Blog #1: My Uganda mission trip. (The blogs that follow will be much shorter than today's blog.) Today I will be writing about my nervous feelings and thoughts concerning this life changing event.
My trip is less than a month away! Being excited is an understatement!! I can't WAIT until the plane is in the air! I simply LOVE to travel and see new places and cultures. But I have to admit that I am also worried, apprehensive, a little nervous, and have a concern or two.
To start off, I have to say that I LOVE kids! It brings me great joy to look forward to meeting and getting to know the children and the adults at the orphan camp. My first concern, though, is that I wonder if I will be able to have any sort of positive impact on anybody at all in such a short time.
Along with that I wonder if when we get there and see the kids if they will have an air of depression over them like a thick cloud. Or will they be happy? Will they be happy to see us? Maybe they will be afraid of us? Will some children open up while the needier ones are aloof due to feelings of unimportance, or because they are the runt of the group so to speak? Will I cry the whole time?
Last week Kristen and I went to The Point in Parkesburg, PA. What's that have to do with anything you might ask? Well, I cried the whole time I was there. My soul just aches so bad for the needless pain in this world (what I see as needless anyway). The Point is a safe haven for kids to come to who come from less than desirable circumstances. THERE IS A GREAT NEED OUT THERE FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR THE GOSPEL AND THAT NEED HOPE! It is also a refuge for kids who just need a place to hang out. Some of these kids have tried to take their own lives. Some have been sold for drugs, some for sex. Some can't take the pressure of caring for their siblings. They have become hopeless in their world of abuse, neglect and poverty. Whatever the reason for a child being there, at The Point the children learn to put their faith in Jesus Christ so that they can have a life full of joy and peace no matter what. Also The Point helps them in their personal lives when needed. The children's lives become transformed so that where they once were lost, they now are found.
That is what I would like to do at the orphan camp in Uganda. I would like to bring Jesus Christ to these kids so that they can have positive life-changing spiritual experiences.
To move on with my concerns and worries, my BIGGEST fear out of everything is these ungodly hideous migraine headaches that I get. As much as I LOVE to travel, traveling is NOT my friend when it comes to my head. Now I must say also that I believe this is something that God is calling me to do. I'm not so naive as to think that suddenly I will be fine for two weeks. What I do believe is that when God shuts one door, He opens another. I will be fine. I hope.
Another concern is what if someone has been watching me on facebook and now wants to kidnap me. Boy, wouldn't they be sorry!!! Trust me, whoever you are, it would NOT be fun for either of us! And no one would even bother trying to find ransom money, let alone paying it, so don't waste your time.
The smaller things that weigh on my constantly thinking mind are little things like bugs, weirder than normal creepy spiders, snakes, bugs, alligators, bugs, lions, and other creatures that I'm not even aware of! Oh! And bugs! eeeeeeek!
And last but not least, I reeeeeaaaally hope that bathrooms are easy to find when needed! I mean, what if I have to pee at the worst possible time?! Will I be able to hold it?? What if I have to go reeeeaaallllly bad????
Anyway, enough for now before I embarrass myself or something.
THANK YOU again to those of you who have so kindly donated to this trip, or who are praying for me! I really appreciate it more than words will ever say!
May God's LOVE SHINE during the brightest day and darkest hour and always. My God is an awesome God!
With Love, Judy
