See Ya Later!

After just hugging everyone and saying our final goodbyes the end of this journey seemed a bit more real.  A few tears were shed and many hearts are overflowing with the love we all experienced on this trip.

  

It's hard to believe our month abroad is already over and done with, but the lessons we learned and the relationships we built with each other and the Ugandans we met will last forever.

Thank you to all of those who have supported us wholeheartedly before and throughout the entire trip whether that be with money or prayers.  None of us could have asked for a more wonderful experience and it's all thanks to you.  

Thank you to Rhonda, Tom, and Austin for putting all of yourselves into this trip.  We literally could not have done ANY of it without you.

Thank you team for loving each other well and for living on the edge for a month.  We probably couldn't have come up with a crazier or better team than we had.  And thank you boys for putting up with all the estrogen that floated around for the whole time.  You 4 are real troopers!  

So as we said to each other just an hour ago...it's not goodbye, it's see you later. :)

With love,

Meghan Scholtens and the JBU Uganda Missions Team! 

Reflection

Today marks our last day in Uganda. It still seems surreal that we are leaving this beautiful country. As I reflect on our time here, I realize just how blessed I am and how my heart has been changed on this mission trip. We came to help the people here, but more often than not, the people here helped us.

I travelled with the medical team to three different hospitals throughout the month spent in Uganda. In Kamuli, we met kind nurses, medical students, and doctors who taught us many things. We were unable to help them all that much because of lack of experience so most of our time there was spent in observation. We learned so much about the clinical experience, treatment, and procedures in Uganda. We saw the miracle of birth and experienced the sadness accompanied with death. We became incredibly thankful for modern medicine that is easily accessible in the United States. Our perspectives were changed and we realized just how blessed we are.

At Jinja Hospital, we met wonderful Ugandan nurses that took us under their wings. Also, there was a medical student from the United Kingdom and a registered nurse from the United States that worked with us and helped us along the way.  It was nice for us to talk with them because they understood what we were going through and they were easy to understand. J Here, we felt more helpful as we dressed wounds, observed surgeries, helped with HIV testing, administered injections, and started treatments.

For three days, we went to Nalufenya Children’s Unit. There were crowded beds, hot and smelly rooms, and crowds of people because several of the wards were under construction. We played with children, held babies, did HIV testing, took temperatures, and Meghan even got set up with a Ugandan doctor! J On the last day, we all got to be Santa Claus as we delivered stickers, coloring books, slinkies, and bubbles to patients and their siblings in the hospital. Everyone was so appreciative and it put a smile on all of their faces. We were thrilled to brighten someone’s day, even if just slightly.

Through all of our experiences, I saw God working. He was working in the nurses who diligently strived to do what they could with the resources they had. I felt Him giving me wisdom and strength to go to the hospitals everyday and put a smile on. I felt Him working on my heart, making me feel blessed and humble.  God’s provision was there in everything we did and I could not be more thankful.

Thank you for all of your continued prayers and support throughout our time in Uganda,

Kortni McCormick