The Little Muzungu is Missing Home!

Hello all,

So the last time I left you I was getting ready to leave Kabale. Well that I did. And what a farewell I had! It was so hard saying goodbye to everyone. I really made some close friends in my time in Uganda, and saying goodbye to them was like saying goodbye to my family. In true African style my last day in Kabale was one to remember. At the house I was staying, we had a huge hedge as a surrounding fence. However there was a large gap in one part, so to stop wild dogs getting in, an old car door was fixed there. On my last day, Harriet, Audrey’s mum was around having a coffee to say goodbye, and I was in the kitchen making tea, when I heard this scream. I run out to find that some man is off running down the road with the car door on top of his head! Then Junior our gardener takes off in pursuit, faithful gumboots and all, with the security guards from the neighboring property, [with their guns mind you], also in toe. They catch the guy beat him up, and get the door back. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw Junior triumphantly enter our gate, carrying the now, very much prized rusty car door above his head. Gotta love Africa!

After I left Kabale, and had many tearful ‘not goodbye but see you soon’ conversations, I went to Kampala to stay with Esther for a week and also visit my sponsor child. The night we all arrived, Pastor Edward, Pastor Frank, Ben, Richard, and myself were taken by Esther to this fabulous Indian/African place for dinner. And wow. After eating organic vegetables and simple healthy cuisine for 2 and a half months, my stomach was in for an overwhelming treat! We had a 4 course meal of soup, chapattis, STEAK! with my most favourite part- the ginger mash potato, which I have to embarrassingly admit, caused tears of happiness in my eyes after tasting due to its deliciousness. We all left feeling very full and happy. Pastor Edward had never had steak before, and he really enjoyed it! Oh and they had custard and fruit for dessert! But you should have seen the other African men’s faces when they saw the custard! I won’t say names, but one likened the yellowness of the custard to snot! It was so funny and was such an enjoyable evening, and a great way to say goodbye to some very special people.

The next day was the visit to my sponsor child. After sponsoring her for three years, and sending letters back and forth, I can’t begin to describe to you all how excited I was. My day started when I got picked up by World Vision and taken to the head office. It was so cool! Quite different to our head office in Australia as they had a lot more departments, being the sponsor end and all, but as I work for World Vision it was quite fascinating to see it at the other end of the spectrum, and seeing everything we help to support in action. After signing some documents and going over the legalities, we drove out to my sponsor child’s community. First we stopped in at the WV office there, and I got to see what all the money Australian’s are sending over, through the child sponsorship programs, are supporting. First of all they had a community centre for the training of members of the community in HIV Aids and other educational opportunities. Then they had a secondary school where about a thousand kids were educated, and when I got there, parents of the sponsor children were building another classroom through the money donated, as the classrooms they had were overfilling with students wanting to be educated!

They also had 4 one acre banana plantations throughout the community project that helped to provide food for thousands, and everyone in the community had access to a plantation for income. They also had a giant water bore, as before World vision, no one in the community had access to water, but now EVERYONE does! When we were driving out to my sponsor child’s house we saw many blocks of land that had a mud hut, and then a sturdy brick house next to it- I was told the hut was the residents house before World Vision, but the after the community got sponsorship, they were able to have brick houses! It was great to see the contrast and example of ‘before and after’.

Finally after an incredibly slow, bumpy journey, we passed about 20 or so kids on the side of the road. Immediately my eyes met with one child in the crowd- and I knew it was her and she knew it was me. We stopped up the road about 100m ahead and I got out and we ran to each other. Even though we’d never met, and had only seen a picture of one another, we had this connection as if we’d known one another forever. I bent down and shook her hand and greeted her. She then grabbed my hand and took me straight up to her house to meet her whole family who had come to greet me. There were also about 50 other friends and neighbors there to greet me. From the moment she grabbed my hand she barely left my side. We came and sat under a tent they’d put up whilst all her friends performed for me with traditional African song and dance. It was amazing! My sponsor child got up at one point to lead the dancing and she pulled me up also- and what entertainment that was! The whole gathering of people burst into laughter and cheering as I wobbly attempted their incredibly hip focused dancing! It was so much fun and one I’m sure they and I will never forget. We then went into her mud brick house for a specially prepared meal of matoke [a savoury banana dish] and local fish. I really enjoyed it. My sponsor child was so excited she couldn’t sit still- she gobbled all her food up so fast and you could tell she was thinking this was the most exciting day of her life. In Africa, children aren’t usually made such a fuss of, so having your whole village of friends and neighbors gathering together to celebrate you and your sponsor, would have been very special!

We then had some more singing and dancing, followed by the gift giving. My sponsor child had prepared a gift for me- it was so beautiful- she’d filled up a basket full of banana’s [about 40 little ones] and a pineapple- it was so thoughtful and a huge sign of gratification. I’d also brought some gifts for her- stationary and books for school, and a teddy bear. I started off with the books, of which she was so happy about, but when it came javascript:void(0)to the teddy, I got her to close her eyes and put out her hands. Teddy’s aren’t very common for kids in Africa so I knew she’d love it. When I pulled it out of the bag, all her friends gasped with excitement and I placed it in her hands. When she opened her eyes you could see how delighted and shocked she was- she hugged it immediately and grabbed my hand to thank me. [The above picture is of us exchanging gifts].

Our day was coming to an end and I think we were both dreading it. At one point, she started rubbing her face, and crying- she knew it was coming to an end and she didn’t want it to be over either. Its hard to describe how I was feeling- I obviously don’t have children, but I really felt connected to this little girl. The spokesperson for the village said that I had the heart of a mother even though I was so young and childless and that my sponsor child and I had a very special bond- unlike what they’d seen before. That is a huge compliment coming from them. I guess the most of what I took away from the experience is that even though I am so young, and was younger when I started sponsoring, I have the power to make such an enormous impact. My little girl wants to be a ‘teacher just like me’ when she grows up; she now has hope and plans for the future. She’s healthy, being educated and has a purpose here. She’s not forgotten, she’s loved and cared for and that is more important that any riches or possessions that she could ever come across, and World Vision has helped to foster that. Not only that but her community and friends and family are supported too- so I think choosing to sponsor her and her community was one of the best decisions I made in regards to my money! I recommend that if anyone wants to play a part in changing your world, sponsor a child! Having seen the impact it has first hand, and knowing that the money really does get there to transform thousands of lives, its one small sacrifice that is worth the whole $1.43 a day!

Visiting my child was one amazing way to finish off my time in Uganda. I had so many life changing times in my time there, and will never forget the people I met and the experiences I had. I am no longer the same person- again Africa has transformed me. I’m still Liv- but I think I see the world just a little differently than before. I know that Africa is my home and always will be. Whilst I’ll be in Australia a little longer, I know my purpose is in Africa and I cannot wait to return to the land that I love so much.

So thank you to everyone who has been major supporters of me and my trip and that have enabled me to experience all that I have. I have so appreciated your generosity and prayer- I only hope that my trip inspires others to do the same- and not necessarily go to Africa [well I think everyone should go, but that is not always possible] but rather be empowered to know that you can find your purpose in life- every life has a purpose- regardless of who they are and where they come from, and that we, those who are incredibly privileged, should help others find their purpose - and I’ve found, that even if you don’t know what your purpose is, helping others find theirs kind of comes full circle- and helps you find yours. So everyone has the power to make a change in this world, no matter how small it may be. And something that I live by, that was inspired by my first journeys to Africa, and is even more ingrained in me now, is that even if you affect just one person positively, it is worth it, as that person could change the rest of the world. I just can’t wait to see this in fruition by the time I return back to Africa!

Also thank you to all the wonderful people that I spent time with in Uganda. I’ve come to think of you as my second family now, and having been back in Australia just over a month, I am finding it very hard not seeing all your smiling faces every day. I think of you often and all of the wonderful times we’ve had. I have no doubt that I will be returning to see you all again, in God’s timing of course, so I will be praying for you until then, and I cannot wait till I see you again!

Finally, thank you to God. I would be nothing and no-one without you. You provided for my every need- from laptops, to travel friends on planes, good weather so the kids could enjoy my activities, money for EVERYTHING and so much more. You knew my every need and never let me down. You knew the perfect time for me to come on this trip- you taught me so much and gave me so much that has forever changed me for the better. Whilst I long deeply to go back to Africa, and I know that one day you will bring me ‘home’ again, I know my purpose is here in Australia for now, and I hope my stories will inspire others to go on a life changing trip for themselves.

Till the next time,
God Bless,
Love the Little Muzungu. Xoxoxo