The perfect job

When one is searching for their career path, they're often asked what they would love to do and would do for free and then they should do that for their job As I went through school, I knew I had a love for business, but at the same time I was torn because I loved doing ministry full-time too and I honestly had no idea how my two passions would work together as I progressed through life. Yesterday though, I had an epiphany: I have the ideal job. Yesterday, as I finished up getting some financial stuff together for the church and then looked at the rest of the things on my to-do list and seeing things such a study for teachings and design slides, I was amazed that what I'm doing now combines each and every one of my passions and gifts. I know I've posted similar things, but I'm seriously blown away all the time how God has prepared me and brought me to this place showing just how intimately involved He is in our lives. I think the coolest part about it all is that I can't take ANY credit for it. He's the one who gave me the gifts that I have, He's the one who has given me the experience, He's the one who opened the doors to come here, and He's the one sustaining me to do the work He's called me to do...wow!

Our staff

Coming from a business background, I've learned that no matter what area you work in you're going to have to deal with people and more than likely you're going to be in charge of someone in some capacity. Like most organizations, we have several employees, and although we could go through the things that make them "difficult" honestly it's no different than being in the States. I love our staff, they all have their own gifts and things God is teaching them. Lately it seems like they're taking things to a whole new level as far as their attitudes and just desiring to serve. Given, I haven't been here for long, but this little growth spurt has been so cool to see and I just had to share with you all what a blessing it is to work with all of these people.

Everything ch-a-a-nges

Recently I've had the somewhat difficult realization of just how much has changed in the States since I've been gone. Yes, I've only been gone for ten months now, but oh so much has taken place. The places I used to frequent and the friends who knew me better than anyone have changed. I'm not at all complaining, it's just a product of time, but it's still sometimes difficult to handle. When I mention it to people in the States about how when I'm there for furlough I'll feel so out of place, they kind of laugh it off, but it's seriously insane the people who have come, the people who have gone, the new changes made to what seemed to be the same for forever. I kind of feel like I'm having to transition into that chapter of early adulthood where you realize you can't be that 21 year old anymore just driving around and hanging out with your friends, looking at the stars and wishing that things would never change and time would stand still. I love the chapter of my life God has brought me to, honestly I'm probably more happy than I've ever been, but as with most things, it's bitter sweet. See, as things back in the States have changed, I too feel like I have changed. God has broken me so much over these past few months and brought me to a whole new place that I never would have imagined I would be, I'm a completely different person than I was when I boarded the plane to come here. No fears though, I'm still the same sarcastic, honest to a fault girl you've known, but just have had a bit of a heart make-over. All this is to say, that I'm so happy that God takes us out of certain situations to change us and those we left because otherwise life would be way too boring!

A shout out to my daddy!

So I realize that it's super cliche for girls to consider themselves a daddy's girl, but I can't help but confirm the truth of that statement. My mom tells me that when I was born I looked exactly like my daddy and he tells me that he was the first one who held me and that I had his heart when I had my first look at him. My dad and I have always had a special bond, yes we've had our moments, but such is life when you've got almost the exact same temperament. For the past 23 years I've been able to talk to my dad and seek his counsel on everything from business to boys and everything in between. I'm so thankful for my daddy and all the awesome times we've had together. We've seriously got so many memories, it's not even funny. When I was little he and I would wake up early in the morning and go to Dunkin Donuts and he'd get a coffee and I'd get an OJ and we'd just hang out. We even were able to go on trips to Florida and rock the beyond nose-bleed section at a Jaguar's game, go to Arizona and check out airplanes, and then in LA we had our jaunt through the worst part of town to get to the beach on the city bus. I could go on and on, but I just had to lay it out there how awesome my dad is and all this to say: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

An unexpected opportunity

As I mentioned before, we have a couple of teams in town right now. One of the teams had some of their members running a medical clinic in a village. Yesterday, in an unusual spontaneous decision, I decided to go and check out the work they were doing. Originally, I had only planned to stay a couple hours, but a couple of hours turned into seven. I went with the lady who was organizing the clinic and told her to put me wherever, and she told me that I could help with crowd control and praying with people after they had finished seeing the doctors. Little did I realize just how much God was in that plan to put me there. I've been learning Luganda now for about 3 months and although I knew things, I tended to lack the confidence to really use it, but this time I had no choice and God is so good to bring to mind the things we have learned in order to minister to His people and I ended up being able to send my translator to go and do other things because I as able to manage without their help. By the end of the day, I was sunburned and completely exhausted but had the joy of knowing that God used me in such a unique way by ministering to people in their own language. Now, I don't want to sound like I'm boasting because seriously it's not me, God has helped me to pick up the language very quickly and I just can't wait to see the doors that will open to that. It was just such an awesome day of having a little mission trip and doing a little something out of the ordinary. All I can say is, to God be the glory.

The testing of the teams

This is the first time I've ever been on the receiving end of teams that visit somewhere and I cannot begin to tell you how eye-opening it is. There are currently two teams here that we have some interaction with and it's just crazy to see and hear all the things that I have done time and time again on short-term trips, but now with a totally different perspective. When you go on short-term trips you do skits, give testimonies, etc... which can definitely be effective as the result is in His hands, but I've got some words of wisdom to all of you out there planning on going on going on a short-term trip: please listen to the full-time missionaries. I used to think when I had been some place for two weeks, it suddenly made me an expert on the place, but the bottom line is that the missionaries there know what they're talking about (I'm not so much talking about me, but those more seasoned veterans). Missionaries work all the time establishing various relationships and ministries and in a matter of a couple of sentences it can all be destroyed because someone hasn't properly learned the culture. I'm not saying that this happened today, but it was more of a warning, an eye-opening of the potential. Sorry, that's just one of the many lessons God taught me today about teams, but I figured that would be the most beneficial to y'all as you're setting out on different summer trips.

Teaching: round one

So I got the go ahead to teach in a secondary school (high school) called Jinja Modern. They have given me a 45 minute block to do basically whatever I want with the students who decide to come. The school already has what is called a Scripture Union that meets during lunch every day, but the ones who are in charge of it have such whacked out theology that it's seriously like a wee TBN. It's because of their crazy way of doing things that I wanted to have my own thing not connected with them at all so that the kids who didn't go for what they normally do may come and be fed. This Thursday I went in there to teach and kind of the key Scripture Union kids came in and as we were waiting for others to come, they started talking about what program they were going to do and I had to have a fun time of telling them I'm in control of this one (delicately of course). After some "interesting" worship led by some of them and them trying to do some crazy praying and me having to put a stop to that, I was finally able to teach. I'm teaching through the book of Ecclesiastes and so this should be interesting to see how the kids will respond. I've been warned that because I'm teaching expositorily and I'm separating myself from the scripture union I'm kind of jumping into the middle of a boxing match where they're going to try and take whatever swings they can at me. I just pray that I don't EVER give into my flesh in response to the things they may try to do or say and that I will just be faithful to what God ahs called me to do and that's to preach the Word and make disciples.

B.U.S.Y.

Today was another day of craziness, but I'm just so humbled at what doors God has opened for me. This morning I was able to teach 15 of our pastors about business and money management for about 2 1/2 hours. I have to admit I was so incredibly nervous because in my mind I had three strikes against why they would listen to anything I had to say: I'm 23, I'm a girl, and I'm a "mzungu". Despite these things, God seemed to still work and the guys seemed to get that it's not a cultural thing, it's a Bible thing to be a good steward of your money. After that, I rocked an hour and a half of language lessons where I felt bad for my teacher because, due to a very minimal amount of sleep last night, I was yawning through the whole thing. Straight from there, Ryan and I went to a primary school (Elementary school) where I was able to this time teach about 100 kids and taught from the passage in Luke to treat others the way you want to be treated, very basic, but that's where these kids are at in their walks. After that was service time and so we had to prepare for that. I am so tired right now it's not even funny, but I'm just so amazed at what God has allowed me to be a part of especially these past couple of days as I've really been able to use every aspect of my past schooling and work experience for His kingdom.

A biggie

This past Sunday I was given an opportunity to "earn my stripes" as far as event management is concerned. God had been laying it on my heart for some time to have a sort of ministry fair. Coming from Calvary, we had our fair that feature our 100 some odd ministries and each ministry was able to do what they wanted, but we've never had anything like that here so I had to kind of put the "model" together so to speak. It was countless hours of work and prayer, but God is so good and the outcome was better than I could have ever imagined. Being that I proposed the idea to Jess and he said the best time to have it was ten days from that time it was a fun thing to see come together. I think above all else the thing that blew my mind the most was just seeing how God has been preparing me for the work I'm doing for so long now that I'm just amazed at how He's been at work in more ways than I even realized.

Birthday Bliss

I have to say this birthday was for sure unlike any other. It all began on Saturday with having some amazing chocolate cake with our local staff. Sunday I celebrated with giving the kids of the Bible study ice cream and then after that I had left over cake with my girls Bible study group. Monday, I went with Ryan to pick up our friend Judy who came back from the States and we stayed at the house of a pastor from Calvary Chapel Entebbe and were so blessed by his and his wife's little (well, big) family. Judy sang happy birthday to me at midnight and then almost right when I woke up Ryan was the next one to serenade me. After having some coffee in my blood, the kids came out singing with balloons and a happy birthday banner. From there we went to breakfast which was lovely and from there we went shopping at this new mall in Kampala. We followed that with a pizza lunch and then began our trek back home where I continued to be blown away at how God has blessed me so much with the friends in my life (old and new) who have been with me through some very difficult times as well as the best times of my life. I got my two most favorite presents (ones I'll NEVER forget) this evening: two of my girls from the Bible study I teach and who I'm really growing close to got me a set of earrings and a necklace, they honestly don't have much but they blessed me with those for my birthday and I'll treasure them forever! All in all, it was a pretty good and relaxed day, not too much hooplah (which is the way I wanted it to be).

Birthday Bliss

I have to say this birthday was for sure unlike any other. It all began on Saturday with having some amazing chocolate cake with our local staff. Sunday I celebrated with giving the kids of the Bible study ice cream and then after that I had left over cake with my girls Bible study group. Monday, I went with Ryan to pick up our friend Judy who came back from the States and we stayed at the house of a pastor from Calvary Chapel Entebbe and were so blessed by his and his wife's little (well, big) family. Judy sang happy birthday to me at midnight and then almost right when I woke up Ryan was the next one to serenade me. After having some coffee in my blood, the kids came out singing with balloons and a happy birthday banner. From there we went to breakfast which was lovely and from there we went shopping at this new mall in Kampala. We followed that with a pizza lunch and then began our trek back home where I continued to be blown away at how God has blessed me so much with the friends in my life (old and new) who have been with me through some very difficult times as well as the best times of my life. I got my two most favorite presents (ones I'll NEVER forget) this evening: two of my girls from the Bible study I teach and who I'm really growing close to got me a set of earrings and a necklace, they honestly don't have much but they blessed me with those for my birthday and I'll treasure them forever! All in all, it was a pretty good and relaxed day, not too much hooplah (which is the way I wanted it to be).