And We're Back...

We are back from Uganda! What an incredible experience we all had… the word “life changing” has come up AGAIN and AGAIN as I try to put words to what the last two weeks was like. All of us went to Uganda to love and serve the children at Watoto and in doing that, WE ended up being the ones that were blessed beyond our wildest dreams!!! As we met for the last time as a team, Katelyn and I gave the graduates an opportunity to share their “highlights” of the trip. I was completely overwhelmed as I heard these young women from different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different states and with different stories share how God had personally answered prayers—how He had stirred a new sense of passion and purpose. It was clear, as the graduates shared with tears and such tenderness, that God had done “exceedingly, abundantly above all that we could ask, think or imagine..."

We came to Uganda to pour out God’s love and compassion on all who we came into contact with —and not only did our graduates do that, they were ALL walking and breathing examples of hope restored and true freedom!!! Everywhere we went, I saw our graduates praying for the house moms of these orphans, sharing their testimonies, and loving on people through a hug or smile—these graduates truly LIVED OUT what Isaiah 61:1-2 says…through their actions, these graduates were used so tenderly to partner with God to bind up the brokenhearted and proclaim freedom!

So—as I look back over the last two weeks, there are so many incredible memories that come to mind… holding the babies at the Bulrushes, attending service at Watoto Church, laying hands on the building to dedicate it to the Lord, and visiting the HIV positive women at Living Hope. No memory is more important than the other... and all touch a place deep in our hearts in an unexplainable way. We were all FOREVER changed by our time in Uganda and serving alongside one another at Watoto!

I want to end this entry by saying “thank you.” Thank you to the prayer partners that covered us in prayer during our trip—your prayers were definitely answered! Thank you to the Mercy graduates that attended this trip, you are truly our heroes… thank you for serving so tirelessly, for being transparent and for carrying the penetrating love and heart of Christ to all that you came into contact with!!! Also, a huge thank you to Watoto and the founders of Watoto, Gary and Marilyn Skinner, for allowing us to come to Uganda and serve such an incredible ministry. We pray blessings over the entire ministry and that God would continue to multiply the work of your hands. And lastly, we are thankful to the Lord for allowing us to partner with Him to serve such an amazing group of young leaders and future world-changers!!!

TO ALL THE GRADUATES… “paddle faster, faster, faster!!!...GET DOWN!!!” Haha!!

- By Nandi

Day 12 - Reflecting and Preparing to Go Home...

Me (Ainsley) and Giovy with some of the kids at Watoto!

As I sit here staring at the computer screen, I’m at a loss for words. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I have so much in my heart to share. As we face our last night in Kampala, I’m in awe. I’m in awe of the incredible and indescribable work of my Almighty God. These past two weeks have been some of the hardest, yet BEST days of my life. Why hard? LOTS of reasons and more than I can name in a few sentences. In these past two weeks I have felt a heart wrenching pain for the orphans and children of Uganda. I have looked into the eyes of countless children who suffer from HIV, no family to call their own, and/or have no hope. Immediately my heart is overwhelmed with love and compassion for each of them. I believe God showed me a glimpse of His love for me as I was filled with a motherly love for each and every child. Also, it’s been hard because God has taken these two weeks and completely stripped me of myself and covered me in His love and grace. He has broken walls in my life and for the first time in a long time I’m completely consumed and passionately in love with my Heavenly Father. In His faithfulness, He has called me by name and rescued me from myself.

BUT…in the midst of the hard times (more GOOD than hard), I have completely fallen in love with Uganda, and most importantly the people of this country. As I board the airplane tomorrow and head back to ‘real life,’ I know that my heart will be left here. The work of God I’ve had the privilege of witnessing is life changing. I’m honored to be able to be here alongside my Mercy sisters and serving our Lord Jesus by reaching His people.

Since I was five years old, I’ve had a love for the African people…a love I’ve never understood, until now. I will never be the same. My prayer is that above else, all glory, honor, and praise is given to my Jesus.

- By Ainsley

Day 11 - The Safari...

We headed out today on day two of our Safari!  As we were driving, I was once again awestruck by God’s beautiful creation.  This morning we went out into the wild of Murchison Falls and had the privilege of seeing nature in its natural habitat.  We were up close and personal with giraffes, elephants, antelope, and even the lions!  From the animals to the terrain, it was all so uniquely beautiful.  It struck me that God has created all of it, each to be different and to serve different functions.  I was in awe of how the animals embraced their role and lived freely doing as God had designed.  Even the plant life, like the palm trees and whistling Acasia bushes, served a purpose in God’s creation.

Me (Danielle) with our Safari Ranger, Sarah

Reflecting on this and God’s great provision for their daily needs reminded me of two things.  One was how in the body of Christ there are many parts, some big and some small, some seen and some hidden, but all equally important in order for it to function.   In watching the animals, I realized how they all embrace how God has created them.  An elephant does not try to become an antelope or live as one.  It embraces what it is and its role and lives it out to the fullest. 

The other was watching how, day in day out, God provides for their daily needs.  Jesus commanded in Matthew chapter 6, “Do not worry.” He goes on to explain that if He provides for the birds and flowers and grass, which are of little value, how much more will He do so for us whom He desires relationship with.  The Safari showed me over and over again through watching these animals live as they were created that God is in control.   It was wonderful watching them live in peace and enjoy the day.   Today, God’s creation has taught me what peace and joy there is in trusting the Lord for my daily needs and thankfully embracing who He has made me to be.  Everything is created for a purpose, and as humans our purpose is to worship Him.  The Safari was a great reflection of the awesome provision of God and how He has purposed us all uniquely to bring Him glory. 

- By Danielle

Antelope

Lioness

Buffalo

Day 10 - A Word from our Host...

Melvin just after we sprayed him with Silly String - he's such a trooper!!

We have mentioned several times that we have had the best host here in Uganda...his name is Melvin.  When we asked Melvin if he'd be interested in writing one of the blogs during our trip, he jumped at the chance!  Therefore, we wanted to share with you what Melvin had to say...

"A friend once told me that man can never fully change man, only God can fully change man and today I see this in it's entirety.

Hosting the Mercy Ministries girls has been such a blessing for me. I had the privilege of hearing some of their testimonies and I was blown away beyond any thing I could ever imagine. Knowing that they went through all that, yet seeing them now as a brand new creation reminds me that our God is more than anything we could ever fathom.  I sat there and listened as one by one they shared their testimonies and I remember just being in awe of God.  It was hard to believe that these were the people that went through all that. Yet today they travel thousands of miles to come build a classroom block for children they probably might never meet, but at the back of their minds they know that these children will become the future leaders of Uganda so they build with all their strength. To me, right there is what Christianity is all about -- 'LOVE'.

All I can say is that it's crystal clear that there are people out there determined to change the world and you know what, here in Watoto we are doing that too and together we will change it.

Ten days is all I have had so far with Mercy Ministries and already I am blown away by what God is doing. I can only imagine how many lives will be completely changed for the glory of God for ‘no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the hearts of men the plans God has.’  I am certain beyond any reasonable doubt that however hard times may get, there will always be people that will carry the message of hope and change anyone they come across. May The Almighty God bless you Mercy Ministries and may He bless you Watoto." 

- By Melvin

Melvin and the team at the Dedication.

       

Day 9 - White Water Rafting Down the Nile River...

Today was full of adventure as we loaded up and headed to go white water rafting down the Nile River!!! For many of us, this was our first time to ever go rafting, but we were so excited!!! This was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we did not want to pass it up! We spent the day going down class 4 and 5 rapids – they were huge!!! Many of us flipped out of the rafts a time or two, but don’t worry…we all stayed safe! ☺

Aside from the adventure of rafting, it was a great day spending time with one another and reflecting on this past week and working with Watoto and simply being in Uganda. This has truly been a life-changing experience and each of us feel so blessed to be a part of this team. Mercy Ministries has changed all of our lives, and through that, we are now able to experience other life-changing experiences together.  Check out the pictures from today...

Excited for the trip!

Getting ready to go!

READY!!!

And we're off...

We made it!!!  SO FUN!!!

Day 8 - Classroom Dedication...

Wow… today was one of my favorite days. Once again we woke up early, got breakfast and headed to Suubi, the children’s village where we have been building the classrooms for the past week. We were all very excited because after many days of hard work under the hot sun, many bricks laid and many walls raised, we were finally coming together for the dedication of the classrooms.
Words cannot express what took place in that moment…

Moses

First we got to thank Moses and the local workers for their help, patience and dedication throughout these days. They were really amazing teaching us and helping us get the walls up right.

It was cool because they also got to share a bit and thank us graduates and Mercy Ministries for the hard work, love, support, finances and for giving of our time to come and build these classrooms.

The workers singing us a song...

The local workers sang a song for us, and us, graduates did too. It was a fun “Fresh Prince” rap mixed with some “Brady Bunch” chorus that some of the girls wrote the night before. It was hilarious! And they loved it! …we have it on video if any of you want to see it . ;)

But then something powerful took place…

In Psalm 127:1 the Bible tells us that ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the labors that build it work in vain…’
So we prayed to dedicate the building to God. Those classrooms that were going to be used for people that hadn’t gone to school and because of their age, had lost any chance to do so. In the classrooms, these people are going to be taught different kinds of vocational skills so they can have a place to develop their gifts and talents and be able to get a sense of purpose in life, as well as be able to support themselves and their families with the work of their hands.

Dedicating the classroom...

Each one of us reached our hands towards the walls, touching the bricks we had placed -- the very own work of our hands. We raised that classroom and that place in prayer… we prayed dedicating that place and giving it completely to God for His work. We prayed for it to be a place where people would find hope, a place of miracles, a place where people would be restored, and touched by God’s love. A place where people would be trained, their capacity enlarged and a place where leaders would be raised. A place where people would encounter God. And a place where they would be filled to go out and change their communities, their cities, and ultimately Uganda upside down for Jesus.
That moment was so powerful, and God was certainly there. Tears fell down my eyes as I prayed and realized what we were doing. We didn’t just build a couple of classrooms for the people of Uganda… we were setting the foundations for future leaders for this country, we were marking a moment in history… we were leaving a legacy of hope and love, we were allowing many hundreds or even thousands of lives to encounter God and their purpose in life…. and when we realized it, our hearts were overwhelmed, full of joy and so thankful to God for the great opportunity to be able to do this.

It was a great time filled with many laughs, smiles, hugs, thank you’s and God’s presence so evident and tangible in that place. It was one of those moments we will never be able to forget.

After the dedication, we went to see one of the homes Mercy Ministries donated the funds to build several years ago. It was so cool to find Mary there. She’s the mom of that home and lives there with 8 Watoto children. One of the little ones was there with her. He was very cute. We had a moment there and talked to them, and she shared some stories with us. She was so smiley and happy that we took some time to come and see her. She thanked us for coming and for the support of Mercy Ministries in building the home she lived in.

Me (Giovy) with one of kids at Watoto

It never ceases to amaze me the simplicity and the love of these people. No complications, no luxuries and yet they never ask for anything, but they just want to give, love on you, and welcome you with a big smile. I believe that as we came to bless these people, we are going to leave more blessed than we could have ever expected. It’s amazing what a little bit of perspective does.

After that, we jumped back in the bus and headed back. It really was an amazing day.
You know how there are times when the presence of God renders you completely incapacitated… I believe for our team, today, was one of those days.

- By Giovy

Thanking the workers for their hard work!

The ENTIRE TEAM!!!  

The team with the family who lives in the home funded by Mercy Ministries - so cool!

Day 7 - The Bulrushes and the Craft Market...

Me (Natalie) with one of the babies at Bulrushes

Today has been hard to describe. It was wonderful to have a little extra sleep this morning before heading out to The Bulrushes, Baby Watoto, where we were able to stay for several hours. It’s so easy to love those precious babies, to give them my heart, but my heart also aches for them. They are all so tiny and fragile, unaware or their stories, unconcerned with their situations. They lay in groups of 15 or more on the hard concrete floor, but yet they are still just babies, God’s children—born with a purpose and a promise. They are cared for very well by the nannies and the volunteers and we were blessed to share in part of that as we fed, changed, and rocked many of the babies. I felt at peace loving on those babies. My mind was still, not racing with what was next or where I needed to be, just calm. I looked around and saw the beauty of creation and the simplicity of the Gospel and I felt at rest.

After we left the babies home, we went to the Garden City Mall for lunch, which proved yet again to be an adventure. Our host, Melvin, took us into a grocery type store to get some snacks and led us straight to the candy isle…we all went crazy!! Once we left the mall it was time to go souvenir shopping at the craft market. This is always a fun experience because you have to barter! We all shopped like true women and bought many gifts for our family, friends, and supporters. We ended this evening with an appreciation dinner from Watoto at Mambo Place.

Lauren was very excited about her purchase!

It has been a wonderful day, topped off with the fact that today is a personal victory for me. Today is my five year anniversary of graduation from Mercy Ministries. I feel overwhelmingly blessed to be a part of this ministry and to be on this trip on this day in my life! As I reflected throughout the day, God really placed Isaiah 61 on my heart. Thank you so much for you continued prayers and support. Our team is doing very well and has become very close!

- By Natalie

Day 6 - Last Day of Building...

After breakfast and coffee, we were on the bus and ready for our last day on the work site at Suubi Children’s Village. Soon our bus merged along side of taxies, bikes, motorcycles, pedestrians, and the occasional long horned bull or two; what was once a frightening experience to some of us has now become the norm and actually an enjoyable and entertaining ride. Soon the bustling streets of Kampala were replaced with a less traveled clay road as we drew nearer to the Watoto Village. Riding up front this morning with our driver Stephen, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the people of Uganda and the creativeness of our Lord. How amazing that God chose to create different races, for us to have different cultures, to do things differently, and to all be created by the one True God!


As we arrived at Suubi, it soon became quite clear that today was definitely one of the hottest days yet. With the classroom so close to being finished, we were not all able to work at the same time, so we would switch off laying brick while others enjoyed the beauty of the campus and visited with students and children.

Getting ready to take some gifts to the k

During our morning break we broke up into small groups and went to meet more children and to pass out the small gifts that some of us had brought with us (Silly Bands, Gum, Stickers, and Crayons). Afterwards, we returned to the classroom walls that were now over 8 feet tall to put the last few rows on top.

Over lunch a few of us shared our testimonies with our team leader Melvin. It is a beautiful thing to be sitting under a makeshift shelter eating PB&J with your Mercy sisters and to hear all that the Lord has done in all of our lives. None of us would have been able to imagine even a short few years ago that we would love life and be able to share with others the redemptive healing that we have received.

Around 4:00 PM, we finished with the classroom and loaded back into the bus tired but thankful for a full day of work and even more so for another day to love and live and share our lives with those around us.

- By Suzanne

Me (Suzanne) with some of the kids at Watoto...

Melvin (Host), Nandi, Giovy, Peter (Worker), Katelyn, and Moses (Foreman) - These guys are awesome!!

Working Hard...

Hanging out with the kids...

End of Building Day 3!!!

Day 5 - And the Building Continues...

Me (Aubrey) and Jen

Today we began our second day of building in the Suubi village. We left the guesthouse around 7:00am and arrived to the worksite around 8:00am. Everyone on the team was healthy, rested, and ready to work!! The windows went up and we continued to lay bricks and build walls. A few Watoto students who grew up in the Bbira Village came to the site to work alongside our team. We were very blessed to get to know them and see what the Lord is doing in their life through Watoto. They will be heading to college within the next few months to continue their education. With their help, we were ahead of schedule by lunch.

The amazing view from the work site!

During our break, we went into the village and hung out with some of the older students and teachers during their lunch hour. One of our team members made tons of beaded necklaces in the shape of a cross, so we passed them out to everyone! The students loved them!!! We loved spending time with them and getting an idea of what life is like in Suubi. The village itself is beautiful with a breathtaking view. We, as graduates, have been blown away by what these villages provide for these children, and how much Mercy Ministries has provided for us. It is a place of new beginnings, transformation, and hope for the future through Jesus Christ!

Suzanne and Danielle with Alex from Bbiri Village

End of Build Day 2...