My heart has been taken.

Bethany loved the fruit snacks that Uncle Mark sent...they have no idea about the M&M's that Auntie Rita sent! I have a feeling that will be a fun day!

Luke might just be the love of my life. In his two years of life he has fought two battles with malnourishment and severe malaria. He has an IV in his hand so he can go often to get an antibiotic drip. He loves white people! Damali said she just doesn't have the heart to tell him he isn't a mzungu (white person). Maybe when he's five, she'll tell him!

Beautiful Masese baby who was so confused trying to figure out why everyone was trying to make her look at the crazy white lady with the strange contraption!

She made it on the blog twice! Whoops! I don't think any of you mind looking at her two times though!

My sweet new friends in Masese.

She proudly showed us where she and nine other people live. This isn't just the view from the front door. It's one room, with not even a blanket for them to sleep on.

This sweet friend was chosen for the program. She has a hurt, possibly broken leg, and no one will do anything for her.

Another sweet friend who started the program today!

The little girl in the red t-shirt realizing that her picture was one of the 12 on the paper. Each picture was a head shot of each little girl chosen for the program.

Me doing my best to be Ugandan!

Hey everybody! I know that some of you have been anxiously awaiting this blog, so here goes…

My first day in Uganda was one for the books! I got to attend a traditional pre-wedding ceremony for Damali (director of Sonrise) and her fiance Felix. Not only did I get to attend as a sister of Damali, but I got to have a Ugandan make-over! I got to wear a traditional dress, which was made out of about 10 yards of crushed velvet! Can you say HOT! Underneath the dress, I had to have another layer of material wrapped around, tied, and then folded down. This extra layer was to make me look bigger because I was told I was not fat enough…have I mentioned just how much I love Uganda?! It was fun spending the day in the village where Damali is from, learning more about the culture, and getting to meet lots of new people.

While I’m at Sonrise, I am living in the guest house with Stella (who keeps up with the house) and Tracey (she is one of the Sonrise babies, but she has a sickness that is possibly contagious to the other babies). Stella is such an example of what true love looks like. As I write this she is cleaning the kitchen and singing hymns in Lugandan to Tracey who is sitting on the floor giggling her heart out. It doesn’t matter to Stella that Tracey isn’t her biological child or that Tracey is not hers to keep, Stella still loves her with everything she is for the precious time that Tracey has been given to her.

I got to experience something yesterday that I will not be forgetting anytime soon. I got to go into the Masese Village with Damali’s brother, Daniel, and his brothers in the ministry. We went to tell a group of special little girls that they had been chosen to participate in a new program. They will get picked up in the morning and taken to a house where they will get to shower and eat breakfast and lunch. They will also start school at the ministry. Daniel’s desire is that as he raises money, he can prepare the house for the girls to live there permanently and also pay a woman to live there with them as their mama. Now for the hard part, what makes these girls different from other girls in the village? Most of these little girls have no parents, and the ones that do are absent or severely dependent on alcohol. These girls have no one to care for them and are victims of sexual trafficking within the village. This is why Daniel is so passionate about preparing the house for them to live in it. He is so pained with the idea of having to drive these precious little girls back to the village every night where they will be taken advantage of. With everything I just told you, can you imagine the excitement that these little girls were showing when we told them they had been chosen.

I also got to visit Home of Hope also yesterday, this ministry was started by a lady named Edith. She opened this home so she could take in children who have cerebral palsy. The worst thing about their sickness is that it stems from unrecognized or untreated malaria. They have twenty children with ranging severities of palsy. Most are bound to wheel chair and some are bed ridden. There is even a full time physical therapist who lives there and his love for the kids was so evident. Edith is passionate about serving these children and equipping parents in the surrounding villages and cities who are willing to raise their children. Edith has even started a medicine program that provides medicine to children living at home who suffer from epilepsy. This passion comes from her own son getting malaria then palsy as a toddler. I wish you all could have been with me to meet her, we could all learn a lesson or twenty from her!

Uganda is quickly stealing my heart and staining my feet…I guess it’s a package deal! For the first few seconds of every shower I’ve gotten, the water is red washing all the dirt off. I don’t think the soles of my feet will ever be white again. And that is something I am okay with.

I'm here!

Just wanted to let all of you know that I made it to Uganda! I will post a longer blog with pictures tomorrow when I have internet where I am staying. I am loving it here. The people are kind and the country is beautiful!

Thank you for your prayers, they are evident in my life.

Much love to you all!

The cost of it all...

I made it to Amsterdam safely today. By the time I got on the plane in Atlanta last night I was so exhausted I slept most of the plane ride over! It has been a fun afternoon in Amsterdam, I got to experience public transportation in a completely unknown city. In an unexpected way, it was one more affirmation that I can do this. And a much needed affirmation at that. Yesterday was much harder than I had expected. I realized how much of a sacrifice this journey is for my family and the people who love me. I was thankfully reminded by a wise friend (that would be Audra!) that the sacrifice is worth it because the gospel is at stake.

While the unknown of this trip is exciting because I get to see God's plan play out day by day, it also adds anxiety because I don't know when I'll be back or when I'll get to see the faces of those that I love most again. I felt so silly as I sat on the plane and cried as I turned my phone off in Atlanta. That cell phone is my connection to all of the people in my life. But, as I sat and tried to get my act together I realized that an exciting shift is taking place in my life. A shift to becoming dependent on God for everything. Not just for healing, comfort, wisdom, or provision. He is about to become my best friend. Something that I have desired for a long time, but was never necessary because I had constant fellowship with all the people who know me best. So as scary as it is when I sit here in this tiny hotel room and let my head take over, I have to weigh the options and follow my heart and be obedient.

The next time I blog, I will be in the beautiful country of Uganda...which is much warmer than Amsterdam I might add! I can't wait to show you pictures of those precious babies at Sonrise and share stories validating that this is all worth it! Much love to all of you!

Ready!

I fly out tomorrow afternoon at 5:30 from Mobile and then again at 10:50 from Atlanta. I'll arrive in Amsterdam a good nine hours later where I will get to spend the night...in a Holiday Inn Express none the less! Not very European at all! I will make my way into Entebbe, Uganda (after a quick don't leave the plane layover in Rwanda) at 10:20 Friday night. Nothing like a 44 hour trip through 4 countries to wear a girl out!

With February 1st finally being here, comes many emotions. Excitement, peace, anxiousness, and of course the inevitable panic. It's that night before the first day of 9th grade feeling. Knowing that the new and unknown high school holds numerous opportunities to both succeed and then again maybe not succeed! Even with the knowing that I am embarking on an exciting new season that has been ordained by my thoughtful Creator, it doesn't make it any easier to willingly walk away from all things comfortable. My supportive parents and sweet brother who continue to make sacrifices for the sake of the ministry, my incredible sisters in Christ who have walked through all seasons of life with me, my gracious family (both biological and church) who continue to say prayers and write checks. Don't even get me started on the petty things I find comfort in, like skim milk, flavored coffee, and Hulu.

With all that said, I am ready. Ready seems to be my word of the month. I have found myself repeating it to all those who inquire about my leaving for Uganda. I am ready to go. I am ready to have my feet in the red dirt of Africa (Okay maybe my TOMS, not actually my feet!). I am ready to stand and breath in the dry heat. I am ready to love on beautiful people who life hasn't been fair to. I am ready to see where this goes...

Welcome!

For those of you who have walked any part of this journey with me and for those of you just joining in on my journey, welcome! It's about to get really exciting!

I'll be leaving soon for Uganda...check back soon for updates as this adventure begins!

Serving Him with you, Alisha

"Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid, don't be discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take." Joshua 1:9