OKC student unplugged by plugging into others’ needs
What better way to unplug than to plug in to the needs of others? That’s what I did this summer. I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Uganda, Africa, with my school, Christian Heritage Academy. Uganda has more than 2 million orphans. These orphans have been abused, thrown out simply because their parents don’t want the burden of a child.
They don’t have access to a lot of things we have in America. They don’t have streets with adequate signage. Cars, motorcycles, people and animals crowd together. They seldom have AC. They become sick because of the water and food. They don’t have the tools to take care of themselves. One of the sponsors on my trip said he saw a little girl with homemade stitches in her lip. Some live in a dirt hut if they can afford it. While serving there, we had to drink bottled water, and the mosquito nets were definitely a culture shock.
Despite the poverty and difficulty these people face, they are the most hospitable and joyful people I’ve ever met. They treat everyone like family. They say, “You are so welcome!” as you walk through their doorway. They kneel on the ground while shaking your hand. They live their lives with joy so contagious that you can’t help but be joyful.
We walked the streets with translators sharing the Gospel hut to hut. I was allowed to share the Gospel to people who hadn’t heard it before.
I fell in love with the children at Lulwanda Orphanage and Covenant Children’s Home. The way they would grab onto me and fight to hold my hand just showed how they were once deprived of love. They are certainly loved and taken care of now.
I used to be an orphan in China. I was born in Guizhou, located in south China. I was found abandoned in a box at the gates of a factory with no birth certificate, no note, no clothing, nothing. I was taken to an orphanage where I was given a name and a birthday. Eventually, I had a foster family and became available for adoption as special needs. I was born with spina bifida and they thought they “repaired” it with surgery. (Once I was adopted, I had surgery in the states when I was 5.) I was officially adopted when I was 2 1⁄2. I know how it feels to be an orphan. I am so incredibly grateful to live in America. I thank my God, my parents and my school for giving me the opportunity to minister to the Ugandan people. If you have the opportunity take it! They need you! If you can’t, serve your community, your family and neighbors. I unplugged this summer by plugging into others.
Abigail DeSpain is an Oklahoma City student attending Christian Heritage Academy.