Volunteer Highlight - Makena R.

Hi!

My name is Makena, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to work alongside some truly phenomenal people doing some great work. I’ve been working with Buyamba Uganda for around 3 years, since my freshman year. Currently, I am a junior at Oaks Christian High School. Volunteering at Buyamba gives me the most joy of my day. There is a type of warm feeling I get every time I walk into the building. The work being done here at Buyamba is unmatched. Knowing that we are helping kids have a better life and helping them get to know our Lord is a feeling I cannot describe. The environment at the office is so inviting, we are like a big family. I serve by doing some routine things such as making sure everything in the office is up to par, but I also get to talk with sponsors and go through the kid’s photos, letters, and report cards. It brings me so much happiness seeing their smiling faces. Working with Julie, Melissa, and the rest of the staff has been one of the most valuable experiences in my life.

Through volunteering, not only do I get a sense of joy for service, I also have learned and continue to learn life lessons every time I’m in the office. The office has given me a safe place where I can be myself, love others, and truly do some amazing work. Julie is someone who I highly revere, and I hope to be an ounce of the person she is one day. She has the biggest heart and is so loving to everyone and everything. I have found a personal mentor in Melissa. Not only has she been an amazing superior who teaches me every time I’m there, she is also a great friend. It is the people and their huge hearts here at Buyamba which fuels this organization to thrive. Without the God-driven kindness of everyone here, it would be nowhere as successful as it is. I hope that people will see the amazing work Buyamba Uganda is doing, and that their hearts will open wide to the children of Uganda, just as mine has.

We're so thankful for our volunteers like Makena. Buyamba only has two full time paid staff members and there's more work than two can do. A lot of our work gets done by volunteers who give of their time and talents. If you're interested in volunteering with Buyamba once a month or on a regular basis, please let us know!

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