My month in Lira, Uganda was amazing, to say the least. I have met some beautiful people, learned a lot, and had a wonderful time. Saying goodbye was not easy but we still have more countries to visit and more of God’s work to do.
Over the course of the month, there were certain times I would sit back and think “wow, we have it so easy in America. These people work 5 times as hard to get simple things done.” They don’t have the luxuries we have in America. But they are strong, hard working people and I admire the way they present themselves. I have been saying all along that the community Pastor Charles and his wife Moreen created is so rich. Not in the money sense, because they don’t have much, but in the fact that no matter who you are, when you are around them you feel like a part of the family and a sense of peace. Everyone is welcomed with open arms, and you can just feel the Holy Spirit working through all of them. It was awesome to see how much people wanted to be around the church and home at all hours of the day, every day. Kids were always playing, teens and adults were always stopping by to say hi.
The church community is great. I loved hearing the pastor and Jr. Pastor preach, the worship team getting the crowd hyped, and everybody who participates in the crusade or church events. Even when their electronics don’t work, or when people don’t make it in time, or someone gets hurt, they keep spirits high and bring the love of Jesus to these communities.
In the middle of the month we had a major event happen that could have really affected the moral of the community but it just made the community work even harder and come closer together. While setting up for a crusade, one of the guys was electrocuted. To say it was very scary is an understatement. The devil did not want us to hold a crusade but Gods love and power is greater. Me and one of my teammates brought Emma back to Pastors house as the others stayed and continued to hold the crusade. Since I had some medical knowledge I wanted to be there to help in any way I could. When the pain started to subside, one of the first things that he was able to say was that he thought he was going to die, and that even though in his mind he was shouting for someone to turn the power off, he was unable to actually say anything. But God was with him the whole time and even though the power at which he was shocked would have just about killed anyone else, God protected him. Despite the events many people were saved during the crusade that night. It took some time, some IV fluids and meds but over the course of the following week and a half his pain and the fear subsided. If I was wealthy I would love to buy the Church all new sound systems and wires so that they could do the amazing work they do in the communities and be safe while doing it.
It was easy to fall into a friendship with the church community since they were all very welcoming. We would sit under the mango tree during the day, talking and getting to know each other. I even started to learn how to play guitar from one of the guys, which in the past has been next to impossible for me to learn, and towards the end of the month I had the opportunity to see his band practice. It was fun to learn about the African culture and to tell them about the American culture. I think they found a lot of humor in our ways. After a month I have noticed a few of us had adapted some of their ways (like how they answer yes) and I also noticed some of them doing some American things.
I also learned what its like to be sick in Africa. And I must say, their medical staff works at a much quicker pace then in America AND its cheaper!!!! I had a respiratory infection from all the dancing at the crusades (there is lots of dust in Africa and I love dancing), it also triggered an asthma attack (haven’t had one of those in forever). Pastor Charles and another of the amazing community ladies were with me at the time and they got all the meds I needed right in the nick of time.
There have been so many great memories this month. I have gained a new family, I am bringing a few new phrases with me ( “we traveled THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of miles” “Lets give a MIGHTY, MIGHTY hand clap,” singing “God is good, All the time. And All the time, God is Good,” hearing kids chant, “Munu Bye”). I loved learning some of their language and seeing the reaction of the locals when we would say it to them. I definitely left a part of my heart in Lira, Uganda. I wish I had the resources to help all the needy children and families in that community but I know thats just not possible. God has given me the opportunity to love on these people for 1 month and I am eternally grateful. If God provides it, I would love to visit them in the future.
In the mean time, I am still very far off of my next financial deadline that I need to make in order to stay on the World Race, and continue doing amazing work. Please consider supporting me by donating to my missions trip. Whether its $5 or $500, it will be greatly appreciated, and will help tremendously. I will be forever grateful. Thank you for taking the time to learn a little about my time in Lira, Uganda. I look forward to updating you on my next month in Rwanda.
