Pat's Journey with God to go to Africa . . .

When I first arrived at New Covenant in October 2002, Florence Kyomyo came to my house with a member of the Missions Council. I was thrilled to meet her as I had had opportunity to travel to Africa three times already, though not to Uganda. We sat and brainstormed about the possibility of bringing a team of women from NCBC to Uganda.

For two summers now it just wasn't in God's timing to go to Uganda for one reason or another, though attempts were made.

Late August/early September during my morning time with the Lord, I was reading the story in the book of Matthew about Peter walking on water. I was reminded that the Lord invites us into the miraculous - I simply needed to be willing to trust the One who does the inviting.

The possibility to go to Uganda clearly came to my mind. Danette and Adele had been out to walk and had returned when we exchanged conversation.

Danette asked, "How are you?"

I responded, "Do you really want to know?"

"Are you all right?" they asked.

"Yes," I responded. "What do you think about Africa before the end of the year - like November or December?"

Danette turned around and sat squarely on my stairway and said to Adele, "Didn't I tell you?" Her reaction puzzled me. Danette continued to say that the Lord impressed upon her that within 6 months she would be in Africa. She had just told Adele about it over breakfast! Needless to say, we were all energized.

At a more reasonable hour later that morning, I called my friend Lori. During my devotion time that morning, she had come to mind, so I asked her to pray about joining us on the God adventure.

I knew that my purpose for going to Africa was to connect with Michael and Florence Kyomyo. I sent an email off to their stateside liaison inquiring about a possible visit over Thanksgiving. The first response was not what we expected. The Kyomyos had had a very full summer of hosting various ministry teams and they needed a break. (Missionaries will agree that hosting various teams consumes a lot of time and energy!)

I absolutely believed that going to Uganda was what the Lord wanted me to do, so I asked again if just two of us could come to be an encouragement to them for just a few days. This would be a much less daunting thought than hosting a regular team for whom they would typically have to plan various ministry opportunities.

I asked the Kyomyos to respond to me by October 1, since a mission like this usually takes several months to prepare, and Thanksgiving seemed awfully close.

During the time of awaiting word from the Kyomyos, I thought I might have missed God's leading on this one. I also wondered if it was simply that Danette and Adele were supposed to go to Kenya, and that I was perhaps not meant to go to East Africa at this time . . . That would have been fine too, if that was God's plan. There are times that the Lord just wants us to have a willing heart in preparation for something else.

Needless to say, at the 11th hour came news from Michael and Florence. They said, "Yes, please come!" The frenzy began. Adele contacted former colleagues from Azusa Pacific University who had only recently opened a brand new orphanage under the banner of Empowering Lives International. They, too, were happy to host us. The countdown began. There were merely six weeks until departure, and lots to do!

This truly is a big adventure with God. I believe He is up to something with me, with us on the team, with us as a church . . .

Like Peter, as I am stepping out of the boat and walking toward Jesus, I am truly looking forward to seeing God's plan unfold bit by bit!