No Plan B

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

What a tumultuous time it has been since our last post.  With Turkish Airlines plane tickets in hand, our team watched this weekend’s news, as a political coup led to a ban on US flights in and out of Istanbul.  We tried not to panic, we called on the Lord, and urgently we asked you to pray with us.  Your prayers were felt and gave us peace, even before they were answered.  As I write this, I am making final preparations to leave and can hardly contain my excitement.  I am so happy to share with you that the FAA has lifted the ban on flights to Turkey, and our team’s plans have not changed after all, leaving for Uganda on Wednesday afternoon. (I leave tonight and will meet up with the team in Entebbe, because when you’re married to an airline employee, you’ll go as far as that will take you.J)  We ask you to continue to pray for our team using the itinerary that will be posted on this site if possible.  Pray for safety and continued travel provisions, but more importantly for the work of the Holy Spirit, as God moves in the hearts of hundreds, maybe thousands of people in Uganda this week.

And what a week it will be!  I can’t believe the day has finally come.  Several months ago, when I first listened to Warren, Mary Faye, and Mike speak about Uganda, their words resonated with me as they explained that, for the people in Uganda, there’s just no plan B, no alternative, Jesus is all they’ve got.  These words were burned on my soul and echoed in my thoughts daily until I could not deny God calling me there.  One friend of mine, who is a stay-at-home-mom like me, said she just didn’t know what she would have to offer on a mission trip like this.  In a sense, I suppose, we all feel that way.  My immediate response to her was that motherhood alone has prepared us to go into a country full of motherless children and offer them love, tenderness, a hug, and an encouraging word.  But the truth is that the most valuable thing I have to offer is simplest, the Gospel, the free gift of salvation that’s been given to me.

The Gospel is it.  There is no other way, no alternate route, no Plan B.  And this is never more true than in places such as Uganda, where mere survival is a grinding daily struggle for shelter, water, food, and family, where young orphaned children are raising their infant siblings, where AIDS and other diseases run rampant in destruction of families and communities, and the outlook for positive change is so so bleak.

But God’s plan remains.  He sends provisions in His perfect timing, and He has not left us alone in our struggle.  The Gospel doesn’t mean our earthly problems go away, but it does promise that we are held in the power of God in salvation through Jesus Christ until one day, every tear will be wiped away, we will sorrow and struggle no more, and we will see Him face to face.

This is our message of hope for the Namatala slum in Mbale, Uganda.  This is our declaration of victory to the world.  This is why, as our teammate Kelly has reminded us, our faith MUST be bigger than our fear.  This is why, when the travel ban is lifted, we can set aside our lingering fears and trust that God has heard our prayers, your prayers, and the prayers of our brothers and sisters at Ebenezer.  This is His answer:  Go.  Fear not.  I am with you.  No. Plan. B. 


Sherri O'Mahoney