Clair's Mission Trip to
Uganda
Clair is the Wesley UMC Youth Director and Ministry
Intern
Clair's Uganda Reflections 13 Mb MP3 Audio File |
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Clair's Reflections
February 01, 2006
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I was challenged in many ways while in Uganda. As I have told many people, if I had known prior to leaving all that we would be asked to do, I probably would not have gone, but if I had the chance to do it again, I would go in a heartbeat. With everything from greeting a King to "saving the lost," I experienced much turmoil both within myself and within the group from Wesley Seminary, but through this turmoil I grew. I came to see more clearly where I stand on many issues, and I was challenged to expand my thinking in a lot of areas. The "save the lost souls" method of evangelism that we engaged in at CURE Hospital and in Kapchorwa village was difficult for me on many levels. But my ministry with the children of Uganda throughout the two weeks was incredibly rewarding in many ways. The witness of these children, whether they realized they were witnessing or not, was amazing. Despite the extreme condition of desolation that many of these children live in, there was still an intense joy exuded by each of them. This was most obvious in the energetic way they sang praise songs, the way they would greet our van each morning and chase after us as we left each evening, and their excitement in simply coloring or playing soccer. They listened eagerly as we taught them Bible stories and songs, and laughed with enthusiasm as we tried to learn their songs and dances. They were not worried about getting home for their favorite show or being late for basketball practice. I do not think that "bored" is a word in their vocabulary. The clearest message to me in their witness is that we do not have to have "stuff" to be truly happy. So how do I live my life differently? How do I preach this message that we are really just making our lives more complicated by cluttering them with "stuff?" I still do not know how to fully answer this question. I have surely been transformed, but I think God is still working. The full impact of this trip on my life may not be completely realized for many more years. We live in a different society where survival is defined in a different way. There are certain things in American society that we rely on that are necessary for our survival in this country, but then there is the excess. The excess that could go a long way in Uganda (or any Third World country) for building up the infrastructure, constructing school buildings, getting basic medicine out to the people, and many other things. Jesus taught us to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. My neighbor is not just the person in the pew next to me who has a car, a solid roof, and clean water; it is also the person in Uganda who has none of those things. Though I may not yet fully understand the impact of this trip, I know that if I continue to live my life as I did before going to Uganda, I have gained nothing, and I have nothing new to contribute to the building up of God's kingdom. |
Clair is Home! Clair returned home on the afternoon of 15 January 2006. After Clair's last email on 6 January, she didnt have access to a computer to send in updates. This page will be updated with Clair's trip notes and photos so please revisit for an interesting discussion of the trip.
Friday January 6th, 2006
Hello Friends, Just a quick update because we are on a tight schedule today. Yesterday we went rafting on the Nile, it is VERY different from rafting in the US, MUCH bigger rapids, etc. The boat even flipped over at one point! Though it was somewhat scary, it was still fun, and I'm glad I went! Now I can say that I have rafted the Nile! Today we are at the CURE Hospital, we got a tour this morning and we are going to be ministering in the wards this afternoon. All is going well. Talk to you soon! Love, Clair
Wednesday January 4th, 2006
Hello Again, We leave the capitol of Kampala later this morning, so I thought I would send one more email because I'm not sure where I'll have internet access so easily again! Things in Kampala have been VERY busy and also very exciting. I think I have finally gotten over any jet lag, but I'm still tired from our busy schedule (out at 7AM, back at 11PM for the last 3 days)! I'm sure many of you heard that the "opposition" leader (running against the current president in the Feb. 23 elections) was released from Luzira prison in Kampala on Monday. Aside from some traffic jams, we were not affected, but it sure added some excitement to our trip! We have spent the last two days ministering in Luzira prison, so we were right where he was! Both Monday and Tuesday morning we did what amounted to a Bible school with approximately 500 children of prison staff members. This has been the best part of the trip so far for me. The children are so beautiful in so many ways! In the afternoons, our group split up and went to different parts of the prison to be in ministry to the inmates. I went with a group to the women's remand prison...it is very different from prison in the US! Our evenings have also been exciting. Perhaps most remarkable is the dinner we had last night we the King, royal court, and cabinet of the Tooro tribe. They hosted us as their special guests, and we enjoyed a lavish dinner at one of the more prestigious hotels in Kampala. I imagine that the King and his family is one of the more powerful and richer leaders here in Uganda. The media was there and everything! This dinner of course stood in stark contrast to the impoverished state of the people we had been ministering to throughout the two previous days. We are certainly getting a broad range of experience! Today we are going to a market where we will work with an AIDs ministry there in the market place. After that we go on to Jinja, where tomorrow many of us will go rafting on the Nile. The rest of our time will be spent with the CURE international staff at the hospital and in outreach to a rural community (Kapchorwa, on Jan. 9-13). I hope to be in touch again, though I am not sure that I will be able to be! Know that I am having a lot of fun and learning a lot, and that I miss you all! Love, Clair
Sunday January 1st 2006
Happy New Year Everyone! We arrived safely in Entebbe, Uganda at about 9PM (local time) last night. We boarded buses and traveled to Kampala, where we had a short "Watch Night" Service to ring in the New Year. Our hotel looks out over Kampala, and we could clearly see the fireworks. It is a beautiful place...though quite hot and humid. I took pictures off the balcomy this morning of the sunrise over Kampala. It is almost 2PM here now, which makes it 6AM there in the US. Some of you I guess will get this before you go to church. We went to church this morning about a block from our guest house at Namirembe (Namirembe means peace) Cathedral -- it is a large and beautiful Anglican church that they call the "National Cathedral. " The service was very good, and the sermon also was very good. Preached by the Archbishop of Uganda, I think his name is Ompala. He talked about how 2006 needs to be a year of peace, especially in Uganda. It seems that the situation here is more volatile than any of us knew, but our hostess is doing everything she can to make sure we stay safe while we are here (so there is no need for anyone to be alarmed!), just keep us in your prayers. Tonight we are going to see a Dance Troup...it should be neat. I will not take up anymore of your time. I just wanted to let you all know that we arrived safely and that we are gearing up for work here, which will begin at a prison tomorrow. Love, Clair
Clair's Itinerary to Uganda
Dear Friends,
As many of you know, I will be gone the first two weeks of January on a cross-cultural immersion
to Uganda, which is in eastern Africa. This trip will fulfill one of the requirements of my degree
program. As I embark on this journey, I ask especially for your prayers, and not just for me, but
for the people I will meet in Uganda.
During the two week trip, we will spend three days doing ministry in the streets of the capitol,
Kampala. After enjoying a day of rafting on the Nile, we will spend the remainder of our trip
at a CURE International Pediatric Neurosurgery hospital in Mbale.
I look forward to this trip with the hope that God is already working in me to prepare me to
touch the lives of the people I will meet, but also to be touched myself. I cannot imagine
going into such a place without begin changed, and I pray God will transform me in new and
unimaginable ways even as I seek to share God’s transforming love with others.
I hope to keep in touch with you over email, while I am gone (though I am not certain that I
will be able to do this), and I look forward to sharing with each of you about my trip when I
return!
Here is the trip itinerary:
Fri., Dec. 30 -- Depart Washington, D.C.
30DEC FRI WASH-DULLES/AMSTERDAM
KLM 652 LV. 5:20PM ARR. 6:55AM+1
31DEC SAT AMSTERDAM/ENTEBBE
KLM 561 LV.11:00AM ARR. 9:05PM
Sat., Dec. 31 -- Arrive Entebbe, stay at Namirembe Guest House
Sunday, Jan. 1 -- Sunday Service at Namirembe Cathedral, rest, Ndere Dance Troop show
Mon., Jan. 2-Wed., Jan. 4 – Urban Ministry in Kampala (capitol of Uganda)
Thur., Jan. 5 – Rafting on the Nile, rest
Fri., Jan. 6 – Orientation at CURE International Children’s Hospital in Mbale (pediatric neurosurgery hospital)
Sat., Jan. 7 – Visit Mbale market, tour PAG Seminary, orientation with Spiritual Center staff at CURE Hospital
Sun., Jan. 8 – church, outreach in Kapchorwa
Mon., Jan. 9-Fri., Jan. 13 – outreach at CURE Hospital
Sat., Jan. 14 – travel to Entebbe and depart
14 JAN SAT ENTEBBE/AMSTERDAM
KLM 562 LV.10:55PM ARR. 5:40AM+1
15 JAN SUN AMSTERDAM/WASH-DULLES
KLM 651 LV.11:35AM ARR. 2:25PM
I look forward to sharing many stories with each of you, hopefully as I travel, but especially upon my return!
Blessings to each of you in the New Year, and thanks in advance for your prayers!
Love,
Clair
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