Unpacking

The task of unpacking is now under way. One by one items are being removed from our luggage; one by one each piece of luggage will be emptied, zipped up and returned to its place of storage. 

And one by one each memory and experience is being unpacked from our hearts - the excitement of that first midnight visit to the home and the joy of being enthusiastically welcomed by the surprised mamas; the relative solitude of hanging laundry on the lines to dry under the hot African sky; hearing the children greet us by our Ugandan names; the privilege of helping to provide the gift of clearer vision to those staff who needed glasses; the heart-warming and heart-rending feeling you get when you walk along holding the stump of an arm of a little girl who has no hand to hold; the joyful chaos that results when 30 or so toddlers see, for the first time, their new, fun and colourful beds...

The list goes on, and unlike our luggage which will be emptied within a few days, the unpacking of our hearts will be an ongoing process. And a strange process it is. It seems our hearts grow fuller as a thought or experience surfaces and gets unpacked. It's a process that can be both painful and therapeutic. The things we unpack may bring a smile or a chuckle over some cute or amusing incident or they may bring tears or anger at the injustice of the suffering of vulnerable children. 

No matter what we unpack, though, we remain in awe of the resilience of the children and the dedication of the staff at Sanyu Babies' Home.  And we are amazed that God has blessed us to serve there and to be welcomed into the Sanyu family. 

This blog not only allows you to get a glimpse of what we've been up to in Uganda, it has also served to help us debrief. Thanks for your support, your interest and for being part of this journey with us.