One Month Until I Leave for Uganda!

The passport is off getting a VISA stamp. A prescription for malaria meds is in my purse. I’ve been scouring REI and Sierra Trading Post for clearance quick-dry underwear and trying to decide how many books to take for the more than 24 hours of travel time each way. (Unless, of course, someone wants to give me a Kindle!)

I’m often asked what I do when I go overseas and how often I get to go. My answer is “it depends.” Usually people think that I must be doing a missions trip, which would include building things or feeding children. Nope. For today’s post, I thought I’d talk about where I’ve traveled for my current job and why.

India and Bangladesh, 2004

This was my first trip, and boy was it a doozie. When I first started this job, they told me I would need to go overseas to learn about what I’m raising money for. I was sure I’d go to Africa first, so when this trip came up I was surprised. I spent a week in Calcutta at the Asia ministry team meetings, learning about what my organization does in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Laos. Then I spent a week in Bangladesh visiting agricultural programs and reading programs. After that, back to India for two weeks participating in an evaluation as well as justice workshops.

Nigeria, 2006

Team meetings for a week. I went to represent the fundraising team to talk about how we can work together to tell the stories of what they are doing in West Africa. It was not at all like I pictured Africa. No animals, no jungles, just lots of rocky landscape.

Malawi, 2007

We were starting a huge HIV and AIDS fundraising promotion, so I was sent to spend a week in the bush with an HIV and AIDS coordinator so I could learn more about the issue and what was being done to combat it. No electricity, no running water. It was actually quite fun. Also spent a few days visiting potential partners for North American churches and talking about how we could start implementing the church to church partnership strategy.

Honduras, 2008

Participated in a week-long training for partners on how to best use volunteers from within their own communities as well as from North America.

Uganda and Zambia, 2009

In Uganda, participated in a partner evaluation and also visited with sites where we had church to church partnerships. In Zambia, took photos and information to develop future partnership proposals.

Uganda, 2011

Will be facilitating an “ambassador” trip between a church in North America who will be meeting the church they have been supporting financially, and with whom they would like to develop an ongoing relationship.