Getting Ready to Leave

Hi this is Lauren--my first post here. I'll be leaving for Uganda with Dr. David and two nurses Becky and Brandy on Thursday January 21. Laura, Bob, Roth, and a pastor (who's name escapes me) will leave on Tuesday, Jan. 19. There's so much to do before I go. Laura and I have different speaking engagements this week; tomorrow I'll speak to the adult Wednesday night class at First Presbyterian Church about what Mercy Uganda is doing with child sponsorships. And yesterday we spent hours putting all the children from Covenant Junior School who still need sponsors on our myspace page. It's on the slide show towards the bottom of the page if you want to take a look at www.myspace.com/mercyuganda. As for what I have to do personally to get ready, I've been getting as much ballet practice time in as possible. I'm going to the dentist today (hopefully no cavities!). Tomorrow I'm getting my big Afro cut off--I'll use a lot less water without so much hair. And then there's packing. That is a conundrum. There is so much to pack (mostly books) and so little space (two 50lb bags). Most of our team will be in Uganda for two weeks. I'll be there for eighteen months, and there are still some things about the trip that are unsettled. We're unsure about where I'll be living, and I still haven't met my financial support goals. But then Jackie Hayes said something to me in church on Sunday that put things in perspective. She said that God already has everything worked out, and he lets us know the details on a needs-to-know basis. I feel like I need to know right now where my home will be and where the money will come from, but apparently, I don't need to know. That's something this trip should help me with: making the distinction between needs and really strong wants.