made it to uganda!

after praying together, shedding tears, and giving one more hug..i said good-bye to my mom and sister who took me to the airport wednesday morning. it was so difficult to walk away this time. knowing what we have gone through with loosing my dad makes it a bit tougher. my family has been such an incredible blessing and i wouldn't be where i am today if it wasn't for them supporting, encouraging, and standing next to me as i go where the Lord has called me for this season of life!

my journey back to uganda included 3 planes and 3 layovers. my first leg was from dallas/ft worth to detroit, michigan. it went smoothly and i was able to grab a quick starbucks before my second leg of the trip began (detroit to amsterdam). this is where it gets interesting... after we boarded the plane and pulled away from the gate, the pilot comes on the intercom to inform us that one of the computers isn't working correctly. we then have to taxi back to our original gate and wait for maintenance to come. about an hour and half later we are finally leaving for amsterdam. at this point, i knew my connecting flight would be really tight. i tried to rest on the flight and wait until we arrived to make a plan, but it just depended on when we landed. as we came into amsterdam, we were informed that we would land around 10:30am (just 30mins before my 3rd flight left for entebbe). i knew i would be running so i managed to move closer to the door in order to give myself the best chance of making my flight. at this point, my bags were going to be left behind, but would come on the next flight; which would be the following day. as soon as i made it off the plane i began running..but where?! i didn't know what gate i was running to so i had to find a computer. frantically i entered in my ticket number and found the gate number. i ran! swerving in and out of people to get there. if i didn't make it, i would have to stay in amsterdam over night. i spotted the gate (which said "gate closing"). i threw my bag on the security check and asked if i made it? they said "yes!" praise the Lord! i walked up to the gate where these sweet KLM ladies checked me in. i was the very last person to walk on the plane with sweat running down and out of breath, i found my seat.

i couldn't believe i was "that person" running through the airport. if you saw me, you probably would've had a good laugh. :) so with all that said, i made it to uganda. my bags, however, did not. they will be coming tonight i hope!

i'm finding it hard to believe that i am back. seems like yesterday i was here. i've been resting today due to the jet leg but headed to dinner tonight with my host family...

more stories to come!  

a beautiful people

processing through life with people who have walked with you makes it more comforting and it somewhat eases the pain. i am so blessed by every friend and family member who has loved me well, listened to all my issues, let me process out loud, encouraged, cried, prayed with and for me. i would not be where i am today if it wasn't for those individuals and God using them to shape and refine me a little more.  [you all know who are you.. :) ]

"As iron sharpens irons, so one man sharpens another"

Proverbs 27:17 

so when change comes and you move half-way around the world, it's not easy to take the people, you want the most, with you. it's a bittersweet feeling. to leave your family and friends behind. to try and find that sameness with others, who are culturally different. one may think it's not possible, but i would have to object to that. :) it may be a slow process, challenging, and hard at first, but it is possible...

as i sat across the table at dinner with one of my dear friends, i began sharing with her about the people i have come to know and love in mawanga. it didn't take long for me to tell her how loving, kind, hospitable, caring, welcoming, and selfless they were. i couldn't help tell about how much they embraced me from the moment i arrived in the village, to when i said good-bye. there was a warmth they each displayed which brought comfort and ease to my heart. i didn't feel like a visitor or a guest, but i felt like part of the family. and as a family member, there is a freedom you feel to be yourself. to not act like you have everything together. to come just as you are..with baggage, with fears, with doubts. with everything...because no mater what your story is, these people loved me. they cared about the things i care about (or they at least tried). and even though our cultures, our backgrounds, and our struggles may be different, we are united in Christ, which allows us to be of one mind, one heart, and one spirit. we have a common thread, which is Jesus. and He, Himself. is enough. He makes it possible for us to function as one family, one body of Christ.

these are the people of mawanga. they are beautiful. and i am honored to call them family.

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all in all."

Ephesians 4:2-6 

"..so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

Romans 12:5

point me in the right direction....

seriously, i feel like i have so much going on. my to-do list is piling up and i have only a few weeks until i'm back on a plane! ahhh..can this be real!? i have days i just want to scream. i have days i want to sit and act like i don't have anything to do, but read. oh but what a crazy idea and thought that is! :) then it hits me...the very fact that i have 18 days! i still have people to see, places to go, and phone calls to make, but honestly i'm not sure how realistic that all is.

i finally got my support letters sent out and as people open and read about the last 4 months of my life, i just pray God would use each of them (or you) to come alongside me. AND for you all who may not open a letter from me, it doesn't mean you weren't chosen to get a letter, but maybe it's because i don't have your address. :) actually, since you are reading this, you have found some way to follow what i am doing. you, too, have been walking alongside me and knowing about my life. i want to say thank you! i pray in some small way the Lord encourages you through these words. at times it's hard to convey in my human mind what i want to say, but in reality, it's what the Lord ultimately wants to say...

so with that, i want to extend and invite you to you to continue with me on this journey...i am leaving april 24 for uganda for 5 months (as of now). i am going as a full-time intern serving with ROWAN. i am trusting God will provide all the funds needed and so i am stepping in faith as i prepare to leave in just a few weeks.  FIRST, pray with me. pray for the next 5 months as i'm in uganda. pray for all the projects, relationships, friendships, conversations, and people i will interact with. pray for strength, courage, and for joy to be experienced and felt. pray for God to piece everything together according to what HE wants. pray that i would be able to see HIM work in big ways. SECONDLY, i pray you will consider investing tangibly. i am going as an intern and i am responsible for raising my own support as i serve with ROWAN. from the flight, to living expenses, to food, to communication costs, etc...i humbly ask you to consider supporting me. whether it's $5 or $500, every dollar means so much and will provide for me in more ways than one. you can go to my donate page by clicking HERE or looking at the right side of this blog and finding the section "Support Me".  as support comes in i will update the status, but i want to thank you in advance for any way you come alongside me!

let's do this! 18 days and counting!

because of HIS Grace and Mercy,

joy