By guest author Jen Bragg
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Dressed for Easter Sunday. From Left: Karen Greeley, Jen Bragg, Cheri Herzer, Julie Secrist, Jackie Holzinger |
Like a good parent, Mama Julie repeated this plea many times to her “kids” at Ebeneezer school; but for the first time ever, I realized this principle could also be used as a valuable plumbline for measuring the success of our time in Uganda.
Certainly, throwing out the trash or being careful with the furniture meets the criteria, but in a much deeper sense, this principle involves a goal to leave both an area AND an individual with more vision, wisdom and hope for the future! It requires the uplifting reminder that they have value, no one is alone in the daily grind, and that each person has divine purpose summed up in the profound phrase: “Love God and love others" (Matt 22:37-40).
So, did this group of eight women sent on the most recent HEED outreach accomplish what Jesus sent them out to do? Yes! Mission accomplished! We built genuine relationship with our Ugandan brothers and sisters in a way that sets up healthy anticipation for the next team and the skill sets they will bring to the village.
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Jen with her flip chart with scriptures |
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Nurses Jenine, Karen, and Cheri having a “girl talk” at the high school |
We loved the students and staff by recognizing needs and meeting them through meaningful and practical ways. Simply put - whatever skill set each team member had to offer was utilized. From creating system improvements throughout HEED as an organization, to a Saturday pop up medical clinic in the middle of one of the five villages HEED serves; from valuable teacher trainings on better helping their students with different learning styles, to teaching high school students on the principles of purity and biblical marriage; from helping the sewing ladies in their vocational training, to having a ton of fun creating crafts and playing bingo; this team partnered together for all of it.
We gave tools to create independence from the West and encouraged increased dependence on God’s word and the community God placed them in.
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Teacher Summer addressing the Scripture Union students at morning fellowship |
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The Community Clinic |
We reminded the precious people of Kayakitanga that by God’s design, “Eternity has been set in our hearts" (Ecc 3:11). Therefore, the highest calling is to walk out our days following Jesus… calling dry bones to life, and Heaven to earth.
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Nurse Karen at the medical outreach. Seventy-three patients received medical treatment in one day. |
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Consultant Jessica did “heavy lifting” with organizational planning. |
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Julie in her happy place with a little one on her lap! |
As a team, we acknowledged that relationship is a two-way street, meaning the giving and receiving happens in both directions, where both host and guest depart equally blessed. Still, with the unfair home-field advantage, it is safe to say our team departed with a little extra from our gracious hosts… a piece of Uganda forever deposited into our hearts.