The Big News...

 

I have been in Uganda since the end of May. I feel like I have been here for a long time already but at the same time I feel like I haven’t been here long at all. Many people who come to Uganda either come for a short trip, about two weeks, or a longer one, about six months to a year. I am in this weird in between stage; two months. Two months may sound like a long time to some but it feels very short to me. Even being here only a mere month I look at the length of my stay and it doesn't feel right. I just got here, I just got settled and now I am supposed to go home and live life normally? I don’t want to live my life that way. I want to take risks, do things that demand an explanation and most importantly live a life that is in obedience to the Lord. 

Coming to Uganda this summer started off by joking about it. That seems like thats how a lot of things start for me, I joke about it and then it happens. Of course I wanted to come out here in the first place but I never thought everything would fall into place so perfectly so I could. The joke of me staying started even before I left. Stef joked about me staying until November; of course I thought about it but I had made all theses plans for when I would return in August. I would go to Hume Lake with RH High School ministry, I would go back to work at an amazing restaurant, I would move into a new apartment with really good friends, I would go back to Long Beach be a peer mentor and be involved on campus and I would attend a good friends wedding. All these things sound good and amazing but I feel like I am being called to a different season in my life. The joke of me staying continued when some friends from the US came to Uganda for an internship, and made staying in Uganda sound more enticing. I felt peace about wanting to stay and began praying about it. 

I had many obstacles that I faced while praying and thinking about this decision, but God seemed to just clear them all away. Things again started to fall in place and work out so perfectly. It was constantly being confirmed that  I was supposed to stay in Uganda. I just felt that my time here wasn’t done, that I had so much to learn and experience. I have always wanted to stay in Uganda for a longer period of time but it never worked out for me in the past. This time feels like it's my time, my season to finally live in Uganda. So here I am, I packed for two months, told everyone I was staying for two months, but feel this huge peace, confirmation and excitement about staying for six. I talked to my parents, talked to my roommates, and have asked several people to join me in prayer. Its a huge leap of faith and I will continue to live and learn how to be fully dependent on God. 

I am choosing to continue denying the comforts of the US, take another semester off of school, thus pushing my graduation date back...again, and work in a developing country...for free. I am choosing to miss out on a lot of birthdays and celebrations, decline a lot of events and not see my close friends and family. I am choosing to live a life that demands explanation, to be obedient to what I believe the Lord is calling me too, and to allow my self to take risks, grow and be challenged in many areas of my life. This choice was not my own but one that the Lord placed on my heart and has confirmed. 

I will be staying in Uganda until November, working with Remnant Uganda, learning as much as I can and simply just living life here. You may not agree with this decision and you may not understand this decision but I am asking you to continue supporting me regardless. YOLO right? But in all seriousness I am in the perfect place in my life to do something crazy like this and I am not going to turn it down because of fear, guilt or what other people may think. Again this was not my decision to make, it was placed in my heart and although I may not know what my future holds I trust the one who holds my future. 

I cannot make this journey alone and I want to invite you to join me and continue joining me on this adventure during this season in my life and my time in Gulu, Uganda. Along with tons and tons of prayers, encouragement, and words of wisdom I also ask you for support financially. I came to Uganda with the financial means for two months, saving all my tips for months and being really wise with my money. At this point I still have money saved but six months is really stretching it. Money is my biggest concern right now but I refuse to be disobedient and not trust that the Lord will provide if this is really what He wants for me. Life in Uganda is fairly cheap so I don’t need much, I am asking for $2000 to pay for rent, food, transportation, airtime/internet, and all the other random things I may need to survive.  

I have set up a pay pal account for anyone and everyone who feel called to donate, who feel obligated to donate or who I guilt trip to donate. Use my email address maryjsick@gmail.com and simply just go on to paypal.com

Plus I will be out here for my birthday, and what better gift to give than supporting my livelihood in Uganda. I love and am grateful for all the support I have received for this trip and trips in the past; I may not be the best at saying thank you but know that I am forever indebted to you and really do appreciate the support and influence in my life.

^The sweetest email from my manager after informing them I would not be returning in August as planned

Continue following my blog and seeing what is going on in Uganda. I will try to update more often; feel free to set up any Skype or FaceTime dates and don't be sky about emailing or messaging on Facebook! Thanks to technology we are closer than you think. I am only a short message away!