I'm Back!

My return from Africa left me a little dazed, confused and a lot jet-lagged. I had all of these grand plans of continuing my blog as I have so much to still share with everyone, but pregnancy and life in general got in my way. Well....I'm back. I'm still pregnant and still busy with life, but not too busy to take some time here and there to share some more amazing stories and experiences with you all.

Today I was browsing Facebook and saw a link to a youtube clip of a bunch of school kids singing. They were so into it and it instantly brought memories back to me of our time at New Hope School and Orphanage. When we arrived there, the kids were very timid and looked sad. It wasn't until music filled the room that we began to see some smiles. By the second day, they were all smiles! Especially when we showed up with Breakdance Project Uganda.

BEFORE

AFTER

Proof that all kids need music and dance in their lives!

In DeNILE

I can't believe this trip is quickly coming to an end. We had a busy last few days. On Sunday we took a little break to raft the Nile. The class 4 and 5+ rapids were exhilarating! It was a nice change of pace before our next two days at the New Hope orphanage in Entebbe. The days we spent there were by far the most challenging for me. It is hard to know where to start. The conditions these children are living in are horrible, they can't keep teachers staffed, they had no running water (until we provided a well for them with grant money), they currently have no electricity, I am not sure what they are teaching with as there aren't any books or teaching materials around, many of the kids were sick, the squat bathrooms were disgusting, and the sleeping quarters are overcrowded. Thanks to Breakdance Project Uganda, we were able to brighten their spirits yesterday. The kids lit up when the crew arrived. I am so grateful that they have agreed to continue returning to the orphanage on a regular basis to work with the children. Such an inspiring crew!

The boy's dorm room. They sleep triple stacked with mosquito nets. From what I could see, all of the kid's possessions are kept in their beds.  

 

Abrams is amazing. I could watch him teach for hours.

This was my group learning the six step. 

One of the groups showing the rest their new moves. 

The charming BPU crew. Love these guys!

Some of the boys practicing their baby freezes

The orphanage kitchen is behind that pile of twigs

This is the school's library....

Beautiful view out the school house window. Despite the poverty, there's a lot of beauty in Uganda. The people we have met and many of the sights we have seen are wonderful. I will miss many moments here. 

Shanti Uganda

I felt a little sick while at the Shanti Birth House the last couple of days, so I am feeling a little spent right now. I am much better with antibiotics, but super tired. Before I sign off and go to bed, I wanted to share a few photos of my time with this amazing program. It is located on a beautiful piece of property in a more rural part of Uganda.  The garden was lush, the air was clean and the birth center was beautiful. I enjoyed sharing some of my doula knowledge with the midwives and had a blast learning to make banana leaf dolls with the teens who are part of their teen girl education program. Shanti is such a great program and I can't wait to watch it grow and evolve. There will be more on this, but I am too tired to write anymore. Enjoy the photos. 

Acholi Quarter

I finally have some time to elaborate on our experiences at the Acholi Quarter. Despite the women's suffering and many challenges they face on a daily basis, they greeted us with welcoming songs. I felt very uncomfortable that we didn't have a song or dance to offer back. Gotta work on that because this welcoming song business is becoming a trend! It was a really great way to kick off our time there and I made many new Acholi friends as a result.

 We were having a meeting before our training sessions on childbirth, yoga and firstaid when a bunch of kids came to sit next to me. I couldn't help myself and had to play. We did horsey rides for 30 min and then some more later. My thighs are so sore, but it was worth it.

This is the daycare. A tiny 10x10 room packed full of kids. Despite the physical conditions, the teacher (Jennifer) rocks. She is such a smart, spirited young woman with so much to offer her community. I look forward to keeping in touch with her. Who knew I would have a friend in the slums in Africa.

We took the opportunity to crash some breakdancing lessons again last night. I learned some "locking" moves. I wish these guys were in Bend. It is so much fun! Don't worry....there is more to come!

I love this little cutie pie. I got my snuggle fix with this precious baby Tracy (Jennifer's daughter). She cracked up every time a motorcycle drove by. Funny little girl.

I will miss our dear sweet friend Ester. She wouldn't smile in the picture because she didn't want to say goodbye to us. We danced, hugged, shared stories, and she will always hold a special place in my heart. The beads around our neck were given to us by the wonderful women we connected with during our two days.

The teen mom group. Heather and I had a fun discussion about childbirth and other girl talk. We gave them some great tools and they were excited to get a new perspective on labor, birthing in general and relationship issues. By far the highlight of my trip so far!

We passed by these police vehicles today. They park them in the "walk to work" protesting area to intimidate everyone. Luckily, the threat is pretty far outside of Kampala where we are staying. That's all for now. Sorry for the random posts. Hard to think after long emotional days outside in the sun. I am headed out tomorrow morning on an overnight at a birthing center. This is what I have been looking forward to the most.