Our first Impact Weekend took place in April 2021 in Miami, Florida! We started off the trip at Hard Rock Stadium, where we received a tour and met with members of the Miami Dolphins organization. They shared about their faith and career and gave great advice on living out their faith in the sport industry. Our second day was full of tours, guest speakers, and networking! We started off the day at FIU football, where we toured the facility, ate Miami pastries, and listened to his faith journey. We then headed north to Boca Raton to see Florida Atlantic University's men's basketball facilities and hear from past USG mission trip member and present Director of Men's Basketball with the Owls, Ben Gonzalez. The day then ended at the Marlin's game, where they defeated the Giants in extra innings. Day three was our last day in Miami, and we started off with breakfast on South Beach. We then hit the beach to evangelize to those enjoying the beautiful day. We engaged in many conversations about Jesus and planted seeds in their hearts. Our group ended the trip with some time at the airport, eating dinner, and saying our goodbyes. Member Testimonial "I really grew this weekend spiritually and professionally through everyone on the team and we met throughout the weekend. Everything we did, saw, and experienced helped me grow more than I ever thought I could in one weekend. I'm so thankful to be a part of the USG family!"- Kevin McNamara, Accounts Payable Clerk with the San Diego Padres Learn more about the USG Academy, Impact Weekends, or membership! If you have any questions, contact a USG staff member here!

We had a great talk with Darlene Santore who is a life, leadership, and mental edge coach for the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL. She gave some great insight into the mental aspect of life while sharing how she lives out her faith each day around the world's most prominent athletes. Watch here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-gLo13qfQXit7R4IRhsYBQjaTdBvWGfj/view?usp=sharing

This past summer we had a great talk with A'ja Wilson on her championship mindset and the way she keeps Christ at the center of her life. Watch here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KCEPeQppxqzdq1K-LKOlszPoYD7S1f2D/view?usp=sharing

During the first two weeks of June, I had the privilege to travel across the world (literally) to spread the word of Christ. With a 13 hour time difference and nearly 40 hour travel time, I am geographically on the opposite end of the Earth. With this being my first mission trip, I had no idea what to expect. I had the privilege of going with a tremendous team. We attacked each day and grew closer together; I credit them for being a major component as to why this trip had the impact on me that it did. Among the various bible studies, testimonies, and sermons we heard, I had the privilege of going through the book of Job with Cullen and Dan. Job 34 really spoke to me because Elihu, a friend of Job’s, rationalizes why the hardships that continue to threaten Job were caused by his sin. Elihu rationalizes in verse 12 saying “Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.” Elihu turns out to be very wrong, however the crazy part is I completely agree with this statement on the surface. Elihu uses this as an explanation for Job’s hardships, unaware of the spiritual battle being waged in which God is not punishing Job but rather boasting of his faithfulness. This instance played a parallel in my mission experience in Uganda. I was able to apply this to my own life seeing that the conventional rationalization of the hardships, trials, and occurrences in our lives in which we think we know God’s plan can very much be a complete misreading by us. Being completely vulnerable with you guys, I like to have a reason or purpose for everything that I do. With that being said, if I do not see a purpose or something doesn’t add up, I’m not afraid to pursue the truth. I’d say I didn’t have the typical mission trip experience, and struggled greatly during the daily evangelism times in which we’d go throughout the village to share the gospel. It was difficult to phrase my words correctly while being concise since a majority of the time we needed a translator, however I  grew more comfortable over time. The big problem wasn’t that it was too hard, but rather it was too easy. On the second day we went out to evangelize, my group was able to lead 7 people to Christ over the course of an hour. Most people would be ecstatic, however I was skeptical to say the least. A lot of these people had never heard of Christ before, and we were sharing this grand story of God’s son being sent to Earth and sacrificing his life for the wrongdoings of all of mankind, and they were just going with whatever we said. I felt like I could have shared the story of Aladdin with them and convinced them to convert - in other words, being an obvious foreigner in their land, I thought they were just being yes men. This thought hit me hard and had me thinking, am I just being a yes man in my own faith? Why should I even believe this story I’m sharing? I struggled greatly with these thoughts in the middle of the trip and ended up sharing it with Coach Jo, one of the team leaders for the trip. I was ready to put a wall up, anticipating that she’d try to convince me with a couple bible verses and assurance. However, she instead encouraged me that it’s healthy to question your faith and rather dig deeper - in the word of God, in books, and in my own meditation. I did exactly that, and although I didn’t have a light-switch moment, over the course of the next week an undeniable peace came over me on the whole situation. I grew deeper and genuinely interested in the word of God, and the work he’s done in the lives of my team members. That test of skepticism was a launching pad to my faith walk and pursuit of the calling God has in my life. Much like Elihu, I had a rational or set belief that fit what conventionally happens. In Elihu’s case he knew that God provides rightful justice, and therefore associated Job’s struggles with his own wrongdoing. In my case, I believed that right away the blessing of sharing the story of Christ and the joy in the lives of those I impacted would help me grow spiritually. That was not His plan. Instead, the ability to share with others broke me down spiritually, forcing me to dig at the roots of my beliefs and regrow in my walk. ​ Keeping an open mind and perspective is everything. This Mission Trip has been life-changing and quite possibly the most important experience of my life. I’m so grateful for God’s incredible plan to send me to Uganda and surround me with believers whom I now consider my closest friends and family. The joy we brought to each man, woman, and child because of Christ truly assured me that no matter where on Earth we live, we serve the same God.

My Managers on a Mission (MOAM) Summer Impact trip experience began through Twitter. I found out about MOAM because they followed me and my reaction after looking at their profile and website was “This is way too good to be true”. I applied, got accepted to attend the Summer Impact Trip to Uganda, and every part of my experience since the moment I showed up at our Summer Impact Team training was just that: way too good to be true. What God has done in providing a community of Christ centered servant leaders, within sport, to grow together in our walk with Him has been surreal. Meeting and connecting with so many other members of sports teams, all attempting to grow spiritually, left me with more energy than I ever have had before for my walk with God. I attempted to approach our team’s summer impact experience without any expectations, and just accept what God had planned for us. I never thought that his plan would include us all coming together to pull our bus out of the mud, running with hundreds of African children away from the rain, myself praying over seven more people as they chose to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and getting baptized in the Nile. The lessons that he has placed in my life through my teammates, and all the people we encountered on our journey are things I will take with me the rest of my life. Even before our trip, I knew I was in for something special just by chatting with my teammates at training. Each person on the team brought something unique to the table and had a noticeable energy towards trying to grow in their relationship with God. I thought that there was no way that I could match their passion for Christ and was unqualified to be able to go with them on this trip. However, once we all began our journey together I realized that all of us were at different points in our spiritual journeys and no one expected me to be anything but myself. Being able to share in the experiences God was putting in our lives, and how they were impacting each of us, provided me with a tight community to share my faith that I never thought I’d find. Being vulnerable and sharing my true testimony for the first time to a large group of people terrified me. However, the acceptance and outpouring of love they showed me afterwards showed me I don’t have to be afraid to be myself. I can be who I am in every moment of every day because I know that God has placed the experiences he has in my life to be able to connect with and grow with the other souls he places around me. I’m not sure what I expected from the Ugandan people that God has come to place in my life, but I can assure you it isn’t what I found. The happiness of the people here doesn’t come from any sort of materials you have brought them, or resources you have blessed them with. They are happy because you exist and are with them at that given moment of time. They have shown me an appreciation for life, and the people we get to do life with, that I have never experienced. They are far more respectful than any other people that I have encountered in my life. When we would go out and do street evangelism, even if the people we encountered didn’t accept the knowledge we were giving them, they would give us their time and listen. They appreciated us taking time out of our days to spend with them. My journey has been a little bit different than the rest of my teams due to the fact that mine is still ongoing. I am in Uganda till August 8th and God is still using the people here to continue to provide me with lessons each day. The main lesson that I have began to realize is that although my background and where I come from is so different from the people I have encountered here, we still have so much in common. Here they have grown up knowing relational blessings. In the United States we have grown up knowing material blessings. At the end of the day though, we are all people experiencing the blessings and trials that God is placing in our lives so that we may know him better, help others know him, and prepare us for eternity.

In Romans 12:2 Paul writes, “Do not conform yourself to the standards of this world but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of mind.” Inwardly. Something that happens from the inside out. Something that the human eye may not be able to see. Something that has to occur through seeing life through God’s view. From the moment I stepped foot in Uganda God opened my eyes, more importantly opened my heart, to the beauty that is found within Him. Each day my faith was transformed, I was transformed, which was not by my own accord but as a gift from Him. Identity. Strength. Purpose. Discipline. Focus. Intensity. Excellence. Selflessness. Boldness. Perseverance. Accountability. Patience. Twelve days in Uganda. Twelve lessons learned. Each morning I would read through a different set of devotionals and throughout that day God would bring them to life right before my eyes. While they all had a significant impact on me there were a few that I will carry with me for the rest of my life: identity, boldness, and purpose. My path leading up to this trip wasn’t necessarily a conventional one. There were a lot of ups and downs, back and forth, and overall feelings of uncertainty. Where I was confident in my identity as a woman of color and being an athlete, I struggled to add Christian to that mix. I felt like I didn’t measure up to other Christians and fell short in more ways than one. There were a lot of boxes I still had to check off before I could call myself a Christian. I was on again off again with my relationship with God which didn’t quite qualify me to spread His word with anyone let alone the people of Uganda. Everyone around me could spout off verses off the top of their head that fit perfectly with the current situation and I could barely remember what books were in the Gospel. Because of this I had planned to take the backseat to everyone else throughout this trip and let them take the lead. I thought it would be easy to hang out in the shadows because everyone else had so much more to offer than me. I’ve always been a perfectionist. In every aspect of my life everything had to be perfect. Or at least appear to be. If it wasn’t perfect it wasn’t for me. Praying. Journaling. Preaching. Evangelizing. Not for me. I could never put the perfect words into a prayer or write the perfect quote when journaling. I could never create the perfect message to preach or tell the perfect testimony when evangelizing. Yet God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. It is through our imperfections, our weaknesses, that God best uses us. When I began to admit my weaknesses and be content with them I allowed God to use me for his purpose. I found my voice in Uganda. And that is the greatest gift that He could ever give me. There is no greater feeling than being able to use my own experiences, the good and the bad, to spread the abundance of God’s love. For me, many of these experiences occurred through sports. And my time in Uganda made me realize that many of the lessons we learn through sports go hand in hand with the messages we see throughout the bible. Imagine my surprise when I realized I could use sport, a “perfect” area in my life, to share the word of God. Identity. Boldness, Purpose. ​ Uganda, you have opened my eyes and changed my life for the better. Initially I thought God was leading me there because you needed me but, in the end, it was I who needed you. You taught me to find the joy in every moment. You showed me how to truly appreciate the little things life. You reminded me to take a step back to admire God’s beauty that is all around us. You taught me patience. You taught me simplicity. You taught me hope. You taught me love. Uganda, from the people to the places, every part of you I will always carry with me in my heart.

Jinja, Uganda and Gulu, Uganda are two of the most beautiful places in the world. The people who live in these places are absolutely wonderful people. The landscape is beautiful and the LOVE to LIVE LIFE is special. They are caring and loving people, who are full of energy. The 2 weeks that I was able to spend in Uganda with Managers On A Mission were 2 of the best weeks I have ever had! The group we had was unbelievable. Each team member impacted me positively and challenged me to become better in my faith and in my everyday life. I look forward to keeping these relationships throughout the rest of my life. The relationships we were able to make with the school teachers and kids were so important to me and still are important to me. Their joy of living out everyday life is truly inspiring. I had a blast being able to do relay races and stations with these kids. Whenever something is not going my way, I think about them and thinking about them brings me a sense of peace and a sense of joy. As I have looked back on this trip, the experiences are something that I will cherish for the rest of my life. The reason I will cherish these moments are because of the people of Uganda and the members of the MOAM team. To anyone thinking about going on a mission trip, I highly suggest it. The things you get to experience are truly life-changing. It will help you grow, and it will show you how God is truly in all parts of the world.

My first time in Uganda was less than twelve short months ago, and by God’s grace, I found myself eating my favorite again. Posho. Okay, no. Posho is not my favorite, unless my girl Scovia is cooking it, then it’s actually delicious. But it is an important part of Ugandan culture and to think I had the ability to enjoy it once again in the country that helped shape who I am, leaves me speechless. It seems a little silly, I know, but really! This country and every piece of it has impacted me in some way. The marks Uganda has and continues to leave on my heart and my life are as deep as the red clay dirt stains on my hands and feet. Being the hands and feet of Jesus is not always easy; it’s not always pretty, planned, or put together, but the impact of my obedience is beautifully messy and reaches far beyond my knowledge. It’s bigger than me or whatever I am doing. I’m simply opening my hand and surrendering my life to pursue the life that God has intended for me. When the Lord opened the door for me to return to Uganda on a trip as an Assistant Director/Student/Mentor/however you want to name it, I was ecstatic. But this trip would prove to be very different than my trip last year, and the differences pretty challenging to me. From the outlay of the sports camps, to the places we traveled to, to the people we interacted with, I saw Uganda with fresh eyes and perspective. I remember at the beginning of the trip, I yearned to be back in the places I was last year with the people I spent three of the best weeks of my life with, but the Lord showed me that He had something very, very, special this time around. Team Uganda 2019 is a team of resilience, humor, card tricks, and serious go-with-the- flow-attitudes. This team was stuck together like glue. Experiencing Uganda with individuals who are in the same position as I back in the states was something remarkable. On the levels of relating and getting along, we just got each other. Although unique stories, backgrounds, and personalities, we all work in an industry that has taught us that “teamwork makes the dream work”, and our time in Uganda was Dream Work. This time around, the rose-colored glasses were off for me. I was seeing in real-time the hardships that Ugandans face, but I was also living amongst the strongest and hardest working individuals I have ever met. I was experiencing the joy a child experienced when they perfectly hit a volleyball or threw an American football for the first time; but in the next moment, I was experiencing a child feverishly wipe away her tears because the wounds on her legs and feet would not and could not heal because of the flies and infections that continued to prevent any type of healing. I think this time in Uganda, I had to beg the Lord to chip away at my American expectations and perceptions of ‘living well’. What material things Ugandans may lack, they make up tenfold in the love and joy they express. The ways they come around one another, supporting and helping in any way that they can for their neighbors and community.  It’s remarkable and inspiring, it’s how I want to live in my own community. Uganda has taught me so much, much more than I could ever possibly express. I think something that will always stand out to me is the fact that there is pain and brokenness no matter where you are in the world, that’s just the result of sin. But there is also beauty, restoration, and redemption wherever you are, as well. It comes in waves - missing Uganda. Some days I’m at peace with the time I was able to spend in Uganda, with the incredible and very special people we spent any amount of time with, or in the back of a giant school bus on some severely mangled roads, or even wandering around the markets, taking in the not always pleasant smells. And some days, I physically ache to be back - convinced that there is just not enough time to satisfy my desire to be there. All in all, I cannot express my gratitude towards MOAM enough, for coming alongside me during this experience, supporting me, and providing these opportunities. These two experiences in Uganda have shaped who I am an individual, and I truly believe will sharpen me as I pursue a career in the sports industry. Thank you just doesn’t seem big enough for what MOAM does for individuals through these trips, but it’s where I will begin. More Jesus, More Joy. God Bless. ​ Maggie Bullard

As I reflect on my recent trip to Uganda, I stand in awe of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Though we were only in Uganda for two weeks, it was eye-opening for me to see what can occur when one surrenders to the Lord and makes themselves available to be used by Him. My prayer every day as I walked around the soccer field next to our compound in Jinja, Uganda was I acknowledged Psalm 118:24 which says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (ESV). By praying that to start my day, I focused my attention on the Lord. Then, I would surrender myself to Him and let Him guide me through the day. These two things were vital for me because, in a distant country and new environment, it would be easy to complain about the mental and physical fatigue. I chose every day to withhold nothing from the Lord, and I believe that is why I got so much out of this trip. There were four things that I encountered on this trip, which were the Lord, my purpose, my culture, and new relationships. At first, I expected to do sports camps, while interacting with children, and that would be our goal. However, though we did do sports activities, I found myself sharing my testimony, evangelizing, and even got to preach at church in Jinja. I got to witness the power of God, which was evident in services through our song and dance with them, and that was impactful. There were no large screens, no strobe lights, and no smoke machines. It was just a piano, a music track, and open hearts who praised Jesus. Despite the language and cultural barrier, God was glorified. Next, I encountered my purpose on this trip where I felt the Lord reaffirm it. I have known that it is my purpose, through sports and evangelism, to inspire children and young adults with the Gospel, so the ability to do both simultaneously in a different country has moved me to pursue my goals even more. The chance to play soccer, give fist-bumps or high make beats with our hands, and share devotionals with them are what I will remember. Though the days seemed long, it was their smiles and laughter which motivated me to give it all I had. Then, there was the aspect of encountering my culture. While growing up African American, I was taught in school about our history which, is only acknowledged as far back to slavery and the early South as this country formed, and neither was this topic brought in my family. I took this as an opportunity to see what my African roots may be. I am not sure wheremy exact bloodline traces back to in Africa, but to step foot on the continent,  understand the people, hear the rhythms, and embrace their culture added extra value to this trip. Lastly, I will walk away with new friendships made in both the United States and in Uganda. Whether it is with my MOAM team or with Ugandan teachers and pastors, there were connections made that could be lifelong. I was concerned about staying with the same people for two weeks straight, especially since we had not gotten too much time to know each other, but thank God, we clicked right away when we first met in Minnesota, and things did not change in Uganda. We came as individuals but left as a family. I will not forget the bible studies, bus rides, and evening yoga sessions, which bonded us closer together and sharpened one another. Of course, there were little things like Coach Jo learning today’s colloquialisms like “bet” or “say less.” Then, there was Dan tapping into his hidden talents of relentless dancing. It was an honor to be surrounded by gifted individuals who exercised their gifts and grew in their faith. This trip is what I believe the kingdom of God represents. It is individuals of different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, teaming up to use their gifts to bring joy and love throughout our communities as we bring glory to God and lead people to Him. Now that this trip has ended and I adjust to my daily routine, I remind myself of the words of Dr. Seuss, “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.”  I thank God and MOAM for the opportunity to take part in this life-changing experience.

Managers on a Mission (MOAM) is pleased to announce that they have selected future leaders of sport from throughout the United States to participate in their sixth annual mission trips. This year there will be a total of 40 future leaders of sport traveling on four teams to Uganda, San Diego, Israel, and Minneapolis. The groups will start departing in June coaching youth sport camps, teaching biblical devotionals, and leading service projects. It is with great excitement that MOAM announces its 2019 Missions Teams: Summer Impact Location: Jinja, Uganda Dates: May 30-June 12, 2019 MOAM Trip Director: Seth Ralston, Director of Discipleship MOAM Assistant Director: Amber Nelson (MOAM), Maggie Bullard (Grand Canyon University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) MOAM Trip Ambassador: Joanna Hardin (University of Virginia, Softball Head Coach) MOAM Trip Leaders: Katie Wilkins (WBCA), Daniel Young (Creighton University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Future Leaders of Sport: Elisha Fronda (Ball Out Phoenix) Caitlyn Manning (Vanderbilt University, Student Manager for Football) Cowan Olinger (Miami-Ohio University, Graduate Assistant for Men's Basketball) Cullen Ecoffey  (University of Missouri, Student Manager for Women’s Basketball) Lorenz Ross (Oral Roberts University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Raegan Moore (Boston College, Graduate Assistant for Women's Basketball) N'ya Hemingway (St. John's University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Jordan Hartman (University of Pittsburgh, Student Manager for Baseball) Molly Monak (University of Cincinnati, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Summer Impact Location: San Diego, California Dates: June 6-14, 2019 MOAM Trip Director: Drew Boe, Director and Founder of MOAM MOAM Assistant Director: Mikey Carpenter, Director of Domestic Programs MOAM Trip Ambassador: Daniel McIntosh (Arizona State University), Danielle Pierce (NFLPA, Players Inc. Coordinator) MOAM Trip Leaders: Brianne Adcock (University of Akron, Administrative Assistant for Women's Basketball), Mason Peeler (NC State University, Student Manager for Football) Future Leaders of Sport: Tyler Goldberg (East Tennessee State University, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Brian Hanna (Creighton University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Cameron Reed (Auburn University, Assistant Equipment Director for Football) Thomas Landes (University of Virginia, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Tannor Kraus (University of Missouri, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Caleb Moon (Ohio State University, Student Manager for Football) Arias Limuel (Director and Founder of A+List Sports and Entertainment) De'Ja Brown (University of Tampa, Athletics Department) Michael Phy (Hudl, Elite Education Lead - Americas) Summer Impact Location: Jerusalem, Israel Dates: June 25-July 12, 2019 MOAM Trip Director: Seth Ralston, Director of Discipleship MOAM Assistant Director: Drew Boe, Director and Founder of MOAM, Mikey Carpenter, Director of Domestic Programs, Andrea Ralston (MOAM) MOAM Trip Ambassador: Mike Parson (Houston Texans, Equipment Manager), Angela Marin (University of Texas-Dallas, Associate Athletic Director) MOAM Trip Leaders: Anna Cho (University of Virginia, Director of Women's Basketball Operations), James Morrison (Trevecca Nazarene University, Assistant Coach) Future Leaders of Sport: Marcus Conrad (University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Director of Scouting for Men's Basketball) James Sherman (Texas State University, Director of Player Development) Dylan Mihalke (Iowa State Univeristy, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Bryan Peters (St. John's University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) David Brewster-Acosta (Baylor University, Fan Engagement) Ashley McGlon (Mississippi State University, Graduate Assistant for Women's Basketball) Raven Fairley (NFL) Sarah Morales (University of Texas-Dallas, Softball Assistant Coach) Jacqueline Mikula (Ohio State University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball, Social Media Intern) McKenna Kendrick (James Madison University, Director of Donor Stewardship and Special Events) Summer Impact Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Dates: July 26-August 2, 2019 MOAM Trip Director: Seth Ralston, Director of Discipleship MOAM Assistant Director: Mikey Carpenter, Director of Domestic Programs MOAM Trip Ambassador: Megan Lueck (South Dakota State University, Women's Basketball Assistant Coach), Maggie Bullard (Grand Canyon University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) MOAM Trip Leaders: Caleb Currier (University of Tennessee, Graduate Assistant for Women's Basketball), Shaaliyah Lyons (Seton Hall University, Director of Women's Basketball Operations) Future Leaders of Sport: Cameron Snyder (Kent State University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Jacob Johnson (Minnesota State University-Mankato, Athletics Department) Kyle Yost (Taylor University, Student Manager for Men's Basketball) Nick Hunt (University of Nebraska, Athletics Department) Dayvon Collins (Dallas Baptist University, Graduate Assistant for Men's Basketball) Lee Oliver (Kennesaw State University, Student Manager for Football) Joshua Shen (Baylor University, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Ashley White (University of North Carolina-Wilmington, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Karina Palacios (University of Virginia, Student Manager for Women's Basketball) Antonishia McRay (University of South Florida, Student Athlete Development)

As I nervously prepared for my first day of teaching Principle #3 “Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender” at the Rafiki Village outside of Jos, Nigeria, I came to a stark realization. The reason I was nervous had nothing to do with bringing glory to God or making a positive impact on the children and teenagers at Rafiki. It had everything to do with my own ego and insecurities. Here I was preparing to discuss the differences between walking in the spirit and walking in the flesh and I was totally consumed with my own flesh. I was nervous because I wanted the kids, who at this point we had already grown quite close with, to think I was intelligent and cool, and even, at some level, to think I was the best teacher out of our group. It was at this point that I kneeled on the floor, literally put my face on the concrete floor of my bedroom in our guest house and, with tears in my eyes, prayed to the Father asking for forgiveness for the sin in my heart and the insecurity that was dwelling inside me. The message of “Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender was an incredible lesson, but it would fall totally flat if coming from me. It would mean absolutely nothing if it came from the sinful heart of this man. It could only hold value if it came from the Holy Spirit who is living inside of any follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit was with me as I led our principle that day and the lessons of Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender seemed to have a lasting effect on the students as God used this sinful man to teach about disciplining ourselves in the relentless pursuit to walk with Christ. That lesson, this realization that Christ put in my life that morning changed my entire experience in Nigeria and has stuck with me as I’ve come back to my life in Ohio. I wish I could write about every experience I had at Rafiki over the two weeks I was blessed to be there but, like all my brothers and sisters from MOAM, that would take an endless amount of words to do. I will forget many of these things as time takes me away from those two weeks. The mindset though will never leave me and that mindset was that every conversation, every prayer, every lesson, every second that Ashton, Marea, Drew and myself had with those incredible kids was to bring glory to our Father and be a reflection of Christ’s love. “I love you” in Hausa is “Ina son ka” (ka/ki/ku depending on the context). After about nine days at the village, it was something we started hearing all the time and that we started to say back. It was in every letter that the kids gave me when I left. And it wasn’t just words to be cute or friendly. I absolutely love those Rafiki kids in Nigeria and will always have a very special place in my heart for them.  God Bless Rafiki, God Bless MOAM and God Bless my brothers and sisters in Nigeria. Adam Short To God be the Glory!

As I began to board the plane in Paris, to continue the rest of my destination back home, it began to get more surreal. This was the first flight where I separated from my team members- that’s when it got real that we were actually leaving to go home. It was so hard to control all of my emotions after leaving the village. I was so surprised I was able to control my emotions when saying goodbye to all of the kids. Coming from the kids telling us “though we meet to part, we part to meet again.” As soon as we got in the car, I began to read one of the many letters written by the kids. Tears began to roll down my face. I could not stop thinking about each and every one of them. All my heart wanted to do, was go back to that wonderful village! There are not enough words to describe how incredible, powerful and amazing this trip was. I could spend an entire day telling you about everything that happened while I was in Nigeria. Truth to be told, this trip and these kids drastically changed my life! They made me realize this is the woman I have been striving to be. I became that little girl again who wanted to serve and change the world. They say that mission trips are life changing experiences and give you a different perspective. I am here to tell you that is all true! These kids loved me and challenged my faith in ways that are indescribable. By the end of the three weeks, we were holding them accountable yet, they were holding us accountable as well. We wanted to instill in them to give 100% in all they do, to strive for their dreams and goals that God has for them and to believe in themselves. The only person that can keep them from achieving what God has in store for them is themselves. What these kids did not know is that this was something I myself was struggling with. It is so easy to let the doubts in and listen all the people telling you that you can’t achieve your goals. Not only that, it is so easy to let roadblocks get in the way such as finances, resources and so on… And think it is never going to happen. MOAM was an answered prayer for me that allowed me to achieve an ultimate dream of mine which is to go and serve. I came home with a different perspective on life. Before leaving Oklahoma, I was a nervous wreck. I thought, “I am just a college graduate preparing to teach the basics of these sports. I am not a coach.” I became coach Ashton in just three weeks. Even though there were times I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, I had to step in with confidence as if I did. Talk about being pushed out of my comfort zone! But as people say, “if you stay in your comfort zone then you cannot grow.” For so long, I let the thoughts of others determine how I would respond and act instead of believing in who I was and who God created me to be. The last day of sports, we challenged the kids to the max to show them truly how much they have in them. We finished the day with a 45 minute run after reading the story of the crucifixion. The rules were that they could run or walk but they were not permitted to talk, sit down or stop. As time drew near to a close we saw some of the team captains, which were the older boys, step up as leaders and grab the hands of others, pushing them to keep going and not give up. By the end, we saw true leadership and unity amongst all of these kids. We finished in a circle, holding hands and singing Amazing Grace. After we closed in prayer, we had some of the kids begin to cry. It was amazing to see how this team building exercise broke down walls and showed them their true capability! These kids are going to be world changers! Each and every one of them impacted me in some shape or form in just a few weeks. I can’t even begin to imagine how many lives they are going to influence! It is safe to say I am going to miss them. I am going to miss that 6:30am wake up call, holding me accountable for my morning run. I am going to miss teaching devotions and sports. I am going to miss going to a different cottage every night for devotions. These kids loved spending every moment possible with us. To now not be there with them and spend every moment with them has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to process. Before leaving, I told God that I want to come back a changed person and to make a difference in whatever the next step is that God has for me. I am glad to say that I have been blessed with a different perspective and a vision for what God wants me to do next. This week of being home ,I have been processing all I have learned and focusing on the areas I need to work on in my life. I am also praying for what it is that God wants me to do next. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and made this dream possible. Learn more about the USG Academy, Impact Weekends, or membership! If you have any questions, contact a USG staff member here!