How does a country that is 89% Christian struggle with the spread of HIV/AIDS? What are the implications of decisions made by the West on East Africa? How has the style of missionary evangelism affected modern practices of worship in Uganda? These are the questions we pose daily to American university students who have chosen to take a semester to learn the culture, customs, and conflicts that are present in modern day East Africa. Students are encouraged to risk the possibility of change – and many return to the US with new eyes and ideas about their world and the decisions they will make as future leaders of the next generation. The program is part of CCCU’s Best Semester Program (and we have our first Messiah student, Kevin Markey, this semester!) and is conducted on the campus of Uganda Christian University .

Upon my graduation from Messiah in 1997, I received a master’s degree from Boston University ’s Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation. After teaching and coaching at Eastern Mennonite University, I received an opportunity in physiology at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs , Colorado. During my time there, I met my husband who was training in the sport of triathlon, and had a passion for poverty alleviation. Following the Olympic trials, we accepted God’s call on our life to use our abilities to help those in need. God led us first to China, and then to Uganda where I am working to challenge students’ understanding as well as develop health classes for the university and local community. My role also includes curriculum development, overseeing service projects, and coordinating homestays and experiential learning trips.

My biology degree from Messiah was instrumental in preparing me for graduate school in the health field. And even more importantly, the liberal arts education I received provided me with the skills to use health sciences in light of God’s self-revelation – to think independently, critically and creatively about social and moral problems in today’s science field.