Mission of Hope 2011

Since 2004, the Rev. Kathy LaLonde of St. Paul's, Kittanning, has led a three-week mission trip to The Mustard Seed Babies' Home in Hoima, Uganda, a residence for orphans from infancy through college. Her fellow missioners come from dioceses where she has worked. Here is her first report of this year's trip:

If we had a theme song this year, it would be, "Looks Like We Made It!"

Each group (New Mexico, Pittsburgh or Louisiana) had some sort of serious difficulty getting here. Flight delays, airport closures, cancelled flights (the NM team had to leave a day early or wait 5 days… it was a scramble!) The LA team had mechanical problems in Memphis and had to be rerouted through Houston on a different airline… no their bags did not make to Entebbe! And one of our bags from Pittsburgh got completely lost… it was tagged wrong in Pittsburgh!

This all led to a greater reliance on the Lord! "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give to you." (Acts) Of course some of us had no clean underwear for a few days. We bring all these "needful" things to give and to help the children of the Mustard Seed, but when eight bags of our luggage were lost we had to ask, "am I enough?" Can God use me just as I am without all the good things I bring? We found the answer to be a definite YES! Praise God.

–the Rev. Kathy LaLonde