Closing Thoughts

After all the blogposts and all the stories and all the emails, I began to think to myself, I need a summary. I need a concise way to illustrate my mission to people who were not there. I am back in America and people want to know about my trip, but I do not even know how to begin to describe the people I met, the new experiences and the things I witnessed. However even the smallest phrase or word can trigger a sweet memory of Uganda for me and I find it hard to talk about anything but my trip. So without further ado, here is a short list of lessons I learned in Uganda.

1) The first lesson I learned was how to love. It sounds very elementary and before I left, I thought I understood how to love, but now I realize how much I held back. It is funny because while in Uganda, I journaled every single day about my thoughts, feelings and prayers. When I read over it during my long layover in the airport, I discovered one of the reoccuring hopes in my journals is that I would learn how to love more and I did. My hardened shell was broken and I learned how to feel other people's pain more, to feel more joyful for other people's successes and to just be more connected to the emotions of the people around me.

2) Another lesson I learned is that happiness is not dependent on condition, but on your approach to life. I always knew this lesson, but for once I really got to see this for real. So many Americans with great lives are so depressed and so many Ugandans who have experienced tragedy and great loss are completely joyful just to be alive. Life truly is what you make of it.

3) One lesson that suprised me was learning how to worship. I have gone to church my whole life, I have sang countless numbers of praise songs and hymns to the Lord, but for the first time in my life I learned how to sing and mean it. How to reflect on the words and pray while singing and sing with JOY for God. For the first time in my life I could sing and not worry about how terrible my voice is because I was singing for God and God alone. To quote the song, I finally got to the "heart of worship".

4) The power of prayer is another basic lesson I learned. In one of my other blog posts, I spoke of a woman I met in the village being healed of her stomach pains through prayer. That is just one example of all the prayers that were answered that I actually got to see. I am still working on learning how to pray with the unfaltering knowledge that God is capable of answering my prayers, but I am working on it. As it says in the New Testament, Lord I believe, but help my unbelief. It is quite funny how even when you witness God do miracles part of you still holds back and does not believe fully. But, I have learned that prayers are answered, this I KNOW.

5) Lastly, I learned the importance of relationships. My experience in Uganda would not have been nearly as wonderful and positive if I had not have had such a supportive, loving and Godly team at my side. The Ugandan staff did everything possible to help teach me their culture and show me themselves and the volunteers from abroad encouraged and comforted me in times of joy and times of need. Also, I realized how much I love and miss the people I left behind and I pray I cherish the times I spend with my loved ones more and more everyday because time is limited and you will not always have the chance to show people how much you care for them.

Overall, Uganda changed my life and who I am. I say this with one hundred percent certainty and pride. God humbled me, God showed me his power and I am attempting to become more faithful and loving towards him and others everyday. I pray that this change is not temporary, but permanent and I pray this is not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I know this will not be my last official mission trip and I realize now that as a Christian, I am always on a mission for Christ through the way I treat others. Thank you so much for reading my blog and praying for me and supporting me, I really truly do love each of you so so much.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness, for his name's sake." Psalm 23:1-3