Saturday, May 26, 2012

where is time going!

This week has been a week of learning, eye-opening experiences, great service and amazing inspiring people. Just to give everyone an update on what I have been up to this week I will give you all a day-to-day run down on what has been going on.
To start off, Monday we had a meeting with Moses and the Nabuti village I am working with to talk about how we are going to execute our plans of improving their education systems and implementing business and women empowerment classes into their community. It went well so we are currently working on the curriculums for those classes and anxious to get those started hopefully next week! Tuesday I spent the day gathering materials and supplies for a project that I am heading up with a few others called Musana. Musana jewelry is a local jewelry company that a HELP volunteer started in 2009 that employs 7 of the most amazing women from Lugazi. We are making them a store and planning a grand opening where we will be inviting the town members and local leaders to stop by and see their work. We are reallllyyy excited about it! Wednesday we visited a local hospital and got the chance to spend some time with some HIV positive women who have joined together to stand as a united front comforting HIV positive people and counseling with them about their lives and situations. It was truly one of the most humbling inspiring things watching these women talk. When they talk it makes you realize that the things that seem like “big problems” to us are absolutely NOTHING. We also had the chance to walk around that hospital and see women who had just given birth, chat with them and hear their stories. (I will NEVER complain when I am in the hospital again after seeing this hospital and where these people give birth, have surgery and stay while they are sick.) After the hospital we had the chance to go to a beautiful village about an hour and a half away to do a public health out reach. Basically what that means is we go and with the help of our partners educate people on HIV, AIDS, sanitation, hand out condoms and do tons of other really necessary things. Thursday we went and observed schools in the Nabuti village to see where we can make improvements. Friday we had one of the most amazing health clinics I have ever been to in my life. We met with a group called the Naguru Teenage Center and we talked about African culture, puberty, sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive health and so much more. It was amazing and eye opening to hear about the crazy things these children go through and to see the strength these young children have. LASTLY, yesterday we went to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and worked at a HELP sponsored dental and health camp. I was able to test people for HIV, literally prick them and wait for their results. It was super sad to see people test positive but also really neat seeing people getting tested and people interested in helping themselves.
            So with that all said, this week has been busy but AMAZING! The people here are so intelligent, hard working and beautiful. I love how they have nothing but rise above all odds and become these strong people, full of life and love. I have yet to meet someone who is not interested in hearing about my life and talking to me about theirs when we are sitting next to each other on a taxi or meet at the market or at a project. I am LOVING my time here and cannot believe how fast it is going by. Less than three weeks from today I will be home and it is starting to make me sad but I am sooo grateful for the time I have had here. These people are definitely changing me so my hope is that I can give a little bit back to them, and help them a little bit more over the next two and a half weeks before my time is up here!
            Hope all is well in America though. Love and miss everyone! 

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