16/12/2025
"Mum was nervous about me travelling to Uganda. Even though she’d met the choir and knew the organisation, she was still concerned for my safety. My best friend was coming with me, which helped—but saying goodbye at the airport still felt surreal. Mum was crying, and I am thinking, “Are we really going to Africa right now?” We arrived at night, but even in the darkness, the drive was eye-opening—so many people wandering the streets, animals on the road, and vendors selling almost everything. We were taken to a large red-brick guesthouse where we spent our first night. The staff were incredibly kind, and they cooked the most delicious meal. The next day, we bought some groceries and headed to Suubi Village, where we would be living for the next month. As soon as you drive into Watoto, you are struck by how organised and lush it is compared to the rest of Kampala. After settling into a house, we shared with another 22-year-old from the USA and completing orientation, we were taken to Baby Watoto. For the next month, I helped in the one-to-eighteen-month room—feeding them, playing with them, and reading to them. I was even able to take one of the smallest babies, Grace, to church. She was so light, and being able to worship while holding such a precious little baby is a moment I will never forget. During our time in Uganda, we attended a local cell group, met families from all over the world, and a neighbourhood mum. She was caring for six children in a tiny shack with no electricity, no running water, and just one mattress that the entire family shared. She had recently joined the program and dreamed of opening her own store. Towards the end of my trip, during worship, I felt the Lord say to me, “What are you going to do with the life I have given you?” I thought about my family, my education, my financial resources, and how much money I spend on things I don’t need. This trip made me rethink my priorities. Life is about people — and in the end, the things we chase will fade. When I think about the future now, even though I am young, I know it’s going to look very different."
Bella
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