It is a time of endings and beginnings here on my journey! The exam weeks at Fisher Branch Kalagala high School were successful and all the students were able to complete their exams - despite the earlier disturbances - and our last week ran smoothly without a hitch!! Thank you fo your prayers! They were heard!! The night of the last exam was a night of pure celebration!! Every jerry can and basin and tin can was brought out and the drumming, singing, banging, shrieking, screaming and hollering, bongo-ing, shouting and laughing was amazingly loud and the energy was high!! The joy was tangible - freedom!!! The raucous lasted until the heavey clouds opened up and drenched everyone with a downpour - and then all students headed to their beds - to rest before their journeys home Friday Morning!! The schoolyard is now oh so quiet...It is oh so still.
With endings, there are always beginnings...For the students, it is the beginning of their holidays...For me the beginning of, what seems like, everything!! As soon as the pressure and stress of Third Term had passed - I was planning and writing and my mind was hard at work!! Free to dream and let inspiration have free reign!! Time to listen to my heart.....Inspiration came and plans spilled out onto paper. I spoke with the head master and he approved of the following plans for next term:
1.A Girls discussion Group - covering topics like sex, anger management and peer pressure...Or any topic the girls choose and is relevant to their lives.
2.A book Club and discussion group to encourage a "reading culture"
3.Extra -Curricular Art Sessions for those wanting added instruction
4.One - One relationship based youthcare, where I will meet with individuals who have personal issues, struggles or concerns they would like to deal with.
5.A program of positive reinforcement for good behavior!
So, I have a lot of planning and work to do over the holidays to prepare to facilitate these programs!
For now, my heart turns to the City of Kampala...Which is where I journey to on the weekends in order to check mail, send mail and and use the internet to connect with home.
I have been greatly moved by the homeless, handicapped and otherwise unfortunate souls that live on the streets in my new city. Unlike cities in Canada - these people have nowhere to turn. No food banks, no soup kitchens, no shelters. When there is no food....There really is NO FOOD. I started asking around, what could I do...What would be of help...Any help? The answer - every time - was, give them money...With money they can AND WILL buy the food they need. So, I made a decision...I would give some few shillings to each person...And ....I would give Love. Thus, "Operation: Share the Love" was born!
This weekend I put the plan into action..Walking my usual routes through the city, stopping to greet and talk with and bless the people living on the streets who are asking for money...Each one also received some small coin from me. I shake or hold every hand, touch every small child's head and look everyone in the eye, get down on their level and smile as I speak to them. Many of these folks do not speak the language of Luganda, but speak Tribal languages and though we do not understand each other, we talk and talk...We gesture and hold hands and smile and touch...It is a beautiful thing. I can't help but think I am ultimately more blessed than they are.
My choice is simply to see these people who have been stepped over, avoided, ignored and ultimately invisible in their own city...
My hope is not to change their lives - my few shillings cannot do that...My hope is just to give love, and human contact...Touch...To acknowledge their existence....To walk with my eyes and heart...Wide open.
"You are free to love without limit, to forgive, to be merciful, to be generous, to be compassionate, to risk, to sacrifice, to enjoy and to love." -Erwin Raphael McMannus
"If we are more generous and loving, wiser and more compassionate, less angry and fearful, then of course the world around us will be a better place." - Joseph Goldstein
"Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter." -Bono
With endings, there are always beginnings...For the students, it is the beginning of their holidays...For me the beginning of, what seems like, everything!! As soon as the pressure and stress of Third Term had passed - I was planning and writing and my mind was hard at work!! Free to dream and let inspiration have free reign!! Time to listen to my heart.....Inspiration came and plans spilled out onto paper. I spoke with the head master and he approved of the following plans for next term:
1.A Girls discussion Group - covering topics like sex, anger management and peer pressure...Or any topic the girls choose and is relevant to their lives.
2.A book Club and discussion group to encourage a "reading culture"
3.Extra -Curricular Art Sessions for those wanting added instruction
4.One - One relationship based youthcare, where I will meet with individuals who have personal issues, struggles or concerns they would like to deal with.
5.A program of positive reinforcement for good behavior!
So, I have a lot of planning and work to do over the holidays to prepare to facilitate these programs!
For now, my heart turns to the City of Kampala...Which is where I journey to on the weekends in order to check mail, send mail and and use the internet to connect with home.
I have been greatly moved by the homeless, handicapped and otherwise unfortunate souls that live on the streets in my new city. Unlike cities in Canada - these people have nowhere to turn. No food banks, no soup kitchens, no shelters. When there is no food....There really is NO FOOD. I started asking around, what could I do...What would be of help...Any help? The answer - every time - was, give them money...With money they can AND WILL buy the food they need. So, I made a decision...I would give some few shillings to each person...And ....I would give Love. Thus, "Operation: Share the Love" was born!
This weekend I put the plan into action..Walking my usual routes through the city, stopping to greet and talk with and bless the people living on the streets who are asking for money...Each one also received some small coin from me. I shake or hold every hand, touch every small child's head and look everyone in the eye, get down on their level and smile as I speak to them. Many of these folks do not speak the language of Luganda, but speak Tribal languages and though we do not understand each other, we talk and talk...We gesture and hold hands and smile and touch...It is a beautiful thing. I can't help but think I am ultimately more blessed than they are.
My choice is simply to see these people who have been stepped over, avoided, ignored and ultimately invisible in their own city...
My hope is not to change their lives - my few shillings cannot do that...My hope is just to give love, and human contact...Touch...To acknowledge their existence....To walk with my eyes and heart...Wide open.
"You are free to love without limit, to forgive, to be merciful, to be generous, to be compassionate, to risk, to sacrifice, to enjoy and to love." -Erwin Raphael McMannus
"If we are more generous and loving, wiser and more compassionate, less angry and fearful, then of course the world around us will be a better place." - Joseph Goldstein
"Whenever you see darkness, there is extraordinary opportunity for the light to burn brighter." -Bono
posted by Lola | 1:49 PM
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