Deep Thoughts :-)

When I first got here, I was so overwhelmed with the fact that I was actually in Africa, that I didn't really allow anything to sink in. It's not that I wasn't noticing the extreme poverty and the horrible conditions that people here are living in, it was more that I was so shell-shocked by actually being here and witnessing these things, that I didn't actually SEE them. That sounds SOOO cliche, but it's true! The last couple weeks, the gravity of everything here has really started to make an impact on me. I don't know if that's because I've been talking to people about it, or because I've finally seen enough for it to really register, or because I've had enough time to get over the initial shock and start really thinking about what people have to live with, but I'm definitely feeling that the issues and problems here should be brought to the attention of as many people as possible.

Through all of this, the hope of the people here comes through, so it is hard to feel sorry for them because, on the surface, they are all happy, joyful people. Dave (the director of Light Gives Heat) has told me since the beginning that the last thing people here want is your pity, which is very true (this is not to say that they won't welcome your help, though!). But, I have at times felt overwhelmed by helplessness because there are so many people here that deserve good lives and they probably won't ever achieve that. When I'm sitting at Amani holding and playing with kids, it's so hard to know that some of them will probably never be adopted, and will live their entire life in poverty. When we're walking through Walukaba and see a woman cooking a meal for her 8 kids, it's heartbreaking to know that that will probably be their only meal for the day. When I'm walking down Main Street, it's hard to constantly walk past the kids begging for food and money. That said, there are many amazing volunteers here trying to eradicate situations like these, which helps me to have hope that the standard of life will be raised within the next generation or two. As easy as it is to get caught up in all of the sad stories, that's more than a little depressing, so I've been trying to focus on the good, and think of ways that I can help and contribute to all of the amazing things that are happening here.

The more I have talked to other volunteers here, the more that I have realized that one of the best ways we can help is by telling the peoples' stories. In my case, I have been blessed enough to be welcomed into the lives of the Suubi women, and I feel that it is my duty to them to tell their story at home. So, thank you so so so much for reading my blog, and I'd definitely encourage you to read the blogs of the other Suubi volunteers (go to lightgivesheat.org and click on Stories From The Field) because they're all awesome (my opinion might be a little biased, but whatever)! I really believe that we can truly help these women by telling as many people as we can about them...the more people that know about them, the more likely someone else will be inspired to help!!!