Wednesday, June 29th, 2016
Our partnership with the Palm Beach Atlantic University, Gregory School of Pharmacy has been a foundational support in keeping free medical clinics as part of what, and how, Word In Deed Ministries can evangelize to the people of Uganda. Â We are thankful to God for this blessing and pray that as long as these students are willing to serve in Uganda, we will continue to be in partnership with them.
Below is a journal reflection from Mrs. Andrea Mezentsef. Â She has traveled to Uganda 2-years in a row (2015 and 2016) and we are thankful for her heart for missions. Please read so you can get an idea of why we feel mission work is so important, and continues to be one of our core values.
PHR 4512: Pharmacy Missions-Uganda Reflection by Andrea Mezentsef
It was during the first few weeks of pharmacy school that I was first introduced to the Uganda medical mission trip. I recall listening to the students from various mission trips speaking about their experiences and how life changing these experiences were for each of them. For some reason, after learning about all the mission trips, I remember being drawn to Uganda. Similarly to Jonah (from the Bible), I hid in fear. I can recall trying to bargain with God and asking to go to Honduras instead; where I felt I would be more useful. After all, how can a mere first year pharmacy student be useful in Uganda? At least in Honduras I would be able to be utilized as a translator. Looking back now, I can see how wrong I was. I did not need to wait to have more pharmacy-related knowledge in order to go to Uganda. God had already chosen me to go to Uganda and out of fear, I hid.
People often say “everything happens for a reason†but contrary to this belief, I believe in what God’s word says. In Ecclesiastes 3, the Bible says “to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heavenâ€. I believe God allowed me to go to Honduras in 2014 in order to begin preparing me for what was to come in Uganda. When the time to sign up for 2015 medical mission trips came, I did not hide in fear.
It was in May of 2015 that God allowed me to serve in Uganda. I felt an immediate connection to the people of Uganda. Seeing the streets of Entebbe and Kampala brought back past memories of a phase when I lived in Brazil. Seeing the villages, the simplicity of the roads containing only its red soil, and seeing both children and adults waving to us as we drove by, made me feel safe, at ease and home. Experiencing the joy, the gratitude the people of Uganda felt for whatever we were able to do for them, and seeing how much faith they had in God, made me grow spiritually. For the first time in my life, I shared my testimony of the hardships I went through after my father passed away. It’s interesting to see, how sometimes we wonder why we have to face certain obstacles or certain situations, when very often the answer is simple and right in front of us. The answer is: God want us to grow! God wants us to be able to connect with His children (here and in other parts of the world). When we read the Bible and learn of the miracles Jesus performed, this makes our faith grow stronger. Sharing one’s testimony, speaking about what God has done in our lives and how he has saved us, also makes the faith of the people of Uganda and our faith grow stronger. God continues being the same God we read of in the Bible. He is a powerful, almighty God and He will forever be. Although God had a purpose to use our 2015 team by evangelizing, serving, and helping the people of Uganda, it was the people of Uganda that God used to awaken a fire in me. God placed an immense amount of love in my heart for Uganda and for its people, and so I had to go back to Uganda in 2016.
Being able to return to Uganda for the second time made me see the people of Uganda in a different light. We, Americans, are often comparing our standards of living to that of other countries. We live in a materialistic nation where we are labeled by what we have and what we do for a living. We often think that the more we have, the richer we are; and this is not necessarily true. I have learned so much from the people of Uganda. I learned that they are happy because they have God in their lives. I have also learned that the people of Uganda are not poor! These people are rich of love, happiness and they are full of the Holy Spirit. They are rich because they have learned to completely rely on God.
Prior to traveling to Uganda, it was recommended for us, students, to read a book called “Kisses from Katieâ€. There was one particular part of the book that really spoke to me. The author of “Kisses from Katieâ€, Katie Davis, wrote about having to return to America from Uganda in order to fulfill a promise she had made to her father of pursuing a college education. While being home, she explains that the biggest culture shock she had experienced since returning home from Uganda was the “huge disconnect†she felt from God. She goes beyond to explain it by saying “I have stepped out of my reliance on God to meet my needs. I “miss†Jesus. He hasn’t disappeared, of course, but I feel so far from Him because my life is actually functioning without Him.†What Katie meant by “functioning†is that if she felt sick, she was able to quickly see a physician or visit her nearest pharmacy, when she needed to go somewhere, she was able to jump in her car and quickly get to her desired destination. From being able to “function†without God, Katie had forgotten what it was like to fully rely on God. Katie had forgotten what it was like to come to God first when facing an illness, when in need of something or when she felt sad. She had also forgotten what it was like to ask God for guidance when feeling lost. Katie had now found herself having to set time aside in the morning to pray, meanwhile in Uganda she explains she was in constant communication with God. In Uganda, Katie may have appeared physically poor but she was completely dependent on God and was spiritually wealthy as she ever was.
After returning from Uganda in 2015, I remember I would often cry whenever I thought of the people of Uganda (especially the children). In my eyes, they did not have what was necessary for them to survive. Now, after returning from Uganda just a few days ago, I find myself smiling whenever I think about Uganda. I smile because I can still hear the sound of the children’s laughter and their singing in my mind, and this sound is more beautiful than any other symphony, concert or orchestra. I smile whenever I think about Uganda because they have taught me what is like to completely be dependent on God. I smile whenever I think about Uganda because thanks to the people of Uganda, my team mates and I have grown spiritually. Similarly to what it’s written in Psalm 96:3, I have declared “his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all people†in Uganda and I have grown spiritually because of it. I can honestly say, I have learned more from the people of Uganda, than they have learned from me.
In addition to having experienced spiritual growth, I feel I have also grown professionally. I was able to work two days with one of the local Ugandan physicians, Dr. Robert, and was able to bring what I learned in pharmacy school for the past three years into real life. Dr. Robert is an intellectual individual who showed expertise in a variety of disease state topics. I enjoyed having him as preceptor for two days, and was able to see he enjoyed having students to teach. Dr. Robert made sure to address the disease state areas of my interest and also made sure to strengthen the disease state areas that I needed reinforcement on. Asides from working with Dr. Robert, I also experienced personal growth by stepping out of my comfort zone. Throughout the duration of time spent in Uganda, Dr. Maarsingh and I were the ones chosen to lead in worship every morning. In the past, I had never been the one to lead any group in worship, so in the beginning I felt a bit uncomfortable. Every morning prior to singing I prayed to God to calm my nerves and for Him to allow me sing and to accept my worship.
Spending ten days in Uganda cannot measure the impact this tiny little country located in East Africa had on me. The Ugandans have taught me what is like to be completely dependent on God and most importantly, they have taught me what love is. The love I feel for the people of Uganda is not just a simple and momentary spark I am experiencing because I have recently returned from Uganda. I felt this way ever since my first visit to Uganda in 2015. The love I feel for the Ugandans is similar to a flame that cannot easily be extinguished and I will continue to feel the same way forever. I will always remember the villages, the red soil, the laughter of the Ugandan children, and most importantly, I will always remember how spiritually rich the people of Uganda are. Just thinking about them warms my heart. I am thankful and content that God has allowed me to serve, to learn and to be blessed by the people of Uganda. I hope and pray, by God’s grace, that I will be able to continue to serve and be blessed by the people of Uganda by returning to Uganda next year.
Posted in Kampala, Newsletters, Short Term Missions, Uganda | Comments Off on PBAU – Gregory School of Pharmacy Returns AGAIN
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