Uganda and the joy it brings!
August 24, 2026
This mission trip to Uganda was full of moments that had my teammates and me smiling from ear to ear and praising the Lord daily. These moments showed us God's nearness, His compassion, and how much He loves His children.
The first thing I noticed when I got to Jinja, Uganda, wasn't the dirt roads, the run-down buildings, or the hot air; it was the smiles that I immediately saw on people's beautiful faces. I think it really says something that, even after the long travel days, before I could even comprehend that I was standing in another country, I was overcome with laughter and togetherness. I immediately thought about going home and hated the idea. I already wanted to stay in Africa forever.
Over Saturday and Sunday, we spent time getting settled in and battling the jet lag. We went on a boat ride on the Nile River, took a little tour around Jinja, and on Sunday, attended a church service at Jinja Church of Christ. The church service was even more beautiful than I had imagined: colorful dresses, loud clapping, and hands being raised. It was probably the most celebratory church service I had ever attended. Everyone seemed to be on fire for the Lord and what he has done in their lives. It was so beautiful to watch and be a part of.
On the first weekday we were there, our first stop was the Source Cafe. The Source donates all of its profits to the Kibo Group, which is the nonprofit organization my team and I went to serve with. When we walked into the cafe, I was immediately greeted by smiling faces and staff members eager to welcome us. When I met each of them, I noticed their intentionality first. I could tell they genuinely cared about who my team was, why we chose to come, and that we wanted to learn about their culture. I was a little shy at first, but the way their warm smiles and handshakes lit up the room left me with absolutely no reason to feel unwelcome.
After breakfast, we started packing up the van. Our stop for the day was a village that had just graduated from the WASH team (which is one of Kibo's six programs: WASH, Health Education, Life Skills, Empowerment, Healthy & Safe Kitchens, and Muvule.) When we reached the village, about two hours north of Jinja, we were immediately greeted with dancing and loud music. It was pretty much one huge celebration for graduating from one of the programs. One thing that stuck out to me while we were in the village for a few hours was how proud the people were of their home and the progress they had made.
On our next village day, one of my teammates and I decided to go with the Mvule team. The Mvule program focuses on planting and growing trees, all kinds of them. One of my favorite parts of the day was sitting in the car for a few hours on our way to the villages, admiring the landscape and talking to the staff member we were paired with for the day. Through the week, it was so eye-opening to have one-on-one conversations with Kibo staff members who actually grew up in these villages and are now helping them become more livable and sustainable for the future.
Once we got there, of course, it was another big celebration—why wouldn't it be? The villagers gave us a tour and showed us all of the plants they had been working so hard to grow. There was just about everything you could think of: oranges, corn, avocados, mangos, rice, peanuts, sugarcane, and katunkuma, which is "African eggplant" in English. We got to sit down with the villagers and discuss how they had been taking care of and maintaining the foods they had planted.
After the meeting, my teammate and I got to plant some Mvule trees! These trees only grow in Uganda and are excellent for air purification and firewood. However, because they have recently become low in number, Kibo comes in and teaches the villagers how to care for and protect them the way they should. If the villagers take care of the tree correctly for the next year after it is planted, they are rewarded with a goat! Like I've said many times before, the villagers are overflowing with joy, so you can only imagine how happy they would be if they received a goat!
All in all, the experience of traveling across the world to Uganda, serving with a nonprofit, and learning about a culture so different from my own was absolutely life-changing. I would go back again every month if I could, just to experience the people who make the community what it is.
While I was there, I was worried about how I would be able to communicate with the villagers. But I pretty quickly found out that a fist bump was something that just about everyone there knows. But more importantly, I also learned that there is a kind of radiating joy that can only be given by the Lord and can take away every language barrier—and Uganda is full of it.
When I think back on my time in Uganda, I realize that the first thing I noticed when I arrived—the smiles—was also one of the greatest things I took home with me. Through the people I met, the work we were able to do, and the joy I saw everywhere I went, I was reminded of God's nearness, His compassion, and His love for His children.
Uganda taught me to recognize true togetherness and to take joy wherever I go, even in the midst of the mundane. From my time in Uganda and witnessing the people around me, I learned to see God in the dull, the miserable, uninteresting, and critical. But also to see him in the laughter of children, a cup of black coffee, and a smile from a stranger, reminding me that His presence is hand-stitched into every moment, no matter how ordinary or extravagant.
Not a Trip
Category: Student Life