It's the little things...

Alumni Perspective--the following post is from a January 2011 student, originally posted on her blog http://meganstorch.wordpress.com

It has been nearly a year since I began my journey to Uganda and over 7 months since I have returned home. This seems unreal to me.

What do I miss? It’s the little things…

I miss hanging out with the Fantastic Four (Danielle, Mubeezi, Mwesigwa, and myself).

I miss dance parties with my brothers.

I miss sitting on the porch, drinking tea and talking to my Maama for hours.

I miss walking into town.

I miss the smells.

I miss having tea time 4 or 5 times throughout the day.

I miss spending time with my roomie on campus, Angela.

I miss the Honours College students.

I miss the beauty of time spent on the Nile.

I miss the adventures Uganda brought.

I miss laughing with each other and cultural incidents that would occur.

I miss holding sweet Ugandan babies (specifically Nasu and Nassolo).

I miss sleeping in a hut with Jules and our rat…well, maybe not the rat part.

I miss watching Hidden Passions and laughing at how ridiculous it is.

I miss having conversations in Luganda every day.

I miss frequent trips to the canteen for soda and chapati and smoothies...

I miss hearing, “Zalwango! Okola ki??! Njjakukuba!”

I miss greeting the security guards at the school every day.

I miss spending time at Chain Foundation.

I miss trips into Kampala for some American delights.

I miss rice and beans.

I miss Blessed Christian Church and the church family I gained there.

I miss sleeping under my mosquito net.

This list could go on and on. I miss Uganda, and it’s the little things that I miss. The simple things that seem so easy to take for granted.

God spoke to my heart in Uganda early on. What word did He speak to me over and over again? Embrace. So I did. I embraced every moment I had there, and I am so thankful for that. I have the beautiful memories of those little things. These memories will never leave me.

Part of my heart is connected with Uganda, and that connection will never fade. It is part of who I am. It is part of who I’ll be. I’m Zalwango of the Buganda clan. That will never change.

Praise God for my time in Uganda. Praise God for the memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Praise God for allowing part of my heart to stay in Uganda and for part of Uganda to stay in my heart.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Webale Yesu.

-Zalwango