Tag Archive - purpose

How to End Well by Focusing on the Beginning

January 27, 2012 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership with 2 Comments

When things approach the end, a sort of excitement and even dread builds. I laughed at my friend’s reaction to the thought of her husband retiring. She felt anticipation, excitement and gloom. For her, it was like a sentence was given and the time was yet to be served. She started a countdown 20 months before R-Day. Over a year away and she’s still counting, excited, happy and filled with anticipation, as well as some anxious, dread of the inevitable.

The End is Coming

The End is Coming!

People like me feel the urgency to make the most of the last few days, squeezing in the results we desired. Time doesn’t stop for our work. The gong of the clock grades our life and our stewardship. Staying focused on the goals we set at the beginning will help us finish well.

Endings cause goal-oriented people to experience a weird rush of relief, worry and wonder if their efforts made a difference. We evaluate our work against the goals. We question: Did we accomplish what we set out to do? Did we manage resources well? Did we use time wisely? Could we have done things better?

Fresh Start

New Beginnings and Fresh Starts

The cool thing about endings is that they are the hope of new, fresh starts. The new year brings another block of time. A new contract or job comes with a treasure of resources and a multitude of opportunities. A new beginning gives us a second chance to do right and to live wisely.

I seem to regularly need a do-over or a re-start. In the past, I’ve fallen prey to multitasking: doing lots of things at one time and none of them very well (See previous post Why Multitasking Reduces Productivity). My trying to get things done simultaneously produced lots of ho hum results, if any at all. I started projects and finished none. Not at all how I planned to end.

My hope and prayer is to be more productive. I plan to slow down, focus on one thing at a time and do my best work on it. I’m going to stop multitasking. If I’m able to succeed at that goal, I might stop burning dinner, hear my kids, and actually know where I’m going when in the driver’s seat. Hopefully, I’ll finish the projects I started last year.

Now, may focus take over my multitasking ways!

How about you? Did you end your last project as you wanted? Met your goals? Declared failure and did a re-start? Declared bankruptcy and quit? Please share how you focus and finish well?

This post is part of the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series.

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*pictures from keepingitsassy.wordpress.com & whosright.com

5 Steps to Reach Our Goals and Stop Making Excuses

January 21, 2012 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership with 9 Comments

Since I posted 3 Excuses for Failure to Meet Our Goals earlier and now the excuses are out of the way, I thought it a great time to plan steps to reach our goals. If you want to add excuses or view them in the post and comments, click the link above. There is some comfort in knowing others struggle with our same excuses. But for those who are ready to get on with it. Let’s go for it.

Go For It

Stop Studying and Talking, Start Doing

It’s time to stop studying it, reading about it and talking about it and just go do it! We can overcome our excuses and skip to our goal if we put into practice steps similar to these.

5 Steps to Reach Your Goals

1. Verbalize the goal in specifics.

Where are you going? How are you going to get there? What does it look like when you’ve finished? What has to be done before that can happen? Identify all the aspects of the goal. The paper is blank until we put down our ideas. Get as specific as you can. Just like the assigned paper is blank until the student identifies the ideas that will formulate. Then with hard work it is finished.

2. Visualize yourself taking small steps towards the goal.

What needs to be cut, streamlined and categorized in order to make a step-by-step plan from where you are today to completion? Break the plan down into even smaller steps and identify the first one. Following these baby steps makes the dream goal a reality. Without the discipline to work it, you’ll go nowhere.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison

So I like the motivation I get from Thomas Edison. Maybe he’d be a good one to pall around with to learn to get things done. He sure did a lot.

3. Find a group of people attempting similar tasks.

Surrounding yourself with other motivated people gives you the regular motivation and accountability you need. A mentor can be awesome, and blessed is the one who finds one, but a regular band of fellows can be as effective. As iron sharpens iron, you become better as ideas and best practices of dedicated people rub off on you.

4. Practice the skills needed without fear of failure.

Perfection isn’t automatic. We have to guess. Do trial runs. Practice. Make decisions. Some will be bad ones. Failure comes with any challenge. It is a sure thing. Success is working through each setback, learning each step of the way.

“Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Thomas Edison

Keep practicing and moving forward with the next step in the plan. Adjust the plan if needed, but keep going.

5. Consider each accomplishment your validation.

Every small step finished is a huge accomplishment. Most people are talkers and not doers. Celebrate. You’ve started doing the hard things that make you successful. Focus and allow your accomplishment to fuel you to do another step towards the goal.

As some have said, “You can’t eat an elephant in one bite.” Let’s start chewing on the bite we have.

 What have you got to chew on? What other steps do you used to get things done? How do you celebrate when you complete a small step?

Our “someday” will arrive before we know it!

This post is part of the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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*picture from wealthmouli on mylot

One Hope for the New Year

January 1, 2012 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 1 Comment

Fireworks for new beginnings

Out goes the old year and in comes the new with all it’s challenges, struggles and opportunities. Looking back, I know without God things would have been much more difficult. With God’s help our future looks bright.

“Thus far has the LORD helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12)

I am working on my goals and plans for the next year. My life plan will include health, organization, minimization, focus and some high hopes.

May God give you hope and focus to finish the work he’s called you to with success in the challenges to come. God bless!!

What are you glad to see go this past year? What are you looking forward to the most this next year? Do you have any Big Hairy Goals for this next year?

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*picture from blakeflannery.

10 Life and Leadership Principles from Steve Jobs

September 26, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 2 Comments

Steve Jobs knew how to keep reaching new heights, how to make the difficult simple, and how to create awesome products as well as a movement, a following. He’s a creative leader. Check out 10 leadership principles in this great slideshow by @coachbay. Good stuff! Pick and choose what would be good to implement in your ministry, work and life.

 

What creative systems or plans do you have in your leadership style? How can you incorporate or mimic some of Steve Jobs leadership points into your life/work/ministry? Please share your insights and tips in the comments that we may glean from you too!

This post is part of the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Last Orphanage Walk

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 1 Comment

This morning was filled with mixed emotions. I was ready to get back to see my kids, but I wasn’t quite ready to leave these orphans. I said, “If I could, I’d bring them home with me.” The final packing was very somber. Jacque and I finished before the others were ready and asked if we could walk over to the kid’s house to see them one last time.

Last visit to the Orphanage

We walked like it was our last stride taking in every small thing. Here’s the African cows we passed everyday on our walk:

African Cow

African Cow

We wanted to take it slow, but also wanted to get to the kids quickly. The kids hollered with excitement when we rounded the corner and they saw us. I wanted to cry, but held it together. The kids were delighted to see us.

Carolyn, the orphan choir mistress (leader) and I

Carolyn, the orphan choir mistress (leader) and I

Orphans Saying Goodbye

Orphans Saying Goodbye

The older ones wanted to hug us their goodbyes. Some holding on to us with their eyes. It was difficult to smile. The younger ones had a quick greeting then disappeared to the far corner of the compound to play. As I visited with the older ones, I watched the younger ones building a fort-like tent our of a torn mosquito net, old plastic bags and trash. They tied the net to the corner of the fence at the same level to make a triangle roof to crawl under, Then they put trash on top to block the sun and laid plastic sacks underneath to cover the dirt. They were very busy building.

Homemade Shade Going Away Gift

Homemade Shade Going Away Gift

Later, I felt a tug on my hand. A little girl had come to get me. She didn’t speak English so I had to read her intentions. I’m sort of slow at that and it took her pulling my hand several times for me to get it. She led me to the sitting spot under the homemade shade. The thought crossed my mind, that they were honoring me, the oldest mama, by giving me a special seat that they created. After a minute or two, another went to bring Jacque too.

Orphans Worship as our Parting Gift

About the time we settled in, the vans came to get us. We gathered around the mango tree to share our goodbyes and tears and to sing a praise song once more before we left. This is the first song they taught us and it stuck. Here’s a video of them singing:

We took off toward Entebbe and stopped in Jenga for lunch and picking up a few souvenirs along the way. We were not making good time and drove into the night into Entebbe. It was our first real outing at night in Uganda because it wasn’t the safest for us to be out at night.

We made it through security, faking Chuck’s health all along the way. The team rested in the Entebbe airport for a couple of hours then started the loooong flight home, 22 hours and layovers. Not fun. Since we boarded at 11:30 p.m. I slept the first flight into Amsterdam. During the 4 hour layover in Amsterdam, Chuck laid down in a McDonald’s restaurant area and the team debriefed a little. I found a Starbucks and had my first taste of home, a no foam latte, and a chocolate croissant for breakfast.

On board again. Chuck was taking high potency pain killers along with the antibiotics like clock work. He also numbed the pain by watching back-to-back movies. We finally landed in Texas Thursday afternoon and called the doctor right away. We went to his office and he put Chuck in the hospital. We were so glad to be hospitalized IN Texas.

While Chuck was getting the treatment he needed, I spoke at a women’s prayer breakfast Saturday morning and Sunday morning our Uganda Mission Team (minus Chuck) gave a testimony about Uganda in both our church services. He was released Monday afternoon with plans for surgery later, when the infection was clear.

Orphan Adoption and Sponsorship

Mike and Jacque are looking into the adoption process to give Fiona a physical home since she already has an emotional one in their hearts. You can read more about their story here and on their Bring Fiona Home website. You can also sponsor an orphan, write to them and read letters from them. If interested, check out Elpis Ministries.

Fiona!

Fiona!

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any insight you have about our choice of choosing to come back to Texas before seeking healthcare, your experience of leaving those you’ve grown to love in ministry, or possibly how God may have moved you to adopt an orphan. Please share your comments below.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Riding Around Africa

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I slept very comfortably in a grass hut. During the night, if we had to use the toilet we walked outside to another hut with a concreted porta-potty kind of thing. It had a toilet seat concreted into a raised sitting spot that went straight into an underground tank. Comfy-at-night feeling.

Waterfall at Sipi Falls

Waterfall at Sipi Falls

Chuck didn’t sleep very well. The altitude sickness from the evening before wasn’t letting up. He was looking forward to getting back down the mountain this morning to see if he got better. Iganga’s elevation where the orphanage is based is about 3600 ft above sea level and Sipi Falls Lodge about 6700 ft in the foothills of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda, almost to Kenya. That’s nothing compared to 40,000 ft for about 22 hours flying there (link to flight post).

Early, James knocked to see if we wanted to hike up to the falls. I wanted to, but Chuck was feeling pretty bad so I stayed with him. James, Jacque and Mike took off to climb the slippery, red-mud slopes. It took them about two hours to make the hike to the second waterfall taking pictures and sliding most of the way.

After they left, I went to take a shower which was located in a separate grass hut. It was exquisite in decor. The shower head dripped over flat and smooth rocks where my feet went. The drain was hidden under the rocks. The hot water was non-existent. Well, there was occasional flash of warmer water, but it mostly felt ice cold like the water from the Sipi River. Since the weather was cold 50-60ish and rainy, I was VERY reluctant to jump in the shower. No hair washing today!

After re-packing my backpack, I walked up the hill to the main lodge for coffee and breakfast. I needed some warmth. Sipi Falls Lodge was like a royalty treatment in grass huts. The food was delicious and served with special yummy-ness. The total cost of this romantic getaway was about $60 a night per person and that included three meals.

Riding Around Africa

We loaded into the van for the ride home. The beauty of the valley below with the clouds wisping through was awesome. I was totally struck with the thought, “Hey, I’m riding around Africa!”

Driving the mountain

Driving the mountain

On the road, we came to a police check point. The police have stations where they stand on the side of the road stopping traffic whenever they have a whim. They wear camo, carry their AK-47′s, look over the van and ask questions like: Where are you going? Where have you been? What are you going to do? This time they made a request for us to give them a book. Cameron gave him his Bible, then he let us pass. I was pretty scared sitting in the back of the van watching another policeman watching the van. I found out after we were allowed to pass that Jacque was fearful too. (Sorry, no pictures were allowed of police. I didn’t want to get arrested!)

On down the road, Chuck saw monkeys in the forest trees. Jacque and I stuck our heads out the window to look for some. When we didn’t see them right away, we started making monkey sounds hollering into the trees as we whizzed by in the van. At that speed, who knows if I saw one or not. Maybe I did.

Celebration with the Orphans

With only a four hour trip home, we pulled into the missionary house to get ready for the party that night. We took streamers, animal crackers, cake mix and party balloons to have a party for the kids. A regular feast was fixed with rice, beans, chicken, beef, fish, cabbage, peppers, onions, ground innards (a pretty tasty paste made up of …, guess), and soda pop.

Party Streamers with the Orphans

Party Streamers with the Orphans

Chuck took a turn for the worse by the time we got him into bed. Fever spiked and decisions had to be made about doctor, clinic, or go buy some more of the same antibiotics he had already finished the day before. We opted to buy more medicine which anyone can buy without prescriptions in Uganda. We were to fly out the next day and it was already late into the night. He laid in bed while the kids prayed for him in the courtyard. They sang their prayer. Although I fretted about Chuck, their song was beautiful. Chuck dozed and the party began.

We ate played and visited with the kids. We witnessed the whole lot of orphans getting in trouble by Susan. The amount of respect she warrants isn’t to be trifled with. They mind. This might be the reason they are so respectful with us. It’s easy to see the love they have for Susan and her love for them. The party was a hit even though there were obstacles. We had a blast, but in our thoughts was the fact that this was the last night to see the kids.

Before bed we packed part of our bags for the trip home. Click to see more pictures on FaceBook.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear your guess about ground innards, your understanding about discipline and respect, or your idea about resorting Uganda being more like camping America. Go ahead and comment.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Travel to Romantic Sipi Falls for Rest

August 20, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

This morning we went had a good breakfast and went to the orphanage to finish setting up the solar lights and water filter (no more boiling their drinking water). We rode in the back of Phil’s truck, standing up holding onto the rack. Which is common. We saw many Uganda buses, flatbed trucks with rails where people stand and hold on. Every time we walked to the orphanage, we gathered stares from the people on the streets, but riding in the truck like this made us feel like we were in a real parade. “Watch the mzungus” (white people). We smiled and waved back to the people as we rode by. One must wave like a parade queen in Uganda anyway. The folding-fingers-over-palm wave is their way of calling their children to come to them. (Phil used this kind of wave to call me from the van to the porch to meet some school officials.)

Water Filter Barrel in Orphanage

Water Filter Barrel in Orphanage

After the few chores were finished at the kids house, we loaded back into the truck and went back to the missionary house. Everything was ready for our trip of rest. We reloaded into the van with an overnight bag and water bottles to go to Sipi Falls for a much needed rest. We really wanted to stay with the kids, but this scheduled respite was needed. We stopped to pick up Susan, her mother and baby Kaith then got on our way.

The drive was to be four hours in the direction of Kenya. That’s a long trip considering that every village uses huge speed bumps to slow traffic. That’s on top of the pot holes that take up most of the road. Phil said the roads will be fixed and reworked when an election is upcoming. I guess, politicians in every country want votes and do things to get them.

We rode in a new-to-the-ministry van that had “new” seats which were very comfortable. The drive took much longer because the van kept getting overheated. We stopped often to pour our water bottles into the radiator. Once we began to run out we had help form the locals who fetched the water from a river or somewhere that had dirty reddish water. The ground in Uganda is red and the water has a red tint. The dirt is sort of like the red clay stuff on the baseball diamond. Turns out the van was fresh from Tokyo and had some strange blanket over the radiator making it heat up.

Ocean of African Plains

African Dog Overlooking Ocean of African Plains

African Dog Overlooking Ocean of African Plains

As we approached Sipi Falls, mountains rose out of the plain. These mountains are not quite like any I’ve seen in America. They were beautiful like ours but different. Cows grazed and farmers walked the steep hillside working crops in places similar to the ones the goats and sheep bound from in Yellowstone. Once we were in the mountains and looked back, it seemed like an ocean of African plains laid below as far as the eye could see.

Uganda Orphan Mission Team at Sipi Falls

Uganda Orphan Mission Team at Sipi Falls

Uganda Orphan Mission Team at Sipi Falls

Eight hours or so later, our van finally made it to our overnight place. We pulled in and had a European lunch that should have been served at 1 but we were arriving at 5. That’s Uganda time again. One never knows what will happen or when. We ate “lunch” then hiked a short trail to a handmade cave under the first water fall. It had rained and the red dirt was mud. Sipi Falls was more like Slippery Falls.

European Elegant Dining at Sipi Falls

European Elegant Dining at Sipi Falls

Once we started out on the trail about 6 youths joined us to hold our hands and be tour guides. I had one on each hand to keep me from slipping. They were barefoot and kept solid footing the whole time. I might as well been in ice skates and I don’t skate! We slid back for dinner by 7:30. We dined in elegance in an African hut rustic meets Europe kind of place. European foods (A creamy fish soup to start off served with big crusty rolls and jam, followed by curried chicken and rice with steamed veggies, then brownies which were more of an unsweetened, bitter chocolate version, and African Tea. Chuck got altitude sickness and missed the meal.

 Grass Hut Experience

Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Inside Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Inside Grass Hut at Sipi Falls

Grass Hut Keeping us Dry

Grass Hut Keeping us Dry

After dinner, I went with Chuck to our grass-roofed hut for the night leaving the team visiting with their African coffee and tea. It was raining and dark out, but we were amazingly dry in our grass hut. Once again, it was so elegant and quaint. The grass on the roof was at least 12 inches thick and the edge of the roof showed only the first inch wet. The bed and night stands were rocked into the hut with a foam mattress to rest on. The bathrooms were in a separate grass hut and the showers were in another.

Chuck and I at Sipi Falls

Chuck and I at Sipi Falls

Sipi Falls is a very romantic kind of place. We slept with the roar of the waterfall lulling us to sleep. Through our opened door, the morning light held a splendid view of the falls with beautiful foliage surrounding.

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any questions you might have about mission work in Uganda.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the otherBlog Series.

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Entebbe Night and Morning

August 2, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

After landing at 10:15 p.m. Uganda time, we stood in the VISA line and paid our clean $50 for a pass to minister in Uganda. At the airport we saw a young man carrying a semi-automatic walking around. We were stopped and had our trunks searched before we were able to get out of the airport.

Once we were cleared to leave we met up with Phil just outside. After hugs and greetings, Phil said follow me. Chuck was targeted as the elder and attracted several “helpers” that tried to detain him. I followed Phil and looked back to see he was detained. I didn’t want to go back, and sort of panicked. I hollered, “Chuck, Phil said come on.” Phil had made arrangements for the native elder, Peter to handle the helpers. They were trying to double dip. Chuck finally walked away to follow us.

We loaded our trunks and bags into two vans and drove a few minutes to the hotel for the night.

Entebbe Flight Hotel

Entebbe Flight Hotel

At Entebbe’s Flight Hotel. We drove into a guarded gate and and was escorted to a room with four poster bed and mosquito net. The windows were open with iron bars across them and a oscillating fan was mounted to the ceiling to keep us cool. There was a pipe with hot and cold running water and a drip system in one corner of the small bathroom a sink in the other and a toilet. Nothing else, no shower curtain, no counter, just the basics, but after 20 something hours of traveling a shower and a bed was so welcome.

The bed was a single foam mattress that slept awesome no matter how thin. I was so tired and weary of sitting that laying down was simply awesome!! I slept like a baby.

I awoke to freshen up, put on my long skirt and go to breakfast with our team, Phil, and Ugandans, Peter, Susan (his daughter), her mother, and Ken (Susan’s brother), and Keith (Susan’s infant son). We had buttered toast, omelet with tomatoes and cheese and bananas (short, little ones that were tangier and sweeter than ours back home. To drink we had Fresh squeezed mango juice, yum, and African Tea. The teas was exquisit. They mixed warmed milk, African tea, and ginger to make the very milky drink. It sort of tasted like flavored warm milk. I had fresh unprocessed sugar to sweeten it. Extra yummy. Jacque said it reminded her of Starbuck’s Chai Latte.

After breakfast we packed and sat in the courtyard waiting on the van. It had a power steering leak and Peter took it to a shop to have it fixed. We are on Uganda time. Everything moves slow. Relaxed. The weather here is soooo nice. below 80 and cool breeze blowing. While we waited Ken took us walking about the hotel We walked up several floors and saw Lake Victoria and the village of Entebbe.

I asked for a bathroom and was escorted. My escort waited for me just outside the door. That felt weird.

When the vans were loaded, we took off down Entebbe Road.

Loading Van Leaving Entebbe

Loading Van Leaving Entebbe

Jacque is holding Keith, Susan’s son. More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear about your experience with a different culture’s breakfast. Muzungu breakfast in Uganda is awesome!

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Flight to Uganda

August 2, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

The team pulling out.

Team Leaving out of Texas

Team Leaving out of Texas

Due to a weird passport rule that we were unaware of, our leader, James was denied flight with us. His passport was valid and due to expire the month after our return. We didn’t know that Uganda requires a passport that is good for six months after the trip. We thought James could fly with us to Amsterdam, our first layover and work with the embassy to get an extension. Turns out Holland requires a valid passport for three months after trip. James had to stay in Houston and get an expedited passport re-issue on Monday and fly out that afternoon.

After a disappointing start at the airport, the rest of the team stood in line to board. We took off at 4 p.m. Houston time.

Lined up to get on first flight to Africa

Lined up to get on first flight to Africa

Here’s the view I had for 9 hours…

My 20 hour view

My 20 hour view

Take a look out our window starting at 11:30 p.m.

midnight view of dawn

midnight view of dawn

Pretty cool to see such a bright midnight. By this time we were flying over Ireland (35,000 feet is as close as I’ve ever been to Ireland) with an hour left until landing in Amsterdam. With little or no sleep we start the day there at 7 a.m. That’s eight hours ahead of Houston and we didn’t have much night. Where’s the Starbucks!

It’s amazing how dehydrating long flights can be. Little cup sips don’t cut the dryness. Houston to Amsterdam (9 hr 15 min.) followed by 8 hr 20 min. (Amsterdam to Kigali then 1 hr 5 min (Kigali to Entebbe) makes 18 hours and 40 minutes in the air. I could drink the Nile River!

I had no idea how difficult flying that long would be on my body. My feet hurt horribly and my wrists and hands too. They were so swollen and puffy from the altitude. I learned I could never be an astronaut. Maybe I should walk more laps around the plane on the ride home.

Add 3 hours layover to the flight time and we’re finally ready for some sleep before a 4 hour van ride to Iganga, Uganda.

Check out more pictures located on FaceBook.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear about the travel experiences you’ve had and what you expected at the end of your travels.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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How to Embarrassingly Prepare Cross-culturally in One Sunday Morning

July 14, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I stepped out of the restroom into the busy grand foyer of our church auditorium. People were milling around, visiting with their friends and chasing their children into their seats for the service. The place was hopping. I took about twelve steps into the race of people and paused to get a mint from my purse. Earlier, in class, I had a cup of java with friends, and now I’m sure that no one would want to talk with my coffee-breath-self. Besides we have to make our best appearance, and smells matter right?

Pretty in Pearls
Creative Commons License photo credit: Katie Tegtmeyer
Appearance: Pretty in Pearls

Speaking of appearances, since I am going to Uganda to disciple orphans at the end of the month, I decided to practice fitting into their culture, beforehand. In Uganda, you must wear long skirts because wearing pants or showing legs makes you a flirt. I should tell you that short dumpy people typically don’t wear long skirts, because they make us look shorter and well . . . dumpier. Nevertheless, I acquired a long skirt and was practicing the use of it this fine Sunday morning.

While standing in our crowded church foyer, two people stopped their trek to meet people and get into the service. One older woman, whom I didn’t know, paused and began to tell me something when the other, a much younger teen, wrapped her arm around me and said into my ear, “Your skirt is caught up.”

Naturally, I leaned forward to look at the yards of material nearly at my feet, not quite understanding what she meant. She quickly jumped behind me and tugged at the overflow behind my knees. That’s when I figured out that I had flashed Uganda’s flirt alert!

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Creative Commons License photo credit: TheArtGuy
Alarming Situation!

Yes, that’s right. I had inadvertently misplaced the trail end of this monstrous bolt of cascading cotton. Apparently, it was tucked somewhere north, near my waist.

All dignity and “best” appearance vaporized. How many of the 300+ people caught my “special” style? Hopefully not many since all of that took place in a short minute or three. Or five?

Since my bff, Kate, pulled at the material from knee level, and since there was enough of it to fold over twice and still cover my shortness, surely I was safely not flashing American Style flirt. Fool maybe, but not flirt. Even when I bent forward, it could only have been embarrassingly un-stylish, right?

This never happens with my regular length skirts. I was way out of my norm even in my own church building. There’s no telling how things will go in Uganda when I’m really out of my culture. Won’t you partner with me in prayer?

We all need to try different things to make connections with people and touch their lives with the hope of Jesus. What part of your culture are you willing to stretch or give up to meet people and make a difference in their lives? For their sakes, are you willing to try and fail, even look foolish?

Please make contributions in the comments and let me know what topics you’d love for me to cover!

This is part of the Minister Wives Fellowship and Support Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or other Blog Series.

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