Feature Story: first draft

Claire Meyer

7th Period

Finding Faith

How can someone have nothing, but at the same time have everything?

This was the basic question that junior Alec Meyer was able to answer on his two week mission trip to Uganda over the 2014 summer with Austin Ridge Bible Church.

"The people in Uganda have nothing but at the same time they have everything because they have put their faith and trust in God," junior Alec Meyer said. "It made me realize that instead of focusing on the things that I don't have, I just need to focus on being a christian."

 The goal of the trip was to teach leadership within the small communities in Uganda and help in the beginnings of new churches. Meyer was the first youth from Austin Ridge Bible Church to go on and experience this trip.

"Being the first youth to go was an honor," Meyer said. "It was relieving in a way to know that my faith was strong enough for those around me to notice it."

Not only was his faith noticed by his pastor but also by Meyer's parents. For a parent to let their 16-year-old child fly across the country is a hard thing, but Meyer's parents saw the desire within him and came to a conclusion.

"I was really scared and nervous because Uganda is a long way away but I felt like it was something that he and I had really prayed about," Alec's mom Linda Meyer said. "I felt like it was the right thing to do."

However traveling to a another country, especially Africa required some safety actions to be taken. Alec had to receive a physical, get a passport, and had four shots. Malaria, typhoid, yellow fever, and meningitis.

"The doctors ended up giving me two meningitis shots," Alec said. "So I didn't have to worry about catching meningitis."

Alec's expectations of the trip were minimal since he was the only youth member going.

"I wasn't expecting much to happen," Alec said. "Maybe a little student ministry. All I knew was that a difference would be made in these kids lives."

However, Alec was able to connect with the kids of Uganda unlike the adults.

"When you are the same age as someone, it is easier to have more of an impact on them," Alec said. "When you are older and trying to talk to a younger person, it is harder to relate with them."

Alec was even able to form relationships and make friends with those living in Uganda.

"I met a lot of people while in Uganda but there were three people I truly bonded with," Alec said. "There was Simon who was 19 years old and wanted to be a youth leader. I met Pastor Enok who founded the churn of Pader, and finally my tour guide Francis who was going to have twins. We taught him how to play BS."

Not only was Alec able to impact the families in Uganda, but the families were able to impact him.

"If you have a house in Uganda, that's a big deal. Unlike America where almost everyone has a house," Alec said. "But seeing how happy they were just to have a place to stay made me realize how grateful I should be for everything I have."

This mentality still sticks with Alec even eight months after his trip.

"When Alec came back, he was less materialistic, a little more down to Earth and more mature," Alec's dad Duane Meyer said. "It had a lasting impact on him."

The villages and slums that Alec saw opened his eyes to the true meaning of being poor.

"I understood that poor means living day by day hoping that you will be able to put a meal on the table," Alec said. "These people in Uganda had to live their lives everyday like this and that is so different from most people in the U.S."

Yet he saw that through these struggles, the people of Uganda are still able to worship God with all their heart.

"The house were basically bricks and plaster," Alec said. "The plaster made it more sturdy and then they covered it all with tree branches and straw. There were one or two rooms divided by sheets but there were four to five kids per family. That's a huge family an area about as big as a bedroom."

Seeing these houses really opened Alec's eyes to the extreme poverty in some areas of the world.

"I noticed how surprised Alec was at certain points of the trip," youth pastor Jared Carter said. "He seemed a bit overwhelmed by the culture shock and especially when he saw poverty for what it was... brokenness."

Those who went on the trip were not able to provide new homes for those living in Uganda. However they were able to give them something even more valuable then material items.

"The first story we talked about with the children was when peter walked on water," Alec said. "It was putting your trust and faith that if you keep persevering you will be able to walk on water, figuratively. The second story that I did alone was the story when the children ran to Jesus because a lot of the time in Uganda you'll find that the children are seem at a lower status but that is not true according to the bible."

The missions group provided those living in Pader, Uganda with hope. They were able to teach leadership skills that would help the Ugandans put their faith in the one that could save them.

"One of the primary reasons for this trip was to put on a church leadership conference for those who are leaders in the community and are trying to bring hope of the gospel to a people who feel hopeless," Carter said.

While in Uganda, Alec was able to notice how material items get in the way of completely putting one's faith in Christ.

"The people who were poor and were christians, well that was all they had," Alec said. "Jesus was the only thing they were going for. The only hope they had was that one day Jesus would come back and fix all the broken things in this world and in their lives."

This opened up his eyes to the difference between two countries pursuits of Jesus.

"Both counties do have many people who desire to have Jesus in their lives, it's just different in the ways we do it," Alec said. "The people in Uganda have a mentality that this is all I have and I'm giving you everything. Whereas in America we still pursue Jesus but their are other things in our life that we make just as important as Jesus and block us from pursuing Jesus with our whole hearts."

The people of Uganda were able to see that American's struggle too and that most want to help them.

"They think that a lot of the people in America are stuck up and rich and that we look down on them because they are so poor so I had to tell them that that was not the case," Alec said. "I told them that we were there for them and were right with them."

As Alec grew in his faith, those around him were able to grow in theirs. Alec was able to make a difference in not just the Ugandans lives but also his own.

"He shared his faith journey for them to hear and you could see the knowledge they gained from hearing a teenage boy describe his experience and passion for Christ ," Carter said. "But at the same time, Alec was further understanding the concept of pursuing Jesus with all his heart."

This trip caused Alec to look at life in a different perspective. He didn't just see materials and money but rather saw how much he needed Jesus in his life.

"I realized that I just need to focus on what being a christian really means and what it truly means to give everything to God," Alec said.

Alec was still finding his faith but after this trip he was completely committed to christ. The trip to Uganda was not just sight-seeing but a truly life changing experience for Alec.

"When I got home, I felt different inside," Alec said. "Going from a third-world country to one that is materialistic is a very different feeling. I was more grateful for the things I had and this experience helped me understand what it means to truly place your faith in God.

Alec was able to truly understand how material things in life do not provide true joy.

"The people in Uganda have nothing but they have everything because they have put their trust in God," Alec said.