And now comes the hard part — fundraising

I’m no stranger to short-term mission trips. A few years back I used to visit Rocky Point on weekend mission trips. I have been on these trips between 25-30 times. I also had the pleasure of volunteering there during a week-long Vacation Bible School two summers in a row. However, a few years back those trips just abruptly stopped for me. I cannot pinpoint any one reason why, but a number of circumstances prevented me from being able to go anymore. I have always felt a strong call to missions work though, so when the opportunity to go to Uganda came up, I was immediately on board. Let me tell you a little secret about myself: I don’t like the unknown. I guess somewhere there are people who like surprise parties or spontaneous outings on Friday nights…I am not one of them. I have many stereotypical “first child” traits. I like to know what’s going on, to plan, to be in control. For me, the decision to go to Uganda was an easy one, and now comes the hard part — fundraising. Raising $4,500 is no small feat. One of the things impressed upon me early on was that fundraising was going to be a complete work of faith. All control flies out the window. I have sent my letters to friends and family and now I am forced to wait. Wait? Really? Have I mentioned that I’m also impatient? But to be serious, this is the part where I am forced to relinquish control. I can’t control how people respond to the letters, and I certainly can’t force people to donate money to me. I mean, I could try but it would be rude and I’d probably end up with more restraining orders than donations. Typically when I tell people I’m taking a trip to Africa, they respond by telling me any fears they would have in my shoes; fears about shots and disease and lions. I’ve never worried about any of those. Diseases and lions are all very real things, but I trust that God is in control of my future and I could just as easily encounter any of those here…well maybe except the lion. But instead I worry I won’t be able to raise the funds to go. So for me, this article is less a way for me to tell you a bit about the trip, and more a form of prayer and praise. I trust that God will provide the money for me to take this trip. You may not believe that after what you just read, but it’s true: I trust Him. My heart may not always believe it to be so, and I might not always feel like things will work out, but I know that they will. My heart and my feelings hold no bearing to the truth. We are told that God works all things for good to those who love Him and are called to His purpose. I feel that I am called to take this trip, so I trust that He will care and provide for me like he does for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. – Megan H.