I told myself I was going to save this post for last. However, no matter how hard I try, I can't write about anything else...this is flooding every memory when I think back on our time in Uganda. I hate to say I'm picking favorites, but I'm gonna say it anyway. This was my favorite part of the trip....Our missionary nights of encouragement. Melissa already wrote her thoughts on these evenings here and it's a must read (as is the blog post that she links to in her post - go ahead, get lost in bloggy land for a little while).
We hosted 2 missionary nights during our trip. One in Kampala at Herb & Ellen's guesthouse, and another in Jinja at The Source Cafe. Melissa felt God leading her to do something for the missionary women in Uganda as she was planning this first trip for Mercy for Mamas. She's seen a lot of missionary women during her time in the country and wanted to do something special for them. She appreciates how hard they work to share Christ with the people there and how exhausting that can be (you can read a little more on her thoughts leading up to this on her blog post). She knew that God was leading her to plan a night for these women to connect, relax, fellowship, praise, and receive new tools for their various ministries.
These nights were tons of fun to plan. From the moment Melissa mentioned them to me, I was super excited. If you know me very well, you know a few things about me...I love to party plan, I love to encourage people, and I love fellowship! These nights had all of these components...so I, of course, felt like this was one more reason I was on the team! This was a project I could help with!
Melissa had great ideas for the goody bags - some items to remind them of home and maybe give them a little boost. We collected all kinds of things: candy, gum, notebooks, pens, coffee creamer, ranch dressing mix, taco seasoning, lotions, kleenex, etc. Little things that they miss there. My favorite quote from Melissa's blog about these nights (maybe my favorite quote from a blog ever) is "After looking in the goody bags, one lady was nearly in tears over the ranch dressing mix. She told me that she had seriously prayed for God to send someone to her with ranch dressing. For reals people, ranch dressing can be serious ministry!" Who knew that such a little thing would mean so much to these ladies!? It was so awesome to see them dig through their bags and squeal in delight over little things that I wouldn't ever imagine they'd miss. This was a definite blessing to these ladies and a taste of home.
We had lots of donations to help out with collecting our various items, which was great! Even the kids in Melissa's class at church donated the gum...including my 4 year old Mason. He was very excited about getting the "big packs of gum" for the missionaries that I was going to see when I went to Africa. He told Melissa and I about 100 times each! He wanted to make sure we got it, then he wanted to make sure that Melissa saw the packs of gum and knew what to do with them. One of the first things he said to me when I arrived home was "Mom! Did you give the missionaries my gum? Did they like it?" Melissa did mention to the ladies in Jinja how excited my son was to give them their gum, so I brought several thank you messages back for him, which made him pretty happy!
We fed the women some great food at both evenings. Harriet did a great job preparing the meal in Uganda - it got pretty quiet once everyone got their plates! I've never heard so many people rave about mac & cheese before - it was pretty great to see them enjoying their meal so much! The food that they prepared for our group at The Source was great too and the ladies had a great time chatting while they had a great meal!
We had some great time of worship with our team members Becki & Kerri. This was incredible. First of all, I got to see my new friends use their gifts for leading worship and for sharing their hearts with women. This was pretty special. They are incredible ladies and are so very talented. The best part is, they know where their talent comes from and they use it so well to glorify their King. They did an awesome job leading these women in unified worship to the Father and giving them a chance to let loose and refresh their praise.
I love to sing, so I enjoyed lifting my voice with these new friends of mine, but I found myself stopping every once in a while, or getting a catch in my throat, just listening to these women that are far away from home, from our every day comforts, serving where God has asked them to...to hear them all come together and sing together about God's goodness was enough to be completely overwhelming. It was such a sweet sound, and I know God's ears were happy to hear all of his daughters' voices come together.
Melissa shared with the ladies for a while. She told them who she was, a little bit about her story and the beginnings of Mercy for Mamas. She shared her heart with them and I could see them starting to understand this friend of mine and her joy for serving God's purpose for her experiences. She shared with them about how, as great as it is to get to pass out these mama kits ourselves, she understands that often they can be much more effective as a ministry tool in the hands of long term missionaries. She told them that she wants them to be able to build relationships with the women that receive them and to be able to follow up and to continue to show Christ long after our short term missions teams would be gone.
This is one of my favorite things Melissa got to share with people when we were in Uganda. It's just so much more than a birthing kit...it's love and relationship waiting to happen...it's an open door to a mama's heart. And she got to give that to these missionaries and equip them in a new way to connect with the people of Uganda. At the end of the night, they lined up to receive their kits with huge smiles on their faces and ideas rolling off their tongues. I heard so many excited women talking about where they were going to use them first, followed with questions on when/how they could get more because it was going to be such a great tool for them. It was amazing to see it all fall into place and be understood so completely.
We had the ladies introduce themselves to the entire group at the beginning of the program and it was so amazing to hear about them, their families, their ministries, where they were from, and how long they had been serving in Uganda. We had women that had been there for decades sitting next to some that had been there for a few weeks. We had older women and younger women. We had different denominations. We had women serving in education, some in health care, some loving kids in babies' homes...all different spectrums of ministries, sitting in one space, laughing and praising together. It was beautiful to watch them make connections and meet new friends...to see them sink into fellowship with other women with similar lives, stories, and hearts and to understand how much they need each other and those relationships.
At the end of our program, we split the ladies into groups and each person from our team sat with a group and prayed with them. We asked them to share their prayer needs, to tell us more about themselves and their work there and what they needed and how God was working on them. These ladies poured their hearts out more than I ever could have asked for. They showed me their love for the people of Uganda and how God led them there. They told me their struggles, their frustrations, their worries and doubts. They asked for endurance, for guidance, and for continued joy in the work for the Lord. We laid hands on each other and took turns praying. They told me how much they needed this...all of it...and how thankful they were. They prayed for our team, that we would continue to bless people the way that we had blessed them.
They told me that they felt uplifted, encouraged, renewed, and covered in prayer...and that they would be able to carry this night with them for a long time. They raved about the evening and how they wish they could do things like this more often. I was amazed by these women and their lives and hearts. I loved getting to sit and chat with some of them for an extended time...to really get to know them beyond the surface stuff. I will carry those women and their work in my heart and can only pray that our encouragement will stick with them as well.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Uganda Post 3 - The Mamas
I wish that I could show you faces and tell you the stories of every pregnant woman we met in Uganda. Whether it was at an event at a church, or at a pregnancy crisis center, or even at a random fruit stand on the side of the road…you need to see and know them to truly understand this.
Words fail me. I’m not articulate enough to paint a vivid enough picture of these women and their need for His kind of love.
This is the reason we went. And this is why I knew I needed to actually go and not just offer support from Kansas. It’s amazing to hear Melissa tell what it’s like, to hear the stories and witness things that way, but until you see them…until you hear their stories…until you see the look in their eyes when you offer them a prayer, some pre-natal care info, and a $7 kit of birthing supplies…you won’t really understand.
*Sunday, Sept 23rd – Muyenga Baptist Church
Our church events were great. We got to start off the week with a gathering at Muyenga Baptist Church just a few hours after arriving in Uganda. We loved on the kids and attended their church service. Then, the men cleared out so that we could have the ladies to ourselves. They provided us with our first African lunch of the week, which was great, and then we got down to business.
The women at this event appreciated some pre-natal care advice from our nurse friend Agnes and another health care professional who shared with them. Melissa shared her story with these women and we then offered them prayer and a mama kit each, along with some other goodies (sugar, tea, & soap) that we had bagged up that morning. We got to spend some really good time fellowshipping with these women and seeing the excitement in their faces over this gathering and these gifts. It was a great way to hit the ground running.
*Saturday, Sept 29th – Mbale (Doko)
We ended the week by the holding our other women’s event in Mbale, in the slum area of Doko, where a revival was being held by a team from TX and Pearl Haven Christian Center of Mbale.
This event was very different from our afternoon at Muyenga. We were speaking specifically to the pregnant women, but there quite a few women there that weren’t pregnant. The women here were different than the women we served in Kampala. Most of the expectant mamas seemed to not have had any pre-natal care before and soaked up the information that was given by the nurse that was with us there. They asked a lot of questions, which we were all so thankful for. They were thrilled about the mama kits.
A couple of the girls on our team shared with the women and it was incredible how they held the attention of that large crowd even while there were loud noises everywhere around us. These women needed to hear the hearts of these people that were here to minister to them. The women, pregnant or not, ate it up. They needed it. They needed someone to be open and honest with them and show them God’s love in that way. We then prayed over the entire group and then gave out the mama kits to them in a frenzy of trying to determine who was pregnant and who wasn’t, which is always interesting! J
I thought these two events were great. It gave us a way to minister to these women in a practical way while giving us a way to pray for them specifically and know where their needs are. They need care, they need birthing supplies, they need guidance on motherhood and who couldn’t use some encouragement and prayer for their relationships with God? It was encouraging to see how excited they were about these opportunities and to hear them ask as many questions as they did. We wanted so desperately for them to get the information that they needed and wanted, and I think we left knowing that they did.
*Pregnancy Crisis Centers (Wakisa, Comforter Center, Mirembe House), Monday, Sept 24th
Now to the part that I’m having trouble with…a part of the week that overwhelms me with a range of emotions and that I find hard to put into words.
Our visits to the pregnancy crisis centers, while similar in program, were very different from our women’s events at Muyenga and in Mbale. These are different women (read: girls) in different circumstances and stages of life. They have different needs, both physically and spiritually.
These girls are broken when they come to these places…having painful stories that need to be told and dealt with.
They are young. They are on their own, having been kicked out of their homes or abandoned by husbands, etc. They have been raped. They have been abused, physically and emotionally. They have wounds and scars that we can’t see. They have heartbreak that I can’t even begin to imagine.
They live in a place where the maternal mortality rate is astounding and frightening for this 27 year old to swallow, much less a 12 year old who didn’t ask for the small being growing in her belly.
And they’ve found these places…where healing happens and hope is given. Where the Gospel is taught gently and Christ’s love is shown through directors who love these girls and want to see them gain peace and purpose.
We stepped into each place, just for a couple of hours. To share with these girls. To let them know that they matter. To give them another piece of hope and some extra love. We entered to overwhelmed faces, probably wondering what the next couple of hours would hold. We shared our names and a few personal details and they did the same in return. My stomach seized as the ages that came out of their mouths got younger and younger.
A 12 year old girl in the group smiled shyly as she looked away from our smiles. She disappeared for a few minutes in the middle of our talks and came back with a plastic dinosaur toy to play with on her lap.
My heart broke...my mind ran crazy....imagining how this girl and all of her housemates ended up here. I managed to focus my energy on the task at ahnd while reigning in those thoughts.
Kim shared a beautiful devotion on motherhood with the girls and Melissa shared a bit about Mercy for Mamas. Then Agnes gave the girls some pre-natal info and answered the girls' questions.
After our talk, we broke into groups to talk with the girls, pray for them, and then do some crafts for their babies. As we split into groups, I found myself sitting down with this beautiful, pregnant 12 year old girl. My heart just jumped as I could almost audibly hear God telling me that, as much as I had tried to imagine her circumstances, I was nowhere close...I had no idea...
Her 17 year old friend pulled up a chair next to her. Again...I knew I had no idea how deep her wounds were. With the help of a volunteer at the center who translated well, Janet & I got to hear these girls stories and pray for them.
They broke my heart.
The 17 year old had been lured to her father's house on the understanding that he would put her through school. Instead, her father took advantage of her and raped her. Then he kicked her out and that's how she ended up at Wakisa.
The 12 year old had been raped by a stranger hiding in the bushes while she walked to the store one evening to get her family some food. She was brave enough to come forward and the man ended up in jail, but she wasn't allowed to stay with her family while she was pregnant.
She shared everything and I had to bite back the flood of tears that wanted to break free. Then she said that, since coming here, she had peace. And she is hopeful because of God and Wakisa.
Our next stop was at Comforter's Center where we met the amazing founder Victoria and the amazing women there. We heard incredible stories...my heart was torn for these women that fought over whether to keep their babies when they were in dire situations. To hear them talk about deciding not to abort their babies...to hear them talk about having nowhere to go...to hear them share their hearts...was bittersweet.
There is one woman that I will never forget. Just by looking, it seemed that she had attempted to abort her sweet little girl that she held in her arms as she started to share her story. She talked about how, when her baby was first born, she didn't love her....but that God had showed her how to love her baby...and then she broke down into tears as she squeezed her little girl tight to her chest. I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she looked down at her little girl....how much that look spoke to God's grace, forgiveness, and love.
I loved praying over these girls and women. I loved sharing those sweet, sacred moments with them. We all loved doing crafts with them and giving them their mama kits.
But most of all, I loved hearing the peace in their voice...seeing the hope in their eyes as they told you their stories. These ladies are beautiful. Their wounds are being healed. They are meeting their Heavenly Father and receiving His love and care through these centers.
And THAT is why we had to go.
Words fail me. I’m not articulate enough to paint a vivid enough picture of these women and their need for His kind of love.
This is the reason we went. And this is why I knew I needed to actually go and not just offer support from Kansas. It’s amazing to hear Melissa tell what it’s like, to hear the stories and witness things that way, but until you see them…until you hear their stories…until you see the look in their eyes when you offer them a prayer, some pre-natal care info, and a $7 kit of birthing supplies…you won’t really understand.
*Sunday, Sept 23rd – Muyenga Baptist Church
Our church events were great. We got to start off the week with a gathering at Muyenga Baptist Church just a few hours after arriving in Uganda. We loved on the kids and attended their church service. Then, the men cleared out so that we could have the ladies to ourselves. They provided us with our first African lunch of the week, which was great, and then we got down to business.
The women at this event appreciated some pre-natal care advice from our nurse friend Agnes and another health care professional who shared with them. Melissa shared her story with these women and we then offered them prayer and a mama kit each, along with some other goodies (sugar, tea, & soap) that we had bagged up that morning. We got to spend some really good time fellowshipping with these women and seeing the excitement in their faces over this gathering and these gifts. It was a great way to hit the ground running.
*Saturday, Sept 29th – Mbale (Doko)
We ended the week by the holding our other women’s event in Mbale, in the slum area of Doko, where a revival was being held by a team from TX and Pearl Haven Christian Center of Mbale.
This event was very different from our afternoon at Muyenga. We were speaking specifically to the pregnant women, but there quite a few women there that weren’t pregnant. The women here were different than the women we served in Kampala. Most of the expectant mamas seemed to not have had any pre-natal care before and soaked up the information that was given by the nurse that was with us there. They asked a lot of questions, which we were all so thankful for. They were thrilled about the mama kits.
A couple of the girls on our team shared with the women and it was incredible how they held the attention of that large crowd even while there were loud noises everywhere around us. These women needed to hear the hearts of these people that were here to minister to them. The women, pregnant or not, ate it up. They needed it. They needed someone to be open and honest with them and show them God’s love in that way. We then prayed over the entire group and then gave out the mama kits to them in a frenzy of trying to determine who was pregnant and who wasn’t, which is always interesting! J
I thought these two events were great. It gave us a way to minister to these women in a practical way while giving us a way to pray for them specifically and know where their needs are. They need care, they need birthing supplies, they need guidance on motherhood and who couldn’t use some encouragement and prayer for their relationships with God? It was encouraging to see how excited they were about these opportunities and to hear them ask as many questions as they did. We wanted so desperately for them to get the information that they needed and wanted, and I think we left knowing that they did.
*Pregnancy Crisis Centers (Wakisa, Comforter Center, Mirembe House), Monday, Sept 24th
Now to the part that I’m having trouble with…a part of the week that overwhelms me with a range of emotions and that I find hard to put into words.
Our visits to the pregnancy crisis centers, while similar in program, were very different from our women’s events at Muyenga and in Mbale. These are different women (read: girls) in different circumstances and stages of life. They have different needs, both physically and spiritually.
These girls are broken when they come to these places…having painful stories that need to be told and dealt with.
They are young. They are on their own, having been kicked out of their homes or abandoned by husbands, etc. They have been raped. They have been abused, physically and emotionally. They have wounds and scars that we can’t see. They have heartbreak that I can’t even begin to imagine.
They live in a place where the maternal mortality rate is astounding and frightening for this 27 year old to swallow, much less a 12 year old who didn’t ask for the small being growing in her belly.
And they’ve found these places…where healing happens and hope is given. Where the Gospel is taught gently and Christ’s love is shown through directors who love these girls and want to see them gain peace and purpose.
We stepped into each place, just for a couple of hours. To share with these girls. To let them know that they matter. To give them another piece of hope and some extra love. We entered to overwhelmed faces, probably wondering what the next couple of hours would hold. We shared our names and a few personal details and they did the same in return. My stomach seized as the ages that came out of their mouths got younger and younger.
A 12 year old girl in the group smiled shyly as she looked away from our smiles. She disappeared for a few minutes in the middle of our talks and came back with a plastic dinosaur toy to play with on her lap.
My heart broke...my mind ran crazy....imagining how this girl and all of her housemates ended up here. I managed to focus my energy on the task at ahnd while reigning in those thoughts.
Kim shared a beautiful devotion on motherhood with the girls and Melissa shared a bit about Mercy for Mamas. Then Agnes gave the girls some pre-natal info and answered the girls' questions.
After our talk, we broke into groups to talk with the girls, pray for them, and then do some crafts for their babies. As we split into groups, I found myself sitting down with this beautiful, pregnant 12 year old girl. My heart just jumped as I could almost audibly hear God telling me that, as much as I had tried to imagine her circumstances, I was nowhere close...I had no idea...
Her 17 year old friend pulled up a chair next to her. Again...I knew I had no idea how deep her wounds were. With the help of a volunteer at the center who translated well, Janet & I got to hear these girls stories and pray for them.
They broke my heart.
The 17 year old had been lured to her father's house on the understanding that he would put her through school. Instead, her father took advantage of her and raped her. Then he kicked her out and that's how she ended up at Wakisa.
The 12 year old had been raped by a stranger hiding in the bushes while she walked to the store one evening to get her family some food. She was brave enough to come forward and the man ended up in jail, but she wasn't allowed to stay with her family while she was pregnant.
She shared everything and I had to bite back the flood of tears that wanted to break free. Then she said that, since coming here, she had peace. And she is hopeful because of God and Wakisa.
Our next stop was at Comforter's Center where we met the amazing founder Victoria and the amazing women there. We heard incredible stories...my heart was torn for these women that fought over whether to keep their babies when they were in dire situations. To hear them talk about deciding not to abort their babies...to hear them talk about having nowhere to go...to hear them share their hearts...was bittersweet.
There is one woman that I will never forget. Just by looking, it seemed that she had attempted to abort her sweet little girl that she held in her arms as she started to share her story. She talked about how, when her baby was first born, she didn't love her....but that God had showed her how to love her baby...and then she broke down into tears as she squeezed her little girl tight to her chest. I'll never forget the look in her eyes when she looked down at her little girl....how much that look spoke to God's grace, forgiveness, and love.
I loved praying over these girls and women. I loved sharing those sweet, sacred moments with them. We all loved doing crafts with them and giving them their mama kits.
But most of all, I loved hearing the peace in their voice...seeing the hope in their eyes as they told you their stories. These ladies are beautiful. Their wounds are being healed. They are meeting their Heavenly Father and receiving His love and care through these centers.
And THAT is why we had to go.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Uganda Post 2 - Our Fearless Leader
I decided that the beginning is the best place to start. A novel concept, I know...so we're going to start with the woman behind Mercy for Mamas.
I'd like you to meet my friend Melissa. She is a beautiful woman and has an incredible story. Her story isn't mine to tell, but I will tell you what she means to me.
I met her back in 2006 when her Ginger husband Cody came to serve as our pastor at FBC Mulvane. I immediately knew the Busbys were cool...and they have not let me down since that first impression. ;)
The way that Cody and Melissa have served our church is beautiful. They show us truth and grace and love every day. They've shown us all what it looks like to follow God's plans for your family, no matter how much sacrifice and heartache that means.
And while my beautiful friend was in Uganda for 11 months finalizing the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, her and Cody offered me and my family support during the hardest time we've known. While they were fighting for their family, they helped me fight for mine.
Even though we weren't necessarily the closest of friends, Melissa and I shared random, encouraging emails and sometimes painfully sad moments. She gave me positive words when I needed them and listened to my heartbreak when I needed that too, while I tried to return the favor for her and her family.
Since then, she's continued to amaze me. Through her fight to bring her daughter home and her journey to follow God's direction with her experiences since then, she's shown the world her faithfulness in the midst of the craziness. I've respected her since the day I met her, and that respect just continues to grow.
When she first started sharing info about mama kits and beginning to reveal her calling to start this new ministry, I was continually impressed by her faithfulness and amazed by her ability to swallow how much of an undertaking this was going to be. I'm sure it was scary at times. I'm sure she had freak out moments. I'm sure she questioned this calling and whether she understood this plan. I'm sure she had times when she felt unequipped to take on this task. I'm sure she'll continue to have those moments as this journey continues to unfold, and that's ok.
But I can tell you that, from the moment she told me about all of this, I knew it was right. I doubt people a lot...one of my biggest downfalls. But not this...not for a second. This was for sure and I was so excited for her and the entire Busby clan. And the journey that they've been on with Mercy for Mamas has been incredible to be able to witness and cheer on.
She's also got a relatively awesome sense of humor, which helps with any Beth Schafers friendship.
So after 6 years or so of knowing this amazing woman, I followed her to Africa.
I can honestly say, I don't know if I would have been so sure and willing to follow anyone else. I never doubted my safety, I never doubted the vision. I never doubted the necessity of our service there. I was confident that Melissa's heart reflected His and that, as a result, the plans would fall into place and we would be exactly where we needed to be.
I was also confident that, after a very long time of feeling like God wanted me to go to Africa, but plans never working out, this was exactly the right time for me. And I can tell you now, on the other side of things, that was exactly the case. This was just what God was preparing me for and why He was making me wait.
The way God used Melissa's time in Uganda to set the stage for Mercy for Mamas, and for this trip specifically, is amazing. The friendships she formed there and the relationships that continued to grow back home formed the perfect team and plan for the 1st trip.
Our time in Uganda was incredible. We all had amazing encounters and eperiences. For me, one of the best of those was seeing my sweet friend take the lead for our group. She knows her strengths and her weaknesses and is willing to take charge or ask for help when it's needed. She followed God's promptings on her heart for the plans on this trip and did all that she could to make sure that our agenda matched His.
She's crazy in Uganda. A whole other side of her came out as soon as we stepped off the plane and I love her even more for it. She drove a huge stick shift van with the steering wheel on the wrong side and just laughed the entire time. She dances and sings like crazy to get the kids to laugh and let their guard down. Somehow, her sense of humor becomes even more find tuned and impressive. She tries new things and makes you want to try and keep up. She wears sweet sunglasses off the street and rocks them like no one else can.
She has an amazing Ugandan accent that I finally got to experience firsthand and it was one of the most adorable things I've ever heard. She negotiates and makes people laugh when she forces them to not give her the "American" price. She finally got to introduce her American friends to her Ugandan friends. She got to show us all that she loves about Uganda and you could see the light in her eyes when she was sharing her stories and experiences with us. It was amazing to see her in this different setting and to be able to feel just how much love she has for these people in this place.
But while her crazy side comes out, her serious side impressed me even more. To hear her get up and tell her story to the women that we shared with was touching. To hear the passion in her voice when she tells these women how much she wants them to have safe, healthy births and how she doesn't want any more orphans in Africa makes me choke up every time. They know how much she means it, even if they don't speak her language...you can see it in their faces.
And to hear her talk afterward...about how much these events meant to her...how much it confirms her calling...how much she can see God using her team...that's still getting to me even as I write this. Then...to have bittersweet conversations with her and other friends in the hotel lobby late at night and talk about our hurts and our joys...is indescribable. She shares her heart and makes you feel safe to open yours.
Don't get me wrong...she's not a completely different person when you're in a foreign country. She's the same, wonderful woman on each continent...I just got a much closer look at this friend when we were in this setting.
She shows you Christ's love in her own little ways and her contagious laugh. She is passionate about giving God the glory for all of it...and the best part is, He's getting it.
So thanks Melissa for being faithful and for letting this dorky girl tag along with you to Uganda. Thanks for doing what He tells you to and making me do the same.
I took a poll....and I can still be your friend ;)
I'd like you to meet my friend Melissa. She is a beautiful woman and has an incredible story. Her story isn't mine to tell, but I will tell you what she means to me.
I met her back in 2006 when her Ginger husband Cody came to serve as our pastor at FBC Mulvane. I immediately knew the Busbys were cool...and they have not let me down since that first impression. ;)
The way that Cody and Melissa have served our church is beautiful. They show us truth and grace and love every day. They've shown us all what it looks like to follow God's plans for your family, no matter how much sacrifice and heartache that means.
And while my beautiful friend was in Uganda for 11 months finalizing the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, her and Cody offered me and my family support during the hardest time we've known. While they were fighting for their family, they helped me fight for mine.
Even though we weren't necessarily the closest of friends, Melissa and I shared random, encouraging emails and sometimes painfully sad moments. She gave me positive words when I needed them and listened to my heartbreak when I needed that too, while I tried to return the favor for her and her family.
Since then, she's continued to amaze me. Through her fight to bring her daughter home and her journey to follow God's direction with her experiences since then, she's shown the world her faithfulness in the midst of the craziness. I've respected her since the day I met her, and that respect just continues to grow.
When she first started sharing info about mama kits and beginning to reveal her calling to start this new ministry, I was continually impressed by her faithfulness and amazed by her ability to swallow how much of an undertaking this was going to be. I'm sure it was scary at times. I'm sure she had freak out moments. I'm sure she questioned this calling and whether she understood this plan. I'm sure she had times when she felt unequipped to take on this task. I'm sure she'll continue to have those moments as this journey continues to unfold, and that's ok.
But I can tell you that, from the moment she told me about all of this, I knew it was right. I doubt people a lot...one of my biggest downfalls. But not this...not for a second. This was for sure and I was so excited for her and the entire Busby clan. And the journey that they've been on with Mercy for Mamas has been incredible to be able to witness and cheer on.
She's also got a relatively awesome sense of humor, which helps with any Beth Schafers friendship.
So after 6 years or so of knowing this amazing woman, I followed her to Africa.
I can honestly say, I don't know if I would have been so sure and willing to follow anyone else. I never doubted my safety, I never doubted the vision. I never doubted the necessity of our service there. I was confident that Melissa's heart reflected His and that, as a result, the plans would fall into place and we would be exactly where we needed to be.
I was also confident that, after a very long time of feeling like God wanted me to go to Africa, but plans never working out, this was exactly the right time for me. And I can tell you now, on the other side of things, that was exactly the case. This was just what God was preparing me for and why He was making me wait.
The way God used Melissa's time in Uganda to set the stage for Mercy for Mamas, and for this trip specifically, is amazing. The friendships she formed there and the relationships that continued to grow back home formed the perfect team and plan for the 1st trip.
Our time in Uganda was incredible. We all had amazing encounters and eperiences. For me, one of the best of those was seeing my sweet friend take the lead for our group. She knows her strengths and her weaknesses and is willing to take charge or ask for help when it's needed. She followed God's promptings on her heart for the plans on this trip and did all that she could to make sure that our agenda matched His.
She's crazy in Uganda. A whole other side of her came out as soon as we stepped off the plane and I love her even more for it. She drove a huge stick shift van with the steering wheel on the wrong side and just laughed the entire time. She dances and sings like crazy to get the kids to laugh and let their guard down. Somehow, her sense of humor becomes even more find tuned and impressive. She tries new things and makes you want to try and keep up. She wears sweet sunglasses off the street and rocks them like no one else can.
She has an amazing Ugandan accent that I finally got to experience firsthand and it was one of the most adorable things I've ever heard. She negotiates and makes people laugh when she forces them to not give her the "American" price. She finally got to introduce her American friends to her Ugandan friends. She got to show us all that she loves about Uganda and you could see the light in her eyes when she was sharing her stories and experiences with us. It was amazing to see her in this different setting and to be able to feel just how much love she has for these people in this place.
But while her crazy side comes out, her serious side impressed me even more. To hear her get up and tell her story to the women that we shared with was touching. To hear the passion in her voice when she tells these women how much she wants them to have safe, healthy births and how she doesn't want any more orphans in Africa makes me choke up every time. They know how much she means it, even if they don't speak her language...you can see it in their faces.
And to hear her talk afterward...about how much these events meant to her...how much it confirms her calling...how much she can see God using her team...that's still getting to me even as I write this. Then...to have bittersweet conversations with her and other friends in the hotel lobby late at night and talk about our hurts and our joys...is indescribable. She shares her heart and makes you feel safe to open yours.
Don't get me wrong...she's not a completely different person when you're in a foreign country. She's the same, wonderful woman on each continent...I just got a much closer look at this friend when we were in this setting.
She shows you Christ's love in her own little ways and her contagious laugh. She is passionate about giving God the glory for all of it...and the best part is, He's getting it.
So thanks Melissa for being faithful and for letting this dorky girl tag along with you to Uganda. Thanks for doing what He tells you to and making me do the same.
I took a poll....and I can still be your friend ;)
Friday, October 5, 2012
Uganda Post 1 - Where Do I Start?
Where do I start?
Every time I sit down to write this blog, that’s the question on the forefront of my mind. Where do I begin when I have so many thoughts, so many stories, so many faces in my head?
*I could tell you about the 12 year old that I prayed with. She was very pregnant…raped by a stranger hiding in a bush while she walked to the market to get some food for her family one evening. She played with a toy dinosaur on her lap while we talked about pre-natal care with her and the other girls at the pregnancy crisis center.
She was beautiful….but oh, so young…so innocent still. And I bit back the tears as she told my friend and I that she had peace…and hope.
*I could tell you about the missionary women that we served. How many of them looked exhausted when they arrived at our events. How many wet eyes I saw as they sang together to their King. How many of them squealed with delight over something like Ranch Dressing Mix in their goody bag.
How they shared their hearts with us…showing their love for the people of Uganda and their desperate desire to have their neighbors know God’s love. How when they left, they were excited, renewed, and refreshed in their purpose and their focus in their ministry. How they were covered in prayer and felt it following them home.
How thankful they were for a rather random group of Americans who were willing to invest some time in encouraging them in their ministry and even giving them a new ministry tool for the future.
*I could tell you about the kids…so many kids…at the churches, in the villages, at the orphanages, in the slum. How they love to sing and dance for the crazy Americans. How they praise their Father with beautiful voices and lifted hands.
I could tell you their sad stories…the ones that you can’t help but hold onto…the ones that some of them don’t even realize that they have…and of the beautiful hope that they have now that someone has given them a chance.
I could tell you about the kids at the special needs orphanage…about the girl that held my hand during snack time on the mat outside while I wondered what her disability was. How she then pointed towards some leg braces and a walker and motioned for me to put the braces on so that she could walk. How she lit up as she showed our group how she could take a few steps towards them and had one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen.
*I could tell you about the new friendships that I formed…and about the old ones that were renewed and strengthened as they were changed. I could tell you how I wrestled with God and saw His plans unfolding in front of me. I could tell you how I was blessed by other women who were willing to go on this trip.
I could tell you how I bonded with complete strangers and was amazed as I learned their hearts, their stories, and their passions. I could tell you how I saw women that I’ve known for years unfold a part of themselves that I didn’t know they had and how impressed I was by these people that I call my friends.
So that’s what I’ll start with I guess….the overwhelming little thoughts in my head. And I’ll save the rest for another day…
Every time I sit down to write this blog, that’s the question on the forefront of my mind. Where do I begin when I have so many thoughts, so many stories, so many faces in my head?
*I could tell you about the 12 year old that I prayed with. She was very pregnant…raped by a stranger hiding in a bush while she walked to the market to get some food for her family one evening. She played with a toy dinosaur on her lap while we talked about pre-natal care with her and the other girls at the pregnancy crisis center.
She was beautiful….but oh, so young…so innocent still. And I bit back the tears as she told my friend and I that she had peace…and hope.
*I could tell you about the missionary women that we served. How many of them looked exhausted when they arrived at our events. How many wet eyes I saw as they sang together to their King. How many of them squealed with delight over something like Ranch Dressing Mix in their goody bag.
How they shared their hearts with us…showing their love for the people of Uganda and their desperate desire to have their neighbors know God’s love. How when they left, they were excited, renewed, and refreshed in their purpose and their focus in their ministry. How they were covered in prayer and felt it following them home.
How thankful they were for a rather random group of Americans who were willing to invest some time in encouraging them in their ministry and even giving them a new ministry tool for the future.
*I could tell you about the kids…so many kids…at the churches, in the villages, at the orphanages, in the slum. How they love to sing and dance for the crazy Americans. How they praise their Father with beautiful voices and lifted hands.
I could tell you their sad stories…the ones that you can’t help but hold onto…the ones that some of them don’t even realize that they have…and of the beautiful hope that they have now that someone has given them a chance.
I could tell you about the kids at the special needs orphanage…about the girl that held my hand during snack time on the mat outside while I wondered what her disability was. How she then pointed towards some leg braces and a walker and motioned for me to put the braces on so that she could walk. How she lit up as she showed our group how she could take a few steps towards them and had one of the most beautiful smiles I’ve ever seen.
*I could tell you about the new friendships that I formed…and about the old ones that were renewed and strengthened as they were changed. I could tell you how I wrestled with God and saw His plans unfolding in front of me. I could tell you how I was blessed by other women who were willing to go on this trip.
I could tell you how I bonded with complete strangers and was amazed as I learned their hearts, their stories, and their passions. I could tell you how I saw women that I’ve known for years unfold a part of themselves that I didn’t know they had and how impressed I was by these people that I call my friends.
So that’s what I’ll start with I guess….the overwhelming little thoughts in my head. And I’ll save the rest for another day…
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
To Uganda We Go!
I am leaving for Africa in less than 2 weeks! And I still have so much to do! Eek! But here I am, blogging...for you. So you're welcome...or I'm sorry...whichever is appropriate for your particular situation.
I wanted to take a break from the planning and the Excel spreadsheet making to tell the story of this trip for those of you (all 2 of you that read this) that might not know why we're going (or even that we're going if you're really out of the loop). So here goes!
First things first. I am going with an organization called Mercy for Mamas. My incredible friend (and my pastor's wife) Melissa started this organization when she was in Uganda during the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, whose mother passed away during childbirth. Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurence in Uganda, where 15-20 women die every day while giving life to their precious babies. The saddest part of this is, it's a problem that is, in a lot of cases, simply a matter of having the supplies they need to have a sterile delivery. For $7, Mercy for Mamas helps provide women in Uganda with the supplies they need to have safe, clean births and helps give these women and their children the chance to have lots of time to love and grow together.
I could go on and on and on about Melissa's story, or how incredible it's been to watch her take the idea of Mercy for Mamas and run with it. I could tell you how proud I am to be her friend and to be a part of a church where adoption and the orphan crisis is such a focus. But I won't...at least not right now ;) For now, I'll point you to the Mercy for Mamas website: www.mercyformamas.com. Melissa tells her story way better than I ever could, so go there and learn more about this incredible woman and her mission.
Now...more details on the trip itself. We leave next Friday - September 21st. We will arrive in Uganda late on Saturday, the 22nd. We will hit the ground running and will spend our days in Uganda serving as many people as we can. We will be distributing mama kits to women, visiting midwives and orphanages, helping serve at a couple of churches, and hosting a couple of encouragement events for missionary women in the area, and lots of other stuff in between. We will be serving in Kampala, Jinja, and Mbale. We will be busy and I know I'll be completely exhausted when we get home on October 2nd...but I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am.
I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to serve on this trip. And I'm so excited to see how God uses our group to His glory. I have seen Him every step of the way as we've planned these events and raised our funds and even as we've gotten to know our team members from afar. He is planning to use these mama kits and our experiences in Uganda to do wonderful things and I am so anxious to be a part of that.
So this is what I ask of you...that you pray for us and for His work. Pray that our group (there are 11 of us) would push aside our own desires for this trip and let Him take the wheel. The last thing we want to do is get in the way. Pray for safety and provision for our families back home so that we have a few less things to worry about. Pray that we would be brave in sharing the reason we are there - to share His love with His people. Pray that hearts would be softened to that love and that doors would be opened for these people to know that they have an eternal life with their Father waiting for them.
So that's it for now! I will post info and pictures once we return! Thanks in advance for your prayers and support for this trip and for Mercy for Mamas! Seriously...go to the website...now! www.mercyformamas.com
Love,
Beth
I wanted to take a break from the planning and the Excel spreadsheet making to tell the story of this trip for those of you (all 2 of you that read this) that might not know why we're going (or even that we're going if you're really out of the loop). So here goes!
First things first. I am going with an organization called Mercy for Mamas. My incredible friend (and my pastor's wife) Melissa started this organization when she was in Uganda during the adoption of their sweet daughter Mercy, whose mother passed away during childbirth. Unfortunately, this is an all too common occurence in Uganda, where 15-20 women die every day while giving life to their precious babies. The saddest part of this is, it's a problem that is, in a lot of cases, simply a matter of having the supplies they need to have a sterile delivery. For $7, Mercy for Mamas helps provide women in Uganda with the supplies they need to have safe, clean births and helps give these women and their children the chance to have lots of time to love and grow together.
I could go on and on and on about Melissa's story, or how incredible it's been to watch her take the idea of Mercy for Mamas and run with it. I could tell you how proud I am to be her friend and to be a part of a church where adoption and the orphan crisis is such a focus. But I won't...at least not right now ;) For now, I'll point you to the Mercy for Mamas website: www.mercyformamas.com. Melissa tells her story way better than I ever could, so go there and learn more about this incredible woman and her mission.
Now...more details on the trip itself. We leave next Friday - September 21st. We will arrive in Uganda late on Saturday, the 22nd. We will hit the ground running and will spend our days in Uganda serving as many people as we can. We will be distributing mama kits to women, visiting midwives and orphanages, helping serve at a couple of churches, and hosting a couple of encouragement events for missionary women in the area, and lots of other stuff in between. We will be serving in Kampala, Jinja, and Mbale. We will be busy and I know I'll be completely exhausted when we get home on October 2nd...but I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am.
I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to serve on this trip. And I'm so excited to see how God uses our group to His glory. I have seen Him every step of the way as we've planned these events and raised our funds and even as we've gotten to know our team members from afar. He is planning to use these mama kits and our experiences in Uganda to do wonderful things and I am so anxious to be a part of that.
So this is what I ask of you...that you pray for us and for His work. Pray that our group (there are 11 of us) would push aside our own desires for this trip and let Him take the wheel. The last thing we want to do is get in the way. Pray for safety and provision for our families back home so that we have a few less things to worry about. Pray that we would be brave in sharing the reason we are there - to share His love with His people. Pray that hearts would be softened to that love and that doors would be opened for these people to know that they have an eternal life with their Father waiting for them.
So that's it for now! I will post info and pictures once we return! Thanks in advance for your prayers and support for this trip and for Mercy for Mamas! Seriously...go to the website...now! www.mercyformamas.com
Love,
Beth
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