As told to me by Bill Gunnin This thirty year mark is a significant day. It is a monument that marks a day of before and after in your life. A day of reckoning so to speak. For you, it is a day of monumental shift where everything changed. For me, it is not that … Continue reading February 2nd, 30 Years Ago (Guest Blog)
Beginner’s Luck
I made some adjustments at half time. I studied my opponents. Every move was predictable. Then I realized, so were mine. Especially, being as green as I am. I changed my strategy to behave like a veteran traveler, and I went back into the game. Being intentional as a strategy was new to me. I … Continue reading Beginner’s Luck
The Story
The story that got me here, the one that actually got me on the plane to Uganda, wasn’t the fact that there were refugees or even the orphans of war, those exist in many places around the world. No, as compelling as those stories are, I would have been content to read about them from … Continue reading The Story
Exile Life
Our project leader Uche and Mickey, our communicator with the Office of the Prime Minister, have been orienting the team. This includes cultural awareness, as well as a history lesson. There have been hours of questions and answers about the situation in South Sudan and all the people have endured there. It was very informative, … Continue reading Exile Life
Michelle vs. The Mosquitos
Something a bit more lighthearted for you…and me. In Africa, they have a lot of mosquitos. It is why I am taking Malaria medication while I am here in Uganda. The pesky critters are the same as ours in that they buzz in your ears, and hover around you looking for a meal. They are … Continue reading Michelle vs. The Mosquitos
I Try to Imagine…
I try to imagine what it is like for the refugees fleeing the war. Below is what I see in my head. It is fiction, but there are elements from things I have heard here. Some families come the camps together. Others, the men stay back to either fight, or to protect their property. Some … Continue reading I Try to Imagine…
Desolation and Mango Trees
Desolation is defined as extreme sadness caused by loss or loneliness; the condition of a place or thing that has been damaged in such a way that it is no longer suitable for people to live in; the state or condition of being desolate. It is the word that comes to me over and over while driving through … Continue reading Desolation and Mango Trees
Success
What is your measure of success? Is it, what kind of car you drive? Or if you have a nice house? Is it, if you have a degree or two? Is it, how much money you make or that you are raising great kids? Is it, that you give back and serve others? Or that … Continue reading Success
Prepare for Landing
The engines roar down the runway. A small plane, with 20 seats in all, lifts me into the sky. The sun is barely up, but it shines off the waters of Lake Victoria, which from the air, looks like the ocean. Once we are airborne, we are above the clouds. The sky is brilliant blue … Continue reading Prepare for Landing
The Welcoming Committee
I sit with my eyes closed and my head back, facing the warmth of the sun. The breeze is cool and gentle as it blows my hair just the right amount. My swollen feet are propped up in a chair. After two days of hectic travel, I soak in the serenity of the place. My … Continue reading The Welcoming Committee
Michelle's Mosaic 