When I was 13 years old, I sat
in the audience of a Rebecca St. James concert and heard for the first time
about Compassion International, a child sponsorship program. In that moment my
life changed forever. I raised my hand to get a packet of a child to sponsor and
there was the sister I had always wanted. You see, I had two brothers and
longed for a sister more than anything else. That day I decided to sponsor a
little girl from Guatemala (with my babysitting money) and God decided to open
up my heart to a world I knew nothing about.
Fast-forward
four years; it was the summer before my senior year in high school. That was the
first time God called me to go overseas to Guatemala. I stepped out of the
plane so excited for the adventure I was on. My parents had let me go by myself;
their faith in me to be able to go by myself gave me the power to not be
afraid. It was really the first time I was away from them. Guatemala laid the
foundation of my love for missions and a love for all of God’s people.
Fast-forward
another nine years; I went up to Mt. Sterling to a One Mission meeting to hear
about FNC. Todd, Wendy and their girls were home for Thanksgiving and were talking
about what they were doing over in Uganda. I remember them asking for people to
come serve with them. My heart was tugging at me. In my mind I was longing to
go, but Todd and Wendy were asking for married couples with kids to go. So I said
to myself ”You cannot go”. That
idea was pushed into the back of my head. God had a different plan, because the
next morning I got a call from a friend who loved missions and being overseas
as much, if not more, than me. She called to tell me she had talked to Todd and
Wendy and they wanted her and me to come over. I could not believe what I was
hearing. I was OVERJOYED!
After
saying yes to going on the trip to Uganda, I needed to figure out how I was
going to pay for the trip. I felt that I wanted to work for every penny it cost
to go on this trip. I wanted to feel the weight of the work and the sacrifice
it was going to take. So I picked up an extra job on Saturday nights (my third
job) and all the money that I made from my second job went to Uganda. I had
never worked harder for something in my life. During the time leading up to
this trip, God was so faithful. He provided and showed Himself to me every time
I decided to doubt Him or myself. I tried to back out of this trip three times
not believing that I would have the funds or that I shouldn’t go. How silly I
was being.
Walking
through the gates of FNC for the first time was a magical moment. Meeting the
kids (more like being bombarded by them) was amazing. The smiles on their
faces, their laughter, and the dirt of Africa touched my heart and soul. Before
the trip friends who had been to Africa warned me that as soon as you step on
African soil it will be part of your soul forever and they were right. I had
never felt the presence of God so strongly in my life before my 10 days in
Uganda at FNC. God’s mighty angels were always around, the protection only
God’s army could provide.
During
the 10 days that I got to spend with FNC in Uganda, I was able to hear Todd and
Wendy talk even more about their heart for the local people as well as their
heart for the children that God had called them to love. I remember sitting one
night with the group of people that I had gone over to Africa with and Todd and
Wendy as they poured their hearts out. From the outpour came the desire to grow
the school and bring more children to know our Lord and Savior. They talked
about the journey they had taken to get to where they were in Uganda. The more
they shared the more I wanted to be a part of their story. God had placed a
deep desire to be a part of His story in Uganda, but what that would look like
I didn’t know.
Uganda
changed my life forever. When I got back home, all I could think about was
going back. I kept praying for the opportunity, but it never seemed to come.
God kept telling me, “I have you here for a reason; be patient”. So when I
slowed down and really listened to God, I knew I needed to stay and pour my
heart out to the people that were in my hometown. God challenged me to be more
intentional with the people around me and helped me let go of my fear of praying
outloud.
I
still longed to be a part of FNC and what God was doing over in Uganda. It
seemed that as soon as I let my desires be second to God’s desires for my life,
God showed me how I could be, by sponsoring one of the children. One quickly
became two and then three. I had found my place in God’s upper story within
FNC. You see there is no better way to be a part of FNC than through
sponsorship.
It
was after an email that Todd had sent out to all the sponsors that I felt the
call to sponsor my fourth child and the fifth kid tagged along. Todd had asked
us to trust him and the people that worked for FNC. He asked us to keep in mind
that even though it feels like the kids that we sponsor might need more than
they are getting in terms of food and maybe wanting to give them gifts, they
are being properly taken care of. God has them in His hands. It was those words
that God used to place the call to sponsor all five of my kids and say no to
going back to Uganda. A call to live on little to give much even though it
feels to me like it is not much; a call to serve
alongside FNC as a sponsor not to only one but five of His children. Also to be
a part of His upper story and to trust Him fully in my finances for life. Sometimes,
we are called to trust Him before we even know how to do that, so we always need
to look towards Him to guide our path.
You
can never go wrong saying YES to what God calls you to do.
