Wow! I can’t believe it’s 2013. What a year to remember!! God has done so much in my life this past year and what a great privilege it was to be able to ring in the coming year of great potential right here in Uganda.
This Christmas season was very different for me. Being away from family seemed like such a strange concept but it was such a life changing experience for me and I am so thankful that I experienced a Christmas here in Uganda. As the days approached I found myself longing for snow to fall from the sky as I sat outside the babies home in the scorching Ugandan sun. But that longing quickly subsided when I looked into the eyes of the beautiful children that were playing in front of me. I thought to myself how much of a blessing it was for me to be able to carry these babies in my arms on Christmas morning and wish them a Merry Christmas the way a mother would to her own children. The opportunity to do this made my heart leap with joy.
As Christmas day started my mind was never far from my family back home although I still missed them a great deal this subsided when I was on my way to the babies home. I saw many children sitting outside of their mud huts with no new toys, no families around and no one to wish them a merry Christmas. It reminded me once again what the reason for this season is and that is the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ. As my heart broke for those children I was reminded that Jesus came for them, to be the father to the fatherless and to be the hope for the hopeless. It is because He came to this earth that these children have hope.
I was also extremely blessed to be able to host three children from the Watoto children’s village for four days over Christmas. The other volunteers and I got to act like mommies to these children and spoil them on Christmas morning. Having these children stay with us was one of the most amazing, humbling, exhausting, and wonderful things I’ve ever done. During the time we had these children we still worked at the babies home so in the mornings we got the children ready to come with us and then when we finished our shifts we brought them home and cooked dinner, bathed and then put them to sleep. Christmas day was so special, after our shift at the babies home we brought the children home and I made a roast chicken dinner for 13 people. Having the dining room full of people made it really feel like Christmas!! Just before dinner we got the children to open all their gifts! It was so much fun to see their eyes as they unwrapped each gift.
Although I was away from my family this Christmas celebrating it here in Uganda was the greatest experience of my life! I would not change it for anything. I made memories this Christmas season that I will never, ever forget!
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