BodaBodaBaby : Highlights from Week 3

I spent week 3 really settling into the groove of things at Sole Hope and in Uganda in general. One highlight from this week was watching the transformation of the kids being treated at the Outreach House over their two weeks here. When they arrived on a hot and humid Monday, they seemed extremely nervous, timid and overwhelmed. As we took pictures of them for their treatment charts and gave them new clothes, not a word was spoken between them. They watched every movement made by a staff member with terrified curiosity. No matter how much I smiled, waved and tried to tell them everything was okay, no smile crossed their lips.

The next day, the SH staff held a min-clinic at the Outreach House to remove the still-timid patients' jiggers. Throughout the next ten days, Kayla and I initiated games with the kids, I studied their charts to learn their names and let them play with my hair and slowly, slowly they began to trust us. By their last few days with SH, they would run to the gate to greet us, lead us to the yard to play football (soccer), dance with me, hold my hand and even help me learn to count to ten in Lusoga. Just seeing how much their attitude towards being taken from their homes to receive treatment for their jiggers from complete strangers changed from extremely apprehensive to grateful and joyful in such a short time was really incredible.

Arrival Day

Vincent getting his jiggers removed

Sarah, Joy, Rose and Kaouda on arrival day

Joy, Sarah, Asuman, Joy and Zaina

Playing with precious Kaouda

Towards the end of their time at Outreach

Joy and Rose doing me up

Over the weekend, our new friend Kendall took me and Kayla to a passion fruit farm that's owned by one of her Ugandan friends. We got to pick our passion fruit right off the vine!

Picking passion fruit straight from the vine

Robert, the owner of the farm

And like the others before it, I spent several evenings loving on the kids at Arise and Shine. They have completely stolen my heart with their laughter, kindness, consideration and joy. They're so well-behaved and so loving :)