Day Eight (Tuesday, June 18th)

Our last day of our Ugandan Trip was a packed one. We spent 24 plus hours in traveling; on airplanes; in airports; on layovers etc. This alone would've merited a "packed day" but we as a group had a full day prior to our traveling fun.

We started off the day rising before dawn again, to go visit Mizigo’s early risers and all of the kids coming to school to meet Pat. Yet again, when they set eyes on us Mzugos, they come running up into a full hug. These kids that have walked miles in the dark never fail to jump into a spirited hug with anyone that offers it. Being our last time at the school, they say some good-byes and even give some gifts. Just ask Matt about his plethora of flower bouquets. Some were given notes; others were given woven crosses and even some tomatoes and avocadoes. Stephen and Jonathon said good bye to Jack and Colleen, just as Moses did to Matthew and so on. It was the perfect start to a sad ending. After the school we packed our bags of smelly, dirty, puke-infused clothes and boarded the bus for the city. Once we got to the city of Kampala, passing the hospital and lake, we got ready for the alleged pick-pocketers that never seemed to show. We spent hours in the market, haggling with the aggressive shop-keepers, and knocking down t-shirts from $6 to $4 (14 billion shillings). After buying our hats, shirts, and other African mementoes we again boarded the bus for what we thought was just a drive to a restaurant that we would no doubt have to order plain rice. Instead after an hour of driving through Ugandan country sides, we pull into a resort on the lake. We ate dinner while the sun started to set over Lake Victoria. With the backdrop and scene of a much different Uganda as our last image, it was quite the contrast to what we’d seen. Eva had an amazing dinner planned along with dessert and bonfire. It was a good way to end our Ugandan visit.

The bus ride to the Ugandan airport was a somber one. We were drained of energy from the long day’s activities, but knew we still had a day full of traveling to go. While we checked in we said our good-byes and thank-yous to Eva, Helen, Jason and Pat. We all decided that one day, we would be back. The plane rides were something else. A lot happened in the day of travel that has still gone unnoticed. While this post is days late, I still think that some things should be recognized.

• Paul had a rough first half of travel; looking pale and sleepy, almost passing out before getting to his seat. But he can do a mean goat noise.
• Caitlin, Sofia, and Paul showed the crowd on the second plane that kids still wear capes and run around, regardless of age.
• Komi will resort to eating food off the plate with his mouth at the lack of any Purell.
• Matthew’s digestion system went through some dramatic changes during his Ugandan trip.
• Colleen is not someone you want sit next to for 15 hours on a plane.  
• Morgan will do anything if dared to in an airport, including tipping over a cleaning cart.
• Dan Salzman does NOT get along with some receptionists at the airport.
• Margaret is partying in Amsterdam at the moment.
• Mrs. Andersen’s famous quotes aren’t able to be shared. Ask Jack for further explanation.
• Reid can’t hold his own bowels.
• Emma writes a mean story when she gets to know you.
• Nell’s nickname is Taco and we aren’t sure why.
• Maggie isn’t someone to mess with if she’s tired, hungry…or in Uganda.
• Harold, number 14, is the man.
• Joanne’s conversations for a full three days were all started with the phrase “What does your poop look like?” (Our group was much too open by the end of all this)

Coming through the Amsterdam airport was our last group debrief and our question to answer was what we took away from our trip. This was one of the deepest discussions of our trip and here are some of the things we took away:

               Be happy for the little things. Be positive, grateful, and find joy. Remember what we have and have had. Broaden your perspectives. Be happy with what you have. All we need to be happy is each other. Stay in the moment. The kids did more for us them we did for them. We can make something out of nothing. We should be proud of the work KUYB accomplished. Don’t worry about what others think. Keep your doors locked. Keep life simple. Check the luxuries. Take risks for the greater good. Brake the teenager stereotype. Think positive. Focus on helping others.

               Coming home from Uganda, the sixteen of us have grown a lot and widened our perspectives on life. We are learning to be much more grateful for what we have, and try and ask for less. We are all more compassionate and try to judge less to understand others’ situations. We’ve seen a lot of new and saddening things, we’ve experienced incredible moments, and most importantly, we’ve helped.



Day Seven (Monday, June 17th)

Today was bittersweet. It being our last day with the kids made for some somber goodbyes. We took a long drive to a new school called Ketume. This school, being incredibly new (and incredibly secluded) only had kids from baby class up to “P4” or the equivalent to our 3rd graders. We had them all line up after receiving friendship bracelets and they each got a toothbrush and some toothpaste, something they had never even gotten near. After a solid 10 minutes of the kids’ contemplation over their slightly-boring new toys, Patrick bit the bullet and gave them a tutorial on how to properly brush your teeth. This was met with some laughs until they realized he wasn’t doing it wrong. Here was also when Komi went on a hike with Patrick to see the school’s previous water situation. Before they had the money raised for their cisterns, they (the kids) used to have to walk a mile or two in the forest to get to a small trickling river and then drudge all the way back with the water they gathered (with no shoes as usual). We all realized how lucky we were and how important the littlest things can be for these kids. After this we played a lot of games with them.

These games included singing by Maggie and Matt (lots of country songs) and some volleyball with Reid and the Ketume teachers. It was also supported by--finally--a cool and overcast day that promised some rain. After the kids showed Jack their acrobatic skills and they taught Joanne a countless number of confusing games we boarded the long bus ride ready for a well-deserved nap. Instead we ended up having a relaxing, music-accompanied, scenic drive through miles and miles of beautiful landscapes and cityscapes. We even went through some of the biggest tea leave plantations any of us have ever even seen. Miles and miles of tea leaves that looked better than Snapple has ever advertised. Some of the tea collectors started jumping and waving at the sight of our touristy appearance and camera-filled bus windows. 

After the bumpy, but beautiful, scenic drive we came to the nursing center at Mizugo (the main school) to drop off and pack our donated medical supplies. These included Emma’s first aid kits and gloves, Caitlin’s bandages and gauze, among others. Here we also handed out Jack’s (Donna’s) generous contribution of numbered uniforms which the kids were eager to try on and play in. They looked very professional and we wanted to thank the Williamses for their effort in this. After that, Eva took us on a tour around the girls dorm and to the Secondary School (their high school equivalent) and we met and preformed for the kids. They were a little hesitant to talk and mingle with us, being our age, but after awhile they were teaching us things and even had Jack record a video of some pretty impressive break-dancing.

Overall the day was a big hit for everyone involved, while still hitting a somber note, being our last full day with the kids. While we are eager to get back home, we are dreading the good-byes to come tomorrow. 

Day Six (Sunday, June 16th)

Today began as a tough day; we lost a dear member of our family, whom we had met the night before. But our day first began when we interrupted the boarders at Mzigo’s Bible Study. Eva offered us a short break to watch our dinner, a black and white goat (and soon to be red) goat, be slaughtered. Only certain members of the group had the stomach to watch. Even fewer had the courage to hold its severed head...

In order to take our minds off of our loss, we returned to Bible Study, this time joining the kids. They had been split into groups--toddlers, kids, teenagers, and adults--in order to give relevant teachings to each groups’ lives. Their enthusiastic teacher brought bursts of laughter and energy to the children while continually praising God. Once Bible Study ended, we all gathered within the church on Mzigo’s property as one parish family.

Approaching the church, we already felt the energy as gospel music was blaring in praise to God. We entered the Church, and while we danced our way to the first two pews, the entire congregation followed behind us. As more and more voices joined our assembly, the Holy Spirit consumed us as we joined them in song. The singing and dancing not only inspired so much joy but also prayer and fellowship. After four or five songs, Eva invited all sixteen of us to join her on stage and introduced us to the congregation which we immediately felt a part of. Though the sermon was longer than any we had previously heard, the passion and conviction of the preacher kept us engaged even as it was translated from Luganda to English. Despite having carefully chosen and practiced four songs, we missed the opportunity to perform them in Church. But do not worry, we’ve gotten good use out of ‘Lean on Me” and “The Cup Song,’ as nearly every child we have encountered during our trip has asked us to sing for them. 

Enjoying the afternoon off, we had a nice leisure lunch at Patrick and Eva’s and time to relax at the Enro...we even had time to teach our beloved bus driver, Harold, a card game!

We then packed once more into our second home...the bus. Dodging pot holes, boda bodas, pedestrians, and wandering cattle, we arrived safely, once more, at Mzigo. We all had bottled excitement as we wondered what the Boys’ Dorm Dedication Ceremony would be like. Walking to the dorm, we each picked up a couple (arm-fulls) of children, finally arriving at the site of the ceremony with a sizeable herd of people.

The dedication began with an introduction by Patrick followed by an impressive impromptu speech by Colleen. Komi also spoke on behalf of KidsUganda. Colleen then unveiled the heartwarming plaque on the dorm covered by red cloth which was dedicated to the Youth Board and specially mentioned Colleen as the leader of KUYB and the Boys’ Dorm initiative.

Keeping the celebration going, we enjoyed sodas and snacks with all the Maranatha teachers and the Mzigo boarders. The sugar re-energized us, allowing some members of our group to keep up with the Ugandans in a futbol (soccer) game and others to play countless games with the remaining boarders. 

We had the perfect ending to a culturally eye-opening day, as we celebrated the birthdays of family members Solomon and Jackie back at the Walusimbi’s. Some had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that the main course was our, luckily unnamed, friend the goat; however, no one had a problem devouring the delicious birthday cake. We shared our talents with one another, opened presents, and then said our goodbyes. Day six in Uganda came to a close...can’t believe we only have two days left :(

P.S. We hope that all of the fathers back home had an absolutely wonderful Father’s Day. Though we’ve all kidded (some not so jokingly) that we will stay in Uganda for another year or so (we’re on African time...), we miss and love you. See you soon!

Day Five (Saturday, June 15th)

Today was a big day! After a long-awaited group reunion we all (hesitantly) ate breakfast at the hotel. After a rough couple of days of sick kids and chaperones, it felt good to have everyone running on full cylinders again. With breakfast ended, and the gang back together, we headed off to Mizigo--the main Maranatha school. 

Seeing Jonathan and Stephen happy and giggling was a sight that many of us will never forget. These two kids lost their mother a week prior to our arrival and their father is a blind alcoholic whose lack of care brought Jonnie-boy and Stevie to the new boys’ dorm. These two wouldn’t even crack a smirk on day one of Jack and Colleen’s desperate attempts to make them happy. Now, when the brothers see their new Mzungu friends they run and laugh ready to give hugs and tell us what we’ve missed. 

The day on the schedule was called “Environmental Day” but we think that may have been a little bit of a misnomer. The environmental side of the day consisted of a talk given by the school head master, about preserving and rebuilding the habitat and landscape they have so generously been given. It taught the kids to care about where they live and try to build on the trees that were scattered as is, due to the constant need for fire wood. The speech was then followed by a tutorial on burning weeds and mixing the ash with some homemade glue type substance. While there was some general confusion spreading amongst the 16 of us about what we were actually doing for the environment, we followed along and got ready to play more games with the now restless kids. 

The rest of the day consisted of fun games and songs at the school. Whether it was Dan and Paul’s Limbo chant that ended up as a rainbow chant, or Matthew’s much anticipated singing and dancing to various acapello versions of Mulan and Christmas songs. These songs, while they seem ill-fitting for the time and place, ended up being such a hit that Caitlin and Emma began to help out. 

Playing with the older kids was much different but just as fun. We taught them (or attempted to teach them) bingo and they got the hang of it after awhile. Twister ended up being a huge hit as well. Colleen taught her old friend Bridget how to play the “cup song” and after while had the whole room trying it out. 

With the games mentioned and plethora of other games that seemed to drain the energy from us, we had some of the most fun we’ll ever have. The 5th day of our African Adventure was a success. 

Day Four (Friday, June 14th)

Today started off, slow as people were recovering from all different kinds of upset stomachs. Unfortunately not everyone was well enough to join us at Mizigo in the morning to visit the baby classes. We left Joanne at the hotel with Emma, Matthew, Morgan, and Sofia as they slept away their illnesses. The absence of these group members was felt as the rest of us sat on the ground playing with trucks, working on puzzles, and giving out friendship bracelets to the littlest kids at the school. We weren’t the only ones missing the people we left behind, Moses, one of the adorable four-year olds, repeatedly asked Caitlin for Mateo (Matthew). Our morning at Mizigo didn’t last too long as we found ourselves heading back to the hotel to swap out some more group members before making an hour and half drive to Mubende.

The remaining eight healthy group members traveled away from Mityana to visit St. Mary’s School, that is not a part of the Maranatha Integrated Schools Project but is supported by Opportunity Education Foundation. We became connected to this school through Matthew and his Dad, and the idea of seeing how another school in Uganda ran was very appealing. I can’t honestly say that everyone was excited to visit this school because nothing is as much fun when you know that your friends are sick in bed at the hotel. However, by the time we were heading home everyone was saying how grateful they were that we decided to make the trip. The school had a huge afternoon planned for us. We arrived to a driveway lined with kids singing and clapping as they welcomed their visitors. After meeting the headmaster and learning a little bit about where we were, we got a quick tour of the school. The tour ended under a mango tree where the over 1,000 students were gathered waiting to see the “mzungus.” Speeches were given, by them and by us, songs were sang, and native Ugandan dances were danced. The whole school roared with laughter as Reid lead us all in an attempt to shake our hips like the Ugandans. 

After the presentations, it was time for lunch. We were served hefty servings and lead to a classroom where we ate with the teachers. This meal was different from all the rest and not just because we weren’t at Patrick and Eva’s house. The tables in the room were set up similar to tables at a wedding reception. We were the wedding party sitting in the front of the room as the teachers sat silently in rows of chairs watching us eat. It was a unique and humorous experience that I am sure none of us, especially Reid, will forget. It was getting late and we had a long drive home so we stayed to watch a few minutes of a soccer match and then headed home. 

When we arrived at the Enro our group was joyfully reunited with Joanne cheering as the bus pulled in. About an hour and a half later we did some more swapping of group members and headed to Patrick and Eva’s house for a light dinner. The time was relaxing, but none of us enjoyed being separated so were happy to head back to the Enro and call it a night. People were tired and Caitlin couldn’t even keep her eyes open for the two minuets it takes to pull of out Patrick and Eva’s driveway. Overall, it was a very informative day that reminded us just how special the Marantha Schools are.  As we fall asleep tonight we know that everyone is quickly recovering and look forward to tomorrow when we will all be back together and at 100%.

Day Three (Thursday, June 13th)

A 5:45 wake-up call was not something many of us were used to, but everyone woke up quickly and happily this morning so we could drive to Mizgo and stand with Patrick as he greeted the children as they arrived at school. As Patrick stood in the middle of the street high five-ing each child and making sure they knew they were loved we lined up at the entrance to the school and struggled to say: “Good Morning” in Luganda. It was pure joy to see some of the kids start sprinting as they turned the corner, I’m not sure any of us would run for school unless we were late. Nell continued to have a secret talent of getting all the young children to love her and Matt was on his knees and had children running into his arms as they approached the school. 

Once all the children had been dragged to class by their teachers we left the school to return to our hotel for breakfast. We had about an hour long break to eat, sort supplies, and rest before loading back on the bus to head to another one of Patrick and Eva’s schools, Kigalama. This school is about 30 minutes away from our hotel on a mostly paved road. The drive was gorgeous as we got to see a variety of landscapes and quite smooth as this was a paved road. We turned off the road at the Maranatha Schools sign and many of us were confused as to where we were about to drive. In front of us was a large pole in between two larger buildings, but, our bus driver Harold was amazing par usual and squeezed us through to the next leg of our journey. However, the sight in front of us was even harder to imagine then the one that our eyes had just lost. This road, if you could call it that, was almost wide enough for two people to walk side by side, with many branches growing onto the path. Rather then getting out and walking we just kept on driving which was quite a bumpy road. It wasn’t long before we saw two buildings, one relatively new and in very good condition that housed the Baby - P7 classes. 

As we have in the other schools, we went around each classroom introducing ourselves, tying friendship bracelets, and answering their questions (in the older classrooms). We started with the baby class and those children followed us the entire tour, wanting to be picked up, smiled at, and tickled. It was such a drastic difference between the number of students in the baby class, which was around 60, versus the P7 class, which had only 2 boys and about 14 students. Once we had visited each classroom the children were allowed free time. The younger ones stayed in a group on one side of the field, while the older children went and played football (soccer), jump rope, and more with some outdoor equipment we had brought. At this school the teachers were very interactive and led games which allowed us to learn and participate. During one game, kind of like our Duck Duck Goose, the children told Margaret “Wowww you know how to run.” The teachers also helped translate when we wanted to teach the children one of our games, Little Sally Walker, which involves a lot of singing and dancing. After the games had died down everyone was in smaller groups playing their own games until Joanne decided to take out the iPod and speakers which the children loved. Surprisingly they knew many of the songs and created a huge mob around Joanne. We all got into the dancing, which they found hilarious. Soon however, it was time for us to go and we loaded the bus and headed back to the Enro.

At this point many of us weren’t feeling great and we dropped them off at the hotel. We had a small break and organized all the school supplies and nursery supplies,  packed them onto the bus and the healthy ones headed to Mizgo to put the toys and supplies away in crates Patrick had already bought for storage. Sorting only took us about twenty minutes and since this was right around the time the children got out of school we were able to go out back to the field and play games. Maggie was able to meet Ester, the child she sponsors, Dan met one of the girls sponsored by his college chapter, and Caitlin was able to meet the girl her friend, Eva, from home sponsors and give her a gift Eva had sent. This was very special for all of these individuals. After an hour of games we headed home to call it a night wrapping up with dinner and everyone sharing their highs of the day to remain positive even with many people not feeling well.

Day Two (Wednesday, June 12th)

Today was a jam packed day full of screaming kids, lugging bags, and some of the best experiences of our lives. After a morning wake-up and slightly jet-lagged breakfast time, we showered and got ready for the bus. Harold, who’s been our guide around Mityana, drove us to a school called Nkonya, a small fishing village’s school. There we were greeted with all 150 kids rushing at the bus doors while we struggle out trying to meet everyone. They were eager to see the “Mzungu” (Luganda for White People) they’ve wanted to play with and they sure did play. 

After visiting the classrooms, handing out friendship bracelets, and meeting the teachers along with their students, the kids were let out for their recess. This is when our real fun started. Despite the growing heat and humidity, everyone from teachers to kids to Mrs. Andersen played some of the games that we had brought over from the US.

Some games were just a simple duck-duck-goose or simon-says but other games included a massive game of soccer, where Paul showed his stuff and did his best at playing the majority of students and their teachers. While this was happening; Caitlin was leading an arm-flailing, laugh-inducing follow-the-leader, Mrs. Andersen was double dutching and trying to show off her stuff to the kids that already had a leg up on us, and Matt was being led around by his ever-growing flock of admirers and adoring kids. This whole experience at Nkonya showed us how much happiness we can really bring to kids who couldn’t have had that experience otherwise. 

The most gut-wrenching part of leaving Nkonya came on the bus ride home. The teacher asked us if we could give some of the kids a quick ride home, because we were going their way anyway. (The road into and out of the school by the way, is a wild bumpy, overgrown, messy excuse for a road leading to some queasiness from the bus riders.) After the kids boarded the bus we thought about some of our own walks to and from school or the parking lots and then we saw what was going on around us. We drove kids anywhere from half a mile to 3 miles down this winding road. The kids we were driving, having walked this everyday multiple times a day, were usually shoe-less, almost all of them went in large groups into incredibly small mud shacks, and were all much younger than the average 1st grader. Colleen mentioned later, that if a Lake Forest/Lake Bluff child walked anywhere with no shoes, their parents’ role would be questioned; if they made their kids walk the distances that these kids are forced to walk; there would have been a lot of DPFCS calls to LF/LB.

After dropping these kids off we took a drive to Patrick and Eva’s home where we were treated yet again, to a spectacular taste of Uganda. Everything from stew and Matoke, to Spaghetti and Sodas. After thanking them for their immense generosity and hospitality we took a drive to our hotel to pick up a few things for the nursery we had gotten donated to us. On the drive we were exhausted. Some were trying not to dose off while others knocked back water bottle after water bottle, drained from the activities under the sun. But after lugging the medical supplies and toys onto the bus, Harold took our sleepy and drained crew back to the main school we visited yesterday. Seeing the genuine happiness and eagerness to play and talk by the students seemed to wake up the crew and we found there was just enough energy for some foot-races that Nell, Matt, and Dan gladly took home the silver and lower. Reid’s proudest moment of the day was when one of the boarders--having just defeated Reid in a run--turned to him to say “White boy can really run.” After playing with them and reuniting with some past friends (Matt and Moses, Colleen and Stevie) we boarded the bus home, even more exhausted but never as accomplished and proud of what they’d helped do. Today, by making hundreds of kids’ friendships and helping their school and nurseries, and most of all making them, at least temporarily, carefree and happy to be there, we had some of the best and most rewarding moments of our lives.

Day One (Tuesday, June 11th)

Our first real day on the ground in Uganda, and we were very busy. To start off, we had a group breakfast at the guest house we had stayed in after landing late Monday night. Our delicious food consisted of eggs, cereal, toast and fruit juice. After eating, Eva took us on a walk to the top of the Catholic hill in Kampala. We were able to see the entire city from the steps of the cathedral seated there. When we were finished, the bags were loaded on the bus and we packed in. Seated semi-comfortably, we embarked on the one and a half hour journey to Mityana.

Along the way, we were able to see various markets and cities on the road. At one point, a few of us had a close encounter with a creepy crawler on the bus. We stopped at a side market of fruits and vegetables. Eva explained to us the different types and challenged us to identify those we already knew. We piled back into the bus and finished our journey. 

Arriving at the hotel, we had to unload the bags yet again and situate ourselves in rooms. A little down time was spent unpacking, touring the hotel grounds, and relaxing. By the middle of the afternoon, we headed to Patrick and Eva’s house for a greatly desired lunch. We were welcomed into their home by countless members of their family and friends. Children were a large focus; many of us found friends among the toddlers. After a while, we were called to wash up and serve ourselves lunch. Foods included a common Ugandan dish, matoche, made of bananas, rice, avocados, crushed nuts, beef stew, and vegetables. We ate together and enjoyed the meal, trying many new things. 

Once we had finished and cleared the plates, we walked across the road to the main Maranatha school. Immediately, we were thrown into the world of the children who are so cheery and smile all the time. We walked from class to class with Eva, each time with the greeting “You are welcome our visitors!” However, with their pronunciation, it sounded like “vistas.” We would tell them our names and various pieces of information about ourselves, and they would sing us songs. At each classroom, we would acquire more and more children that tagged along with us. 

As we walked along the grounds, we were able to see the new kitchens with three efficient wood burning stoves that help feed the children two times a day. We were also able to see the boys dorms that the Youth Board raised money to build. Our last stop at the school was to the church to talk with the older kids. We introduced ourselves with our names, ages, favorite foods and games and our aims of the trip. To try to entertain the students, we attempted to sing “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers. It did not go as well as we planned, but everyone laughed and they impressed up with a song of their own. Pretty soon, it was time to leave. We said our goodbyes and walked back to Patrick and Eva’s house. Loading the bus once again, we drove back to the hotel and rested until dinner. We discussed our day and had a final meal before bed. Hoping to get some rest, we are eagerly awaiting tomorrow! Mweeraba (goodbye!)

Airport

Malaria Pill #1

All our bags are packed and we are ready to go.  Hawks are in OT as I type and after this game not sure we will hear much about how they are doing.  

Malaria Pill #1 taken and tomorrow we take off for the Kids Uganda Adventures in Service!!!  We have been so blessed with such generous donations to be taking with us.  We were even lucky enough for the Community Church of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff to have a send off Worship for us.  Let's hope we have internet when we get there so that we can update all of you.  Thank you all for your support!!!

T-4 Days

13 youth and 3 chaperones are getting ready to embark on a life changing trip to Mityana, Uganda.  16 bags packed all filled with medical supplies, clothes, toys, toothbrushes, toothpaste, school supplies and much more.  All donated by generous people and companies contacted by the Adventures in Service participants.  We are so lucky to be able to be part of such an amazing opportunity.  So many groups have contributed to the cause including CROYA, National Honor Society and Men's Club.