the long way home

we left around 6:30am to fly out of uganda and into london. it was a long bus ride followed by sad goodbyes to the beautiful country we had just inhabited for the past two weeks. our 8 hour flight wasn't too bad. i don't sleep on planes so i watched three movies and talked with some of my friends that were in other seats throughout the plane. nikkie and i made friends with the flight attendants and got lots of snacks. it was an overall not so bad flight, especially given the bitter-sweet circumstances. when we arrived to london at about 4pm local time, most of us went out to hit the town. we bought passes to get around on the tube for the day and found an italian restaurant to have dinner at. after dinner, the canadians had a play to see so the other 6 of us walked around to do some sight seeing. it was really cold and none of us had proper london clothes on so we stuck out more there than we did in africa. the sandals were a huge give away. we saw a lot of cool things and quite frankly, i was only half interested because i was cold and not in vacation mode at all. i was sad that i wasn't in uganda or at home because i hate being at the inbetween places on trips. by the end of the night, we were exhausted and ready to go back to our yotel. yes yotel. not a typo. it's this little hotel type thing in terminal 4 at the heathrow airport where you can sleep and shower. it's a tiny room but felt great to be in after a long day and a long trip. unfortunately, we had some issues with the tube timing and bis situation so we didn't get back until about 1:30am local time. we quickly went to sleep and woke up bright and early to be checked out of our rooms by 7am. since we all had to be out of our rooms and our flight wasn't until 12pm, we decided to have breakfast and spend as much time together before we all had to go our separate ways for our separate flights back home. it was a nice morning of talking and kind of in our own way, debriefing and saying goodbye so that when we actually had to leave, we just did quick hugs and goodbyes. i can't wait to see all of these wonderful friends again and it's sad that everyone is all over the place. now for the 11 hour flight. uhh worst flight ever. first, i had a rude french lady in my seat that wouldn't move. then i switched seats again for another older lady so i could sit by sarah and nikkie. poor laura was stuck in the middle of another row with a kicking kid behind her. i was excited to be next to sarah who also doesn't sleep on planes and we watched two movies together. the food was awful as usual though and all of us felt kind of sick coming home and by the time we landed, none of us were doing that great. from there, it took like 2 hours to get through customs, get our bags, and leave just in time to hit traffic on the way home. our flight landed about 3:45pm and i got home around 7pm just wanted to chunda and sleep. it was great being home and seeing the love of my life, fil, and my family but i didn't feel well enough to do much so i laid there and dozed off from time to time until it was late enough to go to bed for reals. this week has been rough. i got home wednesday, had work thursday-saturday, and student ministries and father's day sunday. i've been trying to get laundry done and my life organized ever since i got back and it really hasn't made much progress. monday is my only day off i think for the next few weeks at least so i'm gonna sleep in and get everything in order so i can regain my bearings. phew. what a week.

the last day...

we had a medical clinic planned for our last day but had to switch the location last minute because the place we were supposed to go to had a medical clinic there just a week ago. the place we ended up at was a private school called liberty educational center in northern bwaise. there were a bunch of really excited children that were all over us when we got there. it was the perfect way to end the trip. so much love that we were feeling and shown throughout our whole time here demonstrated in such a tangible way. we passed out deworming tablets for all the students and then opened up the clinic which we had about 500 people come through. I worked in the pharmacy again and it was busy but pretty fun to do. the clinic and the kids kept us occupied for the day so we didn't have too much down time to think about leaving this beautiful country. this trip has been great and I'm excited for the next one. missy deemed me her little australian, the canadians called me their half canadian friend and I gained some american brothers and sisters. I can't wait until the next trip and now I have a list of places to visit because I have friends in texas, tennessee, canada, australia, louisiana, ohio, different parts of california and of course, here in uganda. late night early morning to head to london!

gbye kids

a usual sunday here. church, lunch, and time with the kids. the message was a continuation of a series from last week and was titled beauty to ashes. loved it. that church and everything about it was so on fire and I really enjoyed it both weeks. after lunch we got to hang out with the kids at the new creation home and we celebrated bena's birthday. some of the kids, mamas, and team learned how to make and roll out tortillas from scratch and so we spent a good amount in the kitchen doing that and making cakes and popcorn. they sang for us and then we did our time of worship and devotions and then had some birthday fun before wrapping up the night and sadly saying goodbye to the kids one final time. good thing we have a busy day tomorrow so we can keep our minds off of this leaving business.

wah toe toe

ahh another day is over and we're leaving way too soon! today we went to see the land that sherry and ken bought so that they can expand on what they already have established here. the land, named graceland, was purchased a year ago and is beautiful. it is nine acres of land up a little bit higher and farther from where we are currently at but the intention is to build a bigger children's home, guest house, school, church, and medical clinic or as we called it, sherryville. its so awesome to see this ministry thriving and trying to reach as many people as possible. today, when we went to the graceland with our 18 kids, we got to pass out sandals, clothes, sweeties, biscuits, and prizes to the surrounding neighborhood kids. our kids helped out and prayed for the kids and people they were serving. so incredible I have no words. we also climbed mango trees and ate some fresh fruits off the trees we were in. so fun. after that we went back to the African market to shop and hang out for about an hour before church started. we went to watoto church which apparently is a huge well known church started in Uganda that most people have heard of except for me. story of my life. the worship was amazing with a full band and choir but the message was very directed at the congregation and about their push for miracle giving so we all felt out of place. it was crazy to step into a huge, wealthy church in the middle of a country living in such poverty. the pastor that started the church preached and it was different than the teaching we're all used to. it's hard stepping into a church for the first time but I felt out of place and i'm missing my church back home! that was it for today. two days left =[

ohh fansidor...

so this is the latest I've stayed up this whole trip. today, we held a medical clinic at a school with almost 1600 kids. some of the team went around to the classrooms to pass out deworming tablets and other treats and prizes. a lot of kids welcomed them in the usual gracious and appreciative manner. we set up for the clinic and it went pretty slow compared to others. there were less people and those who did come through were typically school kids with colds or something minor. I worked in pharmacy today so I learned how to fill prescriptions ordered by the doctors. it was something different and fun to do and the other pharm people and I were passing the time just fine. we have a lot of people to take vitals so for our last clinic on Monday, I'm going to be back in the pharmacy with the craziness of backed up orders, pill cutting, dosage regulation, and all the other duties associated. it was a short day it felt like which is probably why we had the energy to make popcorn and watch movies tonight. now it's time to sleep. there are a few people leaving early from our team; one tomorrow, one Sunday, and one Monday so we have a bunch of girls piled in our little party house right now asleep. time for the last of us to join. goodnight!

let people go, free free ya ya ya

this morning started a little earlier than usual because we had a two hour bus ride to get to the nile river. there we took a boat around the nile and then came back to shore to do some baptisms. we had two girls on our team that wanted to be baptized but apparently, ken had met some guys while we were out on the boats and through conversion with them, learned that they wanted to be baptized too. two of them were born again Christians who had not yet been baptized and the other was a Muslim who decided to accept Jesus as his saviour because of the stories and testimonies he had heard. it was really neat to be apart of. we left the nile unsure of what our next stop would be but we ended up seeing the church that sherry's parents had built back in the 70s and then we to another babies home. this home was much different. it was beautiful, well kept, and there were lots of staff around to take care of all the kids ranging from 6 weeks to 5 years old. more mzungus like us and some ugandan mamas. very different from the other home we saw. all the kids were healthy and happy and after doing a quick tour with one of the ladies that has been there for three years, we learned that some of the babies were abandoned but a lot of them were just given up by a single parent or family member who was unable to care for the child at that time. there was a memory wall of all the kids that were in the home, had been adopted, had been reunited with their family, and unfortunately, a spot for those who had died. it felt a lot more personal and with in our realm of comfort on how we thought children should be treated. it was a great way to the end day before another two hour bus ride. most people slept but I've had the opportunity to have some really great conversations with people and I'm loving getting to know this team. bus rides are great times to chat =]

true Africa

today we went to the school again for the last time this trip and sat through two hours of dancing, singing, skits, poems, and short testimonies. the kids get so into their programs that even after the hour of allotted time for music is up, they still don't get up to play with us. we enjoyed watching them but we had limited interaction. a few of us picked up cards this morning to sponsor certain kids in the school or home and it was neat to tell them that we would be paying for their schooling. after that we went to mengo hospital to visit the pediatric ward. we passed out sweets, biscuits, toys, dolls, and other little things to the pre-op, post-op, and traction patients. a few of us were able to go in the burn unit where men, women, and children had severe burns all over their bodies. some had their faces completely burned off and others were wrapped up all over. it was heartening to see their pain but also to see where they had to endure it. this "hospital" was one open room for each ward with dirty beds, dirty floors, open windows, flies, and all kinda of unclean and unsanitary conditions. people with severe burns had open flesh wounds full of infection without any defense against it. we got to pray for a lot of people and hold hands and stroke arms or whatever unburned skin was available for these outcasts patients to feel human interaction. a few of us ran up to the labour and delivery ward to do a quick tour of the pregnant ladies, newborns, and those waiting. the whole hospital was so different from anything I've ever seen. wow. after a heavy afternoon, we got to enjoy a fun multicultural evening full of traditional African dancing and food. it was so neat to watch and the food was excellent. at the end of the night they invited us to come dance with them and a bunch of us had fun trying to shake it like they do. now it's time to get some sleep for an early morning tomorrow!

prayer in the heart of africa

today we went to a handicapped home with over 100 mentally and physically disabled kids and young adults. we walked around and talked with some of them and then everyone grouped together so we could sing, share testimonies, and pray together. I'm starting to feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over again but it was incredible. this must be a country of passion because every thing that I've seen be done has been full of passion and sincerity. we sang a few songs that the kids all know and love and the smiles on their faces were priceless. I sat by a few that kept looking at me excitedly and held my hand and hugged me and were just so precious in every way. after our time together, they went back to class and we headed over to prayer mountain. it was more of like one of those mountain hill areas that you can hike or whatnot but it had people praising and worshiping our Lord. people praying and singing, on their knees, on their faces, walking and yelling all for Jesus Christ. it was amazing to see them, see the view over the city, and to just hang out with God for a few hours. when we were leaving we saw monkeys and fed them some bananas. cute little guys. it was a slower paced day but I think everyone's week is starting to catch up to them because we're still all tired. one more week left and more great things to come.

girls day... shopping and babies

so yesterday I wasn't able to update the blog because currently I'm fighting a cold so I wasn't feeling too great by the end of the day and went straight to bed. for someone who hardly gets sick, I sure picked a great time this year. yesterday, we were given the morning to rest and relax here at the house. a lot of people did laundry, read, wrote, talked, or just took it slow to regroup and process the past week. in the afternoon, we went into town to do a little shopping at the African markets. really neat stuff and I wanted to buy one of everything. fortunately they only take shillings so I didn't go too crazy. after we bought some souvenirs, we went to sanyu babies home where 48 kids ages 0-4 live. these kids were abandoned by their families and now must live fighting for attention and affection. there's only 24 of us on the team so it was impossible to please all of these kids. it's heartbraking seeing kids cling on to you, call you mama, hog attention and cry when you try to put them down or pick up a second. all of them just need love and with only a few staff members, how could that ever be possible? they had towels for diapers or nothin at all and were on a strict schedule for feeding and changing. there were several autistic children that I fell in love with. one boy, Watson, stuck by me for most of the day. he called me mama and was playing with whatever was around. this whole trip has been about moments of joy through the heart wrenching experiences and this was a very extreme example of that. when we had to leave I almost thought it would have been better if we never went. seeing them have to be left behind by new faces just made me wish that someone would come and stay. someone would take one home. someone would love them. a few of our teammates went to the hospital for the day because as we've been doing medical clinics, we've been finding some critically ill that we've felt the need to take to the hospital. we had one boy with cancer, another girl with a cyst on her forehead that was not properly drained before so now needing surgery so she can regain vision. another little 3 week year old baby with no rectum and a hole in his side where his intestines would dump out. the clinics have been really neat but also very sad to see. so many sick and unable to get treatment or any kind of help. it's amazing to see the love and willingness of our team to help any and all that they can. God's characteristics are shining through this team and it's so neat to be apart of.

sunday funday

this morning we got to go to victory city church and partake in an amazing church experience. we got there on boda-bodas which is their version of a motorcycle taxi. so fun. the church was larger than I expected and so animated. there were many people on stage for worship and even though it was similar to our worship back home, I felt like it was more free and open for everyone to cry out to God in their own unique way. the service was packed and everyone was so into the worship. the music lasted longer than normal and I felt a strong connection between our community and with our God. the pastor was a missionary from san diego but living here in Africa. he was loud, bold, and strong in spirit. he spoke of breaking out of bondage and turning our sorrow into ecstasy, that God is a God of miracles, and nothing is impossible for Him. the whole service was beyond amazing and something that I think everyone needed, African and Americans. after church we went out to lunch to a place called good African coffee. they did have really good coffee. unfortunately, I think it's not called good African food for a reason... we all felt a little sick after but luckily, nothing too bad. after lunch, we went to the children's home to hang out and get to know the kids a little better. they love hanging out with their aunties and uncles and we all had a really good time. it's funny how some of the kids kind of pair off with us. sharon calls me her best auntie and writes me notes and sticks by my side. she's 12 and so precious. I love that she chose me. we made a necklace together and then she tied it around my neck. my heart melts over that kind of stuff. all the kids are great and I wish we got to spend more time with them. I can't believe it's already been a week!

short and sweet

today we held another medical clinic. it was the largest one yet to date and there was nearly 1000 patients that came through. need I say more? we're popped once again and I'm hoping to get a little more sleep tonight for these big days so that's all for now. goodnight

Your perfect love is casting out fear

so normally I dream a lot back home. it's more unusual for me not to dream, which is how this trip has been. last night, I went to bed late like usual and everyone was asleep when I got to my room. I layed down and probably fell asleep around midnight. at 440am I woke up. also normal. I usually wake up in the middle of the night back home and here it's been a few times a night until I get up around 630am. I was a little relieved that I made it almost to 5 without waking up but felt pretty awake. I thought I was still awake when I woke up an hour later screaming. my subconscious had slipped back into a dream like state and I remember seeing a car driving reckless up a mountain. I was in the car that was following them and police on the side of the road were desperately trying to stop this man. a few turns later and he had crashed into the mountain. lucky for them they didn't just speed off the side of the mountain, I said. we went to the car to see what happened. there was a woman in the car as well. while we tried to uncover the things in the car to figure out what had drove this man mad, the lady spoke to me and said, I know what it was. and I felt a fear and heaviness come over me. i remember not wanting to look at the woman's face because she was possessed by a demon so I refrained from looking. she grabbed me by the throat and started choking me. I couldn't even let out a scream but I woke up screaming, crying, and trying my hardest to get air in my lungs. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I tried crying out to Jesus but couldn't get a word out. it was 545 and I was awake and not alone. I sat up breathing harder as tears streamed down my cheeks. one of my roommates woke up. she sat with me, comforting me with prayer and scripture and then got one of our other roommates to join us. we prayed and sang and talked and I slowly felt relief come over me. I've never experienced a demonic dream but it's so real. Im feeling sick with a sore throat and headache now so please pray for health and healing. this all happened during the Muslim chanting and it's very clear that the devil has a foothold here. there's witchcraft and voodoo and separation from God in this place. we are spreading the love of Jesus though and the devil knows it. but if our God is for us, who can be against us?

joy part two

today was major for us. what I shared below seemed like it was over the span of a week but actually, it was only two hours. then we were off to the next life changing experience at eagle's nest secondary school. the kids, about high school aged, were having an assembly and one of our team members, pastor gary, was planning on giving a sermon. the classes let out and hundreds of kids came to sit down in a big open seating space with us. they started out with welcoming us and introducing themselves and then moved into singing praise songs, pledging to their flags, and singing their national anthem. our team of Americans and Canadians were invited to the stage and then we were asked to sing our national anthem. since there's only three Canadians on our team, I joined them to sing oh Canada. ya mom, all those times singing it at you really paid off haha. then the rest of us sang our anthem and then started singing another song that apparently I don't know so I went back to being Canadian again so I could stand off to the some. we sat down and listened to other anthems since there were students from Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, Somalia, and other parts of Africa. some students sang beautiful solos and then we moved on to awards and finally the message. this is a Christian school but not all the students were saved or even of Christian religion. gary's call for their salvation seemed to be coming through to them. after the message, the whole team went to the front to pray with any of the kids who needed or wanted it. we all had a bunch of kids come up to us with all kinds of requests. several were saved, many at least were seeking for Jesus or some kind of love and acceptance. a lot asked for prayer for schooling or future plans and careers. some asked for forgiveness and to overcome temptation. so many vulnerable and honest students came to us just asking to be prayed for and that's something eternal we have impacted their lives with. one girl cried after I prayed for her which made me cry. again. we were all pretty choked up and emotional. after most had been prayed for and left, we hung out with the few that were still around. I joined in with two kids that were dancing and picked up each of their steps as they went. others kicked a soccer ball around and some continued to pray. we were there for almost four hours and had no words for what had happened. it's hard to process a big day like this and even writing it out seemed daunting. so incredible. good thing this trip is so well documented with film footage and pictures because words could never do it justice.

but joy comes in the morning

today was incredible beyond words. i'm not sure how i can even begin to write about today but I have never been so moved. there was a lot of crying and even more praying. we had plans to visit the only known elderly home where the older people who have no one to take care of them live. its rare for ugandans to live past their 50s and the only reason for family to not take care of their elders themselves would be if there was no one left living to take care of them. this home is also where handicapped people of all ages will get dropped off. what we encountered could not possibly have been prepared for. there is a annual pilgrimage currently underway for the Christians who were burned alive here in Uganda back in the 1800s. people from all over Africa travel by foot to visit this martyr's shrine once a year. hundreds of people were staying at the elderly home outside to rest until they continued the rest of the way. we were expecting to hang out with some old folks, pass out some goodies, and then pack up and go but we ended up staying longer than intended and being moved beyond what we thought possible. the people actually staying at the home ranged from old and healthy to young and handicapped. there were a few that were severely mentally and physically handicapped who appeared to be suffering from diseases like cerebral polesy. one girl named doris was laying on a mattress on the floor on her stomach unable to move much. sherry knew her and showed us how she liked to sing. she started, "baby Jesus, baby Jesus" and doris joined in with her, "I love you, I love you. you are my saviour, you are my saviour. everyday, everyday." by the end of the song, all of us around her were crying. how beautiful for this girl who can barely move and speak to be singing her love for Jesus. I couldn't even process it, all I could do was cry. after sherry walked away, I sat down with doris and told her she was beautiful and just stroked her arm. how precious. I have such a soft spot for the disabled. guess God knew what he was doing when he called me to the medical field. after that I walked around and visited some others a lot of them were blind so I came over and held their hands, prayed wit them, passed out whatever I had, and then kept going. some talked with me, like the man who was paralyzed from the neck down but painted with host mouth. some didn't say much but one man in particular really stood out to me. he was this little old man quietly sitting in him chair. he had a girl with him who was watching over him. I said hello and noticed he was blind so I grabbed his hand to shake, hold, whatever he wanted. he was still quiet but was shaking my hand and saying things in his language that I didn't understand. after a minute or so I was goin to leave but first, I handed him a gift. now this may seem like it was something fancy or spectacular when I tell you how he reacted but it wasn't. let me tell you, that man flew up from his chair and started shuffling in little circles, stomping, and yelling his thanks. I've never seen someone so excited and grateful for anything. ready for what I gave him? a canvas bag. a small, flat, st patrick's school canvas bag for him to keep. how excited should we all be for the things we're blessed with? he lit up and even the girl was excited to see him so excited and starting translating for me so I could understand what he was saying. wow. ok and there were so many other people that we got to pray for and talk to and just touch spiritually and physically, as simple as holding a hand in need. and then there were tons of others outside! we talked and prayed with others on the pilgrimage and played with the kids. we painted finger and toe nails, girls and boys. we had an unreal experience that was overwhelming and divine. now, on to the second part of the day.

first stop, bwaise

today we held our first medical clinic in the slum of bwaise (pronounced bwy-zee). we were told it would be one of the slower clinics but by slow they meant hundreds of people instead of like thousands I guess. today, I was able to take vitals for the patients needing to be seen by the doctors. a girl helping out from another organization that was a nursing student was shocked to learn that I wasn't even in a nursing program yet. she thought that I was already a nurse because of how well I was doing. made me really happy. it was so amazing to see how intricate each of our team members' roles were in this experience. we had nurses and medical students like myself takin vitals. we needed people to work in the pharmacy portion of the clinic and for that we had nurses, a paramedic, a few regulars that either live here or have been on previous trips here, and some brand new nonmedical people. we had three ugandan doctors and others helping to translate at the stations that needed it. we had a group passing out deworming tablets, sweeties, biscuits, and toys as well as people working crowd control and moving the lines in a somewhat organized fashion. always important. we had two awesome girls with no previous experience feel called to work with those needing glasses. they starting asking their patients if they could pray for them which turned into them praying over everyone who needed it. they poured out their hearts and were exhausted and overwhelmed by the end of the day. we are so blessed to have the team that we do and it's amazing how everyone from all over the world, from different backgrounds, and with different skills and professions can come together and do amazing things through our God that orchestrated this entire trip. we are so blessed to interact with the people we do and go the places we've been. it's all so natural being here in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar team meeting hundreds of new people and kids every day. so blessed.

praise God. be blessed as you listen.

so day two started out pretty early for all of us. I woke up at 5:30am, no alarm needed and mostly everyone else was up before their alarms went off too whether it be because they went to bed at 8:30 the night before or because they had trouble sleeping the first night. we had breakfast, worship and a devotional which was on Corinthians 13 (one of my favs) before heading out for the day. first stop was to go back to the new creation center school where 75 kids call us auntie and uncle and sing us songs of gratitude for the things they are blessed with. everytime one of these precious kids spoke they said, "praise God.", introduced the song, and then said "be blessed as you listen." they are all great singers and dancers... super animated and passionate as they sang. from the fun and crazy sons where we got up and danced and jumped around with them, to the serious songs with eyes closed and hands open. we had a lot of fun with them and they all loved hanging out with us. we danced a lot and try taught us their african-style moves. the kids had lunch and we got to try what's called portia. not sure of the spelling but its supposed to be a cream of wheat kind of thing but thick like rice. I thought it was good so I ate beans and portia for lunch with the kids. after that, we went into one of the slums to pass out deworming tablets as well as candy (called sweets or sweeties) and cookies (called biscuits). the deworming tablets are passed out every six months by a team from loving one by one ministries and it's important because if these people he worms then the little nutrition they may be getting will be consumed by the worms. there were so many kids and once we got done passing out our stuff, we played with them, walked with them, danced with them, and just got rearly dirty with them. it was a long day but always worth it. at one point I was sitting with a group of kids when one older girl had a seizure. luckily, I got to her pretty quickly and sent other to get help since we have some awesome medical staff on this trip. a lady who's a very experienced nurse on our team came over and we helped the girl, margaret, recover. we walked her to where she lives and talked with her care taker. she has a history of epilepsy and after moving, wasn't able to afford thru medication that used to be given to her for free. the nurse, who's name is also margaret, talked with sherry, or director and we were able to get the girl a year supply of her medicine. so awesome. I am so in love with this place and these people. trips like this are life changing even after bein on several missions trips. there are a lot of similarities between haiti and uganda by i've also found a lot of differences. it's neat bein in a new place and feeling really at home and at ease with everything around. the weather i,s nice. little hot during the day nut the humidity is more than tolerable. and one of my biggest praises at the moment... the mosquitoes have not seem to noticed me. not one bite. I'm taking garlic pills but haven't really been using bug spray. woohoo! we stopped by the new creation family home which only has about 16 kids and was where we hung out for a good chunk of the day yesterday. just from that one interaction, the kids already love their auntie and uncles. we got little notes that the kids will write and then just pass out to several of us and we got notes from specific kids to specific people on the team. I hung out with sharon for most of the time spent there so she gave me a note today that she worth for me. so cute. these kids are the sweetest. I'm so happy to be here and our team is very dynamic but everyone is gettin along so well. I apparently sleep the lest of everyone so once again, I'm the last one up. time to get some sleep for another big day tomorrow. medical clinic number one.

sunday-tuesday

after two red eye flights and no sleep, we made it bright and early to uganda on tuesday. there were no crowds, not a lot of noise, and a beautiful scenic view. totally unexpected. we loaded the buses, changed out some money, ate some pizza, and then went to check out where we'd be staying. there's over 20 of us that met up here to serve together and from all over the world. we got to all officially go around the room and introduce ourselves after dinner since we came from different places and different flights. before that though we got to visit the school where 75 african refugees get to hear about Jesus and get an education. after that, we visited our specific orphanage and met the darling kids there. amazing! they are all so full of joy and energy and gratitude. they sang us songs, huged us, and walked us around. I had one girl even do my hair for me. we had a great day but it's been a long journey already so it's time to sleep and get ready for the rest of the week! back off mosquitoes...

buh-bye america

the day is finally here! i'm taking off on a new adventure that God has planned for me, which is great because quite frankly, i'm not sure what to expect. i know whatever we do, it will be wonderful and heart breaking all in one. i get to play nurse once again and care for the orphans, the widows, the sick, the poor, the grief-stricken, and the lost. we're all praying to be used in a big way so we're ready to see God move through us and the people of Uganda. we have a lot of flying to get through first so pray for sanity, health, and sleep because i'm going to need it all! hopefully i am able to update this blog daily so you can share in my experiences with me. thanks for praying and showing your love and support.

>onemonth

every summer i an given the opportunity to partake on an amazing adventure in the missions field and it is such a blessing. i am counting down the days until uganda and am particularly excited for this trip because it is so different from my past trips. first off, i'm going to uganda instead of haiti, a major distance difference. we will be 10 hours ahead over there in africa and i don't even want to think about how long i will be cooped up on a plane to get there. i have a layover in london where i will be meeting my team for the very first time. normally, i'm going to meetings and in constant communication with my team in preparation for our communal embarkment. i have one good friend that i'm going with so that will help because honestly, this could be a little overwhelming but i'm ready to see the team that God has assembled! another huge difference that i'm excited about is the focus of the trip. domestically and internationally i have a huge heart for the needy, the hungry, the misfortunate, and the forgotten. my heart breaks for those out on the streets, the ones who feel unloved, unwanted, and lost in desperation. we will be reaching out the people in the slums of their country, showing them that God cares and loves them. a passion was ignited in me back in january 2010 to join the medical force and here i am, ready to serve. i have learned so much over the past two years and i am ready to help and grow in anyway i can for the benefit of others. being able to participate in medical clinics is something that is heavy on my heart. my purpose for schooling and drive for my career as a nurse is all for aid of others. this job isn't for me, it's to serve others and to serve a God who called me out to do His work.

"the Lord heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds." -psalm 147:3

we are His hands and feet, ready and able to do His work through the power of Jesus Christ that lives in me. be free. be healed. in His name, amen.

summer on the brain

and no, it's not because i get to enjoy my summer vacation from school by sleeping in, laying by the pool, and doing way less than i'm currently maintaining. no. this excitement is because in about a month and a half, i'll be in uganda! i can't even tell you how amazing this opportunity is and how easily it all fell into place. i was not expecting any of this but the Lord provides! one thing that i am so grateful for is the career goal of the medical field that the Lord has placed on my heart as well as this heart of servanthood. i love helping people. i love being able to do anything and everything needed of me and will try my hardest to extend myself in every direction human possibly. and sometimes not so humanly possible, but God possible. starting an internship at hoag, learning clinical practices in my classes, and talking with people about different medical conditions, wounds, and experiences all have me thinking about this upcoming trip where i'll be working with the less fortunate and providing them with services that i am passionate about. i am so blessed to have this opportunity and i know God is going to our team to do great things. please to continue to pray for us as we struggle with finances, hardships, and just feeling overwhelmed. i for one still need about $1200 for my airline ticket that i came out of pocket for already. the Lord provides and i have faith in that because i've been able to see it first hand for the past 5 years of missions trips. with that being said, if you feel at all lead to contribute to my trip, every little bit helps! thank you so much for taking the time to read this, pray for me, and support in anyway plausible. <3

financial need

preparation:

international roundtrip flight - $1756.54

immunizations

trip expenses: - $1795.00

visa, lodging, meals, and water

transportation to orphanages, hospitals, slums, and villages

supplies used for the medical clinics, teaching, etc...

support for LOBO's orphanage and school

total: $3461.54

it may seem like an overwhelming amount but all i'm asking is for you all to help me get as close to $3400 as possible. i am more than willing to use the money God has blessed me with to help fulfill the total amount needed but if you feel led to contribute, please do! every little bit helps and is so appreciated. i can not do this on my own so please help me out!

above all, trust in the Lord and pray for His provisions.

thank you

since the trip is coming up quickly and i have limited time to get my funds in, checks made payable to my name would be best. if need be, you can make checks payable to Loving One By One Ministries with my name on the memo line for tax deductibles over $100.

you can mail them to me at:
Heather Taylor
PO BOX 3311
Mission Viejo CA
92690

how it all started...

loving one by one ministries:

their story

the who, what, where, when, and why...

To my wonderful family and friends,

Once again I come to you with great news. However, this year is a little different because for the first time, I’ve been given the opportunity to go to Uganda! I’m so unbelievably excited about this because Uganda has been on my heart since high school when I first started sponsoring an orphan in Uganda through Compassion International. This trip will be very different from past missions work I’ve done. I will be arriving to Kampala on May 29th coming back home on June 13th. Through an opportunity I heard about from a friend, I will be joining her and the rest of our team through Loving One By One Ministries (www.lovingonebyone.org) to do a number of things. Most impacting for me will be the opportunity to work with natives and team members to conduct several medical clinics in different city slums and rural villages to offer medical attention to those who need it, distribute de-worming tablets, educate on hygiene and first aid, and attend to the sick and wounded. We will have the opportunity to volunteer in Sanyu Babies Home that houses 45-50 precious babies that have sadly been abandoned. We'll be spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Uganda by conducting vacation bible schools, helping and working at New Creation Centre School and New Creation Family Home, as well as ministering at various orphanages and hospitals within the region. This trip is going to be both touching and heart-wrenching and I could really use your prayers and support in preparation for my journey.
I really feel that God is calling me to go on this trip and as He has done in the past, I know He will provide. With that being said, I am thankful He has provided me with such great people and supporters in my life. I am asking you all to keep me and my team in your prayers and continue to pray vigorously from now until we return back to the States. Now for the hard part… I know finances are tight and I don’t want you to feel obligated what so ever, but if you feel like God is leading you to support me financially as well, I would really appreciate it. I need to raise at least $3,500 for this trip so any little bit you can contribute would help me out a lot and mean so much to me. Thank you for being a part of the body of Christ with me and for being someone I can count on.

With Love,
Heather Taylor ♥

Since the trip is coming up quickly and I have limited time to get my funds in, checks made payable to my name would be best. If need be, you can make checks payable to Loving One By One Ministries with my name on the memo line for tax deductibles over $100.

You can mail them to me at:
HEATHER TAYLOR
PO BOX 3311
Mission Viejo CA
92690

Thanks again!