Living Nehemiah 8:10: Joy and Strength on Our Mission Trip by Selah Balli

If you have ever traveled on a missions trip before, you most likely understand what it is like to finish out week one in a new country. The end of week one is exhausting, overwhelming, and is excellent at breaking a person. We are at the end of week one. And yet, despite our exhaustion and lacking strength, we somehow are still standing, and more often than not, are actually dancing. After a travel day of sickness, many hours in a bus, a boat ride on the Nile River, and a shopping spree we arrived in Iganga. Iganga has been full of excited people, pouring rain, and good conversation. Our mission in Iganga is to visit secondary schools (junior high-high school) and do another VBS program. I don’t think I have ever felt the verse “the Joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) as acutely as I have in these last couple of days. It is astounding to me that we go to bed and wake up every morning drained, and yet are still able to have perfect joy and give everything we have in serving the Lord all day long. I am beyond thankful that I do not have to depend on myself when I do my Father’s will.

Today we went to our first secondary school where we shared about what it means to be a child of God. Using name tags, we took turns writing down identities we have believed of ourselves and then sticking them on, before removing them to put on “child of God” name tags. We did this over and over again throughout the program during testimonies, a teaching, and a spoken word poem. We did this to reiterate to the young adults gathered there that they have the ability to take off their old selfs and put on the identity of being God’s child if they so choose.

Further, we were able to have a time dedicated to discipleship with small groups of the students. This was personally one of my favorite parts, as my group came with open and eager hearts. I heard deeply painful stories from these children of being nearly beaten to death, abandoned by both parents, or not knowing when they would next eat. And in the next breath these kids were thanking God for their uncle that provided money for schooling, asking to have a personal relationship with Him, and praising God for His faithfulness. I am humbled again and again by these people and their trust of God in all circumstances.

Despite messy travel schedules, missing supplies, and overall exhaustion, we found ourselves encouraged and excited at the end of the day today when about 52 out of 70 kids chose to dedicate their lives to the Lord. I am happy to know that we are joining the angels who are rejoicing in heaven today over these saved children of God. I am honored to have spent time with these beautiful people today. They are sweet, genuine, and curious. Please get on your knees in prayer with us, asking that these and the other children who have chosen to commit their lives to the Lord, would be kept by God. Join us in intercession on their behalf that they would know how deeply and intimately God loves them and who He says they are as His child. Thank you for your prayers and thank you in advance for your future prayers. May the Lord’s peace be upon you.