Live your love.

Being back in Denver has brought a mix of emotions. It's been good seeing old friends and being back in a beautiful place where people ride their bikes often and read good books and eat at fun places. After being in Denver for two years, I have realized that some of my friendships here are the real thing. They are loyal and have become my family away from home. I found out the day I returned to Denver that a dear friend, mentor, woman I admire, has a brain tumor. A group of us went over to her and husband's house that night. We cried together and we laughed together. This is the church. It's about going through things together. It's about suffering with people and taking on their pain. It's about unconditional love. As hard as that night was, it was also so good to be with those people. It felt right. It felt like family. Unfortunately, I was quick to get back into my busy lifestyle once returning to Denver with working during my days and having plans every night. A...

I filled an entire journal from my 5.5 weeks in Uganda. I have trouble filling a journal in a year in the states. I read 5 books during my 5.5 weeks in Uganda. I have trouble reading 5 books in 6mos in the states. I learned about a culture, learned basic communication in a new language, I learned about diseases and health care in a third world country, I heard stories about peoples' lives that were so vastly different from anything I have ever experienced, I experienced intense discomfort in the physical and emotional realm, I saw beautiful green land, blue waterfalls, colorful flowers, fruits and vegetables, I walked for miles, I rode on the back of a motor bike for miles, I sat with 20+ other Africans in a crammed taxibus for miles, I listened to children's laughter and singing, I tasted the sweetness of mangoes, pineapples, papaya, sugar cane, jackfruit, and african tea... I laughed with new friends. I already knew I struggled with American culture.. the hustle and bustle, s...

My hour long Mutato (taxi bus) ride in the morning to the village gives me some time to reflect. There are so many wonderful things about this country, but there are also sooo many frustrating things about this country. The frustrating things start to arise more and more now that I have departed from my initial honeymoon stage of being in Africa :)... but my relationships with people I have met here have gotten deeper and more invested, so it will be hard to leave this place... and some parts of this lifestyle. I ask a lot of questions here... There is a lot I don't understand how something (traditions, attitudes, behaviors) came to be. I often hear, "It's the culture." I understand how some things are very cultural, but just because it's the culture doesn't mean it's right.... I feel that way so much in America with consumerism, vainity, materialism, etc. There are so many NGOs here in Uganda.. there are also U.S. military. I'm sure there is some goo...