this woman needs tights and a cape

One of the best things that has happened to Change the Truth is Melissa Mosher.

During her first trip to Uganda (as a member of Team 1), Melissa knew immediately that she wanted/needed to make room in her life for the children at St. Mary Kevin Orphanage. There really wasn’t a question in this young woman’s mind. She’d be back to Uganda, and then she’d be back again.

Melissa was a member of Team 2 and then even made a solo trip. Both she and her son, Antwain, joined Team 3. By then it was just a matter of working out the details. The Moshers were moving to Uganda.

Melissa and Antwain

Melissa’s job description with CTT is: Social Worker and CTT/SMK Liaison. The director at SMK likes to call her Orphanage Manager. The children just call her Mama.

I am starting to believe she’s actually a super hero in disguise. (The capri pants and flip-flops don’t fool me one bit, Mel.)

This woman does it all.

In fact, I really don’t know how we functioned without her! Mel has opened her home to a rather large brood of children. She’s the go-to person for tabs (Tylenol), boiled drinking water, pencils, soap, Bandaids, the soccer ball pump, a little dose of “The Lion King” movie, anything that is lost and everything that feels like family. She is the one who visits the sponsored kids at their schools, makes sure there is enough to eat, makes referrals to the medical clinic, sees that homework is done, makes sure someone has remembered to water and feed the pigs and, well, the list goes on and on and is continually being invented.

When Team 4 invaded her home this past December, she welcomed us with open arms. I watched this super hero juggle ten kids’ needs at one time while making the best guacamole and salsa on the planet while making adjustments for a sudden change in plans while reminding Antwain to wash his clothes while offering a hug to a sad kiddo while suggesting a new idea to a team member while smoothing ruffled feathers while wiping tears while making sure all of us had everything we needed.

I realized while watching her in action last month that she also has talent as an organizer, a leader, a diplomat, a public speaker, an event planner, a tour operator and a think-tank wiz.

The most amazing part of it all? Melissa smiles more than anyone I know.

And laughs a lot, too.

Now that she is MY go-to person, I am learning that besides doing it all and doing it with grace and good humor, she is also an amazingly quick study. CTT just got a huge donation of seeds, for example. The donor wants to make sure the seeds are harvested, dried and reused. Mel will be an expert on the subject soon. The vocational school system in Uganda? She didn’t know much about it a month ago, but oh just wait!

Each time I ask her to take on a new task, this super hero tackles it with gusto. And she doesn't even wear a cape.

When I first met her son, Antwain, he was about seven or eight years old. He was obsessed with super heroes. He was dressed as Batman one time when I photographed him, jumping on the bed pretending to perform mighty feats.

I wonder if he knew all along there was a super hero living under his own roof. I bet he did.

Melissa, thank you for all you do for all of us. You’re one amazing woman.

If you’d like to follow Mels’s blog and learn about her daily adventures in Uganda, you can find it here.