March 20, 2024

This trip was particularly bittersweet for me for many reasons. Firstly, through my mother’s eyes I was able to witness my eldest son grow as a leader and provide selfless service for others. He is in a transitionary period of his life as a preteen, beginning to leave childhood and step into young adulthood. It weighs on my heart how my children will grow up, and while I love seeing them blossom into amazing young men, and seeing Greyson step up as he did on this trip, it also reminds me that my time with them and their childhood experience is dwindling. This trip showed me glimpses of Greyson as the man he will become. He came out of his shell, led, played alongside, and connected well with the Ugandan children. I noticed the children more easily opened up to the youth on our trip than they did with the adults. It makes sense, as they  bonded better over their commonality of youth. It was a great reminder that children are the same everywhere. Children are children no matter where they come from—innocent, joyful, sometimes mischievous, and equally deserving of love and guidance.

Additionally, I was very affected by three teenage girls who consistently sought me out to chat on our daily visits. One girl in particular, Fatima, opened up to me through a letter she gave me on our last day. She described how she had experienced deep sadness over loss and rejection from some of her family and friends and how she is still happy because she knows she is loved by Jesus. Her father and uncle rejected her because she found Christ and they are Muslim, but she still has faith that they will find God as Ashpenaz did in the play. It made me realize how seriously the play was received by the kids, and how American children have seemingly become more skeptical and less willing to view life with wholesome eyes. That is another bittersweet part of this trip as well. Our youth have lost so much while they live in excess. The only way we can regain that joy of faith and life is to set the example and include our children in our faith and our faithful activities day in and day out. It is with active intention, not passive faith, that we can raise strong resilient young men and women and bring about positive change not only in Uganda, but in our society as well.

This trip was a blessing for not only the children we served, but also for our family. It is a good reminder of the Great Commission and that we are called to be active in Christianity and serve each other and our community. I have deployed to other countries before, but this was my first mission trip and it was spiritually fulfilling for all of us. We were able to grow together, have fun, serve the Lord, and will be forever grateful to experience that together.  

Sincerely,
Tarynn (34)
Greyson (13)
Zack (34)
 
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8