Unexpected Expectations
by Lisa Beiderwieden
Manager of Marketing & Operations
While I was packing for my first trip to Uganda to meet our team in April, it seems I not only packed a lot of clothes and gifts (which didn’t arrive with me, #thanksKLM), but plenty of expectations too.
Maybe you do that too eh? Gather expectations as you prepare for something big?
And it seems the moment you have an expectation, instantly there’s something to measure the reality against. When the story actually happens, we decide if it’s above, below, or meets the imagination.
I expected a lot for that trip, but I really didn’t expect that it would be so uncomfortable to walk with a family as they made their daily trek to the swamp for water.
The biggest challenge for me was knowing that as hard as it was (and believe me, it was hard), I would be able to carry on with my day shortly after. This family will soon receive water, and they were super grateful for us visiting, but it still felt like tourism. It was a hard one to wrap my head – and heart – around.
There are no quick answers here, but I know part of it comes back to using our privilege to inspire others to do the same: work and live for good.
Later that night, when I eventually connected to WiFi (a privilege), I was thrilled to see a young boy named James in Canada had decided to share his “privilege of having clean water and good sanitation with many families in Uganda”. He’s raised $1,200! This to me summarized it perfectly.
Imagine, an 11 year old in Canada giving up presents so kids like him – like the ones I walked with – could have clean water! This is the type of community I’m so glad to be a part of: one who walks alongside others for the long haul.
My ask for you today is to consider pledging your birthday (or special day) this year so kids like Elijah whom I walked with can have many more happy birthdays. It’s one of the best ways to help us grow, and ensure more families receive clean water for life.
Thanks for walking with us.
PS. James blew our expectations out of the water by pledging his 11th birthday and raising over $1,200!! Would you consider pledging your special day this year too? Visit https://acts.ca/birthdays/ to get started.
PPS. Our team is looking to fill a part-time Marketing & Media position. If THIS description fits you or someone you know, please share it around!