How interesting, the timing of it all.
Burnout. This is a message suggested by leadership, and the more we talk about it as a community, the more we realize it is so pertinent and relevant for where we are.
Thursday, Dawn and I left for Uganda.
Goals for this trip:
- Worship with West Church UG
- Meet with the hotel owner where West Church is housed to talk about tangible partnership potentials. They are so gracious to let us rent the facility for $10 a week (US dollars)
- Visit a local farm/future facility potential where West Church UG members can do farming to gain Income avenues and where we can be housed on future trips
- Visit the market and market owners to talk about partnerships for Soul Creations
- Work with members of West Church UG to design products for distribution in both UG and USA
- Develop structure and system for the Leadership Team of West Church UG
Having never visited Uganda 2x in one year, I did not fully process the things that would need to happen to make this trip a reality. I THOUGHT I was doing a good job of keeping it all together!
I won’t bore you with all the details. You’ll hear them in the message next Sunday. The bottom line is it was pure chaos. Although at the time, I did not think it was. I thought I had it all together.
It was not until I was being interviewed by the security of Ugandan customs about a laptop that I realized, “The way I do things has to change. I can’t keep functioning this way.”
A few months ago, Dero, Prosper, and Blaise’s apartments were broken into, and their technology was stolen. Laptops, cell phones, etc. You graciously gave donations of items and money so that we could help them replace them.
So this time, we brought replacement items for them. However, in the chaos of trying to get ready for the trip, I had no idea which of the 8 suitcases I put them in. Therefore, when the security guard said, “So you have multiple laptops and multiple ipads with you?”
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Can you show me?”
“Well . . .” (as I look at the 8 suitcases sitting there right in front of me) “Yes, but sir I have no idea which of these it is in. I am so sorry.”
Luckily it was 12:30 am Ugandan time, and I think he realized that this was a cluster in epic proportion, so he pitied me.
We were able to bring clothes you donated, technology, gaming systems, etc., but in all the hecticness of trying to be ready, I had no idea where everything was . . . . or if it even all made it here. I knew in that moment I couldn’t continue to function this way.
I guess I looked completely helpless because his next words were . . .
“It’s fine, have a great trip.”
As we got to our room, I looked at everything and realized, “I’ve got to do some things differently, or the burnout that happened a few years ago is going to happen again.”
I’ve heard recently, “You are burning the candle at both ends.”
We know what happens when that continues.
That candle burns out very quickly.
How is your candle?
Is it a slow burn or are you burning it from both ends?