Travel. A Disappearing Memory.

I've been reflecting a lot lately on my travels and travel in general.
One thing that is hard for me to understand is how it is possible to be somewhere, living it up, exploring, serving, totally emerged in the moment and then, it's gone.
A day passes, a week, and it feels as a balloon floating further and further away. Sometimes it feels like the trip never happened. You come back, get into the swing of things, and it's back to the daily grind.
But, it did happen. You were there. You lived it. So why do the memories seem so distant?
When I travel I try to find the balance between taking pictures to help keep my memories and being there in full. That can be hard at times. I so wish I could have a perfect memory right now and truly remember every trip, person, and experience but for now I rely on my journal and photos.
Anyway, I think time is a trippy thing. It plays with your mind.
I also think that is why travel is so luring. You go, it fades, you need to go again. Dare I compare it to a high? A fix?
Those who travel know.
Time.
So weird.

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Africa: Final Thoughts

From the words of those on my trip:

"I woke up surrounded by the orphans, as they had piled on the mattresses and blankets Matt, Carolyn, and I laid out for them for sleeping the night before. The oldest ones of the 60 were already up and gone, but all the little ones still laid there soundly sleeping together as the 6:30am Ugandan sunrise started to seep into the mud and brick building we built for them last year. No one puts them to sleep or makes sure they've been tucked in; they grow up resilient and taking care of each other the best they can, but life is different and difficult when there's almost no adults. I get up and see the morning start to turn into day as the heat of the African sun starts to peak over the mountain tops surrounding the school we're constructing and orphanage home. Some of the orphans are with one of the few teachers who has come to help get the porridge ready for breakfast, some are washing their clothes by hand. Most of the children only have their school uniform and one other outfit making laundry a difficult and constant job. Then a little girl sees I'm awake and runs to me, giving me a hug and a proud smile and says, "Mai Suzi your water is ready". One of them had gone down the mountain to get me water so I could take a bucket shower. As I stood in a makeshift latrine turned shower with a heavy bucket of water than a 9 year old had gone alone and gotten for me, I felt incredibly humbled and recommitted to help those placed in my path. What a beautiful place full of laughter and joy and hardship and quiet struggles and optimism. There are places I've stood that I will remember and feel changed forever by and this place is one of them. We are $1,400 short of our first fundraiser to work on income generating projects and classrooms for these beautiful babes." -suzanne

"The word "Refugee" has so much more depth and meaning to me after getting a chance to spend a brief moment in a community of Refugees in Uganda. Their stories and situations are one that no one should have to face in a life time and I find myself laying awake in bed thinking about what I can do to help. This little boy stole my ❤️as he was standing in a crowd of refugees patiently waiting our arrival. Witnessing such a magnitude of poverty can feel discouraging at times...how can a mother of three young children at home be able to make the slightest difference in people living across the globe? That night I had a dream (I am blaming the malaria pills) and saw myself helping the local refugees who have been relocated to my community from different parts of the world. I got to know them on a personal level and we became friends during a time of transition in their life that can be so isolating. I realized I CAN make an impact daily and am determined to find more ways of getting my family involved. #theugandaproject #dogood #lighttheworld #livetolove #refugees" -Cristi

"Double post cause procrastinating homework and there have been lots of feelings today/promise this is the last Africa post for a while: There was one day where we were riding in the bus after we'd gotten done with a few projects and I just thought, "Screw it. There's so much poverty. There's so much work here to do. We're not even putting a drop in the bucket. There's no way we can help everyone here." Blah blah blah complaints. Then a thought popped in my mind that was basically, "Ya you're right. You're not gonna save everyone. That's been taken care of by Someone a long time ago. But you can help one person. And that one person can help someone else. You're not here to save the world, you're here to change someone's life in a little way and hopefully start a ripple. So stop crying and get out there and serve better, even if it's just for the one. Cause heavens knows Jesus would have suffered everything he did, would have felt everything he felt, and would done everything he did, even if it was just for the one. Even if it was just for you." So while my time in Uganda was short and I'm nowhere near an expert on creating change, I just wanna say that I know it's possible. I saw so many people on that trip work and serve and love on levels that I hope to achieve one day. I felt God's individual love for the people out there. I learned that God doesn't want us to do everything for everyone; just to do what we can for who we can. Happy Sunday🙏🏼" -Brytaney

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Africa: The Journey Home

The next two days, yes, TWO DAYS, are dedicated to getting me home. And we thought the journey here was rough. However, as exhausted, cranky, and upset as I was on the way here, I would totally do it again for the experience. And I thought I was done with big travel. Ha! I will however stay committed to paying more to shorten the journey.
Thinking about the next 41 hours makes me want to cry. Probably because I've been going for 10 days now with limited sleep, cold showers, and carb loaded food that comes on its own schedule. My body is in so much pain right now. Spending countless hours trying to sleep on buses in odd positions and on weird mattresses with a travel neck pillow... wow it hurts. However, as I think of the pain in my body I'm immediately humbled by the pain in all the children I saw. At least I had a pillow and mattress. It's hard to keep perspective when we live where we do.
Anyway, I arrive to the airport at 7am in the van. As we pull in I have to get out of the car while it is searched and walk through a metal detector on the side of the road. Then I get back in the car and proceed to the drop off.
Now I'm on my own.
I enter the airport and get into a huge line but there is no Kenya Airways check in... it's not like I missed it, there are maybe 4 check in counters. I ask around and learn that Kenya Airways had a crash last night so all flights were stopped. People from yesterday's flights are all still waiting so they haven't even bothered to open the check in counters. After about an hour they begin to check people in. No word on what to do about the flight. I checked in at 9:10, my flight was to leave at 9. Okay. I walk into the very tiny airport and look at the monitor: the flight isn't even listed. I find a man who tells me to go to gate 2. Ok. Through security, and sit. A man tells me the flight will arrive soon. I then learn from a lady that she has been here since 5pm yesterday!
I decide to leave the waiting room and attempt to make change to take bills home to my kids. It works nicely here bc they have small bills: 1,000 shillings is like 30 cents.
So I begin the process starting with 20,000 I buy a water and ask for small change. Shortly I realize that 1. Not many people have change and 2. There aren't enough cheap things for me to buy to make enough change.
I decided to hit every single store and try for small bills. It took about 40 minutes and a lot of begging and being turned down before I had 25 small bills. That last one was hard to find but I couldn't leave just one kid hanging.
By the way this is the first trip where absolutely no shopping happened and I loved that. I only bring back money from places I travel anyway: seems like a good investment.
After this I went back through security to the waiting area. Guess what? I'm finally on the plane. It's 11:30.
when I was preparing for the Kenya layover I was feeling really unsettled about it and promptings that I couldn't fully understand so I decided to wait until arriving in Kenya before booking a hotel or safari etc and boy I'm glad I listened! I wouldnhave been sad if I had paid a ton of money for safari or hotel and then didn't get to Kenya until... well... I'm not sure when we will get there.
Over and out.
Next stop: Kenya.

I made it to Kenya. I killed awhile walking around familiarizing myself with the airport and finding internet. I decided I was too tired, uncomfortable, and uneasy to leave the airport with only 6-7 hours. I found a place with air and tried to get comfy. Problem is they were hard seats with gaps inbetween so my hips got stuck. I think that my neck has something pulled in it. So painful. Maybe I already said that, it's been a long day. So I made myself comfy and started to play around on the internet. Bought a pair of jeans with some cyber Monday deals. Then lucky for me MK had a long bus ride to some ancient temple of sacrifice in Mexico so we chatted three hours away. That was a blessing in itself. However, during our chat the man pictured above really freaked me out. He just appeared above my face and started to chat but I couldn't understand a word he said. At one point he grabbed my leg. I think he was drunk. Then he said something about me being here all day and why I was still there and he had seen me. After mumbling I got the word glass. He wanted a glass and came back with one full of brown liquid and he wanted me to drink it. Um no way I'm getting roofied in the airport. Problem is I try to have manners and be nice but in situations like these it's okay to be mean. I did a pretend phone call and left. Pretty sure I actually left MK a message but who knows. I killed a bunch more hours. Ate a banana, I'm hungry. I think that's all I've had today but it was a banana or

Which is apparently Carl's Jr. and I don't eat that so yeah. Then I ran into creepy man again. Thank goodness for women's bathrooms. Just another great reason to have gender. Finally it came time To go to the gate. They do security weird here. You have to go through twice as if something bad will happen in the airport. They took away my water bottle. Lame. At 8:40 when the plane was to leave we began boarding.
10.5 hours here we go.
Next stop: dar salaam or something and then off to Zurich. I hope we aren't too late as I do plan to leave the airport in Zurich!
I might be back in a few hours if I start to lose it. Until then. Ciao.

It has been 10.5 hours. A screaming child. Seats that are in your lap. Knee and neck pain. I slept for a combined 2 hours of head nodding.
The sickness is starting to set in and I've been up for 26 hours. And the day before slept for a broken few hours in a bus.
I'm so tired.
Time for landing.
all I want to do is curl up on the floor and sleep but how many times are you in Zurich?
Praying I can hold myself together for a few hours.

It's gorgeous here! I forgot how much I love Europe! The cobblestone streets, the churches, the architecture and the food! However it is 20 degrees. I have leggings and a zip up like yoga hoodie. Freezing. I didn't last long but my tour of old town Zurich was beautiful. I ended up in a book store with a $10 cup of hot chocolate, which I don't even like, but coming from 80-90 degree weather to this and I'm freezing my tush off. This is a great place for a stop over by the way. The train to downtown is literally in the airport. It's only 15 minutes away so even if your layover is short you can visit Zurich for a bit. Took me about 40 min though to figure out how to get back to the airport. The train station is massive. I also look homeless. So there's that. Europe! I must come back for you! Just love this continent!
Also talk about a stark contrast from Uganda. Red clay roads and huts to cobblestone streets and grand architecture. Side of the road cows and butcher shops to bakeries and coffe shops. People in dirty and tattered clothes to Gucci. Literally one of the poorest countries to one of the richest in the world. Yowza.

There is no one in the middle seat. I repeat there is no one in the middle seat! Hallelujah we have space! Now let's hope the man on the aisle doesn't mind that I'm totally going to lay down and get close. I'm sure he'll understand. For now a rest up and legs on the free seat. Movie time while waiting for lunch.
Ice cream!
A nap!
Pizza!
haha. This has been the best flight of all but 12.5 hours and I didn't leave my seat once. I can't really feel my butt. Hopefully when the time comes I can stand, and find a bathroom!
Now, time to land, go through customs, wait for the bus, take the bus through traffic, get my car and drive home!
Bed... you are so close. I cannot wait!
AMERICA!

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Day 8: Rafting the Nile

Today we white water rafted the Nile River. Add that to the reverse bucket list.
We woke up at 5am and headed to Jinja. Here we ate breakfast and watched some of the men bungee jump. Then we got in another van and drove an hour. Upon arrival we were fitted with helmets and life jackets. At this point I was mildly panicking. The idea of being stuck under a boat or in the washing machine status of the rapid that terrified me.
We got onto the quiet part of the Nile and began to practice. Then came the part where we had to flip the raft. Well, the raft whacked me in the face. That hurt. Like a lot.
A lot, a lot.
Now came the time for the first rapid.
It was frightening.
It was also over so quickly.
I guess I was expecting it to be rapids for a long time but it was rapids for about 5 seconds.
By the third set of rapids I was really excited to do them. Still so scared to fall out but excited. I was in the mild boat that took the chicken lines. Our one request was that we didn't flip the boat and we didn't woohoo! The whole ride and no boat flip!

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Day 7: Sipi Falls

Today we hiked Sipi Falls. We left the house at 6:30 and began the drive. Arriving at 9:30 we began the hike. I was previously told it would be a 3-4 mile walk. Ha!

I was worried in the beginning as we began to gain in altitude very quickly. Add mud and slippery rocks to that equation and I wasn't doing so well. Never fear Moses swiftly brought aka made me a walking stick so assist my pathetic attempts.

On the way up the guide had a chameleon.
Waterfall number 1:

There was a cave full of spiders. Sick.
Waterfall 2:

Atop this waterfall were some villagers and a great view.
waterfall 3:

Also the picture from the top is number 3.
waterfall 4:

Today was a day of waterfalls. It also rained. Thus leaving us wet and covered in red thick clay.
We then went to a baby orphanage:

I found kittens!

That night we had a dinner party. The vegetable curry was on point. Then a group called ABC spoke to us and did bet boxing and hip hop. It is a group that helps street children. Street children are kids, mostly boys, who are kicked out of their house around age 12 because they are so GO become men however they don't have the resources. So these boys end up on the street and usually turn to drugs to take away the hunger pains etc. So this man started ABC to help them out. He teaches hip hop and break dancing etc. He also sponsors some to go to school.

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Day 6: Eyes & Surgery

This morning we awoke and headed back to Child of Hope to screen all of the kids. We eye tested a few hundred and then helped the Dr. with his eye camp.

We then went to the hospital. We toured and ....
It was a lot to handle. Actually it was like what you would see in a horror movie or a war hospital. Old furniture, rocks used to prop up and elevate beds, rusty items and people everywhere. There are very few beds so people bring their own mats in and lay all over the floor. They are also outside the doors, on the sidewalks and pathways. When people come they also have to bring people to take care of them since all they will get is the medical care and no food, etc.
In the maternity ward people are having kids on the floor and then moving to the floor in another room.
We obviously were not walking around taking pictures but I did sneak one:

This is the pediatrics center.
We then got to suit up and watch cataracts surgeries! Say what?! Watch a surgery in Africa. Okay, and no, I did not faint.

Although, I did have to step away a few times. When the lens popped out of the eye. That was it. No more.

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Day 5: Thanksgiving Orphanage

After child of hope we got back into the vans and headed to the orphanage. This orphanage has been a project of one of the guys on our team, Matt. On our way to the orphanage we had to go through a police check which we did not pass. Awhile later with some money and talking we were on our way again. When we got to the top of the hill we were greeted by hundreds of orphans running towards us singing and welcoming us with open arms and songs:

Just a side note: it is incredibly difficult to type all of this while in the van. We literally swerve left and right every other second to avoid the huge holes and canals in the road. The roads aren't the best here and they are all dirt. So excuse the spelling errors and typos as I am shaken like rattle in this car.
So we arrive and they have prepared songs and dancing.

Matt dancing with his Ugandan dog was probably my favorite part of that, surprise surprise.

This here, behind the building, is where thanksgiving was prepared. Look closely as this picture. First, that view! Second, my Thanksgiving was prepared atop a mountain, behind an orphanage, where they slaughtered the turkeys and cooked everything else on actual fire pits.

After serving the adults we had our feast: avocado, potatoes, rice, beans, and plantains.

We served all of these adults first who some of which are guardians to some of the orphans.

I did not eat my turkey. I saved him for my lessons later:

We will get back to this in a moment.
So, while eating these white ants with wings started to crawl out of the dirt in mass swarms. The kids thought these were quite the treat and began to eat them.
We then went to the site where they are building classrooms for the orphanage. We made a huge assembly line of kids and volunteers and then started passing bricks from the bottom of the hill to the top. I was so impressed by the kids who did this for what seemed like hours without any complaints. It wasn't easy work but they kept an awesome attitude and continued to push forward despite the hardship. I think we can learn a lot from their example. These aren't normal bricks either, they are huge. After being sufficiently covered in red dust.
Back up. Let me tell you about then men on my trip real quick. I have been beyond impressed by the men who are with this project. The Dame brothers who started Proof Eyewear and the men volunteers who came with HELP and Proof are the kind of men all men should strive to be like. They are kind and courteous, they are uplifting, they open doors and check in on everyone, they make sure you have water and bring food, they are positive and work their tails off. They never stop. When some of us are tired beyond belief and are lagging they are our running with the kids. Today while we had a brick line they were pushing wheelbarrows full of dirt up the mountain. I'm just so impressed and love seeing them in action.
Ok, so after awhile I recruited the sick bay girls and we went back to the current school house/ orphanage and did the turkey crafts my kids prepped.

Oh, that's where the picture from above comes in. I was getting ready to talk about turkeys when suzanne tells me they have alive turkeys! We call to David and he goes and gets one! I wiggled the turkey's gobble and showed the parts and then we made the turkeys. The kids swarmed us when we tried to hand out supplies. I'm not sure they have ever done an art project before. Perhaps they had never seen glue or markers either. Look what happened when I pulled out crayons:

Check this out: #NailedIt #pinterestfail

The kids loved it.

Now that's an eventful Thanksgiving. These kids have one pair of clothes, no shoes, and they live here:

If you are looking for a good cause to donate to this Thanksgiving please check my Facebook page for a link to donate to this orphanage. I would post the link here but I don't have internet. ;)
These kids need their school to be finished so that this room can be turned into a dormitory for them.

Also, if anyone has any ideas for a sustainable project in Ca or an amazing organization let me know. My family is going to find some alternative way to do Christmas again this year but I want it to be sustainable and meaningful, not just hand outs. That's going to be harder but it needs to happen.

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Day 5: Child Of Hope

After a sleep in the Mbale house we headed to the organzination: Child of Hope. I've been holding back tears since we left the gates.
First: Child of Hope is an organization started by Bex, a European, and her Ugandan husband Moses. Once married on their honeymoon Moses had a dream to start a nursery school and so they did. The organization works in the slums and takes one child from each family and educates them. They provide food, clothes, health and education.
We toured the village. Let's talk.

Parents leave in the morning and the kids are all left alone with no food and no supervision. The older kids watch the younger.

Many had no shoes, most had clothes that were tired together to close holes, covered in dirt even though they were washed and many had no clothes at all.

They make on a good day 1,000 shillings a day: that's 0.30. Thirty cents! Rent is 25,000 a month: $7. Many can't get that so they go out begging on Fridays. During the day the women go to town and look for food in rubbish bins or pieces of old coal.

They have a tap for water but someone owns it and it costs 200 shillings to fill one bucket:

If they can't afford that, which many can't, they just go to the river to fill their buckets.
The village brought me to tears but the things is that while it's hard this is their way of life. Is there better? Yes. But hand outs do not help. Change has to come about in the right way, for the right reason, and with the right mindset. It's tough.
The organization Child of hope: Uganda is an incredible one that is doing it correctly. They have a sustainable project and they are good people doing good things.

Here is one of the classrooms.
If you are looking to donate to a great cause this is it.

You can also donate to HELP intl for the orphanage we are about to head to. I promise that both these companies are helping in the correct way, through organizations on the ground, and with sustainability.
This morning I was able to fund 7 teacher's salaries for 3 months with one click of a button.

We are so incredibly blessed in the US. Regardless of where you are in life you can always give. You can always help. As my mom always says: money is a tool.
It's not how much you have but what you do with it that counts.

This hut is made of mud bricks. It has a straw roof that leaks when it rains. It is maybe 6 feet in diameter and it holds on average 6 people. It is almost bare inside. If you have more you might have an old piece of foam for you and 5 kids to lay on.
This is life here. Change your outlook. Be grateful for what you have no matter how much or how little it is something unimaginable to most in the world. It's not our job to so called change the world but it is our job to be kind, to help one another and to love in service.

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Day 4: Books, Eyes, Jewelry

Man.
I wrote a post but I don't know where it went.
Last night we drove in at 1:30 am. It was so hot and humid in our car. However when I work up this morning there was HOT WATER! Hot water! Yes! You should have seen the red dirt coming off me.
I then took my malaria pill mad twenty minutes later I was over the toilet puking stomach acid. That was not fun.
We then headed to Lugazi. Here HELP set up a project awhile back where the women of the village make jewelry and sell it to bring in income. When we arrived the women greeted us with hugs, singing, a dance, and bracelets they made.

They then made us breakfast. After that we headed to a local school to read books to the children as a library outreach. This is also where I donated the books my students donated.

We stayed and played with the kids for awhile as well.

We then headed to schools to do eye testing.

After screening dozens of kids we had a mini dance party which consisted of the white people dancing while all the locals cheered us on. Who am I kidding... us? Haha. This girl can't dance.
From here we went back and got lunch. The women made the most delicious food.
Up next: a Muslim school to teach hand washing and reusable pads.

Women here are made to feel dirty and like they cannot be apart of society while on their periods so bringing Days for Girls kits and teaching about menstration is very important.
By the way my feet are on the engine which is between the driver and passenger and it's super hot.

During our lesson a huge storm rolled in and it started to down pour. Look at the river flowing on that picture, yeah, not a river. The rain was so intense we could not hear one another talking.

When this was complete we went back to the women and bought jewelry from them.

Now we are back in the bus for another 5 hour night journey.
I'm not sure what day it is or even time but this has been an incredible journey so far.

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Day 3: Safari & Refugees

I'm sitting here in the safari van watching the sunrise over the savannah(?) with animals surrounding us. There is a herd of deer to my right and warthogs to my left.

We just found the two mother lions and their cubs!

Then it got ticket and started to hiss? Roar? Growl? All of the above.
Seeing these animals in the wild is an experience.
There is something about being in a place you have dreamed about and longed for for years. I mean for crying out loud there is a giraffe painted in my childhood bedroom and now I'm sitting here with the wind blowing through my hair, the smell of the wild ;), and real wild giraffes running next to the van.

Or an elephant in the sunrise munching away. It's taking my breath away and quite lit
erally at times making my eyes water in joy.

We went back to the hotel hotel for lunch which was SO good. Yellow sweet potatoes, avocados, rice and incredible beans. Then we waited around for awhile. A long while actually and I'm not sure why. And now that the day is gone I'm really sad we sat there and wasted those hours because...

So we finally load the vans and start on our journey to the refugee settlement. This settlement is one of the smallest in Uganda but still has 67,000 refugees. It's been open since 1990 and houses refugees from a few places but many from South Sudan. Uganda does the settlements differently in that they give the refugees a plot of land so they can build.

Let's back up for a minutes. I teach a book called: A Long Walk to Water. Stop what you are doing and download it right now or order it on Amazon. Actually order it. Let's start a movement. You order the book, then read it, then give it to someone you know and have them read it. Write your thoughts, feelings, or just name in the book and let's get those books being passed around. If you have kids over 10 have them read it to.
It's a short read and written for a young audience even though the content is heavy.
It's one of the most powerful books I've read and for sure the best book that has come to education and teaching.
The book is based on true stories. It follows two people. One, a boy who is fleeing the Southern Sudan war and goes through Hell and two, a girl who has to walk to her water for her family every day and cannot attend school.
Anyway, after reading the book and seeing the struggles that go on being here is well, a lot to handle.
Seeing the people walking with the yellow water containers, seeing the children balancing them on their heads or tying multiple to bikes...
Seeing the well and the line of people and then seeing those who did not have a well at the river bank, , filling those containers with cloudy brown water.
Today I cried. It was so much and it became so real. I know this is their life and way of living but everyone should have access to clean water. It hurts to know people are dying of diseases that could be prevented if the village had a well.
Ok fast forward. When I found out that we were going to get to go to a refugee camp for the Southern Sudan and that Suzanne had gone and talked with men from the Dinka tribe I was elated.
When we finally pulled into the

camp I was nervous because it was late and we were late. The sun was starting to go down and a huge storm was blowing it. We got in the vans and were escorted by the police to the first refugee school where we were to hand out hygiene kits, teach hand washing lessons, and give reusable menstration pads and teach about them. Well, when we first arrived I went straight for then kids carrying the water jugs.

Then we headed to the first class but it started to downpour and the winds came.

So we had to hurry.

The roads got bad to the point where we were sliding the van off into the bushes so we couldn't visit anymore. I'm majorly bummed out. But, thankful to have at least had the chance to come even if just for a moment. I can't wait to take my knowledge and pictures back to my district and begin funding for a well.

I also feel the need to come back. I wish I had more time here to go into the camp and collect stories. To go to the wells and meet and talk with the people but I don't. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here, it's only been 4 days and I already feel that increased inner desire to serve refocus my life. I've had my perspective reset and light bulb inside replaced that gives me hope, desire, and passion.

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