Last night as our girls ran through a field eating ice cream, I knew I wouldn't change my life for anything. That thought still remains. I always ask "if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be" my first response is always something far away. However, if you asked me the question today, I would say I want to stay right where I am. I have never felt this much joy at one time.
Today started our vacation, we officially have one week off. When we showed up to the house I could tell this would be such a great week. The family is so welcoming, the house is big and the land is massive. We unloaded our bags into our rooms- 10 girls cots in one room and 8 boys cots in the other room and chaperones spread out through the house. We had lunch outside because the weather today is 100% Spring weather. The kids grabbed kites and I grabbed my hammock. There were so many 'movie moment,' however, I've only had my camera out a little today-- simply because I want to embrace each moment thrown at me. Moments where my heart feels like it will explode. When Martin is building a flying toy with an American boy and he is so excited to show it. When I am watching Misty teach Loyce how to crochet. When Wilber is ready to show me his pool skills, but he misses the shot and laughs it off. There are too many moments to list, honestly.
My favorite moment today: when I hung my hammock Brenda A. followed me out. She jumped in the hammock right beside me and as we sat there with no distractions, she taught me a song in her language. I wanted to pick up my phone and record it, but my storage is full. Jesus knew it would be. He was telling me to enjoy the moment. We both giggled, we talked about what we wanted to be when we grew up and then she threatened to beat Auntie Lindsay and I when we talked about getting our hair cut.
A little bit later I had another hammock buddy, this time it was Innocent. As we rocked back and forth I asked him to tell me his testimony. He started by saying that his parents split when he was just 3 years old. He knew that his dad didn't want him and that his mother couldn't afford him. That is why he still lives with his Grandmother and she still struggles to pay for his food. Innocent is from Gulu. Gulu is where Invisible Children takes place. Its where Joseph Kony goes in and abducts children, just to do it. Its where child brides and child soldiers are a real thing. I knew this was true because I had seen the documentary and been an advocate for such a long time-- but I didn't know that I would ever get to hear stories first hand. As Innocent told me his testimony, I asked him if he had ever heard of Invisible Children, he smiled and said, "yes I have, I pass by their office in Gulu." I asked him if they were good or bad people, because of the bad rep they had in America (which I think is completely absurd) his response "They are good people, they are there to help. They help children who don't have voices." I was relived and oh so excited to hear something wonderful about the organization in Uganda. As he continued to talk about IC, he told me about Kony. He says that he had never seen him face to face, but that his cousin was murder by him. She was killed for no reason. He told me that he was happy to live in the city of Gulu and not in the Jungle, because if he lived in the Jungle he wouldn't be in America. He would be taken. After he told me all about Invisible Children. I told him that I use to help with the cause. I told him that if it wasn't for Gulu I wouldn't be sitting in a hammock with him now. He asked why I'd never been to Gulu. I didn't have an answer. I always only go to Kampla and Jinja. I hope that changes soon.
Today, as I look around at these children. It is easy to be distracted, to think about saying 'goodbye' or to imagine how they will readjust once they get back home, but instead I am going to embrace each moment here. I am going embrace the fact that I have not heard one moment of silence since I woke up this morning. I am going to embrace the fact that if the piano downstairs isn't being banged on, then the drums in the room over are. I am going to embrace the huge pots of Ugandan food being cooked downstairs, the random dance moves around the house. Leaving the room and coming back to find wildflowers on my computer, the giggles from every room of the house. I am not going to worry about where I will be going when I get home because that will be taken care of when the time comes.
If someone would have told me last year that I would be in North Carolina on tour with a choir from Uganda, I would have laughed in their face.
I do not know what this week will hold. I just know that my 'job' this week is to interview each child for a video. -- Expect more blogs, lots of blogs.
Today, as I look around at these children. It is easy to be distracted, to think about saying 'goodbye' or to imagine how they will readjust once they get back home, but instead I am going to embrace each moment here. I am going embrace the fact that I have not heard one moment of silence since I woke up this morning. I am going to embrace the fact that if the piano downstairs isn't being banged on, then the drums in the room over are. I am going to embrace the huge pots of Ugandan food being cooked downstairs, the random dance moves around the house. Leaving the room and coming back to find wildflowers on my computer, the giggles from every room of the house. I am not going to worry about where I will be going when I get home because that will be taken care of when the time comes.
If someone would have told me last year that I would be in North Carolina on tour with a choir from Uganda, I would have laughed in their face.
I do not know what this week will hold. I just know that my 'job' this week is to interview each child for a video. -- Expect more blogs, lots of blogs.
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