Uganda Day 2: Awestruck Wonder

I had several moments of awe yesterday as we were on the plane and when we set foot and began driving around in Africa.

I remember looking out the window on the flight from Amsterdam to Kigali I think it was and seeing this beautiful, periwinkle sky. I had never seen a sky that hue before.

I also remember Desiree, one of my tripmates, talking to the woman behind us right before we left for Entebbe, and the woman shared how she had been living in Uganda for 37 years. In so many words, I recall her saying, 'Africa exposes you to empathy. Nowhere in the world can give you empathy like you receive in Africa.'

The woman also shared, "I think we need more people to come to Uganda." Not to save the day, but to receive. And I realized what she meant when my team and I got on the bus and, before taking off, our driver said, "You are welcome home."

A smile immediately broke across my face because this man had never met us. He didn't know our stories. He didn't know our names, but, in his country, we are welcome. We are loved. We are going to be taken care of.

Then, last night, on the drive to our hotel, it hit me. I'm in Africa. I'm in UGANDA. I didn't start this year with a New Year's Resolution, 'I'm going to go to Africa this year!'

It was just a door that opened.

Sometimes when things don't go as planned, we see them as failures.

But I think there could be another word that works, as well: miracles.

This is my miracle. I'm here for a reason, and I'm excited to see how that reason unfolds.

With love,