THE LORD HAS A PLAN FOR EVERYONE

Over the last few days of my being in Uganda I have suffered huge culture shock. I wasn’t sleeping (jet leg), was missing home, dwelling on my old life back in Canada, and wasn’t really fitting in with this new place. Then on Tuesday my mom, Savannah and I went to the Sanyu Babies home to set up times to volunteer throughout the week. It was during the tour of the place that I realized why I hadn’t been able to let go of my old life. I had been caught up in myself. All I was thinking about was what I didn’t have in my life anymore and I wasn’t thinking about all of the new things that I now have; like the opportunity to love and care for those who have never felt loved in their life. The sanyu babies home has children from newborn-4yrs. Old. We were shown the different rooms. Then we were taken back to where the 4month- 1yr. olds stay and were told that we could hold them if we wanted. I was timid at first but seeing the little babies jusy lying in their cribs, I went over to little James and picked him up. He is the happiest little guy you will ever meet. He has adorable little cross eyes, and the biggest smile a baby could ever have! Holding and seeing all of these little children I truly felt gods love for all of his children here on this earth.

After this experience I now understand more fully that God really does have an individual plan for every single person on this planet. So many people come to Africa, everyone trying to help in a different way, shape and form. After visiting and holding little James, I realized why I am here in Africa. I grew up knowing the love of having a mother who loves and cares for me and I want to bring love to the children who have been abandoned by their families for different reasons. I look forward to our days spent working with the children and staff there.

TO MARKET WE GO

Saturday afternoon, Eleanor took Savannah and I to the market with her… I definitely thought that I wasn’t going to make it back home! First off the people here drive absolutely crazy! Back in the small town of Sidney if your walking on the side of the road and a car comes along they usually move over at least 5 feet away from you….NOT HERE! It’s as if people here try and see how close they can get to you before they knock you off your feet! We had to cross the street a few times as well and pretty much what you do is wait until there is a small gap and then just start walking, the cars will not stop so if your in their way you better move! It’s not just cars though; you also have to watch for bikers and boda boda’s zipping past you.

We did make it back though and I am quite content to never go near the market again. Maybe one day the market won’t seem so scary but for now I’m gonna keep my distance….

WE MADE IT

We made it…some 30 something hours later! Flying into Uganda was beautiful. From way up high in the sky all you saw was green everywhere! Most people put Africa and a hot desert together but not here! It is so beautiful and tropical and the weather is just perfect! It is a very weird feeling knowing that I am finally here. It still doesn’t seem real to me….

Our house that we will be living in wont be ready for a few days so a very generous and kind family here have given us all a place to stay and it is so nice to have a nice to finally be settled in. At the home were staying at the family runs a primary school right on their property so we arrived to see lots of smiling children in their bright yellow uniform running around happily J When they first see us they just stare but the second you wave and smile their little faces just light right up and you can see their personality shine right through!

I also had the experience of driving in Uganda today….Let’s just say that I felt like I was going to die! It was kinda fun though, although only a few of us had seatbelts and they didn’t really do much haha but zipping through those strees is CRAZY! You have people running in front of you Boda boda’s (motorbike\scooters) EVERYWHERE trying to cram into the tiniest place it’s a zoo! I have no idea how Corey knew where we were going but we did end up safe in a home at last! A funny story that happened, we were driving and we turn down this road and some police pull us over and apparently it was a one way road reserved for only presidents…and another car exactly in front of us had done the same thing so we pull over and realize that the car in front of us is Mzungus as well haha! All of us crazy white people turning down the wrong road at the same time oh dear….

That’s all for today :D 

ALMOST THERE

Hello World!

We made it though our first long plane ride! It is Thursday morning (10am) back home in Victoria and here in the Heathrow, England airport it is 6pm Thursday night…trying to get all these times figured out is really confusing! Even though we have a very long layover here in the airport it has gone by surprisingly fast. We are all running on 3 hrs of sleep or less and I am really looking forward to hopefully getting some sleep on our next plane….but so far no luck. When we arrived at the airport I went into the washrooms to brush my teeth and attempt to make myself look presentable…but man when I looked in the mirror YIKES! Traveling does not look good on me haha. Just imagine someone who has been traveling for 24hrs, has gotten 2 hours of sleep and has not showered….yes it really is that amazing!

It felt weird flying into England because it has always been a big dream of mine to travel here…I did get to spend 5 pounds in a souvenir shop here but it feels so weird thinking that Im in England! So close…yet so far away! 

Well one more long ride through the night and then I will finally be in Africa! I will admit though that I feel like I will never feel truly clean again...All I want to do is hop into a nice warm shower with unlimited water and then throw on some comfy pajama’s and hop into a nice cozy bed! WELL so much for that plan….who knows where I will be sleeping when we get there but I guess that’s all part of the adventure…? 

Here we come Africa!

- Emma

THE END IS JUST THE BEGINNING

I write my first post on this blog from the comfort of my very empty house. It is 10pm at night and I am so emotionally exhausted from the craziness of the past 3 days that sleeping seems like a dream! For 2 months I have known that we would be moving to Uganda, Africa but not until yesterday when I had to say my first good-bye did it really hit me that Im moving! I spent my last few weeks here working and packing so the time went by very fast and I didn't have much time to sit and think.

Tomorrow will probably be one of the hardest days in my life. My morning will start very early where I have to say good-bye to all of my dear friends which I am very much dreading ( I hate good-byes). Then Im hoping that the morning flies by with last minute errands and packing...Then comes the dreaded moment. Saying goodbye to my grandparents who have been my neighbour for the past 5 years. Having my grandparents so close has really created a strong relationship between us and I know that saying good-bye will be hard. But thanks to technology these days we can skype and phone whenever we feel like it! I heard a saying once that said something along the lines of: Look at good-byes not as sad or depressing but be thankful that you have been blessed with so many wonderful people in your life that it hurts to not have them around. I am so grateful for all of my loved ones in my life and I look at this experience not as the end of one adventure but the beginning of another one :)

I will write more tomorrow....but until then lets see if I can make it through one emotional roller coaster tomorrow!