Moments

I have never been this happy, I have but it was in another county. Of course things at home make me happy: my family, my friends, community, family charades. These things have all brought me joy in the past, but this is a different kind of joy. It warms a different part of my heart (if that doesn't sound too Hallmark-ish) This past week I have felt a new part of my heart, if that makes sense. I felt thing that felt familiar, but all new. This blog is all hard to explain, very hard. I am trying to tell you that I am still in America, but my heart feels as if it is in Uganda. These children teach me new things everyday. I love them. We are all getting comfortable with each other now, learning one another. For example, last night in a host home Loyce came down stairs from her bedroom and pretended as if I called her downstairs. She did this so that she could climb in bed with me. We had to of course document the entire thing, so she took pictures on my phone.

There are so many moments throughout the past week that I have not has the chance to write about but moments that I jot down, only hoping that when I go to write about them that I can recall each moments.

Moments on the bus when I put my arm on the row of boys behind me,  my momma use to do it to me as a little girl and I remember feeling loved. I remember knowing that she loved me and that she was thinking about me. When I placed my arm back there they grabbed my hand and rubbed my arm. However, later after I turned around to talk to them they said "Auntie your arm is as white as a chicken with no feathers." I laughed because its true.

Moments with Wilber. He is a little boy who has stayed by my side since I have been here. We had just cleaned out the vans so we were resting and sitting in silence for a bit. It was nice to sit and not exchange words. He broke he silence by asking if he had school today. I told him that we had a fun day planned and he looked worried as he told me that he needed to go to school. He needed to do his work to be successful. He said "School is my future"-- he knows at the age of 14 how important school is. He knows that education is the way of life for him.

Moments when I try and teach Florence (a Ugandan chaperone who teaches the children) how to play checkers. Thinking that I am teaching her something, she beats me. BEATS me.

Moments where I may or may not be teaching the children the Macarena slowly, but surely. Three of them have it down pat-- 15 to go.  Tonight as Lindsay and I tucked the girls into bed I taught Asia the shopping cart and the q-tip. I am teaching Uganda my dance moves.

Moments when the children talk about how far away their house is from the next. The kids come from different places in Uganda, some are 9 hours away from each other, but they still talk about how they will meet up once they get back in Uganda. They say they will walk to one another or ride the bus. I can only hope that they do not lose touch.

Moments when we are staying at a host home that has a stuffed fox and the girls decided to name it Nelson, after Nelson Mandela.

Moments that we eat rice and beans for lunch and I eat it because it's good and because it takes me back to Africa.

Moments that I have with the chaperones, the ones where we talk about our past. We talk about our dreams and we encourage each other. Not knowing where each of us will go in three months when the tour is over, but we still start a friendship that will last a lifetime.

Moments that I learn ballet with the girls at a host home and make a complete fool of myself, but they love it. 

These moments are all too familiar with moments you have on the mission field. Moments when you hold hands the first time with an orphan. Moments where you see your first village in the bush. Moments where you take your first van ride in Uganda. Moments were you first have fresh pineapple juice. Moments where you get baptized in the Nile River. When you hang your first mosquito net. When you watch a child get a brand new pair of shoes. When you strap that first baby one your back. All of these moments will happen in July for my team. Most of them have never been on a mission trip and I cannot wait to sit on the floor and decompress after each day. To hear their raw emotions. Emotions that make them feel like they can't breathe. I cannot wait for their lives to be changed.

I cannot tell you why I am on this trip for the next 3 months or what I will do when I have to say goodbye to these children. Or how I will handle going to their country and not getting to see every face that I kissed goodnight for the past four months. I do not have any of the answers, but I do know that I am here because this is where I am supposed to be right now. I am supposed to be afraid to tell them 'goodbye.' I am supposed to cry to myself when they tell me certain stores about their life. I am supposed to feel like a 'mom' when I tuck them in at night. And I am supposed to learn from them, because they are such great teachers.

While I am on the road I cannot fundraise, the only way to get money for myself is to 100% rely on donations. This is a big step for me especially being that I love to fundraise. This is a step of faith- the entire next 4 months will be me stepping out in faith. I am ready to be back in the place my heart longs to be, on the red clay of Uganda. However, I cannot do this without you guys. I cannot lead a trip. I cannot help people process their 'first moments,' until my trip is paid for. I am needing your help, bad. I have to have nearly $2,000 by April 5th. If you click on the link below it will get you to the page to donate. Thank you in advance. Thank you for believing in me and for reading my blogs.


http://www.gofundme.com/callietakesuganda

Here is to life, to learning and to loving.