5 years

August 29th, 2008 is a day that will go down in infamy in my life. It was the day that I officially moved to Uganda to serve as a missionary in the lovely town of Jinja. In some ways it seems like a lifetime ago that it happened, and in some ways the life I lived in the States seems like it was just last week. As I've already documented, my life dream was not to be a missionary in Africa, I wanted to do business, that's what I was good at and just seemed to be the course my life was going on. It was the short-term trip to Jinja that I took in 2007 that changed everything. Like the joke goes, "If you want to make God laugh, make plans".

When I landed here, I had the commitment of 2 years in mind and nothing more. I figured I would "get it out of my system" and then get back to "normal" life. I came kicking and screaming with more or less a Jonah attitude of being angry with God for sending me here away from everyone and just couldn't believe that I had to come 8,000 miles away to a place I didn't know and live with people who were basically strangers to me. I know, it was a terrible attitude and it took 5 months of wrestling for God to finally break me and bring me to the point of surrendering to His will and not mine.

I had a lot of ideas of how things would go and what I would do and I'll be honest, about 100% has changed in the past five years. I've learned that I LOVE teaching and have been given unreal opportunities to do so. I've had to deal with pouring into people only to have them turn around and bite me in the back or spreading rumors that I didn't like someone I actually loved. Let's just say teenage girls are not easy to break through and if you're in ministry to youth, well... just be ready for some heartbreak.

God has caused me to learn about the fact that missions is quite possibly the most difficult yet most rewarding job you could be called to, and every day I'm reminded of what a "foolish thing" I truly am. I'm FAR from perfect and honestly I've almost reached a conclusion that the mission field is full of the biggest pieces or work rather than all of those who have it all together. He has called us here because we (well at least I) needed some serious work on refining our character. When I got here 5 years ago I would have told you in more or less words that I was basically fabulous and that God and the ministry were lucky to have me... as ugly as that sounds to admit. That of course has now taken a 180 and I'm just blown away that God hasn't struck me dead on the spot as I fumble through life and make mistakes, fall down, and then He has to swoop in and rescue me. There have been so many people God has used to help me learn and grow though, and the woman I am today would not be the same if I had not have come here and gone through fire after fire as God continues to burn more of "Kelli" away and replaces it with more of Him.

The staff at the church, fellow missionaries, but more specifically it's people like Jess and Bev whose patience with a young, naive, proud missionary were priceless as I went through growing up on the mission field. Their care and guidance has been priceless and I really don't think I would have survived these five years here without them. (This is just an aside to anyone praying about going onto the mission field... I HIGHLY recommend not just coming out here on a whim, make sure you have mature people who can help you navigate the incredibly rough waters of the culture and ministry you're getting into). Along with them there are various friendships along the way both missionaries and ugandans who have taught me so much words can't describe it. Things change an people go, but their impact remains. I can't help but also mention that my family, care team, and parents are out of this world. Their ministry as "serving as senders" has made living here much more bearable and making the 8,000 miles not seem so far away sometimes. I know many people don't get the support I do from loved ones in the States, and it's definitely not something I take for granted. And with that, I want to thank all of you who have financially supported the ministry here (some of you since i first came) and God has used your service to Him in doing that to reach and minister to hundreds (if not thousands) of youth around Uganda and I can't put into words my gratitude for that.

Of course... what kind of wife would I be if I didn't mention my husband. We have only been married 6 months (Sept. 1 is our 6 month anniversary :) ) but God has used Davis in such a way as to guide me and speak into my life that I can't even begin to tell you. His gentle, loving, yet strong approach to lead me to be the woman after God's own heart blows me away each and every day.

God has amazed me with what He has done these past five years and I can't wait to see what all He will do in the next five. Thank you for all your encouragement, prayers, and support over the years!