goodbye.

So I don’t know if any of you have heard the song “Those I’ve Loved” by Eric Church, but if you haven’t... go listen to it right now. The first time I heard this song I didn’t really think much of it but one day I found myself really paying attention to the lyrics and I realized what an interesting message the lyrics are sending. He goes through a few people in his life and just talks about how even if someone isn’t in your life forever, they can impact your lives just by passing through. There are two specific lines that I love:

“And I hope they know I never would have made it this far on my own.”

“Where would we all be without those fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers of friends I’ve made along the way?”

It’s true, people come into your life, even if it is just for a short amount of time, and can really make a difference. I know I wouldn’t be who I am today without the people in my life. Some people come into your life and stay there for a long time, but there are also people that you meet along the way that can shape your life. Sometimes I forget that we have the ability to learn more than we ever think from people in our lives and I think that is one thing I have truly learned here in Africa. I had to say goodbye to the Musana women this morning and it was the only time I cried saying goodbye to Uganda. Eve and Rosette specifically have forever changed my life. These women each have the personality of about ten people and are the strongest women I have ever met. I know I’ve mentioned them before, but these women were also our cooks at the house and part of Musana Jewelry. They have both been through so much and are not supported by their husbands. Rosette just kept hugging me saying “thantu for everything” and was balling. Eve didn’t really want anyone to see her cry so whenever she started to she would walk away. Me? I was just balling the whole time. They were killing me. I can’t believe how much I respect and love these women and I think the hardest part was the fact that I probably never see them again. Then I started thinking about that song and I realized that it is okay. They came into my life and helped me in ways I don’t even fully know right now. I think they think I helped THEM because I left them so many clothes but in reality they helped me more than they will ever understand. There were so many people in Uganda that changed my life and I will never forget them. I am so grateful for the people here and the stories they have shared with me. Before I came here people would tell me how Uganda is great but it is truly the people that they love. I started realizing that very quickly and saw how amazing the people here are. There is something about them. There are some cultural things I will never fully understand, but the spirit and brightness these people have showed me is something I will never forget.  

It is hard to believe that I am leaving Uganda today but I am leaving with no regrets. Six weeks in Uganda has taught me so much and I know my experiences and memories are going to last forever. This really was the trip of a lifetime and I feel so lucky to have had the experiences, both good and bad. It’s crazy to think back to the day we all got here... it feels like forever ago, but at the same time if feels like yesterday. Time really does fly and I have learned to cherish every day. Saying goodbye is hard but I am so excited to get back to America. Elise and I are flying to London tonight to spend a few days there with our mamas! 

I know this experience in Uganda WAS good for me and I know that I have met people and done things I will never ever forget. I think everyone needs to go to Uganda and experience what I did because I can’t even try to put everything into words. People here are humble and smart and beautiful. Africa has a special place in my heart and I am so sad to be leaving this amazing place again. Thank you to everyone who has been following my adventures and for being in my life! I am so grateful for everything and everyone in my life and I have loved spending time in this beautiful place. Goodbye Uganda! Thanks for the memories. 

where did time go?

I am sitting here wondering where my time here in Africa has gone. It is boggling my mind that I am leaving this country on Wednesday. I seriously can not believe it. Tay, Kar and Liv left today and it was the saddest thing. Watching them say goodbye to the Musana women was killing me. Seeing Eve and Rosette cry was killing me. These women have taught us so much about what it means to be strong, hardworking people and the fact that I will probably never see them again brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. It’s experiences like this that change our lives and I can truly say that I am changed forever. 

Last weekend we went on our safari and it was quite the experience. One of the guys here is helping this Ugandan man get his business up and running and his business just happens to be a safari company. So Nate got all of us this sweet deal and we were able to get the whole safari for $170 with food included. The cheapest any of us could fine was $300 without food included. SO needless to say the safari was done the ghetto way. We stayed in these like student housing dorm style things and it was honestly the worst night ever. We were in the middle of nowhere in a room FILLED with bugs and mice, gross beds, sweating all night. OH... and a door that didn’t lock! I slept with one eye open the whole night. It was quite the experience and I feel like me explaining it doesn’t do the craziness justice. We all just kept looking at each other like “WHAT are we doing?” But it was fun and we made it through so I guess in the end it wasn’t as bad as it seemed. TIA. This Is Africa. 

I want to share one story with you guys about a woman that I met this week. We had this huge health outreach on Wednesday in a village called Najjembe and we handed out 900 deworming pills to kids and taught about things like sanitation and malaria. I started talking to this woman and I realized she spoke amazing English for a person in Uganda. She was telling me about her and her son and how she just moved to this village from Gulu. Gulu is where Kony is from and where a ton of the involvement of the L.R.A. took place. Long story short... this woman was captured from 2000-2004, watched her husband die and got pregnant while she was captured and ended up having to put her in an orphanage. Her daughter is still in an orphanage in Gulu but she had to get out and somehow ended up in Najjembe. She starting balling telling us this story and begged us not to tell anyone. Can you imagine that? Having to leave your own daughter in an orphanage and not being able to see her because you can’t afford it? It was honestly the craziest experience listening to this woman talk about her life and not just hearing about stories in the news or from other people. It is people like this that make all the hard times in Africa worth it. I will never forget her and how strong she was. I feel so blessed that I will never have to go through anything even close to that. I feel so blessed to have the life I have. There are so many people here that have changed who I am and it is hard to believe my time here is coming to an end. These are the moments I love. 

crazy place we stayed on the safari

kids lining up to get de-wormed

safari 

teaching away...

love these Musana women!

this is Africa!

safari!

teaching at Proud To Be A Girl

Parasites, Musana and Missionaries

Yup... what would Africa be without getting a parasite??? Nothing. So I guess it’s good I got one. Everyone in the house had to get checked and I swear only about 2 people DON’T have one. They told us we got it through something we ate so it only makes sense that we all got it. But basically, today is the first day I am really feeling better. Being sick for a week in Africa is probably the most frustrating, miserable feeling I have experienced and it was hard not being able to do anything and all I wanted was to feel better. I woke up last Friday night throwing up AGAIN and I was just so confused because it had been a week since the first time. We had to wake up Nate and Stuart in the middle of the night and they gave me a blessing. At that moment I was so thankful for the priesthood and the fact that there are guys here that COULD give me a blessing. So now I am feeling sooo much better and man oh man I am happy. I felt like I was just wasting my time away here. 

Yesterday was the grand opening of the Musana Jewelry store! Karli, Taylor, Olivia, Elise and I have been working so hard on redecorating the front room so that all the jewelry could be on display. Before it had all been in baskets and no one was really able to see all of it. Musana is a company that some Help volunteers in 2009 started with a bunch of women that sit around and make the prettiest bracelets, earrings and necklaces. There are 7 women and they all are basically the sole providers for their families and so hard working. Eve and Rosette are our cooks and Betty does our laundry. I have grown to love them all so much and seen what strong women they are. The jewelry sells in the US and all the profits are sent back here to Uganda. SOOO the grand opening was amazing! The mayor and other town council members were there and it was a huge hit. They are so grateful for us and what we do here in the community.  We sang both the Uganda National Anthem and also our National Anthem and I’m not gonna lie, I got the chills. Listening to the words and realizing HOW lucky we are to be American was the most amazing feeling. 

A little shout out to all my best friends on missions right now. This experience has taught me to appreciate the lives missionaries live so much more than I have before. I feel like this has been a mini-mission in a way. I always love reading their letters because they have become so humbled and I can really understand it in a personal way now. My boy Elder Jackson said this in his letter this week:

“I think sometimes because of a lack of faith we dont do hard things because we dont see the blessings that will come.  I think i was a little dismayed just because this precious elder had no idea what he was going to be missing. He will never know. It just comes to show that we all have potential for greatness but our agency determines whether we fulfill that destiny. We just have to listen to the prophets and obey the word of God.”

WE CAN DO HARD THINGS. We really do all have the ability to do anything we put our minds to, it just depends on whether we actually do it. I have learned to truly have faith this trip because there were times when I felt like I would NEVER start feeling better. Obviously I knew I would, but it was hard to see an end to laying in bed.  I am so grateful for this guy and all my friends on missions. I miss my best friends but I can’t wait for all of them to come home soon! They are the best examples. 

Tomorrow we are off on a SAFARI and I just can’t wait. 

Two more weeks. 

MUSANA wall! 

Rosette made this necklace specifically for me! 

all the necklaces on display

the mayor cutting the ribbon

some of us after the grand opening

Betty!

just chillen at the Rainforest Lodge

love these girls!