Our second full day has come to an end. One of our trip leaders, Joseph,(a native Ugandan) went to the airport for us late last night with all of our information to pick up our missing bags, but they wouldn't release the bags to him....so me and the 2 other girls with the lost luggage went back this morning to pick them up personally because that was the only way to get them. Yes, our bags were there:). Joseph was so kind to take us 3 girls while the rest of the group went on with the day's planned activities and we met up with them at lunch time. I was disappointed to miss the Youth Aids Office presentation about the AIDS epidemic here in Uganda and personal stories shared by locals. We donated 10k to the Youth AIDS organization as part of our fundraising. The group filled us in on what we missed, which I am grateful for, but I wish I could have been there to process the information myself.

It was fun, educational experience going with Joseph this morning on the 90 min drive to and from the airport. When we arrived last Sat night it was dark so we didn't get to see much of the scenery, but we had the opportunity to experience it in daylight today......we saw Lake Victoria, a beautiful site, many different villages, markets selling anything from food to clothing to furniture, buildings in progress, buildings abandoned, lush fields, and hundreds of people walking. Driving is just as crazy here as it is in Kenya, especially in morning traffic....lots of motos and horn honking...minimal traffic lights...lots of circles and yiedling and people walking through and into traffic....although I had complete faith in Joseph I found myself gripping my seat many times and exhaling loudly as I saw people and motos come inches of the moving vehicle. He answered a lot of my questions about the slums we went to (how were the 40 families we donated food, clothing, supplies to chosen? based on need and family circumstances - the people of the slums also decided together; how many people live there? between 4 and 5 thousand; do other groups go to the Acholi Quarters and donate? rarely), life in Uganda, the different tribes, polygamy, his family, etc (you know me always asking lots of questions...I am just so curious about things). We pulled over at one point because the president's car was coming down the road....4-5 black cars in a row..it was pretty exciting - The president's car didn't stop to say hi to us, so I was a little disaapointed:)

We met the rest of our group for an authentic, yummy Ugandan lunch and then to Kasumbi Tombs, an active religious place for the Buganda Kingdom - we were given a brief tour of the grounds and history of the Buganda tribe. Afterwards we spent a short amount of time on a self-guided tour of the Uganda Museum (only museum in Uganda).

Every night we do a group processing activity which is extremely beneficial to help us process what we saw/did each day, our reactions to what we saw, how we deal with uncomfortable situations, what are our "triggers" that set us off - make us angry, uncomfortable, cry etc. Through tonight's group processing activity I learned this:

Yesterday's experience in the slums is one that continues to run through my mind....the poverty level there is unimagineable. Yes, we have poverty in the US, and I recognize this; but not at the level I witnessed yesterday. What inspired me most was the smile on the children's faces, the look of life and spirit in their eyes, and their compassion for each other. I keep wishing I could go back and bring them more....but is that what they really need? Do they really know what "more" is? Or I am just feeling guilty for all that I have in my life and know they are equally as human, but why are they living in these horrific conditions? Why were they born into this?

Joseph told me between 4,000 to 5,000 people live in the Acholi quarters with HIV spread throughtout - and I can honestly say that this was my first experience being in contact with people who are HIV+. Yesterday, before I went to Carmela's home where she cares for 19 children she shared her story of moving from Northern Uganda to the slums to escape the war. She contracted AIDS from one of her sons while caring for him, not knowing he had the disease. Her husband left her and lives in the slums with his second wife and she now has 19 children left to care for....When I approached her home and saw her family I was excited to bring them food, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, books but was instantly hesitant to reach my hand out or to give them a hug. I didn't know which one of her son's was carrying the AIDS virus....I was scared/nervous for a few moments....but thank god I quickly overcame my own fears (my brain saying Danielle, what is wrong with you, you cannot contract AIDS through a hug, a handshake, a smile, talking)....and I then reached out to all of them as I sat in their home listening to their story.

I learned in tonight's processing session how easy it is to speak of what inspires you and how challenging it can be to talk about your fears or to even recognize what you are fearful of....as I buried the interaction I had with AIDS back in my brain until tonight's session...yes, probably because I was shameful that I even reacted the way I did....but now grateful I was able to own and recognize how I felt, how I changed it and how I can only grow from here. A smile comes to my face as I think back to Carmela and her family...did I really serve them or did they serve me?

Tomorrow morning we are off to the birthing center site, Kasana, about an hour drive from Kampala. We will be staying there for the next 2 nights so you won't hear from me until the end of the week:). I am so excited for tomorrow I hope I can fall asleep tonight:)