I am home now. Its been 5 days now, back in the states. What was a strange reality to me a few weeks ago is now a very real one. It is nice to be back, to see faces I missed, to rest at home. There are many comforts too, but none that I abosuletly need. Thats one thing Ive been aware of alot since being home, trying not to be tied to the comforts of this country (this world for that matter). I don't think its a selfrighteous thing, to make myself feel better about living nicely amoungst a starving world, but rather there are so many comforts that simply distract and take away from life and relationships. So im on the look out.

Anyways! I wanted to wrap up the blog and let you know how it all went down. Goodbyes were hard, obviously. I will never forget the night when a few of my teammates and I camped out at the kids home. The moment we arrived at their house my arms were pulled at every direction and my ears filled with the same questions, "ARE YOU SLEEPING OVER TONIGHT'? I asked Thomas (my dear brother who lives with the kids) not to tell the kids but he couldn't hold in his own excitement and told them as we were on our way. Their faces as we answered yes put the biggest smile on my heart and probably my face too. They danced and screamed and helped us set up the tents. I could probably have lived in that tent for a very long time.

Scott, the boys, and I went inside their rooms to sit around and read some passages from the Bible. We wanted to encourage them as we left to continue loving and taking care of each other as they move to their new village in a few months, but to also shine like a light on a hill for the new children that will find their home at COTN. The village, as we learned from our weeks teaching, had many kids in need of a place to rest their heads and their souls. I know that my boys will love those kids like no other. I cant wait see their new community flourish and grow next year and in the years to come.

After we talked and prayed I whipped out my computer to show them videos and pictures from home. They laughed so hard at the pictures from my previous trip to their home and got a kick out of silly pictures from my home. They made me promise that I would come back with long hair again like last year. They just love that it resembled Jesus from the Jesus film. haha. I really prefer the simplicity of shorter hair, but I will do it for them.

And a storm came. Our tents nearly flew away. Not really but it was quiet intense and Jenny jokingly threatened to walk home. We survived and woke up to the kids doing chores and putting on their finest for church.

It all seems like just yesterday. It was quite the switch, one day in Africa 2 days later in America. Yesterday though I sat around and thought about what to tell you about my trip and what is next for me. There are so many stories I could tell from the last week in Lira and our trip to BEAUTIFUL Sipi Falls and Mbale. Oo here is a good one, our team danced and sang for the kids in our fairwell cermony. I had a good cry when I had to give a little speech to the staff and kids. It wasnt a sad tear though. As I stood in front of the kids I was overwhelmed by the love in my heart for each one and the joy I have from just knowing them. What a blessing.

It is hard to sum it all up. But I would have to say of all the lessons I learned of all the experiences I had, they all led me to a very important and hard truth to follow; to always trust my heart to a God that knows it deeper than I ever will. Many times I doubted my ability to love someone enough, to help enough, to care enough, to actually make a change in broken lives and a hurt land, to use my passions and talents to make that change. In those times of doubt I was royally shown up by Gods faithfulness to use what he has placed in my heart to do all that he desires which, let me tell you, is always beautiful and something I could never do with my own hands.

Whats next? Well for now, I start my intership as Local & Global Impact Intern as well as a Graphic Media intern at Flood Church and then school in late September. Im going to be working on that project I mentioned in a previous post about Alex (the boy i met in the field during the Jesus film) and creating a way to empower leaders in Northern Uganda, specifically Lira. Who knows where that will lead me. Back to Uganda? I hope so. Obanga Ngeo (God knows).

Obanga Mii Gum! (God Bless You) Apwoyo Matek (Thank you very much) for reading my blog and all your prayers and all you love and all you support. I could not have done it without any of you!

Thank you letters are in the making for all you who supported me financially. So be looking out for those!

Goodbye Lira

Hello everyone! Im so sorry I was not able to post a blog this last week in lira. It was so full of good things as we prepared to say goodbye to everyone we love here. I will write in detail more about it when I return to the states. But thank you so so so so much for all your prayers through out this journey. Your support and love for my team brought so much joy to my heart. Thank you all.

Amarwu ( I love you all)

Now we leave for Mbale, to the mountains in Eastern Uganda for a debrief. Then we fly to home on Friday.

Storms and Some Laundry

y

WEll! Things have calmed down a bit here; health is on the rise, welcomed a new short term team, and we are now preparing for our last full week in Lira. We leave next tuesday for Eastern Uganda, to a place called Sipi Falls in Mbale district. Its a very beautiful mountain rage near Kenya and our team is going to have our debrief there. Im excited but not really ready to think about leaving Lira yet. Its a strange reality that we have only 9 days left in Lira with the COTN kids and staff. Then I land in LA on August 15th. Gah!

Anyways. Weve had some beautiful storms this past week. You know its going to come when the sky becomes an eerie haze and the gray settles in covering my favorite blue sky. The wind runs away quickly, off to gather the new dark clouds and then back to us in a mighty gust. The mosquitos vanish and you wonder where they have gone. And then the lightening shows off its brightest lights for all of Lira to see. Its fun.

This weekend I spend alot of time at the childrens home, helping them with their chores, taking pictures for COTN's website, killing chickens (well... i watched the kids do it at least haha), playing soccer, the usual. We have all developed such a bond with them and we have seen more and more of their funny and silly selves come out. At first they are very formal for the "visitors" and take some time to get them out of their shell. They also felt embarrassed to speak English at first, thinking they weren't very good at it. But alot of them are to hard on themselves, they speak pretty well. My little Prosesco always speaks Luo to me without fail and I rarely know what he is saying except for greetings and goodbyes. Its hilarious. So I find an older kid, usually Solomon or Samuel cause they are always close by and they tell me what he is asking or saying. Its fun.

So here we go. Last full week. Here is what weve got planned. Teaching and loving the kids at the village, visiting the hospital once or twice, preparing our fair well gifts for the children, celebrating Elena's birthday tomorrow, going to Jimmies (our driver/my ugandan father) village, finishing up interviews for COTNs DVD project, getting another uganda outfit made at the tailors, hanging out with the kids before dinner, and cooking a meal to appreciate the staff. Those are a few of the things that come to mind. Ill let you know how it goes. :)