“Building for Generations” – Stephanie (Team Leader)
Standing in the back of the truck cab, our team clung to the roof rack bracing for bumps in the road and squinting through the dust. Our first drive from Tororo to Osia was an adventure in itself. All of us yelped in surprise as the orderly chaos of motor and bus traffic weaved around us. The locals excitedly pointed and waved yelling, “Americans!” Cor joked that, this time, they were right.
Nearing the school we passed the Tororo cement factory. This is where we would get the cement we needed for our team project. Our assignment was to build the core structure of a new dormitory for Kimbilio School in Osia, Uganda. This would enable the school to go from an enrollment of 50 to 75 in the next school year.
Entering the school gates, our team was struck with the beauty of the facilities and the possibility for more. You could almost smell the God-given vision that gave these children a hope and a future. We walked to the site of the new dorm and saw the naked slab of concrete and seemingly bottlom-less pile of bricks. None of us had experience in this kind of work and our team of six women and two men was not the ideal pick for this type of project. But, God knew what He was doing.
For the next week, our team found a hum in the difficult work of building walls for the new dorm. Some would move bricks, others would shovel cement, and some would balance on scaffolding, building the walls up. We found that our weakness was God’s strength and supernatural unity, productivity and protection was over our team. He truly provided for all our needs. In the afternoons, half the team would teach the children songs, crafts or Bible stories until our whole team joined for games.
Special projects came up as well. A nurse on our team was able to assist a dental volunteer. A member with a doctorate in BBQ helped cook. Some of us assisted washing windows at the school.
It is not difficult to fall in love with these children. The saying of “missions trips bless you more than the people you go to bless,” doesn’t come close to expressing how the pure love of these little ones can touch even the hardest heart. We found ourselves more sweaty and dirty after dancing and playing with the children than after working at the site!
After our beautifully exhausting day, we would pile back up into the truck, wave goodbye to the crowd of little ones and head back to Tororo. On the way back was the cement factory, with it’s bright logo painted boldly which said, “Building for Generations.”We all sighed in disbelief that God would choose us, a small, weak little team to build something that would affect this generation and eternity.
Let the little ones come – Emma Mikityuk (Team Member)
Jesus said, “Let the little ones come unto me”, and it is to no surprise why He would say that when you experience the reality of being surrounded by pure innocence and joy. Jesus’ words about the kingdom of heaven belonging to such little ones take on real meaning when you watch the little ones here worship their loving Father.
The truth of what they know, what they experience, and of what God seeks from each one of us is evident here. Jesus said He is looking for those who worship in spirit and in truth and if He was to look upon the earth in the moment these children worship, all of His attention would be on them.
The pure love they express with their voices and their bodies as they lift up their hands or touch their hearts, moves you to tears. And as the Spirit of God moves among them you hear Him whisper “this is how you are to worship”.But the worship doesn’t end when the singing is over. The little ones here worship God with the way they line up for their food and wait patiently, the way they eat silently and thankfully, and the way they make sure not to leave leftovers. They know the meaning of being thankful for each meal. Many times we come and think we can teach these little minds something about God, when God has other plans and allows the little ones to teach our hearts how to better love Him. As our hearts are forever changed from such an experience, the knowledge of God grows as well, and we are the ones leaving with minds renewed. The real teachers are left here in the care of their loving Father, worshiping in spirit and in truth, living out the meaning of living life to the fullest.
If everyone was given a chance to look at the worship of these children, they would understand the abundance of Him, of life.