Why Go?

We have asked some of our past AYC participants to write in and answer the question "Why You should go on an AYC Mission?" Here is what Mareshah Wheeler from Baton Rouge had to say about her AYC Uganda Mission.

Why YOU Should Go on an AYC Trip This Summer

                AYC trips are amazing and well worth attending during the summer. I attended last summer where we went to Uganda, Africa and visited two different cities in the country of Uganda. We attended church services in the cities of Kampala and Mbale. It was life-changing being in worship services with people from a completely different cultures and ways of life worshipping an amazing God. In the church services there was no air conditioner, no carpeted floors, one light bulb that lit up the entire church, but in every single service as I worshipped with new friends from America and Africa, God’s presence rained down upon us and we were forever changed by Him meeting us there. I expected, going into this trip, the people there would be down and sad because of the situations that lots of them were faced with, but what I found was people full of joy not because everything was going completely right in their lives, but because there was a God who had never failed them and was there in the midst of everything that they faced. There would be days when we would be out sightseeing and be hours late to church and instead of them canceling service or, postponing they would just sing and dance and worship for hours and then once we got there service would begin with more singing and dancing and worshiping and preaching. We also spent lots of time with the orphans while we were there and it was so humbling to be in the presence of those who did not have much materially, but were so blessed spiritually. They may not have had iPods and cellphones, or even a decent change of clothes and a pair of shoes, but they were blessed! They were always rejoicing and full of joy and gratefulness and while we were able to bless them with material things like shoes and clothes, they blessed us by teaching us that no matter how bad we think it is, God is still a good God!

                While on this AYC trip my worship was challenged, my faith was strengthened, my love for missions increased as did my love and desire to help those who don’t have as much as we have here in America (shoes, clothes, three meals a day); but most of all, God was glorified like I had never experienced before in being in church services with people of like precious faith who wanted nothing more than to worship God. If you are interested in making amazing new friends from all over the ALJC, sign up! It was awesome meeting and forming friendships with people from so many different churches, and we were all able to keep in touch after the trip was over! AYC 2011 was life-changing and you should try your absolute best to be a part this year!

-Mareshah

Thank you Mareshah for your words! AYC 2012 will be another year when you will meet new people and your love for missions will increase.