Reflecting On Our Calling - 5 Years with NHUM!
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| At Kobwin during my last trip to Uganda. |
It's been 5 years since we answered the call to serve with NHUM and so I thought it would be appropriate to share with all of you how the Lord called us to serve with New Hope Uganda Ministries. We have shared in person with several of you, but I have never sat down and typed out the whole (long) story so here it goes!
The Lord's calling to missions in my life began during my freshman year in college. I was so excited to be a student at Concordia College because of their incredible music department. I remember the first time I played in the orchestra. The experience of playing with a college level ensemble was simply amazing. In my first couple weeks I was loving every minute of being a music major.
Then came my first exams in music theory class and I was was failing almost every exam. I spent many afternoons in my professor's office struggling to understand the material and shed many tears. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a final grade of a C (I think it was a C out of sympathy)!
Amidst this difficult semester, there was one day in particular when I was sitting in my freshman writing class and the professor was presenting about a study abroad program to Tanzania. I remember leaving class and started to cry for no apparent reason. Now I believe this was the Holy Spirit beginning to stir my heart for East Africa.
Over my winter break I decided to go to a missions conference with some friends back in my home town. The first speaker happened to be a missionary from Tanzania. Throughout the conference I was praying about what the Lord was calling me to (now that I knew a career in music was not for me). I was at a place where "my plans" crumbled and was finally approaching God with open hands instead of trying to grasp at any semblance of how I thought my future was supposed to go. By the end of my time at the conference, I really felt that God was calling me to missions in some capacity and that it would probably be somewhere in East Africa.
I came home and I remember sharing with my parents and my career counselor at Concordia that I felt called to be a missionary. I remember them encouraging me to reconsider going to a private college to avoid the student loan debt. This was logical, but I also felt called to stay at Concordia. It made no sense, but I continued to go to Concordia and decided to double major in Global Studies and Psychology. I knew God was calling me to missions, but I also knew he wanted me to wait and stay at Concordia.
While my life direction shifted, God was working in some extraordinary ways at Concordia College! During my 2nd semester of freshman year, one of my friends started a worship night in the basement of one of the dorms. It was so simple - we just worshiped together and then broke into small groups and prayed for each other. In a matter of a few months, it grew from a handful of people to around 50 students. Then within the next couple years we grew to over 100 students and we became more "official" and called the group "The Remedy". This worship night brought deep friendships into my life and these friendships led me to what would be my Fargo church home, River City Church. It was in this healthy church community that I matured in my faith, and I believe to this day, has prepared me for so much that has happened since.
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| Some of my college friends with our mentor Kelly. |
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| Friends from The Remedy at graduation. |
Fast forward to junior year - I was sitting in a coffee shop alone after work seeking the Lord about my future. I was praying and sensed that it was time to start seeking opportunities in missions, some where in East Africa. This is when I approached my pastor who just happened to have a cousin serving with New Hope Uganda (I had no idea!). He connected me with her and the plans began to develop for my first oversees "mission trip". My only availability was the month of May so we made plans for me to join a team from Washington state.
Little did I know that God was working in the heart of a man across the country at the same time! During this time, Robert was sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner with his long-time family friends, Steve and Virginia Agosto. Steve has led teams to New Hope Uganda for over 20 years from a church in Washington state. At this dinner he asked Robert if he would like to join the 2011 team. Robert accidentally said yes. He DID NOT want to go. Going to a foreign country to be around children he didn't know was about the most uncomfortable experience he could think of. Robert thought that he would go to a meeting or two and then make up a reason to back out, but he never did.
Around Christmas time I committed to going to Uganda for a 2 week trip and shared this news with my parents. I was pretty nervous - I wasn't sure how they would react to me going to a developing country as a single woman with people I didn't know! To my surprise they supported me in my trip. This was confirmation in itself.
I didn't have the money to pay for the trip on my own being a "poor college student", so I began raising support. I sent out nearly 100 support letters trusting that God would provide. I remember being about $800 short before the deadline and at the last minute, a check came in the mail for the exact amount I needed - another confirmation! I didn't pay a cent to go on my first trip to Uganda, God provided for my every need.
I remember my mom and grandma dropping me off at the Chicago airport. Tears were shed and then I was on my own until the UK. In the UK I met up with the WA team for the remainder of my journey. When we arrived at Kasana, tired from the long journey, all we wanted to do was take a shower and go to bed, but a little girl ran up to our group and hugged each one of us. She said "we're glad you are here". This first encounter softened our hearts for the children, and this was especially true for Robert.
During our time at Kasana Children's Center I felt like this was where I was supposed to be. I learned about the ministry and was impressed with every detail. One thing that really stood out is that the children who are truly orphaned (or have no safe place to live) are not boarded in dormitories, but are welcomed into family groups, raised in a culturally appropriate way with Ugandan parents and siblings. The most memorable moments were spending time with one of these family groups, Worcester family, and getting to know a couple of the children, one being the child we sponsored who is now grown up. We still have a relationship with him to this day!
One of our activities with Worcester family was baking cookies with them and one of the U.S. missionary families. I remember being asked if I felt called to serve with New Hope and I said yes, but that I felt hesitant to serve in Uganda as a single woman.
Over the two weeks that we were in Uganda, I developed a friendship with Robert. We spent many of the team's break times getting to know each other because we were the only ones who didn't seem to nap every day!
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| Uganda Team in 2011. |
We were also both convicted to get rid of certain habits in our lives after hearing Uncle Jonnes share a message in Uganda. I was convicted to stop watching TV for a time and instead spend this time in prayer. Robert was convicted to throw out all his video games. (He had a video gaming addiction for years before this.) When we returned to America we began chatting online which eventually led to phone calls. We were both processing a lot from our trip including a mutual feeling of being called into missions. A few months into our friendship, Robert asked me to be more than friends. We were in a long distance relationship for 6 months, then he moved to Fargo, proposed, and we were married about 15 months after we first met. Wowzers - I had no idea that God would bring the man I would marry into my life through this trip and one that would have the same desires and calling as me!
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| We got married in the Black Hills only a few miles from our current house! |
We lived our first two married years in Fargo still going to River City Church. We had a horrible apartment experience and so we were anxious to buy our first home. Many people warned us that we were probably rushing into things, but we were stubborn and forged ahead. We were under contract with a house until the day before closing when a last minute inspection prevented us from buying that house. Our apartment was rented out and so we found ourselves homeless!
During this time, two separate unlikely people (one not even a Christian), came up to us and told us that we should seek serving with New Hope Uganda at this time. We thought there was no harm in exploring the option, so we began a discussion with NHUM, but in the meantime quickly found another house. Two weeks before closing on this house, I was offered a position to work for NHUM in the U.S. Then we were told where they wanted us to move... near a small town in SD, Belle Fourche. A town most people have never heard of! My family has had a cabin in the area for years so it was further confirmation to us!
We felt like this was where God was calling us, but there was a problem... we were supposed to close on a new house in 2 weeks! We decided to still close on the house and lived there for less than a year until we moved to Spearfish SD. While we were in Fargo we committed to raising support for my salary with NHUM. God provided in some more amazing ways that provided further confirmation.
I think anyone working in ministry knows this to be true, that when you have committed to something God has called you to, there is often some real spiritual warfare experienced. Only a few weeks after I accepted the position with NHUM I found out I was pregnant with our first child! We were so overjoyed, but also wondering what God was thinking with the timing! With the coming of a child we decided we needed Robert to find a decent job that would provide for our family before moving. When we were about 3 months from Soren's due date we decided that if Robert didn't find a job within the next couple weeks we would have to stay in Fargo for a while. That was really difficult to decide because we felt that God was calling us to serve NHUM so strongly. Robert decided to apply for one more job, got a first interview, then a second, and then a job offer!
We soon found ourselves in SD serving with New Hope Uganda Ministries. While we were there, some water got into the basement of our house in Fargo causing black mold shortly before closing. The buyers backed out and we were stuck with a mortgage and rent for 6 months (until God provided another buyer).
This time was really difficult for us. We had a new baby, financial stress, getting established in a new community (few friends) and I had a difficult recovery. Looking back I can see that at that time we were challenged to grow in our faith and really believe in God as our provider and sustainer. I really don't know how I wasn't falling apart at that time, except for the Lord's strength holding me together. I also now know that this time was preparing me for even greater challenges in the coming years. I would learn to cling to the Lord amidst suffering, so I wouldn't change one detail of God's plan for our lives.
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| 6 months after moving to Spearfish. |
Now looking back I can see God's faithfulness to us and to New Hope Uganda. In the past 5 years:
- New Hope Uganda has grown amidst challenges. Especially through the Adizes process, and leadership transitions. Five years later, we are caring for more children, training more pastors and missionaries, and reaching more in the community.
- NHUM (U.S.) has grown too! We have grown from a staff of three in 2014 to a staff of twelve today!
- God has grown our family - we now have two healthy children and a home in Spearfish!
- We have been blessed, challenged, and grown in our faith through the church in Spearfish.
- Our sponsor child has graduated and now has a good job as a semi mechanic.
- Our family has been blessed that Robert has found a good job in his field (there aren't many) in Rapid City.
- Our family has been blessed through the prayers and support that make my job possible with NHUM!
- We have made many more friends through the relationships we have made through NHUM, both in the U.S. and in Uganda.
- We were blessed to return to Uganda in 2016 and I was also able to go back last year. These times were also confirmed in their own ways and provided some time for us to connect with those in Uganda.
As we mark 5 years of serving with New Hope Uganda we are THANKFUL for each one of you that has made this possible and for every moment, the times of joy, the times of refinement, and everything in between!
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| 2017 Family Picture. |
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