Time to be REAL

It was 4:30 am on the 19^th of June and the power was out. I was packing up the rest of my belongings with my flashlight and trying to be quiet, as to not wake my team members. I was preparing to leave Canaan’s children home and head to Lira for the next two months to work with Children of Peace Uganda for Exile International.

This was not an easy transition for me. I was so emotional and exhausted from the last two weeks with my Visiting Orphans team that every part of me wanted to jump on a plane and head back to America.  I didn’t want to have to sacrifice comfort anymore. I was done. I was sick of being dirty, having no hot water and no water pressure, missing diet soda, bug bites, not having nice hair, sweating, small spaces and couldn’t stomach another day of rice and beans. I was beat. I felt alone. I was scared.

God was so very kind and gentle with me. I was provided many days of rest to recuperate and to rejuvenate my soul. My greatest prayer was that I would be reminded why I was here and that joy would again return to my spirit. God reminded me that this was His battle and not mine.

It was so hard for me to experience the variety of emotions that was taking place. I didn’t expect to NOT want to be here! I have never been so much out of my comfort zone like I have been here. Even though it has been hard….I needed it. To be in a place where everything is stripped from you, everything that you know, everything that is familiar….brings you closer to God. Being here I can SEE, FEEL, HEAR and TOUCH God more than ever before. I am reminded that God is ENOUGH!

Once I made my way out into the town of Lira and began to see the faces of the children there was instant joy and a knowing in my soul that everything would be ok and that God’s timing and plan is perfect.  

When you get to hug a child, kiss the cheek of face that you know has seen so much pain, tell the women how strong they are and hear story after story of how their pain has turned to beauty….it is worth it. All my discomforts and complaints are nothing compared to this. It is humbling. It takes being real and knowing that I am absolutely nothing without the power and strength of the ONE inside of me.

The journey here in Lira, with Children of Peace and Exile is just beginning. Lord, may your ways continue to shine bright and may you continue to teach me how to sacrifice so that YOU may be glorified. You never said that things would be easy….but you did promise that you would be with us every step of the way.