Our first summer team of 15 people are flying to Uganda RIGHT NOW! They will be reaching out in love in Gganda Village, Hope Children’s Home, Kaliti Village (Field of Dreams) as well as other parts of Uganda.  This team is being led by Barb Hoffman and Kelly Cudney!  The next team of 22 people leaves on July 28th!  We will send out updates as we receive them, so stay tuned. (a few team members are missing from this picture)

The following is an article written by team leader Kelly Cudney.  Be inspired to believe that all things are possible for those who believe!

 “God is Faithful to Provide” 

I am part of a Show Mercy team that will be in Uganda from July 13-28^th.  Our team is made up of six adults and nine high school students.  Nearly half of our team has been on previous trips to Uganda, and we just HAD to go back, bringing others with us.  Going to Uganda changed my life, because God revealed His character in ways that I never knew before.  His love for me was so incredibly tangible, and I was suddenly part of something much bigger than myself.  I began to understand what it means to genuinely care for others, and I learned how to profess my belief in God because He is real and very much alive today. 

With that being said, it was still a little bit scary saying “yes” to going on another trip.  My heart had already decided that I was going, but my mind was concerned with how I was going to realistically raise the funds.  I feared that people wouldn’t be able to give financially, due to the state of our current economy.  I feared that I would have lots of awkward conversations with people, as they explained why they wouldn’t be able to support me.  I feared that I would come up short, and that I wouldn’t be able to go.  I was entirely wrong.

When you say “yes” to God’s call, He isn’t going to leave you to fail.  Part of the process of growing your faith is learning how to trust God when you respond to His call.  I don’t think that means that I could just sit back and wait, “trusting” that God would provide all my funds.  I needed to pray for guidance, and then press forward with a good attitude and strong work ethic. 

These last few months, I was continually blown away by His goodness as He showed our team that He is faithful, and that He wanted each person on our team to be there.  Here are a few ways that we creatively were able to raise funds:  sending support letters, speaking at churches and Bible studies, cleaning houses, pulling weeds and doing yard work, washing and waxing cars, tutoring students, selling smoothies at track meets, handing out “Baby-Sitting for Uganda” business cards, selling pans of cinnamon rolls, selling root beer floats, selling a homemade quilt, teaching French lessons, and having bake sales at schools and churches.  Earning all our support didn’t always come easy, but the point is that it came.  We even had people donate to our team that we never talked to individually … they had just “heard” what we were doing, and wanted to be part of it.  God even blessed us with over $3000 beyond our expenses that we can use for additional ministry while we’re in Uganda.  That blows my mind!

In looking through all of our financial records, I was blessed to see that there are literally hundreds of people who have contributed to this team going to Uganda.  In the days before our departure, God is still getting more people involved, as they keep donating items for us to give away while we’re there, or donations for us to buy mosquito nets.

I am so proud of the good work that God is doing through Show Mercy in Uganda, and am honored that I get to be part of it.  Do not be discouraged when times are tough; be encouraged that God is God, and that He is bigger than the things of this world.  He is faithful to provide when we answer His call.  Please pray for our team as we continue to do the good work He has begun.

Kelly Cudney
Show Mercy Team Leader
www.showmercy.org
541-791-3566