Hello from Detroit

Hello everyone!

We have begun our journey to Uganda and are currently in the Detroit airport waiting for our next flight! The past two days have been packed full of great time to prepare together and get to know one another. On Wednesday night we started with a meeting with all of the Messiah athletes who will
be going on trips over the next couple weeks. There will be trips to Algeria, South Korea, Argentina and, of course, Uganda. We are so excited to be part of what AROMA is doing this summer!

We started off our morning with a cross run, reflecting on Jesus by carrying crosses in groups around campus with checkpoints along the way. The physical aspect of this experience added meaning, especially for us as athletes. Then, we took part in a demonstration from a Sawyer Products representative. She showed us the products Sawyer would be giving us, including sunscreen, bug repellant, and water filters. We also learned how to assemble 5 gallon water filters, which will be distributed while we are in Uganda and received our own mini filters! Later, we had a delicious lunch provided by Casey Stone and Nancy Luley. After lunch we had a meeting and talked about short term missions with Aaron Faro. We discussed the benefits and drawbacks of short term missions and discussed what our goals for the trips will be. There was another meeting later that afternoon when we talked about our testimonies and were given time to think through ours and prepare for sharing them on the trip. We then went to the wonderfully amazing White's house-- not to be confused with the White House, though it was just as nice. We played some yard games and ate an amazing dinner of chicken, macaroni and cheese, watermelon, and chocolate chip cookies! It was a great send-out meal. Then some group members shared their amazing testimonies. Finally, we headed back to school and had a send-off ceremony with all of the trips that are heading out today. We each held sticks of lit incense as we walked by the creek and prayed for our trips, that we would be the "aroma of Christ" as we head to our destinations around the world.

This morning we packed up and left Messah at 10am to go to the Harrisburg airport. Our first flight was smooth and we are currently in Detroit about to listen to some more amazing testimonies!



Love,
AROMA Uganda 2016
(Kayla)