One Month Later

A month has passed since our group of remarkable people returned from Uganda. Reintegrating into the lives we lead back in the United States, we have all reflected upon what we saw and how if affected us. Out of all of us, we have more than 2,000 photos of everything we saw. While many of them are head on with smiles toward the camera, there are a good number that capture genuine joy and happiness in the moment. I think those are the most beautiful photos because they best represent what our trip was about. Here are two such written accounts and photos that speak for the entire group and what our incredible trip gave us.

Reflections and Lessons Learned

By Caitlin McCarthy

         Prior to Uganda, I had not traveled farther from my home than Mexico—and I took that trip back in fifth grade, accompanied by the safety net of my parents and the luxury of a beach. So needless to say, as the date of our departure for Africa approached, I found it quite difficult to prepare myself mentally or even emotionally for the adventure that lay ahead. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know whether to be nervous or excited, terrified or thrilled. I tried to feign nonchalance as my eagerness nearly consumed me.

         Our flights from Chicago to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Entebbe were uneventful. And I remember, after our 16-hour journey, stepping off the plane in Uganda and thinking in the nighttime air, “I’m in Africa.” However, the true magnitude of this statement didn’t quite hit me yet. The next day, even, when I saw Uganda in the daylight, I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the fact that I was in a different continent, that I was halfway around the world.

         In truth, I don’t think it ever quite hit me that I was in Africa. And, surprisingly, this somewhat lack of recognition gave birth to one of the greatest lessons Uganda taught me—that the world isn’t all that different. In the Maranatha schools, yes, the children spoke a different language, yes, they played different games, yes, they ate different foods, and yes, they lived different lives. But the essentials, the essentials like a thirst for knowledge, a nurturing of ambition, a hunger for justice, a never-ending search for joy, and a commitment to love, these essentials, well they are the same in Uganda as they are here in America, and despite my limited travel experience, I would venture to say that they are similar to those of all people around the world.

          I don’t think I ever felt like I was in Africa because I felt like I was at home. Patrick, Eva, and the environment they have cultivated at each of the five Maranatha schools are one hundred percent responsible for this. I didn’t just experience a sensation of welcome or hospitality, I was completely inundated with love. What makes the Maranatha students so remarkable, so unique, is their willingness to love and be loved. And again, this all stems from the marvelous and unparalleled foundation that Patrick and Eva have laid. The students depend on, trust, and devote themselves to one another. They wholeheartedly accepted us, the KidsUganda Youth Board, into their unbreakable family, and from that moment forward, only more love, confidence, faith, and respect could emerge. This is also one of the greatest lessons that Uganda taught me—that all we need is each other. A comfortable house, available food, adequate clothing, clean water, yes, these are needs. However, if we strip ourselves of these tangible necessities, we will find that the most basic need is the love, companionship, and support of another human being. Belief in this fundamental necessity radiates from the Maranatha schools.

          Our ten days abroad, eight on-the-ground in Uganda, absolutely flew by. Not a single one of us wanted to leave; we all felt so comfortable and at home that we wished to stay for the rest of the summer. God-willing, I’ll be back in Mityana and working with the Maranatha schools in the future—perhaps for a summer during college or for a year before I enter the workforce. My time in Uganda interacting with Patrick, Eva, and the Maranatha students, showed me that love and joy are simple, and that too often, these straightforward feelings are polluted by the perceived importance of money, status, and image. Let myself, and the fifteen others who went on the trip, attest to the fact that Patrick and Eva’s schools positively impact the lives of countless students and that the ongoing support of KidsUganda makes the fulfillment of their mission possible.

Red Dirt and Love

By Emma Parkinson 

            Something you notice about Uganda right away is the intense color. Fruits seem more vibrant, and the sky seems bluer against the background of green trees and winding roads. People’s clothes stand out against their dark skin, and the buildings they inhabit have a clear outline against the backdrop. Most obvious is the brilliant red dirt that coats you like water, sticking to the clothes you wear and embedding itself in your hair. We would be scrubbing it out for days after we got home.

         On June 9th, 2013, our group of 16 departed for a ten day service adventure in Uganda. A rough 8000 miles away from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Mityana, Uganda houses the center of the Maranatha Integrated Schools Project, of which KidsUganda is a close partner. Past projects have raised money to build multiple structures and facilities at all five of the schools.

         For the first ever KidsUganda Youth Board Adventures in Service trip, 13 Youth Board members from three different high schools and two colleges gathered together in the name of service. The community was eager to help as news of our trip spread. Students gathered at CROYA to make friendship bracelets and classroom items such as flash cards and math tools. Members of the Youth Board wrote letters to top medical companies to ask for donations of any supplies that they could offer. After many Thursday night meeting and hours of hard work, together with our three chaperones, we braved over 16 hours on multiple planes to our destination.

         With only eight days in country, we did and saw incredible things. Children swarmed us as we would unload our bus with things that had been donated by generous people at home. As we tied on the hundreds of friendship bracelets made by students all over the community, the smiles and gratitude were evident on the faces of the children. Visiting all five schools in the Maranatha Integrated Schools Project, we could see the good the schools were doing. The main school, Mizigo Primary, was large and had many facilities such as a boys and girls dorm, a sick bay, and a kitchen area. Across the street, Mizigo Vocational/Secondary School hosted students of high school age. Nkonya, located in a fishing village, was smaller but no less exciting. Kigalama and Kyetume were both remote, hosting children of a younger age.

         At Maranatha, love, much like red dirt, is tangible. There is an overwhelming connection between the children and everyone around them. The bond from teacher to student, and even student to student is incredible. We were lucky enough to be swept up into this incredible love, and we felt it from each and every child we met. The hard truth is that many of these kids have horrible home lives, living in poverty, many walking miles to school in the dark. Worst-case scenarios include sexual abuse and parents dying of AIDS. Despite this, the children are happy to be at school and they easily give their love to you.

         During our time in Uganda, we heard countless stories of tragedy and triumph that shaped many of the children’s lives. Two boys named Steven and Jonathan captured the hearts of our group. Young brothers, they had attended one of the smaller Maranatha schools until very recently. Their mother died of AIDS and their father is a legally blind alcoholic. He would make the two boys walk him to the bar and he would drink until he was too drunk to take them home. Often times they would sleep in bushes on the side of the road. When Patrick and Eva heard about their situation, they moved them from the rural school to the boarding accommodations at Mizigo, where they now live. When we first met them, they were timid and sad little boys. But after a day of trying to get them to smile, we were able to make them laugh and enjoy themselves, despite the recent tragedy that hung over them.

         Our trip group learned about love and happiness. We have broadened our perspectives and are aiming to focus more on others. Life is a precious thing, and we have seen that firsthand. The KidsUganda Youth Board will determine what projects to focus on in the future. We hope to improve the lives of the children that gave us so much more than we can ever give them. Members of our trip left a piece of themselves with those happy, smiling children at Maranatha.