my kids are the best

Today was a really good day with my kids at school. They have been practicing their traditional dances and they wanted to perform them for me. So they sang and played the drums and danced (they are incredible dancers). They were so cute and it made me feel very special that they had practiced so much:

I just realized that I hadn't given anyone proof that I was alive, so here is a picture of my with some of my children. They go crazy every morning when I show up and touch my hair and arms because I have hair on my arms and they don't. They are also fascinated by my blue veins:

I am interested in what the lives of my kids are like at home, since most of them are orphans living with other relatives or with only one parent because the other has died of AIDS, so over the next few weeks I will be making home visits and compiling records of each childs' situation. Also, I just found out that a lot of the children have not been tested for HIV even though most of their parents have it, so I am working on organizing a testing day for the kids and their guardians. This will cost about 100 dollars, but it is worth it for these children. Please pray that this all works out and that God will continue to give me the energy to love these kids as much as I can everyday.

Life is so simple here. Most of the afternoons I just sit around and talk with the other volunteers. I must remember to sit down and just spend time talking with the people around me when I get back.

I love you all and miss you too,

Hannah

life in kampala

So I am starting to get into the daily routine of things. Today I saw my kids that I will be teaching. There are about 60 of them and every single one of them is adorable; I know that I will miss them when I have to leave them. They are learning English but they do not speak it very well since this is a school for kids whose parents have AIDS so they cannot afford to go to regular school.

At first I had a hard time adjusting to life here because they way that we live is similar to the Ugandans. We live in a small flat and use a latrine for the bathroom and buckets to wash in, but our situation is still a lot better than a majority of the Ugandans. But God has really come through for me so thank you for praying for me. Two verses that he has given to me that are going to guide and get me through this are Joshua 1:9 and James 1:2-5.

I have realized that while it may seem that these people are missing a lot in their lives and while they may not have a lot, they definitely have God on their side and there are so many beautiful things that these people are able to be a part of. I am also encouraged that I am at the center of God's work here. It reminds me of a poem in Erwin McManus's book "Seizing your Divine Moment." It is called Epicenter:

Do not stand in the center if you do not wish to be shaken. There is always danger when the movement comes. Its force is most powerful underneath the surface, then breaks through the hardest of ground. Epic change moves from the inside out.

God is doing some epic changes on me. Also I realized how important a role I am being allowed to play in these kids' lives. See, these kids only get to play and be kids and do children things when they come to the Wolicami Center. Because then when they go home they have to take care of their parents or carry water or just do things around the house. They do not really get to play and they do not really get held or loved. So it is my job just to play with them and show them how to be kids and show them that they are loved.

Please pray that I will have creative ideas of things to do with the children and that God will continue to show me where he is at work here. Also, as you pray and think about me remember the power of love. God has shown me how powerful love can be.

There are so many little ways that we can bring love to people. Ways that may seem miniscule but they have massive effects.

Also, call your parents and tell them that you love them because a lot of the kids here dont have parents and they tell me how lucky i am. And parents be sure to love your kids and be thankful for them and thankful that you are here to love them because a lot of kids here dont get loved.

i love you all,

hannah marie

I have finally arrived in Uganda...

I have arrived in Uganda safely. Life here is so different. Pray for me because I am definitely going through culture shock and need your prayers to get through this. Everyone is so nice but this is for sure not western culture. My eyes have already been so open to the real situation here. This is a picture of our living room and fridge:

This is where we throw away trash; it is our deck:This is a picture of my bed, which will have a mosquito net around it tonight:

This is our kitchen, there is a lady named Ester that cooks for us and she is our Ugandan mom, but I have yet to meet her:

The picture above is from the deck of our compound and the building with 5 doors is where we go to the bathroom.

This is a picture of the other houses from my deck:

I am just getting used to everything so please pray for my adjustments and so far I'm not sick!

over 24 hours on a plane coming soon

I leave next Thursday June 14th at 2pm for Uganda. I will arrive in the Entebbe airport at 10:05pm the next day. Since I will be arriving so late I will have to stay at a hotel for the night, then I will be picked up by some people from the Global Volunteer Network in the morning. They will show me around and introduce me to everyone I will need to know.

I asked Amanda, the girl who was working at the same clinic that I will be working at, if she had any advice for me and here was her thoughtful response:

"Empty your plate of all expectations, relax, let it all sink in, walk slow,take your watch off, embrace the culutre in every way you can, talk to Ugandans all day everyday, walk everywhere, you'll never want that red african dirt off your shoes; those are some simple things."

I am so excited about this adventure and experience. But I will not make through these next 6 weeks without everyone's prayers. Please pray for my travel, for my health, and for the people that I will meet - that God will help me to love them and that God will show me how to create more glimpses of Heaven and beauty while I am around those people.