It's been a long time since I have given an update about what's going on in my world of preparing for Uganda. I had to go read my previous posts to find out what I had already said!
On January 4 I wrote about how my fundraising was coming along. (If you haven't read it you should.) At that point in time I had $9,500 in my Uganda account, a couple days later I had reached $10,000 and I was ecstatic! About a week or two after that my mom came home from church with a check from some friends in her sunday school class for $1,500! About a week later I was there, $12,000. Just in case this hasn't quite hit you, God provided the $12,000 in less than two months! This is amazing, wonderful, and far beyond what I am worthy of! But God...two words I always love to see...but God didn't stop there. As of yesterday I have $14,375 in my account!!! God is so SO good!!!
There is no way this could have happened if it weren't for my God. I'm not that talented. God did this to bring glory to His name! So stop what you're doing for a minute and praise Him with me please!!! Thank you Lord!
(If you still want to give please do. We never know what our God is up to!)
As far as the rest of my preparation goes I have to be honest... Where do I start?! I know that once I'm not working anymore I will have a clearer mind to process exactly what I need to get done before I go, but right now it's a jumble and it feels overwhelming! The good news is that all of the major travel details have been sorted out. I have my plane ticket, Visa, (or so I am told...I'm still praying like crazy over that one) and I know where I'm going to stay until I find my own place. Thank you Jesus for that! I would be a wreck if I didn't at least know that much was taken care of. Now it's just odds and ends to wrap up in the states and the oh so dreaded packing! If anyone has experience packing for 6 months please give me advice!! I have never done this before.
If you don't mind, I have a few prayer requests.
Please pray with me that:
1) The Lord would continuously renew a passion in my heart for HIM. Not Uganda, not missions, but Him. If there is passion in my heart for my God then there will be passion in my heart for those other things as well.
2) I would hold on to The Lord in this new season when things are hard. To be honest, things are already getting hard. I find myself slowly pulling away from people and things to try to defend my heart but I know that isn't what God wants. My heart will hurt when I leave the states. I will miss my family, friends, and ice. (No ice in Uganda. Sad I know. This is serious.) But my heart will be joyful to be in the place it has hurt for in the last year! So this won't always be easy, and that's fine. Just pray with me that I would go straight to The Lord first when times get rough.
3) That God would do such a mighty work in Namatala that there would be no choice but to praise the name of the One true God! I know God is moving and it is going to be amazing but please pray with me that God moves through Namatala, Mbale, and the rest of Uganda like fire!!!
Thank you so much for taking this journey with me! I'm sure I will begin to post more as it gets closer to May. When you have free time check out www.ichooseyou.net and take a look around! (If you get re-directed hit the back button. We are working on this. Sorry!!)
Also, check out our Facebook page, IChooseYou Ministries, and follow us on twitter @ichooseyouminis for more frequent updates about ICY.
