Springbank Community Church, Uganda: Team Testimonials
June 30, 2009
"The trip has reinforced God's call on my life to care for the orphan, widow and the alien, and that reconfirmed the compassion in my heart for overseas missions."
"I saw the ugliness and beauty in poverty of the third world. And that God loves His people regardless of where they live and He's always taking care of them."
"[I will] pray for the kids at NACMU more and continue listening to God's call in my life."
"On one of our last days, a few of us went to Noah's Ark Children's Home to be a part of their after-dinner traditions. This night was special as it was a birthday night. It was amazing hearing all the children (ages 1-17), singing their happy birthday songs. Afterwards was a general singing time where Piet would choose children to come up and lead a song. They in turn would choose a helper for their song. I had gotten to know one of the young mothers, Prossy (17). She certainly wasn't as engaged as the others in the singing, which is why she was chosen to lead a song. When asked who she wanted to help her, she thought for a bit, .. and pointed to me. She chose two songs, one in Luganda, that I didn't know, but it was so much fun to sing and lead with her. I felt honored that she had asked me to help her."
"Even though I grew up in West Africa, this trip has impacted me so greatly on a personal level as I struggle with what it really means to be self-sacrificing and in complete surrender to God Piet and Pita's testimony has spoken wonders to me."
"I can't say that I have really changed ... yet ... rather the experiences from this trip have caused me to examine myself and my perspectives on how I should live, now and in the future. I came here hoping to get more direction as to where God wanted me to go. Instead, I got more options. But with these options came a greater openness in myself to anything God want me to do."
"Piet and Pita's ability to be completely transparent in their work, feelings, and emotions has reinforced something I have always known to be important, but rarely put into practice out of fear of being judged or having my words taken the wrong way. I know that I must continue to work in this area, admitting to struggles because that is the only way to get relief and then improve the situation causing the struggles."
"I am going to be mindful of how I live in terms of spending money on things that are not necessary."
"[One highlight of the trip was] the many different things we got to see and do (working with children in different areas of the children's home, listening to Piet and Pita, meeting aunties, and going to villages)."
"[This trip has] opened my eyes to the magnitude of Uganda's poverty and I feel a responsibility towards it ... ‘those who have been given much, much will be asked.'"
"[I have been changed by being] willing to let God show me His purposes for me in this and willing to be used."
"[I have learned that] missionaries are real people just like us, and there are legitimate organizations / ministries you can support and/or be involved with."
"[One highlight was] the time I spent with the brick-layer talking about his life and his family, and his thoughts on Piet and Pita."
"[This trip] has given me a real idea of the plight of the Africans and the people on the ground working with them. The extreme poverty and the vast need compared to the minimal resources that are available."
"My heart has been changed toward the missionaries and people. Piet and Pita work with these people to try to make real changes for the future, physical needs as well as spiritual needs."
"[I have learned] that we probably can't make a change for the whole country in the short-term, but we can make a difference for the one. God help us find the ones!"
"The things that I thought we needs in my life are going to be re-evaluated. I will be more focused on what I can do to help the "one!"
"[One impacting experience was] the passing away of baby Chris during the night. The Lord gives and He takes away. [I learned] not to focus on the loss. It is not about us; it's about being thankful that baby Chris was here and experienced love, warmth, affection, food in his belly, being part of a family if only for a short time. For this we give God the glory."
"I have begun to understand Psalm 91. I have rested in the ‘shadow of the Almighty.' My fears have been put to rest as I have given specific areas of the trip over to Him-my fears, anxiety and uncertainty. He has given me peace to move forward to fulfill that which was laid before me."
"[I have learned] that a missions trip is both not about me and is about me. I have to be willing to be used of God to be His hand extended to these people. I need to step outside my comfort zone to meet the needs that the Lord has placed on my plate day-to-day. If I look beyond what I do, I see God's blessings on me being returned. The Lord is not so concerned about how my actions have changed a life here but so much more ... how this has changed me. Did I see what He sees? Did my heart break for these people as His does? What long-lasting effect has this experience had on me? Has it changed me? Have I drawn closer to Him through it all?"
"It's not about what I have to offer. It's about am I willing to offer what I have? God will use me if I am willing and He will bless and multiply if we serve Him with a pure heart and motive."
"This trip has challenged me to move beyond my fears and inadequacies. I have learned that God will give me all I need to meet needs if I am willing. So when I go home ... God continues to stretch me beyond my comfort zone. I know that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. My goal is to step forward to be used of God to release His power by spreading the good news, heal the broken-hearted and set the captives free. If I am willing and say "Yes, Lord" He will show up and do what He said He will do! It's not about me or my abilities."
"[One highlight was] meeting and hearing from Piet & Pita-a ‘living sermon' that puts flesh and blood to what it is to live for others."
"[This trip was a] continued prodding from God to live for others, and lead others in a life of following Jesus, which is the foundation and impetus to live for others."
"I have so many ways of responding, most are a continuation of what I am doing. For me, however, I can be overloaded, partly brought on by trying to set out for God what I think He needs to do in my life, what areas I need focus on. I need to take a month to say "God, you are Lord of my journey-what do I focus on now?" I want in one month's time to have a clearer answer to this question."
"I haven't seen many truly "high capacity" men living in missions overseas. To see the accomplishment that Piet has made happen is amazing. Why do our high capacity men avoid the third world? Why do our high capacity men avoid ministry?"
"I have committed my life to ministry and doing what God wants ... but I can't say honestly that I even come close to putting my whole self, energy, thought, effort and capacity into it."
"[I have learned to] listen to God and do what He says."
"I am normally a pretty cold, calculating kind of guy. I am reminded again that gentleness, kindness and compassion are critical to living a Spirit-filled life."
"[One highlight was] Elizabeth's birthday party. Such a picture of ‘nobody to somebody.' And everyone from little all the way up to almost-adult Possy engaged in the singing."
"A few times here I was so full of emotion my eyes overflowed. The prayer of welcome for baby Dave. When a child is dying, Piet also asks them to ‘greet Jesus for me.'"
"Giving out of surplus isn't like real generosity (Mark 12:41-44)."
View Springbank Community Church, Uganda, Mukono, May 20 - June 3, 2009 trip page .