Coming Home

I have been in Africa for almost three months now, and I wanted to update you on some of what God has been doing in my heart. This trip has been much different than I was expecting. After being away for over two years and wanting so badly to return to the place that captured my heart when I was fifteen years old, I have finally arrived here and have felt nothing but mixed emotions. The joy and passion that was once in my heart for this place and these people is no longer there.  

Confused? You could say so. But God is doing something inside of me. He's been stretching me and teaching me. My relationship with the Lord has grown leaps and bounds from where I was when I left. My favorite time in being here has been the time when I'm immersed in the Word of God. Before, I had a huge passion for His people and unfortunately, a small passion for Him. In being here, God is becoming my priority, and my passion for Him is growing larger and larger everyday.  

That being said God is slowly showing me that His plan for me is not here. My intentions for this trip was to seek a long term position doing ministry work here. God's intentions for this trip were much greater. God's intentions were to teach me things I never expected to learn. 

He's taught me that ministry doesn't need to happen overseas, but that He can use me exactly where I'm at. He's taught me to stop seeking man's approval and start seeking His approval. He's taught me that being content doesn't rely on where I'm at but Who I'm serving. He's taught me that some people aren't cut out for long term missions in a third world county, and I'm one of those people. He's taught me that His plan will prevail no matter what my passions are. He's taught me that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, including in America. He's taught me to seek Him with all my heart, and there I will find true joy. He's taught me that a relationship with Him requires effort on my part, and I haven't been doing my part. He's taught me that I can make an impact wherever I am, if I'm open and willing to let Him use me. He's taught me that my attitude sucks a lot of the time, and I really need to work on that. He's taught me that when I am living in the flesh, I am not happy. He's taught me that being a part of my church and community and having fellowship with other believers is something I've been lacking and really need to work on when I get home. He's taught me that a life in Him is the only life I want to live, because everything else is meaningless.  

So my time in Africa is coming to a close. I have bought my plane ticket home and will be arriving the night of the 26. My time here has been stretching, life altering, and emotionally exhausting, but it's also been good, humbling, and an answer to prayer.

Now I'm faced with the question of what next? My answer: serve the Lord wholeheartedly; wherever I am, whoever I'm with, whatever I'm doing. Pursue Christ and everything else will fall into place. 

If it is the Lord's will...

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

This is one of those verses that came at the exact right moment to encourage me and help me understand what’s going on in my life. When I told/tell people I’m here on a one way ticket, their next question is, “Well how long do you hope to stay for?” My answer was always at least a year. 

How foolish of me to try to plan that far in advance. It says in the scriptures that we don’t even know what will happen tomorrow, so how will I know what will happen in a year. I think I forgot my reasoning in buying a one-way ticket to begin with. It was not so I could be here forever or even for a year. I bought it because I don’t know what God holds for me in this place. Not tomorrow, not the next day, and not even a year from now. I’m here seeking the Lord’s will in my life. I’m here looking for answers from my omniscient Father; for I do not know what will come of tomorrow, but He is all-knowing and all-powerful, and will reveal to me in His perfect timing His will for my life. 

I’m learning to be content with not knowing my timing here. It’s a strange feeling, but the Lord is giving me a peace about it. I often ask myself, am I okay with staying here for a long time, or in the same breath, am I okay with going home much sooner than I thought. My time here is not in my hands. God knows when I will return home. He knows why He has me here. He knows what my purpose is here. I am here to do His will and that's all I'm called to do, no matter what the timing may be.

Reunions and Encouragement

My days here in Uganda have been filled with many reunions with old friends. This place here is all to familiar yet vastly different from what I’ve remembered. It’s been a blessing to come back and visit those I made relationships with in the past. 

When we arrived in Uganda, I think I was still in shock that I was finally here. We spent the night in Entebbe in a hotel called Banana Village. The next day we made the four hour drive to Mbale. Despite my enormously large headache, I was able to enjoy all the sights and scenery around me that I had missed so much. The drive to Mbale is always my favorite because there’s just so much to see and my mind often wonders to metaphors of my life with Christ. It gives me plenty of time to think, pray, and reflect on the beauty and sovereignty of our Lord. 

Our first week and a half was spent getting adjusted to a new life here in Uganda. We have been staying at my friend Kayla’s house with her husband and two kids. Kayla along with Taylor, Keesha and I, spent the summer of 2010 together here on quite the adventure. That was the last time I saw Kayla, so it’s been a blessing to catch up with her and see how God has been using her to be a wonderful wife and mother here in Uganda. 

We visited Namatala a few different times in the first week and a half of being here. It was very different to me. It was great to be there, but I was not overwhelmed with joy like I have been in being there in the past. I’ve spent a lot of my time lifting this up to my Lord and asking Him to clearly show me what He wants of me here. It’s been a confusing time being here, and it’s been strangely different than what I was expecting. I’ve felt conflicted about my feelings here, and I’m still not sure what to make of it all, but I know that it’s in the hands of my Savior and He is in control. 

The RMBC and Frontier team arrived here June 4th and it could not have been more perfectly orchestrated by God. To see familiar faces and get hugs from those I love was a huge encouragement. I broke down in the arms of my brother because of the joy I had in seeing him, but mainly because I really needed someone to talk to in order to process all my thoughts and feelings that I’ve had since being here. And who better to talk to than him. God planned their trip with perfect timing, knowing that I would need lots of encouragement and advice to help pick me up and reassure me of the peace that only comes from God. 

We were very welcomed in joining them throughout their time here. Tessa and I helped Martha with the children’s ministry on Thursday and Friday at Namunyu, and Monday and Tuesday at Busiu. We also participated in the VBS the Frontier students put on at Angalia which hosted 500+ children. My brother was the leader of this group and I could not be more proud to have him as my brother. God has really matured him over the years, and he definitely has the gift of leadership. The highlight of the day for me was teaching all the children how to share the Gospel with their friends and families. We can come over here and spread the Gospel as much as we want, but the true fruit is when they learn to become evangelists themselves, because they can and will make such an impact on this country. It got me a little teary eyed at the end, knowing there were children there who would eventually spread the love of Jesus with those they knew. Sunday, I was able to go to a church called Wanghale with my brother and Michaela, which a was good day spent with two people I love very much. The time with the church team was very encouraging, and I was able to seek godly advice about this journey God has me on. Prayers were answered, questions were answered, and I’ve felt a major peace cover me after many discussions with a few different people.

We are back working with I Choose You for the next week, assisting in whatever needs to be done. Our time here has flown by already. I’m excited for our next adventure in Gulu to meet all of Tessa’s friends and to see what she was doing there last year. It’s been so fun being here with my best friend and having her encouragement the whole way through. God has been closing doors and guiding me throughout my time here. I know He has an incredible plan for me and my prayer is that I would be 100% open to whatever it is He may have for me. 

My Power is Made Perfect in Weakness

Everyday, I wake up and am amazed at the fact that I’m in Uganda. It still seems like a dream to me. A lot has changed about this place, yet a lot has remained the same. It’s been interesting being here and trying to see if/how God is going to fit me in all of this. My prayer daily is to be completely and one hundred percent open to where the Lord is leading me. 

I spent a lot of my time in South Africa doubting my decision to come here with an open-ended ticket. Satan was really getting in my thoughts and telling me that I wasn’t capable of handling something like this. I was scared coming to Uganda. I spent most of my flight trying to figure out a way to get out of here as fast as I could. The day after I arrived in Uganda, I wrote this in my journal: 

That feeling you get when you are completely humbled by God. When you begin to doubt Him and then He shows you why not to. My time here has been humbling and it’s only been a day and a half. I’ve had some time to sit and reflect on God today in our long four hour care ride. He wants me to open up and give all I have to Him. Don’t miss a single opportunity to serve Him or love His people.

So I’ve been clinging to these verses since I’ve been here, “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. So, I’m writing now to boast about my weaknesses. I want you to know that when it comes to being here, I’m scared out of my mind. I’ve doubted God more times than I can count. I’ve tried to come up with countless excuses as to why I shouldn’t be here. I don’t think that I’m cut out to be a missionary in Uganda. But I will gladly boast in these weaknesses, because I know God’s power will be made perfect in them. I know that when I am weak, God will make me strong. I want my time here to be a reflection of God’s power and His might. Because without Him, I am nothing. 

Simplicity

The beauty of simplicity is a very humbling experience. It’s one of those things you don’t  realize is beautiful until you’re placed right in the midst of it all. Simplicity is inspiring. It allows you to take a step back from life and reflect on the many blessings you’ve received. You become aware of the little things in life that make living just that much better, and you stand in awe at how wonderful God has perfectly planned your steps. 

There’s nothing quite like a bear hug from a little child, sitting in a woman's Bible study hearing beautiful stories of the hardships and redemption happening in other’s lives, or sitting at the top of a water tower with thirty to forty children flying kites made out of plastic bags, tree branches and yarn. 

Simplicity. It’s beautiful. It’s uplifting. It’s inspiring. It’s a blessing.

Change

God’s been stirring in my heart the past few months a need for change. A need to put the past behind me and move forward in His grace, His sovereignty, His hope and His never ending love. A need to grow more in my relationship with Him and dig deeper in His word. A need to place my full hope, faith, love, and trust solely in Him. 

I knew I needed this change long before I began planning this trip to South Africa and Uganda. God has been speaking to me through different circumstances and people, confirming in me the need to “deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk.9:23). I wasn’t exactly sure how God was going to go about changing things up for me, but I had a feeling it was going to be bigger than I could imagine. 

So I find myself serving the Lord here in South Africa. A big change. No longer am I a retail associate/host/server/bartender/supervisor. No longer am I living with my family. No longer am I in the comforts of my hometown. I’m in the midst of change. I’m now living with three amazing friends. I’m waking up every morning to twelve wonderful staff women. I’m spending the day with eighty bright shining preschooler faces. I’m serving alongside two incredible, humble and God-fearing missionaries, diligently do what the Lord has asked of them. I’m experiencing change in one of the most incredible ways.

My time here is filled with laughter from watching, teaching and interacting with very tiny human beings. It’s filled with love to and from the kiddos, friends, neighbors, locals and staff. It’s filled with blessings like a beautiful sunrise in the morning, meeting new people who share their stories, and playing games around the dinner table with five fun and awesome missionaries. It’s filled with Jesus and it’s filled with change.

God’s bringing me to my knees, asking me to trust Him. Not just for the big things but the small things too. He’s teaching me to reach out to Him daily for strength. He’s telling me, He is all I need and the rest will fall into place. He’s changing me, and I am blessed. 

I'm Going Back!!!!

These past three years being home and away from the land that I love, have been a time of patience and reliance on God. I've learned a lot about myself, my relationship with the Lord, and what it means to be content in all situations; and trust me, it did not come easy. It's been a struggle to be away from the people and the country that my heart has grown so attached to. It's difficult being here and trying to be content, when I feel my time and energy could be spent much better serving in Uganda. BUT (and that's a big but), God's timing is ALWAYS perfect. Proverbs 19:22 says, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." I clung to this verse these past few of years; trusting, waiting, and praying (sometimes crying and screaming) for God's purpose to prevail in my life.

I'm beyond excited, and still in shock, to announce that God's timing has come for me to return to Uganda. It's a very surreal feeling. One that, to be honest, I wasn't sure would happen for a very long time. I still don't think it's hit me yet, and I'm not sure it will until my feet touch down on African soil.

My plan this year, is to buy a one-way ticket and follow the Lord's guidance where ever He may lead. I'll fly out in the beginning of May with my friend, Tessa Sharr to meet up with Taylor VanDuinen in South Africa. Taylor will be working with an organization called Tentmakers Ministry, and we will come alongside her to assist in teaching preschool classes and help in an after school program. At the end of May, Tessa and I will continue our journey to Uganda. There, we will join with an organization I have worked with many times in the past called I Choose You. The familiar faces, sights, and sounds, I can only assume, will overwhelm me with joy and happiness as I immerse myself into the lifestyle and culture of the people living in the slum of Namatala. We will wrap up our time with I Choose You in the last week of June and travel up north to a place I have always wanted to go. Gulu and the twenty year war lead by Joseph Kony is what drew my attention to Uganda in the first place. Eight years later, I will finally be able to visit the place that stirred my heart. There we will be working with a children's home that's run by Uganda Orphan's Fund. Tessa will then fly home at the end of July and I will remain in Uganda until God tells me otherwise.

As some of you know, in the fall of 2012, I took a three month midwifery course in Boise, Idaho hoping to use this skill on a future trip to Uganda. While I’m there this summer, I will be looking into a few different birthing clinics to see if there is possible opportunities for me to be involved in. 

I have greatly appreciated your support in my travels to Africa in the past. Your prayers, love, and kind words have helped me achieve a dream I never thought was possible. I would love, more than anything, to have your continued support as I seek after long term opportunities for service and ministry in Africa. I know how powerful prayer can be, so I ask that you join me on my trip by praying for my health, my attitude, my safety, my energy and my willingness to serve the Lord. I would also love it if you considered supporting me financially. I’m budgeting $5,000 for my trip, and your support would be greatly, greatly appreciated. Please make checks payable to Rebecca Willett. Thank you, again, for all your support in the past. It means the world to me, and I am beyond grateful to be blessed with people like you in my life.