the best hammock date, yet

I'm currently sitting on a back porch in North Carolina. Children are running everywhere, Ugandan food is being cooked in the kitchen, every window in the house is open and guitars are being played while they sing "How He Loves" --

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. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dLW_SDid2c

New Adventures.

I'm laying on a church pew in North Carolina waiting for our morning worship to start. Today marks the halfway mark on tour, we officially only have three months left. Being that I have only been here 23 days, this isn't as much as a deal for me as it is the other chaperones. Sure, I cry every time I watch them perform. I cry when I think about saying goodbye, but I can't let the idea of saying goodbye to these babes hold me back from living in the moment. 

As you know I am leading a trip to Uganda in July, I will be home from tour for 5 days and then I gather my team and load onto an airplane. My trip with Visiting Orphans will last until the 16th. However, Darya (a chaperone alongside of me on this tour) and I will be staying behind for two more weeks. We will get to see how this ministry works, firsthand. We will go to the ARM (Africa Renewal Ministries) office to see how things are ran. We will also be going to the Mwangza House to meet the new children who will be traveling to the states on the next tour. Not sure what all we will be doing, we know that we will get to see some of our kiddos while we are there, at their homes. 

Last night as Loyce took her bubble bath, she asked me if I had brothers. When I told her no, she told me that I could have one of hers. She has 4 brothers and one little sister.  She told me all about her farm life. Her parents have crops and she has sheep. She told me that she lived in the same village as Auntie Florence, which is a village we will be visiting. 

I cannot wait to see Loyce in Uganda. I cannot wait to meet her family and see her pet sheep. This journey will be a long one. Coming home from this long tour and heading into new adventures overseas. Saying my goodbyes will be the hardest thing I've ever done im sure, but when Jesus places passion He places love. I know that these kids love me and I love them. We will not forget each other and as they say "if I do not see you again on earth, I will see you in heaven"-- 

Details of my trip in Uganda are being finalized. This does not change the price of my trip, I am just needing the money a tiny bit more. 

This life isn't mine, if it was if be home watching Netflix. 

http://www.gofundme.com/callietakesuganda

To Jordan.

If I were in Dothan tonight Id be making a list of things that have to be completed tomorrow for serving at the Resuce Mission. About 8 months ago, 4 friends sat in an apartment with a dream to start an outreach program for the church. Through a lot of trial and error we found a place to serve, a place to plug in-- The Dothan Rescue Mission. We served there one Thursday night and had a ton of volunteers, they all seemed to love it. So we put ourselves on the calendar for the 4th Thursday of every month. With this commitment, a lot goes on. You need volunteers, food, music and a speaker. When a church serves at the Rescue Mission they also do chapel. Which is a time when someone speaks and then we stay behind to pray for anyone who needs it. I remember the first time I had to ask someone to speak, its funny to see how people respond, I remember when I was asked to speak the first time-- I nearly threw up from the nerves, but I pushed through and Jesus completely spoke through me. I remember asking my friend Karl to speak and sitting on the front row smiling ear to ear while he stepped a tiny bit more into his calling. With this job I have been told no, I have been told yes and then people back out, I've had people serve alongside of me who don't believe in the same Jesus I do, but they know how to love and that's why they are there.

I remember exactly where we were when the ball started rolling on the "big night" -- Pizza Hut, with 4 of my friends. We'd just got done serving and we sat around the table and talked about doing something different- we decided to do a formal. This was an idea I just knew wouldn't happen, it would be too much, but I dreamed about it with them of course. Little did I know that the next week I would have a notebook making list of every single little thing that needed to be done. Throughout the month I tried planning food, music and exactly what this would look like. Jordan and I worked together to pull some strings and the college was doing their hair and make up  for free, the thrift store was letting them pick out an outfit for free, nurseries donated flowers and I had teams of people willing and wanting to help. 

The day arrived and my notebook stayed in my hand the entire time. I woke up nervous, I always do on big days (here's to my wedding day where I walk down the aisle holding a bright yellow notepad) I got dressed and headed to the church to meet the drivers- these people would help transport the people to get their hair done at the college. 

The details of this day could go on forever, I will try and give you an idea and let the video speak for itself. 

The day was everything it could have been and more. People who lived in the homeless shelter looked at themselves completely dressed up and cried. Some men walked up to me after and said "it just feels nice to look this nice." Instead of the residents having to line up and get their own plate, we served them like they were at a real formal. There were black curtains hanging from the walls and string lights to make it look like a new place. We had a jazz band play while they ate. Before the food was served  I walked out to the front and let them know what the night was about. It was about letting them know that they are worth it. That the way they see themselves right now is how Jesus seems them daily. How pretty they feel right now is how Jesus views them. I told them to pretend they were on vacation, eating at a nice restaurant. I asked them to try and get to know someone they didn't know yet. We didn't have a speaker because I wanted them to know that Jesus loved them and I wanted them to feel good about themselves. 

As the night ended I got pictures of their joy, the ladies giggling and all of the residents coming together for a picture of their special night. I told them bye and that I would miss them, but I told them that I didn't want to see them their when I got home. I wanted to know they had moved on from the homeless shelter. I miss them. 

Tomorrow night my best friend, Jordan will get to speak to them. Tomorrow is not just a normal day for her its also her Aunt Nenow's birthday and for those of you who know Jordan's story you know that her aunt meant the world to her. She passed away form cancer a couple months back. Tomorrow, Jordan gets to tell them her story, which will impact their lives. She will be able to connect to them in a way I never could. I want to be there so bad, I want to be sitting on the front row grinning like I did when Karl preached the first time.  I won't be there in person but I am there in spirit, grinning ear to ear in the front row sitting with the table of girls. I know that tomorrow will go so smooth, I know that it will be perfect because Jesus has it.

Here is a small video from the night of the formal. There is a longer one coming soon thank you Brandon for videoing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rg_6vnjlv0&feature=youtu.be

&& to my best friend. I miss you and I am so thankful for you. You will do great tomorrow night. I know you will. I love you so much.  Speak from your heart, tell your story. Jesus will do the rest, promise.