If you haven’t read Month 13: Europe. (and also Africa.) yet, check out that link. Because I’m going to Spain in October for a 6-month leadership and discipleship academy, and I’m super pumped about it.
But first…Africa. Let me give you a little background on the situation…
Things you should know:
1. My brother (Nate) went to Uganda a few years back and worked with an Christian organization called Come Let’s Dance. He spent a bunch of (mostly spontaneous) months there, working with CLD peeps on a lot of their projects. He loved it.
2. CLD is a community development organization near Kampala, Uganda with projects including a farm, medical clinic, school, children’s home, and more. Their primary focus, however, is people over projects.
3. I’m going to Uganda to work with Come Let’s Dance at the end of September, for the 2 weeks before my school starts in Spain.
What the heck.
So here’s what happened…
Ever since Nate went to Uganda, my heart has been pulled there. I didn’t know what it was, but it felt like something inside of me knew I would be there someday. I didn’t press into it, but the feeling inside me hasn’t left; it’s a feeling that says “there’s something for you in Uganda.”
[Insert G42 here.] When I was looking for plane tickets to Spain, I discovered tickets to fly to other places (Italy, Belgium, etc) and then Spain didn’t cost much more than a ticket straight to Spain. On a whim, I looked into Uganda.
It would cost only around $200 more to fly from Chicago to Entebbe to Madrid, than to fly simply from Chicago to Madrid.
That’s awesome. How often do you get a ticket to Uganda for $200?
But Uganda isn’t a place you travel to on a whim (or at least, my parents wouldn’t think so). So I thought about it a bunch, and realized my heart was truly being pulled towards it. So I prayed.
July 4th; 3:45pm [in a coffeeshop]
While innocently praying and journaling, I asked the Lord a lot of questions, including asking for clarity on Spain and Uganda. I needed to know if He wanted me there, and when and where and why.
Excerpt from my journal: “Lord, what do you have for me [in Uganda]? Is it something to discover now, or for later? Can I go there? Is it a good idea? Is this from you, Lord? Please show me. Make it clear.”
I decided not to make any further decisions until I had a clear answer.
July 4th; 7:20pm [at a church barbecue dinner]
A few of my teammates and I were sitting at a picnic table finishing our dinner, when from the next table over a friend says “hey guys, a man is prophesying over people over here!”
Naturally I head over to check it out, and as I sit down the man looks at me. His face gets serious as he looks me over, then turns to his wife and says a few things in Korean. He turns back to say a few words for me, then turns away. But during the next few minutes of speaking to the others at the table, this man keeps looking back to stare at me intently.
All of a sudden he looks back at me and nods, then says “have you ever been to Africa?”
[Things to remember: I just met this guy. And by met, I mean sat down next to. He doesn’t even know my name.]
I start shaking and my hands clam up as I say no. Without missing a beat, he responds “you will go to Africa soon. I do not know where or when. But don’t worry, because you will not be there for very long.”
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…
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EXCUSE ME??!?
“You will go to Africa soon. I do not know where or when. But don’t worry, because you will not be there for very long.”
Remember that one time (about 4 hours earlier) when I prayed and asked the Lord if I should go to Uganda? Well y’all, THE LORD PROVIDES.
Cue tears. This man ended up telling me incredible things; about my future, about the plans the Lord has for me, the calling He’s placed on my life, the relationships I will build in Africa. And the phrase he kept repeating? “Africa needs your tears.”
He finishes and looks at me (currently sobbing, a hot mess on the picnic bench), and I tell him everything. About my brother. About Uganda. About my prayers, earlier that same day. And as his eyes and his smile grow wider and wider, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his wallet, and proceeds to remove every. single. bill. inside. and places them on the table. He slides them over to me as he says once again, “you’re going to Africa.”
…
…
It ended up being the equivalent of over $400 USD.
…
…
My jaw is still dropped right onto the floor. I have no words.
Y’all. If that’s not a confirmation from the Lord, I don’t know what is. Not only did this man tell me I’m going to Africa, but he was so sure he heard from God, that he gave me EVERY BILL IN HIS WALLET to help me get there. He’s sure. He’s very incredibly positive that I’m going.
So now, so am I. As I start to make plans, everything is falling into place… openings to work with CLD. My brothers’ friends being in Uganda at the same time as me, making it possible for me to work with them (basically a dream come true). Provision of $400 to be put towards half of my plane ticket.
Now I need you. I know, it’s more money. I just finished asking for $16,000, and now I need $2,000 more?! Y’all, it’s chump change to the Dude Who Knows What He’s Doing (aka God). I’m confident that if I ask him, he’ll provide. He provided $16,000. He provided confirmation through a very timely prophecy. He will provide this $2,000.
I’m asking you to join me in what He’s continuing to do. The World Race wasn’t the pinnacle of my life, it was a trampoline bouncing me out into bigger things. I am confident that the Lord will continue to work in and through me in this next phase of my life, and I want you to know that too.
The link is up: go to GoFundMe.com/leahinuganda to donate. And as I’m also connecting more people to my prayer team, please email me at [email protected] if you’d like to join that team and be awesome and a prayer warrior. Without prayer, I’d probably be dead.
One last thing. I’m in the USA!! And I will be until I leave around September 20th. I’ll be in Wisconsin for a little bit and Colorado for a little bit, and I’d LOVE to see you. Email/call/text me (because I can get calls and texts now, even without wifi!) and let’s get together!! I’d love to share more stories of the past 11 months and what the Lord has been up to (because this isn’t even the tip of the iceberg).
I am so thankful for this journey, and the fact that 11 months later, it’s not over.
