Adventures in Uganda: June 2008

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Sunday Night - June 29

Oh, my - tomorrow at this time I will be on a plane to London. It has all seemed a bit surreal until now. I am all packed up and ready to go. A bit nervous - but so excited!!! Just printed my boarding passes. Some teachers from school threw me a "Bon Voyage" Happy Hour on Friday. Thanks Susan!! for organizing it and thank you to those of you who were able to come and those who sent their best wishes. It means a lot to me to have all my friends behind me. Thanks also to my best friend, Kernie - for keeping me entertained this weekend, so that I wouldn't go crazy at home.(and for watering my lawn!!) All my family and my far away friends called this weekend to say goodbye and send their prayers. I am so blessed to have such a great family and so many wonderful friends. I hope I make you all very proud while I am over in Africa. Well, so long for now and hopefully I will post once I get to Africa. My love to all of you.
Ruth

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Tuesday night, June 24

Well, it is just 5 days until the big day and I have to say I am getting a little nervous. I have my 2 bags filled with goodies for the students all packed up and ready to go. I have begun my personal packing and keep thinking of things I might need. It hasn't helped that my block was struck by lightning last week during those storms and it blew out my modem, my Direct TV receiver, my answering machine and my garage door opener!!! Nothing like a little stress right before a trip. All are fixed now and I am almost ready to go, I think. I can't tell you how excited I am getting and I really hope I can post on this blog once I get to Uganda. Please pray for our safety while there and during our travels. I hope all of you,my family and friends, will also be safe and healthy while I am gone and I can't wait to get back and tell all of you about my adventure!! Hopefully you will hear from me soon.

Back At Home

Well, I've been home almost a week now and I am finally beginning to feel normal. I still want to fall asleep during the day, but not so drastically now. I am beginning to go through the hundreds of pictures I have taken and I am remembering the wonderful experience I was able to have in Uganda. I miss the girls, the Sisters, the countryside and yes, even some of the food - especially FRESH pineapple, bananas and avocados everyday!! But mostly I miss the new family of friends I made during this adventure. All of us have gone back to our "normal" lives, but our thoughts of Uganda are never far away. I used my washing machine for the first time in a month a few days ago - and I will never take it for granted, nor the lovely hot showers I am able to take each morning. Going through the grocery store, I stop and think - do I really need that? I hope I won't take many parts of my life in the US for granted ever again, but I am afraid as time goes on, that will creep back into my life. I feel so much more apart of Sacred Heart Education, even though I have been teaching at Duchesne for 22 years. Watching teachers really learn what Sacred Heart Education means, and see them embrace the goals, was life changing. Seeing their faces change as they hear about loving discipline instead of corporal punishment - wow!! These ideas are a big cultural difference. As they saw us interact with the girls in playful, loving ways, was amazing to them. Playing hokey-pokey, duck-duck-goose, jump rope and ball with the girls and not just standing by watching, gave them a whole new perspective on teaching. Telling all the wonderful stories, that will be my challenge in the next months. I am putting several of my favorite pictures on the blog after this entry, but know that there are so many more that you will see as the year goes on. Be sure to scroll all the way down to see larger pictures. I will add some each day. I know I have said it many times - but I really want to thank all of you for your prayers, your e-mails, and your love as I was on this adventure. They kept my heart singing through each day.