Thursday, July 19, 2018

through my eyes: uganda

for those of you who don't know, I'VE BEEN IN UGANDA.
I went through a wonderful organization called Amani Baby Cottage, got to love on and be loved by 2-5 year old girls, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I could. lots of people have been asking me about it, though, and I've been gone so long I felt like I should have something to show for my absence. so here we go: some raw journal entries so maybe you can get a little glimpse of uganda through my eyes. sorry in advance for the run on sentences that never end lol.


6.15.18 It smells like an open fire and chicken over roasted and dark feet on red dirt baked dry by the sun. It smells like smoke and dust, hanging and choking like a cloud in the night. It sounds like motorcycles and horns and locals talking fast and music flying by the window too loud, passing bar after bar. It feels like bleak futures and broken dreams or none at all. It feels like it's too late. Romans 5:8. Ephesians 2:4-8. 1:49 am.

6.19.18. Mama Rosemary, Mama Betty, and Mama Dorothy came up with a Ugandan nickname for me. Balunje: good, beautiful, altogether.

6.21.18. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29. mE.

6.22.18. how the kids say "How are you?" like "Ow ah yoo?"

6.23.18. Sarah pointing at the moon, saying that it was America, and that she's going to go there on a plane one day.. "You going to Merica?"

6.24.18. Davide picking flowers on the walk to church and giving them to me to put in my hair. I SAW THE NILE RIVER.

6.25.18. "Auntie Olivia you no see me. Ah notta heeya." except a thousand times a day.


6.27.18. Rosie climbing on my back, hugging my neck, and singing I have decided to follow Jesus at the top of her lungs during bath time. Danny kissing me on the neck and laughing when I acted surprised.

6.29.18. Hearing "Myzungu!" aka white person and stares following you everywhere you go in town.

6.25.18. Sarah taking a picture with me and surprising me with a kiss on the cheek. HOW CAN I LEAVE HER.

6.27.18. Even in laughter the heart may ache. Proverbs 14:13.


6.30.18. Joram: "Auntie I love you."

7.1.18. Brianna holding my hand wanting me to come swing with her, but me telling her I can't because Auntie gave me a project to do but I love her. Her, looking at me considering, gives my hand a kiss and lets go. Help.

7.1.18. It's hard to describe orphan care in a third world country to someone who's never done it before. Because one minute it's bath and bed time and everyone's sweaty and tired except the kids who are way too excited after playtime and you're trying to dry off soaking wet babies but all the other kids are jumping all over your back butt naked and happy screaming after peeing. And then another minute you open the door and they're running at you with their arms open wide yelling, "Auntie! Auntie! Even me! Pick up me!" And you just love them so much it hurts and it breaks your heart in every way you never knew it would. And you learn sometimes you can't fix every broken thing or heal every hurting heart, but you can always love with everything you've got.

7.2.18 Holding brown faces in my hands and crying and smiling and trying to tell them I love them and I have to go now but it's too hard to speak and they're smiling confused at why my face is all funny and teary. Long hugs and knowing the words left unsaid and loving till it aches deep in your chest like it'll never go away.

25 comments:

  1. I love this so much ilovethissomuchilovethissomuch. So happy that you got this opportunity (and the pictures you took there are GORGEOUS).

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    1. thankyousomuchthankyousomuchthankyouskf I'm so grateful too AGH THANK YOU <3

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  2. BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL you were living the dream. Those journal entries plunge us right into the heart of your experiences. LOVE IT TO DEATH. SO HAPPY FOR YOU. ♡

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    1. THANK YOU. I know I really was. I'm SO GLAD. thank you so much for your comment!!

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  3. Thank you for sharing your heart, the words you use to tell these stories, it’s so beautiful and broken and I’m so glad you got to live it.
    Lydia

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    1. oh mY THANK YOU for reading and for your words!!!!!!!! I am too :')

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  4. Yess Mzunga 🙌🏼🙈I’m pretty sure I heard that word about 282863114 times .
    This is so beautiful and real. My heart breaks when I think of the beautiful children that need so much love and joy in their lives.
    It rips you apart & makes you feel so many emotions. Thank you for sharing you heart ❤️

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    1. Is that how you spell it?!?! LOL I never knew!!! And yes you're so right (where are the crying emojis when i need them) THANK YOU for reading and for your words <33333333

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  5. YOU WENT TO UGANDA TOO I LOVE THAT LITTLE COUNTRY TO PIECES. I went to Uganda with Sixty Feet a couple years ago, and I LOVED it so much. The kids there stole my heart! Haha, I will never forget schoolchildren seeing my team and I in our van and running after us yelling "Mzungu! Mzungu!" I hope that's how it's spelled... I'm so glad that you got to go and love on those precious babies and experience Uganda! Were you in Jinja? I went to Jinja and that's where I saw the Nile.

    Micaiah @ Notebooks and Novels

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  6. UMM WOW this is amazing!!!!!!!! So beautiful!!! Uganda holds my heart because I corresponded with a girl who lives there back years ago but we eventually lost touch. She was so sweet, and I learned so much about her wonderful country.
    Thank you for sharing! XOXO

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  7. You are a sweetheart! I feel blessed that you have shared your journal snippets with it. I especially love July 1 and what you write then. Raw and real! That's what you do best.

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  8. Wow I just kind of want to cry now. This is precious and I feel like I was there and I just love your heart more than I can possibly say.

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  9. I actually have tears in my eyes. This post really got me. Like, I can actually FEEl what you felt. The journal entry before the last one... ouch. <333 You are such a beautiful soul.

    xx Kenzie | www.paperpizzablog.com

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  10. "Sometimes you can't fix every broken thing or heal every hurting heart, but you can always love with everything you've got." <<< Goodness, Olivia. THIS SHOULD BE IN A NOVEL OR SOMETHING.

    this is so beautiful I can't.
    k.

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  11. Truly sounds like a life-changing experience. Thank you so much for sharing this little piece of your heart with us!!

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  12. I feel your heart so much in this post. Such an amazing experience!

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  13. Oh my gosh, my heart. This was so precious to read. It's so easy to get caught up in our first-world bubble, but there is so much more out there that God calls us to. It sounds like it was an amazing time, and I would imagine very life changing. <3

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  14. this is so truly inspirational <3 it sounds like an amazing experience, and honestly i'd love to visit africa someday. you painted it so beautifully with your words :)

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  15. Oh my gosh wow. This is beautiful! That sounds amazing. :)

    Nabila | Hot Town Cool Girl

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  16. Wow, Liv! I am so glad that you had the opportunity to go to Uganda! I am confident that through your smile and laughter that reflects the love and joy of Christ, it brought joy and hope to their difficult situations. I love it! ;)

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  17. OH MAN. Your writing always ALWAYS makes me feel something - I felt like I was there. Never stop writing, ever. This was so beautiful. It sounds like you made amazing memories and had the trip of a lifetime!!

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  18. i. am. sobbing. this is every burden the lord has ever placed on my heart written in one post. wow.

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