Who Am I that I should go?

Syd Hair, a Hands4Uganda board member and one of  our founders is preparing to leave for a short term missions outreach at the end of the month.  You will hear more about  the team and their trip in the coming weeks but I wanted to share a short devotional she  wrote for her team. It  is one of the best answers  to the question. "what will I do?",  that folks often ask when we invite them along on a trip. 

Syd writes:

Good morning team!!

God has really been laying some things on my heart so I wanted to jump start our devotionals by sharing this morning! I will be sharing along the way as we prepare the final few weeks before departure!

I remember the first time I went to Uganda in 2008.  I was struggling with my "American

Syd blessing a mom with a baby blanket in 2010

missions" mentality while I was there....I kept seeking the Lord's answer to my daily burning question "why am I here Lord?"  I felt as if I had to "accomplish" something in order to bring a report back to my church, friends and family of all the good I had done on my mission trip.  It was Easter Sunday while we were in Uganda and I remember it VERY well.  We had attended an amazing service and then headed back to the compound.  We spent the rest of the day inside as it was a torrential downpour.  As I sat in quiet meditation once again seeking the Lord to answer my burning question....It was SO clearly laid on my heart these words from the Lord...

"Syd, I have brought you here to love, Betty!  You have sacrificed to get here so that I can show my love to her"  As soon as I received that I was good to go!  Yes, Lord!  I will love Betty!  So I spent the remaining week...falling in love with Betty and the work God had called her to do at Rock of Ages school!  At the time we were there she had just started her school in this well known prostitution village of Mbiiko with 11 kids. 

 Upon my return in 2014 you will experience over 220 kids now attending ROA!!!  When I returned from Uganda the first time, the Lord led me to start a sponsorship program!  It just amazes me, what God can do with relationships!  I wasn't called to Uganda to do anything, but LOVE my brothers and sisters there!!!

So my reading this morning and the title of my devotional was "Who am I that I should go"?  This is the answer for us now, that God has brought together the six of us..

I/We should go, because I AM is the Who!   

Let me explain....

God showed me this week that really NOTHING else in this life matters but the "WHO's" he places in our path.  It's not the house, the car, the job, but the Whos' along the journey!  It's the SAME reason he is leading us to Uganda!  He loves you so much that he wants you to meet the "who's".  Our faithful brothers and sisters in Uganda!  

So, as people ask you "what" you will be doing in Africa, let them know, it's not about the "what"....it's about the Who!!!!

You will meet people that God will place in your path that will plant a seed in the garden of your heart that  you will carry forever!

It may be a child; for me it was a little boy named Henry in 2008, a boda driver named Peter, the founder of school named Betty, a cook named Grace, my African brother named Abdu....all in a place called Africa!!!

May our God; who provides, guides and leads us daily, assure your heart and spirit, the reason you are going thousands of miles away from family and home, sacrificing time and money; is for His purpose and His glory alone!

The best African word I ever learned was "Tomanya".  Which means; "you never know"

You never know what to expect; but one thing I do know....God is with us!