Do you know?

What does "unreached" mean in the phrase "unreached people group"?

How many unreached peoples are there?

What can the average Christian really do to advance the kingdom? Isn't missions work only for "super-Christians"?

Is reaching every tribe, language, people and nation even possible?

Do missionaries destroy cultures?

Most people have a vague understanding of the missions movement and what actually is (or could be) done out there in frontier missions contexts.
The U.S. Center for World Mission website has a huge database of missions resources that everyone - lay church members, pastors, teens, prospective missionaries, etc. - can use to get a better understanding of what God is doing in the world, and what He promises in Scripture to continue doing. One of the most exciting things about investing your life in missions (as either a goer or a sender) is that the expanse of God's kingdom is one of the few things in the world that is guaranteed to succeed! God IS accomplishing His purposes and it is an absolute privilege to participate, whether that means giving up two frappuccinos a month to give to missions, or selling all you have to move to a foreign field. I hope you'll take the time to look at the USCWM website, as well as the Joshua Project, to learn a little more about why we still need people to go, and people to send those who are called to go!

Here's a more detailed description of what I'll be doing in Uganda. There's been a lot of fluctuation in my plans but I think this is basically finalized now (phew!).

My main job will be to teach a Great Books/Omnibus course to two of the Tricarico's kids, James and Maria. I've never taught before, but I have a history degree and this course is right up my alley :) I'm still debating how many of the books I should try to read before I go (it's quite a hefty reading list, but I can handle anything after Grove City!). That class will meet for one hour, five days a week.

When I'm not preparing materials, grading papers or keeping up with the reading myself, I can use my free time to do Bible storytelling in the villages. I'll also try to help Martha Wright with her literacy materials and Leah Hopp with her health education courses whenever I can. I want to get out in the villages as much as possible!

I'll be sharing a banda (hut) with the Wright's teacher, Erika. She and I have messaged each other and she seems like a fantastic person who will be a big help to me! She's a "real" teacher and she spent three months in Karamoja earlier this year. I'm glad that there will be so many people at the station while I'm there -  as far as I can tell, there will be at least 20 people there, including lots of people close to my age (just a couple years older).

I really want to make it a priority to get past the barriers that seemed so hard to overcome last time, and try to learn a bit of Karamojong and talk to as many people as I can, especially the English-speaking translators and workers. Aside from a few conversations and an impromptu card game with Joyce, I didn't have many real conversations with the Karamojong. I want that to change this time. It takes time to get over jet lag and culture shock, but after seven months I hope I'll be able to say I have some Karamojong friends!

My To Do List is frighteningly long. Please pray that all the details will get sorted out in time and that I will continue to trust the Lord to provide!

Step One

Here's to the start of a new blog! Unlike all my sad attempts at blogging in the past, this blog is here for the sole purpose of sharing with you my real passion in life - bringing the Gospel to the nations! As I look forward to several years of living and serving overseas, Lord willing, I'm so grateful for this technology, which will allow me to keep in touch with my family and friends while I'm gone.

I'll share my thoughts, exciting experiences, photos, videos, and prayer requests here. I'd appreciate your prayers as I begin my journey to the nations!

My first step will be a seven month trip to serve as a Missionary Associate with the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Karamoja, Uganda. I spent a wonderful (though by no means easy!) five weeks in Karamoja back in 2009, and I'm so excited to be returning in October as a teacher for some of the missionary kids. It's hard to believe I'll be boarding a plane for Uganda in less than three months!

I'm reading through Isaiah right now, and today I read Isaiah12. What fitting verses to share as I begin to record how God will use me to "make known among the nations what He has done."

¹ In that day you will say:

   “I will praise you, LORD.
   Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
   and you have comforted me.
² Surely God is my salvation;
   I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense;
   he has become my salvation.”
³ With joy you will draw water
   from the wells of salvation.

 ⁴ In that day you will say:

   “Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done,
   and proclaim that his name is exalted.
⁵ Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
   let this be known to all the world.
⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
   for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.