I just don’t know where do start when describing my time at Africa Greater Life Mission in Uganda. I was living with Pastor Joshua and his family. It was such a wonderful ‘home’ to me and I really loved living there for the 2 months I spent there…
There are the four kids aged 2-9. They are just delightful, always full of joy and energy and great companions in the afternoons and evenings!
The house is a bit like a community home – so not just the family. There are several others living there. They were around my age (18) and a bit older. They keep the house alive and busy J It really was a wonderful, supportive and caring environment to go back to at the end of each day.
I travelled up to the orphanage most week days using the taxi vans and boda bodas (motorbikes). It’s in a beautiful village setting that is made up of the school and housing where the kids stay. The school is a lot of fun. I had the opportunity to teach English to a class of 12 to 13 of year olds. They are just wonderful! I also spent a lot of time with the widows, helping them do what they did each day and admiring them as they cooked for all the kids, helped with any needs, and in spare time made amazing necklaces out of magazine paper. They are such talented women!!
The church is close to Joshua’s house. What a blessing it was to be able to worship with these people for 2 months. I was so often brought to tears by their passionate voices as they worshipped and prayed with such faith, dependency on God and ultimate trust.
How much we have to learn from their outlook on life and true love and faith in our God!
I am now back home in Australia and am missing Uganda so very much.
It really was so much more then I expected and the friendships made will really stay with me forever. I think I learnt more, in the 2 months I was there, about contentment, generosity and utter dependence on God then I have ever experienced in my life. What a blessing to live amongst these beautiful people.
I was originally so unsure about going to Uganda by myself, not knowing what it would be like, but it proved to be the most amazing time, and I am hanging out to be able to go back again…”
Christine,
what an amazing woman of God you are! I am in constant amazement at your tender and loving heart, overflowing with the joy of Christ who, it is apparent, lives with in you! Thank you for sharing this life experience with all of us, especially with my family! I know your testimony will give my mom the boost of confidence she needs!
Love to you!
Christine…..
How proud I am to be your Mum! Your courage and tender love for these beautiful children speaks of the difference we can make in the lives of others ,..when we let God be the wind beneath our wings. I can think of no greater joy than to have watched you take flight in this way.
I want to reassure parents out there…….Yes, it wasn’t easy to ‘release’ Christine into the unknown at the ripe old age of 18! But with Christine checking out other volunteers’ experiences (who also stayed with Pastor Joshua and his wife, Harriet) we trusted that she was staying with a caring, loving and responsible family. And what a blessing they were to Christine, as they are to their whole community and the orphanage they have established.
Go Christine…….Go Africa Greater Life Mission……..and let your light shine!
. Heather McAlpine