sara

Today we had the pleasure of visiting Peter’s family. Peter’s village is about an hour and a half north of Kampala, in central Uganda, in a village called Gembe. In the early 80’s, this part of the country was in the heart of the war zone of the rebels. After a transition of power, from Idi Amin to the current president, Museveni, this lush countryside is now home to peasant farmers who live very peaceful lives. Upon arriving in Peter’s village, we were greeted by his family, which is comprised of his parents and his darling nieces and nephews. Gembe truly lives up to the meaning of its name, peace. The village was so serene. It was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Kampala. After visiting for a while, we said our goodbyes and headed back to the city.

I cannot believe my time in Uganda is already half way over. I have been blown away by the Ugandan people’s friendliness, hospitality, and sense of pride for their country. We are warmly welcomed everywhere we go. Each day, as we pass through Kajjansi, the village children run alongside our van affectionately greeting us by yelling “ hello muzungus!” (white people). Apparently we are the village spectacle.

This trip has truly been a life changing experience. I am continually amazed by the children at SMK. They are artists, footballers, dancers, and singers; the list could go on and on. At times I find myself forgetting that at the end of the day, these kids are still orphans. They never got the chance to go to soccer camp, or take studio dance lessons, yet they are as talented, or even more so, than kids back in the United States. Their sheer raw talent is remarkable.

The situations in which these children have been born into have ceased to hinder their ability to love. Everyday I receive endless hugs, kids wanting to hold my hands, and beautiful cards. I feel so lucky just to be able to spend time with the kids at SMK. As much as they think we are helping them, they are bettering our lives tenfold. These little daily lessons are constant reminders of what is important in life, love and friendship. After my time here, I hope to apply these lessons to my life. I will always remember time spent here, and I will be forever grateful to Gloria and the many others who made these experiences possible.