Flying Solo

When I first started making plans to go to Africa I was planning on going with Visiting Orphans, an organization that takes people all over the world to visit orphans. When they are in Uganda they usually spend a day or two at My Father's House so I figured this would be a great opportunity for me to meet Ruth and visit other children in need. I just didn't have a peace about going on this group trip, though. I was worried that I wouldn't get to see Ruth if we were only there for a day or two out of 10+ days. What if she didn't go to school that day or something, ya know.

About a month ago I was talking with a sweet lady at church that has gone to Africa with Visiting Orphans and she is in the process of planning a trip with a small group of people independently. I had never thought about going independently. She even offered to help me plan for my expenses, etc. if I wanted to go that route and I barely know her! I contacted Rebecca about this and she said it was definitely an option. WOW! I immediately felt like this was God's plan all along but I was just now catching on. He brought this sweet lady and her husband into my life to walk with me through the process, too! (Thank you, Jesus!) But I still had my hesitations. How could God use little ole me to do any good? Wouldn't it make more sense to take a group of 10 -20 people? Don't you need to go through a 501(c)3 mission organization to go on a "mission" trip?

Well, God put all those fears to rest when I read a story on Rebecca's blog about a friend of hers who came to visit her over Christmas. Here's a excerpt from her blog. I encourage you to click on the link to read the whole story, though.

Let me break it down though. He put it on Katie’s heart to come to Africa for Christmas. Because she was here, we scheduled an outreach. Originally we were to go to the children’s hospital here and visit those who are sick, pray for their healing, and give them all a beanie baby as a gift. I’ve done this before and the joy they receive from that gift was PRICELESS…BUT our beanie babies got delayed. They were coming from the states with a woman named Jayne. Jayne’s flight was delayed 24 hours. Then her bags were missing for several days…the bags full of the beanies for the children’s hospital. So we made a new plan, though it was probably God’s original. We decided to take Christmas to the slums. We had about 20 or so beanies, some small toy cars and gifts, and we decided to stop and get Bibles to take too. God’s Spirit led us DIRECTLY to this home of 23 kids and Jaja. It was like…a Christmas gift to me for God to give us these “treasures hidden in darkness”. I was in awe as we stepped into the dark room while it was raining to discover all these children with their little legs hanging over their bunk beds. Amazing. We prayed, worshipped, and found a baby in need of being rescued, a little lost sheep, little boy who God just loved and led us in His mercy and compassion to. If Katie hadn’t been obedient to God’s call to come (which I believe usually comes in the form of simple DESIRE to go), then we probably never would have found him. God uses people to rescue. God uses people to heal. God uses His BODY to be His hands and His feet and to raise the dead.

 As if this story didn't confirm that He can use one person to make a huge impact David preached that Sunday about the sufficiency of Christ and confirmed in my heart that God is the ONLY team member I need.