It's 10:30 pm. I have to be up at 5:30 in the morning to be at an Aggie's Arts sale at 6:15. I definitely should have been asleep already. But I decided to check 'one last thing' on the American Embassy in Uganda, which led me to their Facebook page, which led me to my Facebook page, which somehow led me to being inspired to write.
I got my haircut today. I used a new hairdresser, and she was very interested in Aggie's Arts. She asked lots of questions, and I enjoyed sharing one of my great loves with her. As I explained what we do, I told her how our organization strives to make long-lasting impact in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Uganda. We are not a fly by night organization that seeks to fulfill our own desires for warm fuzzies. We don't just go and do what makes us feel good or something to check off a box. We are in for the long haul.
It is my prayer that long after I am dead and gone, Aggie's Arts will still be strong and active. I pray that ten years from now, you can look up the ladies and families we work with today and find that they are better off... that their life skills, business skills, and parenting skills have been developed... And not that they simply saw a bunch of Americans come in and build a house without helping them learn to sustain it.
Did you ever go on a mission trip with your youth group and help build a church or a school? If you looked them up today, do you think the church is full of disciples? Is the school still operating? Is it thriving? I hope so. But, too often we Americans think we are going to save the world in a week and we forget that whatever we do, the locals must maintain. We go to a developing country and pass out bibles, give out candy, or build a school.
It's going to take more than that. Alleviating poverty is not going to happen with a one week plan. It's not even a one year plan. If we are to truly help a community, it's got to be a ten year plan, a twenty year plan, a forty year plan! That plan is fluid and we learn as we go. But, it is imperative that we are intentional to not do things just because it feels good for us. We must keep our motives in check and constantly evaluate whether we are simply feeding in to the god complex that is so rampant in our society... Or if we are doing it to truly make a long term impact in the lives of the poor we are serving.
Aggie's Arts doesn't have a ten year plan laid out on paper. We don't have a twenty or forty year plan. But, we plan to still be there in forty years. And, so far, we have been working with our small group of ladies for seven years. We have seen growth. We have seen spiritual growth, growth in their businesses, growth in their children's educations. We have seen development. I've seen it with my own eyes.
This kind of development requires a large investment, but the payoff is phenomenal. It is such a wonderful privilege to work alongside the incredible people at Aggie's Arts. Our team in the US is filled with people who love God, love the people of Uganda, and have a passion for alleviating poverty by empowering the poor! I absolutely love what I do. I absolutely love what Aggie's Arts is all about. And I am absolutely thrilled that I get to go visit my friends in Uganda next week for the fifth time since beginning this journey.
Now, off to bed. Gotta get some sleep so I can sell some beads tomorrow! :-)
Oh yeah... If you want to join us by volunteering, purchasing Aggie's Arts products, or donating, please visit our website to learn more! I would Love for you to experience the awesomeness of serving with our team. aggiesarts.org
P.S.
For more information on helping the poor without hurting the poor, check out these wonderfully insightful books: When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkart & Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton
