Uganda 2017: Part 1

At 3:00am we left for JFK. We got on the plane for Dubi around 9:00. When we finally got to Dubi airport, we were rushed around the airport in circles! Twenty minuets later, we finally got to the plane, right when they were boarding. Another long flight later, we arrived in Uganda. We waited in line for about an hour to get our eyes scanned and get our passports stamped. It was then that we realized that our luggage was lost. However, I now know what it feels like when your dreams become reality. When we were driving I felt this big rush of excitment and joy!

We drove up to Banana Villiage with our wonderful drivers, Francis and Richard. When we arrived at Banana Villiage, we were greeted by Ryan, Jillian and Matthew, family of three. We had dinner, and talked, a lot!

The next day, we all got ready for the long journey ahead of us: an 8 hour drive from Entebbe to Lokodi. We stopped for lunch in Kampala, then right back on the road again! I slept most of the way, I will admit!

When we arrived at the center, all the girls were lined up on the side of the driveway singing and dancing. It truly was an amazing experiance.

Since we didn't have our luggage, we had to wash and dry the clothes we had in on and in our carry-ons. We enjoyed our much needed dinner, and headed up to an open hut where the girls would gather around and sing praises to the lord. From that night on, we did activities with the girls and their kids including friendship bracelets, picture frames, nail polish, t-shirt bags and sock puppets.

The next day, we got our luggage! We also got a tour of the Childvoice center and a Welcome Ceremony from the girls and staff. It was very good! The girls did a courtsmenship dance which made everyone laugh!

On Thursday, we did communtiy service with the girls. We traveled to the villiage, singing and dancing.

The grou-p that I was with served a woman who was 103 years old. We cleaned her hut, and told stories. It was really interesting to learn what she went through. I think the girls and myself learned a lot. Some other things we did that week were harvesting maze, visiting Fort Patiko, painting a mural, and playing sports.

On Saturday, my mom and I visited a friend in Paicho, and his family. That Sunday, we went to church with them and ate lunch with the community. The community there has grown so much. It used to be a camp, with nothing except farming and harvesting as an option. So, our friend helps them to farm right, to make stores and more.

The next two days, the team and I visited the girls classes such as hiar dressing, sweater making, catering, business and more. On Tuesday, Esther, the hair dresser, plaited my hair!

The next morning, we woke up at 4 am to drive down to Murchinson Falls.

However, every morning, I was suppose to take my malaria pills. Well, unfortunately I forgot to that morning (because we woke up so early). So, when we finally got to the hotel we were staying, I was very sick. With a fever of 104 degrees, vomiting, body aches, skin sensitivity, headache and stomache pains, I was in bad shape. The nurse that was at the hotel tested me for malaria, the three tests were positive, so she gave me a shot. However, she didn't tell us that the shot was an infiant dose (a quarter of what I needed).

So, I was feeling pretty good until around noon, the next day. It was then when I started to feel like I was slowly dying! On our way back to Bananna Villiage, we stopped at a pharmacy to get medicine for me. However, I had to take it with food, which I hadn't digested anything in two days because it just came back up. So, I ate some bread and water and took the pills, but about a minute later, I threw it back up. So, I was sick the rest of the night. But, I was so delusional that I didn't relize my mom got more medicine.

The next day, I felt like a million dollars! I felt so good! We went shopping and got ready to go back to the states! The whole flight I felt amazing! The Dubi airport was so cool!

The past two weeks I have felt fine. However, leaving Africa has made quite an impact on me. I hope to go back next year and get closer to the girls, my team and God.

I'd like to thank everyone who supported this trip either financially, or with words of encouragment. Thank you to my parents, grandparents and my friends. You have meant so much to me.

~Grayce Mandsager