Ciao!

Well friends, I am home. This current adventure is over. So to sign off I wanted to end with an explanation of what I actually did while I was there - productivity-wise. You've heard my stories, but I wanted to be sure you knew what was accomplished in my journey.

At HEALS...
[HEALS is a Ugandan NGO that provides school fees, play therapy and educational support to children in Northern Uganda]
I met the kids and staff of the program.
I developed and launched a system for them to track a child's educational progress and assess his/her needs.
I created a checks and balance system for the NGO's expenses.
I interviewed all the children in HEALS - a fun way to capture their personality.
I visited every school that the children attend and obtained past records and saw how each school functions.

With SOMO...
[SOMO is a Texas-based LLC that provides the actual funds for the school fees of the HEALS' kids through the sales of necklaces made by Ugandan women]
I recorded the bead making process.
I met the women who make the beads.
I purchased many necklaces for SOMO.
I created and launched a system for routine order and delivery between SOMO and the artisans.
I did a few photo shoots with HEALS girls wearing SOMObeads.
I discovered two potential partnerships for SOMO product development.

With me...
[Heidi Schroeder - a 24-year old lucky duck that still can't believe her bosses are so awesome to have let her go to Uganda]
I saw the good, the bad and the ugly.
I realized I have a lot to learn!
I crossed Bunjee Jumping off my list
I got to see London (stopped over for a few days).
I grew a new appreciation for my beloved democratic nation: America

I am praying and processing through this past month...I am not yet sure what God would have me take away from it, but I know He will reveal soon.

I'd love any and all feedback, advice and thoughts. Also- if you have any questions or want to know anything else.

Thank you for reading! I'll leave you with a few pictures from the last stop on my journey.

3 - 2 - 1 - BUNJEE

A day of pure exhiliration.

I went to Jinja. Jinja is a town right along the Nile. This is where adventurists come to raft the incredible rapids on the Nile, bike, horse back ride through the villages and anything else adventursome that involves the breathtaking scenery and the mighty Nile River.

I came here in '08 and rafted. Most terrifying and incredible experience ever. So this time around I wanted to roam around a bit more, but the priority was to bunjee!

Wonderful Sarah Contrucci met me there to join in on the fun (and cheer me on for the jump). We met up for a very hearty breakfast before we made our way to the Mountain biking group. We got lucky and had 2 guides for 2 of us. These guides are hilarious, adventurous ahese guides are charismatic, full of crazy stories and generally flirts.



The falls behind us are Bujagali Falls. Today they are actually closing them due to the need of power in the area. Development and money overrides beautiful nature, unfortunately. Many villages will be displaced because of the construction. It's sad.

After that we made our way to the Bunjee jumping spot. The butterflies were beginning. But I made sure to talk about anything else to distract my mind. I didn't get struck with total fear until I was standing at the edge and they were screaming 3-2-1 Bunjee. But I just jumped, knowing that the worst that could happen is I would die. :)



As I soared over the trees and the Nile below me my breath was totally gone- it felt like those dreams where you try to scream because something is wrong, but you can't. Then I bounced. And that was it-- I had just did what I came to do. But then I thought, man this would be fun to try over and over, doing different jumps and styles. I had tried to flip after the first bounce, but the harness wouldn't allow.


I told the bunjee guy that I can see how people would want to do this again and again to execute different forms and such, then he said they have a deal where you get the second jump for $50 and the third jump is free (if done all the same day). So I went for it.

Jump 2: Dead man's drop. You just cross your arms and let your body fall backwards, not pushing off at all.

Jump 3: The running jump. You have a full body harness on for this one, so you have to hold the cord away from your face with you hand - I ended up giving myself a small black eye. This jump was the scariest.

I think I could get used to these types of days being more frequent!

Party!!!

Saturday was the HEALS party.

The kids spiffied up their uniforms.
Judith and I dressed in our African Finest. So did the parents.
It rained.
Then it stopped.
The kids sang.
And danced

and danced.

and danced.


We drank soda.

It rained again.

I took very stoic photos of the families.

Then finished with a SOMO photo shoot. Adorable.




It was a good day.