It was the chance of a lifetime for a couple of junior high students and their teacher who were chosen to visit Uganda.
The three, all from Lacombe, Alberta, were Jordan Baong, a grade 8 student from Woodynook Christian Reformed Church, Kayla Littel, a grade 9 student from Bethel CRC, and their teacher, Kevin DeBree, a member of Wolf Creek Community CRC.
Jordan Baong pumps water in a community that is seeing the positive effects of clean well water.
They were randomly chosen to visit Uganda with World Vision this past summer after raising money during the 30-Hour Famine. Jordan and Kayla both raised the most money in their school. “I knew there was a slim chance of winning, and I raised $750, but when we were told the news I was astonished,” said Jordan. “The trip was amazing. We got to see lots of cool people and sites. The best time was meeting all the people we helped and to see how thankful those people were.”
Kayla explained how it was the trip of a lifetime for her. “I was struck with how they make time for each other, unlike here,” she explained. “They were so incredibly friendly. They accepted us for who we were; they didn't care who we were or what we looked like. It was amazing to see how happy they were, regardless of how little they had.”
Kevin DeBree said, “It was a great experience to be able to take along students who have worked hard to help change the world. It allowed them to see the hope that is possible and that they had a part in that.”
The group did some sightseeing, visited a community to see the effect of a well with clean water, spoke with a former child soldier, and spoke to a girl who was abducted when she was 10 and forced to work for the resistance army. They also visited a community nutrition education centre to see the effect of child sponsorship on a whole community.
DeBree said the trip meant a lot to him personally as well. “For me, the trip was an affirmation of my calling to be the hands and feet of Jesus wherever I go and that my own little comfortable world is pretty small. I was humbled by the faith of the people we met and by the healing that is taking place in a country once ravaged by war.”