Team Reflections from June Olin.....

Wow!  We hit the ground running. The first day in Uganda, we visited a slum area called Masese. We pulled up in our van and saw more filth, trash, and sickly, dirty, impoverished children than I could have imagined. Many children had no underwear on, none of them had shoes and they had sores, bloated tummies, torn clothes yet they smiled and crowed around us as if we were celebrities.

I don't have enough hands, arms, or body to give them all the love they needed and yearned for. We all had children in our arms and had them hanging onto our legs and hands. I was more overwhelmed than I have ever been in my life. I didn't cry(which I fought as hard as I've ever fought) because I knew these babies just wanted love and so desperately needed all I had and then some.

Every member of my team jumped right in and was holding, loving and playing with the children. We gathered around in a large circle with the two hundred plus children and played games and sang. Shortly thereafter, Tina asked me to join her and a local pastor to minister to the 70-80 women. They sat under the trees and listened to Tina talk to them about encouraging each other. She asked them to start memorizing scripture, all the while the local pastor interpreted all she said.

She introduced me to the women and told them we were coming back on Friday and I would be teaching them on healing. She then asked me to pray. I have never prayed while having someone interpret. We had arrived at 3am and bed at 4am after traveling 26 plus hours and here I stood in a slum in a village just 8 hours later praying for these Ugandan women and singing and dancing to the Lord.

How surreal....our Father really does love all the children...red, brown, yellow, black and white... they are precious in His sight.  Jesus loves the little children of the world....and I'm His child too!!!

I have gotten a glimpse of what it's like to be loved and adored...without conditions...no matter what I've done nor who I am...these children just plain and simple......love......with an absolute kinda love.  Soooo cool to get such a tangible sense of Gods love toward us through the free loving of an impoverished child. They are teaching me everyday how to love my Father's way.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25: 40

Team Reflections from Shelby Flowers....

It’s hard to put into words the joy I experienced while in Jinja, Uganda. I have felt called to go to Africa for years but nothing could I have prepared me for the endearing and captivating people of Jinja. My team and I were exposed to the poverty and needs of the people, but we were also exposed to people who are eager to better themselves and to learn new things. It was refreshing to be surrounded by those who are longing to hear the gospel and pining for new trades that will improve their community. Jinja is truly a treasure and God is definitely at work in the lives of the Ugandan people.

For me personally, I found peace in loving on the kids. Whenever the team would visit Masese the kids would see our van coming and they would run toward us in the hopes of holding our hands. Having three kids attached to each arm is quite normal  in Masese. We would play games, sing songs and rejoice. They couldn’t possibly know the impact they had on us. What a blessing they were!

However, there is something to say about the amazing work of Tina and her Heal Ministries teams. It takes a patient woman to seek out people the way she has. Her ability to build relationships and gain trust is a remarkable sight to see. Her mere presence starts an uproar amongst the children in the villages and at Canaan Children’s Home, and it was encouraging to see her interactions with the people. 

Overall this trip was life changing and enlightening. It has caused me to see life through a new lens. The people of Uganda strive to make tomorrow better than today, and that is an earnest state of mind. This place is truly remarkable but it is the people that will keep me coming back in the years to come.

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality."  Romans 12: 9-13