Almost Here!!

With just over a month to go, I am getting both excited and nervous.  I am a major planner, which does not go well with African culture.  They are so much more relationship oriented, time and schedules often go out the window.  I remember how difficult that was for me last time.  I finally relaxed and settled in for the last couple days though.  :)  Hopefully I can get in the groove quicker this time.  I feel like I need a big checklist of things to pack and I have to get all my ducks in a row soon.  I just don't really know what those things are.  I have purchased a lot of supplies that I think I will need, hopefully I thought of everything.

I will be having a big yard sale in a few weeks to get a bit more funds for the trip.  I'm cutting it close, and not working for 2 months will be a chunk.  This is an expensive trip, but so worth it.  I've been saving and preparing for 3 years now for this one.  I am soooooo excited to be back in that beautiful country that I fell in love with!!  I know that my heart has been joined with a nation of people I haven't met yet.  I have stayed in touch with Ronald, a young man I met on my last trip.  He's helped me to learn about some parts of the culture that are not familiar to me.  He's been such a blessing to help maintain my connection to Uganda.  If you're wondering about my new blog title, Ronald helped me with the translation - it is "garment of praise" out of Isaiah 61, my prophetic passage, the call on my life.  Thanks friend!

In this last month, I will be trying to lay out all my financial obligations, how to get them all paid while I'm gone, making sure there is enough in the bank.  :)  I will pack my bags, hopefully collect some more donated medical supplies from my friends, and most important, press hard into Jesus to build my faith, strength, hope, joy and all the other stuff I can only get from Him.!!  I need to be filled up and overflowing in order to be able to serve people as best possible.  It's only through Jesus that I can have any impact on their lives.  I also hope to gain a clearer picture of what God has for me in Uganda in the future.  Right now my vision is pretty vague, 3 main ideas, but not any details really.  I pray for connections with people in Uganda that I can network with and create good relationships with.  I don't think I can just go it alone, I need to connect with God's other team members.  I would appreciate the prayers of my friends and family as I enter this final month of preparation.  I want to be prepared to serve as God leads me.  Thank you!!