We arrived in Nairobi at around 3:00am local time and finally got to our hostel at around 4:30 or so. We had already found out in the Istanbul airport that our original ministry for the month (ministry to a fishing village near Lake Victoria) had fallen through and we were instead going to a really cool sounding orphanage called the Challenge Farm. I was extremely excited and couldn’t wait to get going. Then, we found out that the Challenge Farm fell through too. Obviously I was disappointed, but at this point I’m used to the World Race, so I wasn’t too phased. Then, we heard that we would be going somewhere in western Kenya to do some undetermined ministry with a church. Then, shortly after that, we found out that even that fell through and we had no idea what we would be doing. Finally, we found out that our team and one other would be proceeding to Uganda while the rest of the squad stayed in Kenya. So in the space of about three days, our ministry was changed four times and our country once. The most amazing thing about this whole process is that by the time we left, I was fine with it. I think one of the biggest things that God has been teaching me so far on the Race is to lay down my expectations.
We are now in Lira, Uganda, and it is exactly where our team needed to be. There are several different ministries that we can be a part of and we’re working with a phenomenal church here called Victory Outreach. They are doing so much here in the community and it is inspiring to see the faith of the people here. I am learning more and more to lay down my expectations and just trust that God has the best in mind for my team and for me.
Just one example of how amazing God and his plans are involves my squad leader, Brandy. Our squad leaders travel around so they can stay with different teams at different times. It just so happened (or so I thought) that Brandy and Dan would be staying with us in Lira for the first two weeks of this month. Brandy started sponsoring a child through Compassion International several years ago and knew that the child was in Uganda, but in a country of 39 million people, that doesn’t mean a whole lot. To make a long story short, our ministry site is less than 9 km from her child, Gladys’ house. Brandy was able to meet her and spend the day with her and her family. God knew way back when we had our first ministry that he wanted to bless Brandy with that visit. And this is only one way that God has used us being here in Lira for his glory and our blessing.
I am still learning and trying to walk out the truth that when God shuts a door, He always opens another and walking through that one will result in what is best for us. Every time. God’s plan is for our welfare, not our destruction, why do we always think that our plan is better? I’m loving life here in Lira, and it promises to get only better!
