Merry Christmas!

This is what Christmas looked like. It was a beautiful day!

Ramblings (UB#13)

I have 12 days left in Uganda. I cannot believe how many things I have experienced and how many emotions I have felt since being here. The time has flown by. As of today I have been here just short of four months. Almost the same amount of time I spent at my last summer job, almost the same amount of time as my last semester at trinity. This semester abroad, though it has been significant, as not been more significant than the four months I spent working in Banff or the eight months I spent living with a wonderful group of girls at Trinity… and I think that is absolutely a blessing.

There is no need to live a life of adventure, though adventure can be wonderful, it brings very little that can not be found at home. I’m thankful for the chance I had this semester to go on a safari, swim in Lake Victoria, and live with Ugandans, but I am more thankful for each and every relationship that I got to participate in this semester. Much of what I treasure most from this semester is probably the time spent just being with people. Nights spent ‘doing homework’ in the lounge, communal dinners in the dining hall, the many car rides with all the people from my practicum (especially baby JohannaJ). Being in Africa didn’t make this semester special… if anything, being in Africa made this semester really hard… but the people I met through this semester made it completely worth it.

Location really doesn’t matter. Relationships really do matter. I hope realizing this will help me to be more content at home… that being said, I am about to embark on a two month adventure through Europe, pretty sure location is going to play a huge role… but hopefully at the end of the next two months I will once again be able to sit back and appreciate the people I’ve met… more than the things I’ve done.

(Already had to say goodbye to BabyJo... gonna miss this

beautiful girl... glad her Momma promised to send me photos :)

Flaughs

What if I stopped caring about appearance?

It is an option after all.

What would change if I stopped caring?

I know what would change.

Everything would change.

I would be able to love.

What is it you wish you could hide?

What if I declared right here and now that I don’t care?

Yeah. You’re physically flawed. We’re all flawed.

But those flaws aren’t going to change the way I see you.

Let me see you for the way you think.

The way you acknowledge people with your eyes.

The way you carry yourself with grace.

The way you stay on the sidelines to make sure everyone has a chance.

The way you don’t care what people think.

They way you listen.

The way you share your blessings.

The way you have made friends into family.

If I stop seeing the flaws you know I can see…

Will you let me see the flaws I can’t already see?