2014-05-08

May 9, 2014 - Amery, Wisconsin, United States

Dear Friends and Family,

Mukama Yebasibwe! (Praise God)! It has been a great 3 weeks home, and God has definitely blessed this time so far. I now feel that I’m settling in from what was a heart-changing and indescribable experience.  No matter how indescribable it was, being back now I still have the passion to tell everyone about the things that Christ is doing in my life and in the lives of our brothers and sisters around the world.

"For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." --Acts 4:20

I want to thank you all for the ways that you were involved in this experience and mission.  Whether it be by reading my blogs and writing encouraging emails and messages, financially contributing, or praying continually for the work God would be doing through me, I, and now so many other people in Uganda, will be forever grateful for you. The  amount of love, thanks, and gratitude I want to express to all of you is something that I will never be able to do justice to.

I spent my first 2 months in Mityana, Uganda.  It was here that I met my now "daughter", Nagawa Ruth.  I greeted her one of my first days there as I was told of her situation.  At 7 years old, Nagawa missed school frequently.  Her drunkard grandmother would often prohibit her from going to school on days where there was too much work to do.  With no other children living in the 2 room mud hut, Nagawa bore the brunt of her grandmother's frustrations and drunk rages.  As I visited her grandma, I couldn't remove my gaze from the chicken coop to my left, envisioning my daughter, cold and weak, curled up next to the wheelbarrow after being severely beaten and then being told that was where she was to spend the night.  This was her life, and stories such as these are too frequently heard about for many vulnerable children in Uganda.  Nagawa is now living in the boarding section of her school, learning not only about academics, but about what it means to be loved, hoped for, and encouraged in the name of Christ.  Just after 3 months since this change, she is flourishing, learning, and knowing she is loved more than ever before.

This is one of many stories that exemplify the ways that you all have been a part of this journey and making children just like Nagawa know of their potential, worth, and love in the eyes of Christ.

My next 3 months were spent in Jinja Uganda, where I was able to assist in starting a new children's home called The Michelle and Julia Hoffman Memorial Children's Home.  Julia ( 8 ) and her mother Michelle died in a drunk driving accident in August of 2012.  Julia once told her grandmother that one day she wants to have 100 kids.  The Michelle and Julia Hoffman Home will be designed to house exactly that amount of children.

I taught art, music, and physical education as well at the children's school.  This experience opened my eyes to the importance of children to be able to express themselves and be creative, different, and proud of the person God created them to be.  I was blessed to be able to encourage them in that type of setting and have plans to continue to further educate teachers on the importance of empowering and encouraging Ugandan youth and children through education.

On to the "what's next?" question:  True Impact Ministries has engraved a serious spot in my heart, and I have plans to continue serving God through this ministry.  I now plan to share about my experiences and speak on True Impact's behalf in order to grow the ministry and further impact hundreds if not thousands of children in Uganda through child sponsorship, building projects, and education.  If you have any church groups or services or speaking engagements you would like me to speak at, I would be thrilled and honored to share about the work that God is doing through this ministry.  With that, I will also be fundraising once again to return to Uganda in the fall to continue serving and aiming to strengthen the Ugandan side of the sponsorship program, as well as educate community members, teachers, and parents on proper discipline and empowerment of children.  With those two goals as a primary purpose of returning, I ask once again for you to prayerfully consider sponsoring my time there so that more impact can be made and more growth stimulated.  If you are feeling called to support this ministry, please go to www.trueimpactministries.com, click on the "donate" tab, and enter in your information for the payment.  Under the desired allocation select "Sarah Elbing Missions Support".  If writing a check is preferred, please feel free to send it to True Impact Ministries at 17310 Cornerstone Drive, Parker CO 80134. Please include my name in the memo line.

Again, thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement over the past 6 months.  It has been a roller coaster experience, and I'm so humbled and blessed to be extending my journey with True Impact Ministries.  I pray that Christ will continue to stir in our hearts and allow us to open our eyes to the calling that we all have to impact the lives of our brothers and sisters in impoverished and helpless situations across the world.

In Him,

Sarah Elbing

“…let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth.” —1 John 3:18

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