When we boarded the plane in February, we carried excitement, nerves, and a deep sense that God had opened the door for this trip. He provided everything we needed financially, and with our children’s school having agreed to time off, as well as our employers saying yes to us taking unpaid leave from work, we knew it was right for us to go. Now, sitting back at home in England, it feels a little surreal and it’s hard to put into words just how much these two months in Uganda have shaped us. What we experienced there wasn’t just a mission trip - it was a re‑awakening of joy, simplicity, community, and faith.
When we arrived
The first week wasn’t the easiest, with many feelings of ‘what have we done?’. Surprisingly that was more from me than the others, when I’d been the keenest to go and had visited a few times in the past. I had food poisoning on the 1st night at the YWAM base though, and got extremely ill. My husband had to take the lead on working out the layout of the base and what we would be doing. We seemed to have fallen through the cracks in not being shown around or being told about what we’d be doing, but we soon worked this out! It was very hot, we were eating beans, rice and cabbage most days, and unsure what the next couple of months would bring… thankfully, things looked up quickly!
Teaching, Serving, and Seeing God Move
We were involved in many different ministries in our time there. One of the greatest privileges for me personally was teaching for a full week on the DTS (Discipleship Training School) on hearing God’s voice. Standing in a room full of young adults hungry to know God more - watching them listen, respond, and step out in faith - was a huge privilege. I was scared at first at this daunting prospect of writing 12 hours of talks to deliver in a different culture, and only one week to prepare. However, I prayed about if I should be the one to do this or not and felt that I should, so I needed to rely on Him and not my own strength. I was nervous on the first day, but this subsided and I was hugely blessed during the week. It was brilliant to see them all grow, and their openness stirred something fresh in me - we all drew closer to God as we spent time listening to Him. Whenever I am a part of a DTS I am encouraged by the students wanting to ‘Know God and Make Him Known’, and am reminded how important it is to spend time listening to God each day - not letting the busy-ness of life crowd Him out. Discipleship has always been on my heart, so it was an honour to be able to teach on the discipleship school – and my teaching style adapted to a slightly more ‘Ugandan’ approach as the week progressed!
As a family, we found ourselves stepping into all sorts of ministry opportunities. We visited many primary schools, sharing the story of Creation and the Fall of Man, singing, dancing, and laughing with the children. Their excitement of us visiting them was overwhelming - they treated us like celebrities! Our kids were swept up in it, and though it came with challenges, they did amazingly and stood at the front of large groups, joining in the dancing and storytelling, and adapting to the culture far more quickly than we expected.
We also spent time in the local slums, where we taught similar stories and handed out biscuits and juice. Those moments were beautiful and heartbreaking all at once - seeing young children caring for their baby siblings, fighting over food, and living in deep poverty. It’s impossible to witness that and not be changed.
Every week we visited a children’s home, simply playing, reading stories, having cuddles, and being present. We also did door‑to‑door evangelism where we saw many people give their lives to Jesus, we visited a women’s prison, spent time at a home for disabled children, and helped at the on-site farm – planting lots of maize. Each place carried its own weight, its own joy, its own glimpse of God’s heart for the vulnerable. Wherever we went, whatever situations people were going through, they praised God with such genuine joy and faith, that we learned so much from them and are still processing many things.
Our Children Were Amazing
One of the biggest blessings was watching our own children flourish. They stepped out in faith, embraced the culture, made friends quickly, and showed courage. While in the UK we often feel the need to tell them to be quiet so they don’t disturb people (our kids are quite loud!), which we didn’t need to do this in Uganda. Children are embraced as part of the community, working together as one large ‘family’ and accepted for who they are without judgement. Our children have always loved people wholeheartedly, and by us giving them more freedom, it enabled them to create such a fun, loving atmosphere that people were astounded by how well we fitted in and the joy our kids had, which united and encouraged people in a natural way. They blessed people simply through being themselves.
The Culture That Captured Our Hearts
Uganda’s warmth is something we’ll never forget. People are friendly, joyful, and always ready to dance! There’s a simplicity to life there - open spaces, sunshine, community - that allowed our kids to run free with their friends and allowed us to breathe in a way we rarely do at home. No screens really helped with this, and we have put in new boundaries for us all now we’re home.
Coming back, we’re asking ourselves big questions:
- How do we build deeper community in England?
- Is there a way to parent as a village?
- How do we let our kids have more freedom to be who God has made them, but within what’s ‘acceptable’ in our society?
- How do we live with more joy and less stress?
- How do we keep hold of the simplicity we tasted there?
We Definitely Want to Go Back
Uganda has a way of getting under your skin - in the best possible way. We left with full hearts, new friendships, and a renewed sense of calling. The needs are great, but so is the joy. The challenges are real, but so is God’s presence. And the people - their faith, their resilience, their warmth and hospitality - have marked us forever.
We don’t know exactly when, but we do know this: We want to go back.
Uganda has become part of our family’s story, and we’re grateful for every moment God gave us there.
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