A Good Ol Village Visit

Isaac

Two and a half years ago I took my first trip to this beautiful country, forever changing the way I view life through the experiences and relationships that she graciously offered to me. There was one friendship in particular that my friends and I still share stories about. His name is Isaac. Two and a half years ago we spent a week doing construction in a local village, Mbiko, but we high schoolers on the trip didn't do a tone of the construction part of it. We were way too eager to spend time with the people and learn from their culture and way of life... and well... let's just be honest we really just wanted to play with the kids.

We spent hours at the football field (soccer field, but I'm trying to get in the habit of using the term that the ENTIRE rest of the world uses for the sport) at the top of the village playing, laughing, running, talking, and eating waaayyyy too much sugar cain (which we picked from the local fields) for our own good. There was one particular teenager that got our attention, mostly because he kept offering Steph Rocco and Kelly McBride more and more chickens, goats, and cows for either's hand in marriage, but when we sat down to really discuss this boys life he could not stop expressing his desire to have an education and his love for art, but wasn't able attend school because his family could not afford the expense. This, unfortunately, is the status of thousands of children in this area. Kelly and Steph went back determined. After talking to various people back in California they found a sponsor for Isaac! And that was the last I ever heard of this kid. I knew he was safe, sound, and educated because he was sponsored, but I had no idea of his whereabouts and frankly thought I would never see him again...

... Until he showed up at our front door today. What was supposed to be a quick visit to ask my mom a simple question about his sponsorship turned into 2 and a half hours of catching up and discussing his passion for art. Over and over he would say "I've missed you all so much! I thought I'd never see you again, How is Kelly? and Stephanie? I thank them so much for finding me sponsor!" It seemed a if every five minutes he expressed his surprise to see me and with great joy, the feeling was mutual. He poured out his love for art and painting and the spark it ignited in his soul. And when he pulled out all of his drawings from his bag, his face expressed the same excitement that came from a 5 year old telling his mother he learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels. It is both his escape and his connection to the world around him. It's his way to release the pain, frustrations, and joy; and also to connect with and analyse the details of the world that no one else may see so easily.

And let's just be honest, it was pretty cool having him remember all of us after all this time and on Thursday he is taking me back to his village to see some old friends there. Needless to say, I'm pretty stoked about Isaac.

For all you Californians

Well, I've been in Uganda 6 days now so this post is long over due. Since the moment I stepped foot on to the plane heading straight for good ol' LAX I knew that writing this was not only a desire of mine, but a necessity. It's necessary for me to take the time to write about the importance of community and the blessing it has been in my life. I don't speak of necessity as if it's a burden to my time or as if it's something that I HAVE to do, but after dedicating a week to a community that can't be described as anything other than spell-binding - I feel that each day spent with out writing a proper 'Thank You' would just be terrible manners... and quite frankly almost an insult to such community.



I just realized that if you read that last bit with a English accent it will sound much more fitting.



Anyways!... So I made it. I finally made my way back the place that fed me such beautiful instability in my way of viewing the world. The only place I've ever been tempted to call home after only 2 weeks. The place that I've considered my lifeline to sanity (or what many of you have once viewed as insanity) for the past two and a half years: Jinja, Uganda! and for the first time in all my my visits here - I miss home.

It's cliche and can be a total cop-out, but honestly, after a spending a week back in Danville I realized the full extent of the importance of these people in my life. Now, people have been telling me for years that I will barely keep in touch with friends from high school and I approached the first three years of my high school career with that attitude that reflected those words, but after witnessing many other high school and post high school communities I realized that there was something special to mine. My life hasn't really ever been considered a path of stability - mostly of my own doing... actually... completely of my own doing, but anyways, through all this all-over-the-place-ness that is my life I can rest in knowing that those crazy Californians will always provide a place to call home. There is a strength in both integrity and in unity through out my group of friends back home that I find to be very unique (and that's also coming from some outsiders perspectives too) and that will never go unappreciated. So, in every sense of the phrase - thank you, Danvillites for being the best/strongest/most unique/most definitely most ridiculous community I've ever had the blessing of being a part of. I could sit here for hours ranting my insane love and respect for ya'll.



www.axisofdville.com/thatincludesanyoneindanvilleiveeverthrownafrisbeewith/thatsalotoffreakinpeople.hellamobbinfornightsdays.hella/imissyallmorethanamberwouldmisspeoplecallingherprettyiftheystoppedformorethanfiveminutes.



Also! I want to make a big shout out to our favorite Lebanese wonders of the world and Mamma and Pappa bear and all their atterbear cubs - I couldn't be more thankful for ya'll being gracious enough to host me as a part of your families last week. If there's anything you need from me - do not hesitate for an instant to let me know how I can be of service. I'll always be there for ya'll in whatever you need just as you have been for me. If any of you lovely readers ever cross paths with a member of either of these two families - just attack them with a hug and say it's from me.

Too tired to actually think.

Ok, so there's a lot to reflect on and a lot I've learned in the past 3 weeks, but unfortunately Californian and Ugandan schedules have not offered me the courtesy of free time and everytime I sit down at night to write any kind of thoughtful reflection of Denver, California, or Uganda, my eyelids start to feel like deadweights and the humidity starts to take hold over my consciousness.

In shorter words: I have not forgotten about you wonderful readers! There are many topics to be discussed in the near future!

Grace and Peace,
Philly G-Love (name given in courtesy of DJ Ozzy K)