Thursday, May 5, 2011

1 Month to Go - Ready or Not!?!?

"Are you ready?" That is the question I have been asked most frequently in recent days. My answer is yes...and no! I believe beyond doubt that God is leading me to do this and I have been waiting to go for 2 years now. I have been praying, planning and preparing for even longer than that! So, yes, I am ready!

However, if the question were to change a bit to, "do you feel ready?" I'd have to say no. Despite all of the praying, planning and preparing I feel totally unready! Honestly, during the past month or so, I have had the thought, "I have no idea what I am doing." In some aspects that is the truth!

I am not going to Uganda with an intricate plan, new programs, or even an idea of a daily schedule for that matter! I wish I was, believe me! However, God seems to want to keep me "on my toes" so to speak. Since this is a relatively new ministry that ECM has in Uganda, and since I am the first one who will be ministering to the preschool age children there, there is no way to know for sure what to expect or what exactly will be needed, as far as supplies, etc. On top of that, I just learned a couple of weeks ago that my first 2 weeks in Uganda will be spent helping with the summer "Water-Well" team. The men on the team will be putting one or two wells and a sanitation system in the village where I will be serving full-time. I will be helping on that team by teaching health and hygiene alongside of them. In addition we hope to do some Bible teaching and visitation with some of the families in the village. This second part is a little more "up my alley" :o). When those two weeks are finished I will be headed to another part of Uganda to take part in a Human Trafficking seminar. Sadly, the trafficking of children is common in the capital city of Kampala and this seminar is required for the ECM missionaries. After all of that, I hope to get settled into Gulu and begin my regular ministry to the women and children of Tegot Village - whatever that ends up looking like.

I have always been told that missionaries need to be flexible. It seems I will be practicing this right from the start! It is a good thing that I have learned more about flexibility within the past year than I have in a long time.

At any rate, in spite of all of this and the fact that I still have suitcases to acquire and fill, health and hygiene lessons to learn and many "fun" last minute details to work out - Yes! All things being considered, I am ready to go!