I'm Going Back!

The rumors are true...I’m returning to Uganda!  I know many of you may know this already, for those who haven’t, here’s a little bit of an update! More regular blogging to commence again...now....

I have felt the Lord leading my heart to Uganda for years, and spending 2011 there really confirmed my love for the people of Uganda and the Lord’s work there.  Alongside my love for that place, the Lord has exploded my awareness and love for orphans and vulnerable children. He has done so through my dear friends at 147 Million Orphans, through my time spent at 3 different orphanages in Uganda, and through watching many dear friends bring children home to their forever families and care for vulnerable children worldwide.  What a joy and privilege to be a part of and witness so much of God’s heart for the orphan, the Father to the fatherless, shown through the hands and feet and lives being given away around me! It is a delight!

Through all of this, I have found that the marriage of Uganda and caring for orphans and vulnerable children absolutely LIGHTS. MY. HEART. UP. 

From here, with my feet planted in the US, a large chunk of my heart and time have been spent advocating for that place and these ones I love. And my prayers have been that the Lord would show me if He would have me continue to care from here, or do so in-country, day to day, life on life.  The answer? It’s time to go and hop in, life-on-life. To be the hands and feet of Christ. To be stretched and grown and challenged in new ways, in a new place, for the glory of God and the delight of my heart!

I’ll be joining World Harvest Mission’s team in Bundibugyo, Uganda for a two-year commitment as an apprentice and the program assistant for their Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Scholarship Program at Christ School Bundibugyo.  As an apprentice, I am stepping out to say I believe the Lord is calling me to serve missionally and cross-culturally long-term and I want to learn to do this well from people who have gone before me and be grown in my love for the gospel and the Kingdom.  With the OVC Program, I will be a part of overseeing and engaging the spiritual and academic growth of the students in the program as well as leading the communications from Uganda to the US about the program.  

So basically, I get to love on orphans and vulnerable children every day, advocate on their behalf with my feet and life planted in Uganda, and learn what missions long term looks like from some wiser folks than me.....WIN!

I will be supervised by Michael Stevens, who also works at the school, and mentored by Ann Kieser, a fellow teammate.  I will join a team led by my old babysitter and her husband, Travis and Amy {Lang} Johnson.  I will be on a team alongside many others laying down their lives for the Kingdom in the areas of water, medicine, nutrition, education, discipleship, and more...all with the hopes of making disciples and glorifying God.  I am thrilled, honored, humbled, and full of anticiaption as I journey toward Bundibugyo. 

 
I would love to invite you to be a part of my journey back! I need both financial support as well as prayer, and I welcome it all! My goal date to leave is May 2013...soon!  If you would like more information on how you can join my support team, please email me at sarahkcrane {at} gmail {dot} com. I'd be happy to mail/email you info, just let me know!  You’re also welcome to go straight to my page on WHM’s website here: http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51033

For some creative support, you can check out the beautiful printables my friend Mandie Joy made {she has made some of my favorite verses and quotes into beautiful things for your home and heart!} and the hair ties I’ve been selling.

I am excited to tell you more about this place, the reasons I am going back, and my journey of support raising and all in the coming weeks and months. For now, I wanted to just get the news out and shout it: 

Uganda here I come!!!! Woohooo!!!!!!