Back in Uganda

I’ve been back in Uganda for a week now and wanted to post a quick update. I arrived last Friday and was greeted by two of my dear friends, Julius and Daniel. Despite a small breakdown in the Toronto airport (note to self to never fly through there again), the trip back was easy and restful.

From the minute I stepped back into Pastor’s house Friday night, it felt like I had never left. Everything was great and easy. On Saturday I stopped by the school and was overwhelmed by the warm greeting from all the kids. I definitely missed the kids when I was gone but really underestimated how wonderful it would be to see them. As I took my time to hug each one I was reminded of how truly blessed I am by these children. The truth is that the little I am able to give these children is a fraction of what they give to me. And for that I am blessed.

This entire week was absolutely wonderful. I spent almost all day everyday with the kids. I arrived at school around 8 am each day and left around 7 pm or 8 pm each night, and had I not been so exhausted I would have probably stayed a bit longer. Since school is on break right now for a few weeks there are few kids that have remained. While I miss the other kids dearly, it is nice to be able to spend quality time with the ones that are still around. This week I tried to provide a bit of structure to the kid’s day and do a few things that would help them in school. I wasn’t sure how flashcards and books would go over but they turned out to be a huge success. It is amazing to see how excited the kids are to read books, practice their math and words and color. I am reminded of how we take advantage of so many things in the US. I don’t think you could find a group of 20 kids anywhere in the US that would be occupied for hours and hours with a few flashcards, a few coloring books, crayons and books.

I think the most amazing thing that has happened this week is that through reading books with the kids, several kids that I was not close with before I left, now won’t leave my side. I was here for over four months before I went home and now in one week I have become close with kids I really never knew before. God is so good. I love that in one week I have developed new relationships with kids, and been able to spend hours upon hours listening to them read, watch them color beautiful pictures and practice their math. I’ve watched as their eyes light up when they get a word right or are praised for a job well done with reading or coloring or speaking English so well. What a blessing to be able to spend my entire day loving on children?! What a blessing to be able to spend my entire day hugging my kids?! What a blessing to be able to spend my entire day encouraging kids as they read and sound out words and add six plus five?! On Thursday morning I had coffee with a friend of mine and didn’t get to the school until around 1 pm. As I was greeted by Marriet, one of my new friends, she told me she had been waiting for me all morning because she wanted to read books with me. How awesome is that?!

I will be honest in saying that I often times compare myself with others and have felt as though I wasn’t doing any good in Uganda because I wasn’t rescuing starving children or pulling people off the streets. But I think I’ve realized this week more than ever that hugging children that don’t have parents, reading books with kids that have never been read to before bed and telling kids that they are smart, beautiful and loved is equally important in God’s eyes. I don’t need to be pulling starving kids off the streets to serve God and I don’t need to go looking for ways to serve him. He has blessed me with dozens of children at my feet and there are endless ways to serve them. These children need to know how dearly loved they are by God. These children need to know that they are beautiful, intelligent and absolutely precious, and I consider myself blessed to be able to deliver that message.