What a remarkable trip to Uganda! I was so thankful for our experienced team leaders & all they did to prepare us before departure. I saw God each day continue to equip us in the field to complete the daily tasks given. I saw Jesus in each team member & quickly realized the unique gifting that had been given to create a well rounded team to support one another. One of my highlights was on my first home visit when a mother handed me her 3 day old baby & asked me to pray over him. Another highlight was being allowed to share the same financial principles we share at home with the Savings Groups in Uganda. I was so impressed with the Savings Groups & small business owners we got to serve! The strong ground team with LIA can not be overstated! The Ugandan people love & trust them. Since we were serving with LIA these established relationships made it easy for us to come in & do trainings & serve the communities effectively, even in our short time there. Some things I will treasure in my heart...1. The Generosity & Hospitality of the Ugandan people. They challenged me to be more like them, to stop what is on my agenda & be fully present with those in front of me. They demonstrated this so beautifully. They joyfully shared whatever they had with each other & with our team. I left homes with bananas, eggs & jackfruit as tokens of their generosity. 2.Hope. With limited resources & spaces I witnessed so much Joy & Hope. The hope of Jesus was on faces, in churches & in the new life all around. 3. The Bus. I hope to always remember the laughter & sharing that could be heard throughout our bus rides to & from the field each day. Talk about a joyful noise! This was a once in a lifetime experience that I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share with This team of 12. My encouragement for anyone considering a short term mission trip is to say YES! I received so much more than I possibly could have given. Go & be blessed!
