Musings of a Meg

Security

2012-01-10T00:57:00.000-05:00

“What do you mean you don’t have a long-term plan, don’t you realize you’re a little naive”, they say. “What are you going to do about your future, you have to make money, you will have no security”. I hear the words over and over again, in different sentences and in various phrases, but in the end they all point to the same idea. I’m not normal. My dreams aren’t typical and the way that I feel called to live my life doesn’t fit into the recommended packaging. I appreciate the concern, I even see where the questioning words and worried looks are coming from, but deep down, though practical and realistic, the words that I hear don’t quite convince me to give up.

It is hard to be brave and bold and convince others that you are sure of yourself when, in reality, you are the farthest thing from that and completely scared out of your wits. And honestly, it is ~~a bit~~ incredibly stressful to be reminded that the path for your future has not indeed shrunk and become perfectly clear as you thought it would, but instead, branched out and begun to twist and turn like a fun-house mirror throughout the course of your college career. Even more scary? Realizing that you are expected to come up with “practical solution” in less than five months.

That is why I need Jesus. I need Jesus because he is the one who carries me from day to day, through the unanswered questions and the fears of what is to come. In truth, I am young, and I may be more naive than some, but I’m just living my life in the only way I know how..wading through the muddy waters of life while clinging to the coattail of a King who tells me that he loves me and won’t lead me astray. He won’t let me sink, after-all, he is the one who taught me how to swim. He is the one who taught me to love and challenged me in his example to step out of the box and give up everything I have..plans and all.

I don’t think that God would call me to do something or allow me to have the passions that I do if he didn’t have a plan or at least a reason for it all. And even though I can’t place my finger on a map or write out a list detailing how and when things will make earthly sense to those around me..and even myself. I can point to Jesus, his word, and the example of his goodness and previous direction in my life.

In my life, I haven’t always wanted to trust God. I have been selfish and I have attempted to do things on my own. But as I look back and observe the ways in which the Lord has shaped and guided me into a relationship in which I know that I am incapable of doing anything apart from him, I am overwhelmed with confidence that he is true to my heart as I seek after his own. Therefore, I must rely on God to be my plan, my future, and my security.. even if it means not being able to answer all of the pressing questions right now. I know that in seeking the Lord and remaining open to whatever he places in front of me, I am more stable than any 401k.

I don’t expect my life to be easy. But I do have faith that the Lord is with me. I know that things won’t always go the way that I plan--or even the way that I want them. But when following in his footsteps, I know that I will always, always end up where he wants me.

Inspiring

2011-12-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

..even if running isn't your thing.

ESPN: The Finish Line 2 - Short Feature from Evolve Digital Cinema / IMG on Vimeo.

FLOW

2011-11-04T16:53:00.004-04:00

Though the video is not short and is definitely opinionated, most importantly, it brings to light a discussion of bigger issues and compels us to think outside of our bubbles for a bit..sometimes that is just what we need.

Whether we feel this affects us directly or not, it is an issue to think about--to ponder how our daily actions can and may be affecting those whom we share our world with, both near and far.

Want to help bring clean water to those in need? Check out these organizations:

charity:water
mocha club

If you really know me..

2011-10-23T13:01:00.000-04:00

..you know that a secret wish of mine is to, one day, be a flight attendant. This may have just further encouraged my daydream, tenfold..

Selecting Seashells

2011-10-14T18:11:00.001-04:00

Today I saw a man collecting seashells on the beach.

He walked along and as he picked up shells, would examine each one and put them back down if they weren't up to par.

Eventually, he seemed satisfied with his finds and I watched as he turned one single shell over in his hand, clutched it tight, knelt and began to draw with it in the sand.

When he was finished, he stood up, admired his work and then turned to the waves and tossed the single seashell back into the sea with a nod and continued on his stroll.

As I got up to leave, I glanced down at the sand where he had knelt earlier, to read what he had written.

"Thank You" was all that was left.

I like to think he was paying his respects, or perhaps just letting go of something inside that needed to be free.

Whatever it meant..I hope he found peace.

I'm Sharing..

2011-09-28T14:09:00.001-04:00

..because I have hope that somebody has room in their heart and their home for this little guy.

Is it you?

Think About It, Thursday

2011-09-21T23:45:00.000-04:00

Q: What can you(we) do to help?

A: Perhaps, you can support them.

Happy Wednesday

2011-09-20T23:56:00.000-04:00

How could this not make you SMILE! :)

Around this time last year..

2011-08-07T18:20:00.002-04:00

..I decided to do this..

This year, I decided to jump out of a plane and plummet toward the earth from, oh, about 18,000 feet..

and LOVED it!!

..wonder what I'll do next year? ;)

Psalm 27

2011-07-27T00:36:00.001-04:00

"The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall.

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.

Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior.

Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Teach me your way, LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, spouting malicious accusations.

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD."

2011-07-22T22:07:00.000-04:00

Praying for those whose daily lives put my own struggles into proper perspective. Let us continue to learn to love greater, bigger, stronger.

A Good Word

2011-07-15T00:49:00.002-04:00

Listen Here

The Journey

2011-06-25T16:53:00.000-04:00

I have a pair of Toms that bear a portion of this quote:

What is the difference between exploring and being lost?
The journey is the destination.
- Dan Eldon

A simple concept, easily forgotten by a world who's focus too often rests on end-products rather than works-in-progress.

May we not overlook the gem that is our own journey.

Link To A Post

2011-06-12T23:48:00.000-04:00

Please read a post recently written by a sweet friend of mine. Anna has been blessed with the ability to put thoughts eloquently into words in ways much better than I could ever attempt.

sometimes it's fun..

2011-05-29T23:16:00.000-04:00

..to revisit places you've been..

Buckingham Palace, 2006

Buckingham Palace, 2011

Tower Bridge, 2006

Tower Bridge, 2011

Big Ben, 2006

Big Ben, 2011

"Time goes, you say? Ah no!
Alas, Time stays, we go."
-Henry Austin Dobson

Living Love

2011-04-20T22:48:00.002-04:00

Watoto Documentary from Watoto on Vimeo.

Two Heads Are Better Than One

2011-04-04T00:48:00.000-04:00

..been working on a little photo project lately (currently, one of the few fun parts of my life among the mountainous pile of papers I seem to have become buried under)..sure would be nice if I had double the brain power to boost me through the last few weeks of this semester! I guess a hopeful photo will have to suffice!

photo cred: the fabulous (and willing documentee) Krystal

Link to a Post

2011-03-17T15:48:00.000-04:00

Go HERE to read a great post by a long term missionary family to Haiti whose blog I routinely follow. I think that much of what they share in this post is valuable to take to heart when considering short term mission trips, and really, mission trips in general.

Sometimes the best way to help means doing less and listening more.

To Be Refreshed

2011-03-09T21:54:00.002-05:00

This weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Worth, Texas to attend the SWPJC (Southwestern Photojournalism Conference). It was my first time to attend this event, but it will surely not be my last..I am already looking forward to going again next year!

One of the main things that was so amazing to me about SWPJC was being able to meet so many professionals and students that share my faith, passion for photography, and vision to raise awareness about issues in our world. I had no clue that this community of creatives existed before this past weekend, and I am so thankful to know that they DO exist!

Throughout the weekend, I was able to meet and hear several photographers speak whose work I so admire, and I also had the unique opportunity to have several photographers look at my portfolio and critique my work...what a great gift! Having a new set of eyes and opinions looking at my work really helped me to look more objectively at my photos to see that there are several things that I need to focus on improving. The advice that they shared with me has encouraged and inspired me to work so much harder at taking photos that don't just tell stories but, more importantly, tell meaningful ones.

Over the past few months, I have shared that I have felt a little lost in my search for "what to do next". This weekend may not have given me the answer to the big question, but it did give me inspiration and reminded me that God has given me my passions and my creativity for a reason. No matter where I end up for the summer..or the rest of my life for that matter..I have the talents that God has given me and I have the ability to use them for his glory wherever I am placed. Maybe my current open schedule is simply an opportunity to refine my skills so that in the future I will be even more prepared to serve the Lord in whatever way he calls.

To be refreshed is so so good.

Here are some photos that I had fun taking at the Fort Worth Stockyards during the student workshop portion of the conference:

The Quiet

2011-02-11T00:34:00.001-05:00

There is a feeling. An eat-away-at-your-soul-cant-shake-it-if-you-tried feeling. I get it sometimes. Or rather, I got it. I had it when I made my first trip to Africa. I had it even worse when I made my second. I knew what I was supposed to be doing. I knew that God had called me to a specific mission and a precise purpose. There was no escaping the feeling deep in my gut. But now it's gone, I seem to have lost that feeling and lately I have been left a bit..well..empty. Now, I still have the same passions and the same heart that beats to serve my Lord and his most precious children. But, right now I'm afraid that I currently lack the flashlight to light my path through the dark, unknown future that lays before me. I don't quite know what it is that I should be working towards. There is a quiet that has settled over my life and the confidence that I once had has wavered.

This summer I have no clue what I will be doing. I have no idea what God has in store for me. How freeing it is to have a blank page for the Lord to write upon, but how terrifying all the same. It seems that Satan knows just how to get me when I'm down. When I feel insecure about my path and begin to wonder what it is that God wants me to do, Satan slips right in and challenges me with those feelings in every aspect of my life that he can. The feelings of not being good enough, not being wanted, not fitting in, not having what it takes. I know those feelings all too well. When I begin to think about all of this..the doubts in my mind multiply and Satan takes that opportunity and whispers.."maybe he won't write anything at all".

But it's not true. Deep down, I know that those lies from Satan are just that, lies. Nothing more. In the end it is up to me to rebuke those untruths and keep my eyes focused on the only firm and continuous truth, my God. I know that God has a plan. I know this because he saved my soul..and he told me so.

My God's smallest whisper booms louder than Satan's most raucous scream.

Ephesians 2: 1-10

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our fleshand following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Sometimes there is darkness and quiet but that does not mean that the Lord is not present. It simply means it is not yet time for us to hear what He has to say. He is with me. He is in control. He has a plan.

Always On My Mind

2011-02-02T15:08:00.002-05:00

..forever in my heart.

If you kept up with my blog throughout my time spent in Uganda, you may recognize many of the sweet little faces that appear in this video!

Please consider supporting Watoto and their baby homes..the need is great.

Rich and Poor

2011-01-31T00:02:00.008-05:00

Something to think about:

For one of my sociology classes this semester, I have been reading a book entitled, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald J. Sider. I am only halfway through it as of now but already, I have learned so much. The message that this book shares is eye-opening and convicting. I thought I would share with you just a few things that have stuck out to me in my reading lately.

But first, to give you a little bit of background..here are some statistics:

GDP per capita

USA: $47,400

Uganda: $1,200

Somalia: $600

Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000 births)

USA: 6.14

Uganda: 63.7

Somalia: 107.42

Life Expectancy

USA: 78.24

Uganda: 52.98

Somalia: 50

The truth is..compared to so many of the other nations in the world, particularly African nations..we Americans are so very rich on so many levels. We American Christians are so very rich. The simple statistics clearly show it.

But what are we doing with our wealth? Are we using it as God has commanded us to..or have we become blinded by our own "American dreams" and forgotten what we were originally placed on earth to do? How are we actively living like Christ has called us to?

In Rich Christians, Sider shares a few thoughts on what he feels the commandment of Christ is regarding the poor and oppressed, and also writes about how God has viewed and dealt with the actions of his people in regard to their attention to the needy in the past.

"The clearest statement about Jesus' identification with the poor is in Matthew 25: "I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and yo gave me something to drink..I was naked and you gave me clothing..Truly, I tell you, just as you did it to oneof the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me" (vv. 35-36, 40 NRSV).

What does it mean to feed and clothe the creator of all things? We cannot know. We can only look on the poor and oppressed with new eyes and resolve to heal their hurts and help end their oppresiion.

If Jesus' teaching in Matthew 25:40 is startling, its parallel is terrifying: "Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me (v. 45). What does this mean in a world where millions die each year of starvation while rich Chrisitans live in affluence?

What does it mean to see the Lord of the universe lying by the roadside starving and walk by on the other side? We cannot know. We can only pledge in fear and trembling, not to kill him again."

...

"The biblical explanation of Sodom's destruction provides another illustration of this fearsome truth. If asked why Sodom was destroyed, most Christians would point to the city's sexual perversity. But that is a one-sided view of what Scripture teaches. Ezekiel says that one important reason God destroyed Sodom was that it stubbornly refused to share with the poor: "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, surfeit of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them, when I saw it (Ezek. 16:49-50).

Affluent Christians remember Sodom's sexual misconduct and forget its sinful unconcern for the poor. Is it because the former is less upsetting ? Have we allowed our economic self-interest to distort our interpretation of Scripture? Undoubtedly we have. But to the extent that our affirmation of scriptural authority is sincere, we will permit painful texts to correct our thinking. As we do, we will acknowledge in fear and trembling that the God of the Bible wreaks horrendous havoc on some kinds of rich people--not because he does not love those who are rich (God loves everyone equally), but because the rich sometimes oppress the poor or neglect the needy."

Again, what are we doing with our wealth? Are we using it as God has commanded us to..or have we become blinded by our own "American dreams" and forgotten what we were originally placed on earth to do? How are we actively living like Christ has called us to?

Something to act on:

Watch this video:

USA

Population: 310,232,863

Orphans: 2800

HIV/AIDS% rate: 0.6

Swaziland

Population: 1,354,051

Orphans: 200,000--in a country the size of New Jersey

HIV/AIDS% rate: 42

Orphan headed households: 15,000

What will you do as a rich Christian in the face of the poor and oppressed of today?

My Heart

2010-12-28T01:59:00.000-05:00

I sometimes wonder how to deal with my heart.
My heart used to beat like a drum.
Like clockwork, it pumped.
But now, it does something new.
With every beat, images that are held in my heart
Flash before my eyes.
One by one.
Beat by beat.
And then my heart stops.
And I wonder if I will be able to get it pumping correctly again.
Then, I am reminded
It is not me,
But Him.
Who bears the strength my heart needs
To keep on
Beating.

Halloween Treats: Not So Sweet

2010-10-26T20:08:00.002-04:00

Heading out to buy some candy for the trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood? Watch this series of videos and you might change your mind about which gooey morsels you are going to purchase this year.

"I don't even find food as sweet as the joy I feel upon seeing my mother" -Fatao, rescued child laborer

A list of alternative chocolate suppliers can be found HERE.

Playing Catch-up

2010-09-24T22:12:00.000-04:00

Recently, a friend said, "sometimes you just gotta catch up with yourself"..wise words that have done me good today. Due to an impromptu cancellation of ALL of my classes today (score!)..I took one for the team. A day, that is..for Team Meg.

Todays To Do:

sleep in ✓
don't bother with make-up ✓
have good conversation with some sweet friends ✓
go for a run ✓ (yes..I know, please don't forget to pick your jaw up off the floor)
clean and rearrange my space ✓
eat some tacos ✓
rent a movie ✓
start some fun projects ✓

and most important..

do. not. stress. ✓ ✓ ✓

Today was so greatly needed, thank you Lord for giving it to me.

The Process of Processing

2010-08-28T15:04:00.004-04:00

Little by little, I am understanding pieces of what I have experienced this summer. As I have returned home and then on to school, it has been hard at times to be content where I am currently placed, as I miss being with my babies and simply living the life that I am now accustomed to. But I am plugging along with the help of Christ.

In speaking with some friends about things that they have learned this summer, it has been so neat to me to realize that for many of us, God has been teaching us similar things. One of the main things is trust. This summer my life was totally in God's hands and I had to surrender myself, my wants, and my needs to him continually. That is not an easy thing for me to do; I like to plan things out, I like to be in charge of my life. But time after time this summer as I gave up control to God, from the smallest to the biggest issues, he never let me down.

I trusted and HE placed me right where I needed to be.
I trusted and HE surrounded me with support.
I trusted and HE gave me strength.
I trusted and HE kept me well.
I trusted and HE protected me from bombs.
I trusted and HE worked out plans for me to visit my David.
I trusted and HE taught me just what I need to learn.

Psalm 23:
"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
       he leads me beside quiet waters,
       he restores my soul.
       He guides me in paths of righteousness
       for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
       in the presence of my enemies.
       You anoint my head with oil;
       my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
       all the days of my life,
       and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
       forever."

I trusted and HE filled my cup.

God's plans are so much better than my own. As I continue the process of processing, I am remembering to trust God and give it to him. He has already shown me so clearly that in trusting him, I cannot go wrong.

Ugandan Sunset..my favorite

The Beginning Of The End

2010-08-08T17:55:00.001-04:00

And so they come, the inevitable..goodbyes.

I hate them so much.

The world can seem so small at times but when it comes to farewells, the borders of the continents seem to stretch farther and farther away. But though the distance is great, my heart is never far from those that I love..a group of people that seems to grow on a rapid basis these days. I wish there was a way to make my worlds collide.

Today was a special day, yet a sad day. Myself and the other volunteers here at Suubi were invited to Pius's house for a goodbye lunch. We have all gotten to know Pius, as he comes to the babies home to get the food leftovers to feed his pigs every week. He is a very talented and driven guy and I think he will go far in whatever path he chooses. I am proud to be able to call him a friend. His mom, Mama Josephine is an amazing cook and whipped up delicious traditional Ugandan meal for us. We had matoke (mashed bananas), yams, beans, rice, sweet bananas, chapati, and pineapple. Yum! Pius entertained us a bit on his guitar and we all just enjoyed hanging out with Pius and his family..they are truly sweet people. I will miss them very much!

Mama Josephine cooking up the matoke

Pius playing some tunes

Mama Josephine, Myself, Pius, Robert, Andrew and Alex

After lunch, we went by to check on Pius's puppies for one last time..what were itty-bitty, squealing puppies two months ago are now big bouncy puppies..looking for mischief wherever they go. I wish I could bring one home with me!

Then, to end the day, Rachel, Anna, and myself headed to Masaka and the Equator for the afternoon. We spent some time in the shops there and stopped in a cafe for some sodas and snacks before heading home to Suubi. We had a car battery die on the way back, but Joel (our trusty taxi driver) got us up and running in no time..thank the Lord for reliable taxi drivers!

I have been able to do, see, and experience so many things this summer here in Uganda. I have met amazing people and learned so many new things about myself and the person that I am becoming. I am so thankful for these moments and these opportunities. I love the journey that I have been on and will continue to be on with my God.

These last two days I will be spending with my kiddos..soaking up their precious smiles and unbeatable cuddles.

I wish the days were longer.

My Peeps

2010-08-05T14:27:00.001-04:00

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children."
-Mohandas Ghandi

Meet my children.

(Taylor, Cole, Zara, Harrison, Bobby, Stephen, Kezia, Martin, Lucy, Ella, Nellie, Danielle, Ivan, Leila, Sebastian, Amelia, Hope, Eva, Isaiah, and John Mark)

At The End Of The Day

2010-08-05T03:22:00.002-04:00

We have bottles..

Some cuddles..

And a little bit of entertainment (for us and for babies..ha!)

As my time here is winding down, there are moments where I just close my eyes tight and pray that my memories of these moments don't fade too fast. I love my babies here but I know that as I go, there will be many others to come to care for them and love on them as I have these past two months.

Every night as we tuck them into bed, I pray that God protects them and grows them into people who love Him most.

I will continue to pray this even after I am gone..that is one thing from my time here that will not end.

Things that melt my heart

2010-08-01T13:44:00.001-04:00

..and make me want to cancel my flight.

Sweet prayers by our big kids during Suubi Sunday School:

Moses

Nicole

Bethany’s tender heart loving on little Kezia:

Unexpected hugs from Anitah:

How will I ever say goodbye?

I found Aunt Jemima..

2010-07-30T14:03:00.000-04:00

..or her long lost sisters..and they live in Suubi.

Eva, Leila, and Hope

Hope

I love these girls!

Big Girl's Day Out

2010-07-30T13:28:00.000-04:00

Today we took the big girls (toddlers) out for a walk through Suubi village. They loved getting out into the sun and fresh breeze. I really enjoyed getting out into the village and being able to say hi to some of our neighbors here.

..this is what taking babies for a walk looks like in Africa..

God has a funny way of getting me to do my daily workout. Ha!

Leila did some climbing on the jungle gym

and Hope and I did some "hanging around"

Hope you had a happy friday!

Timing

2010-07-27T15:14:00.001-04:00

God knows the deepest desires of our hearts and if we truly trust in him, he will not let us down. God shares with us and allows us to experience what is ours in his perfect timing. Our understanding of ourselves and who we are in Christ becomes more and more apparent through these moments.

And may I say, I would not want to be on anyone’s timing but His.

On Sunday, Rachel and I began our journey to Gulu. This trip to Gulu has been on my mind since last August..this trip was to see my favorite little boy, David.

We woke up around 5 a.m., were on the road to Kampala by 6 and at the Post Office to catch the Post Bus by 7:30. Unfortunately, at approximately 7:45 we found out that the Post Bus does not travel on Sundays. Whoops. We knew that the public bus was due to leave the taxi park at 8 a.m. so we scrambled to get there on time. On the way, we got help from a super nice young man who guided us right to the front door of the bus. We ended up catching the Gulu bus right on time.

I’d say God had his hand on that.

I sat next to a sweet old Ugandan lady who was taking the 5 hour journey to Gulu to visit her sister. She made sure to point out all of the major landmarks and towns as we passed them along the way. After reaching Gulu, we got bodas to our guesthouse..which by the way was lovely AND had real mattresses. What a treat!

On Monday we started the day visiting the babies home. It is gorgeous..the murals on the walls are just beautiful and inside it just feels so much like a home. The babies rooms are smaller and decorated with animals and lots of colors so they have the feel of a nursery. The home is still being finished but from what we saw it is going to be a great place to care for many needy babies and toddlers in Gulu.

After visiting the babies home we headed out to the village. It takes about 1 hour on a boda to get there and it is literally in the middle of nowhere. Though the ride out was long, I loved it. The countryside was absolutely stunning. When we arrived we first saw Obama and Oscar, two babies that I knew at Bulrushes last year. We met their moms (who were both very sweet) and played ball with the boys for a bit. It was so surreal to see them running and talking, since the last time I saw them they were still taking bottles. We then headed to David’s house as he was just waking up from a nap.

He still looks like my David..just a bit taller and plumper..all good things! As soon as his mom brought him out, she plopped him down on my lap. He was a bit groggy from his nap at first but soon began to wake up and he was quite content to sit on my lap. I was able to help him try on the new clothes and shoes I had brought for him (perfect fit!) and he loved the little car I had brought as well.

We then spent some time out in the sun and though he was pretty serious most of our visit (as is his typical demeanor)..I did get one good grin out of him. That was all I needed.

That smile from my David made my day.

Soon..too soon..it was time to leave, as we had bodas waiting for us at the gate, so I gave David’s mom the letter I had written for him, she said she will keep it for him until he is old enough to read it himself.

Then, I said my second goodbye to my sweet little boy.

As I think about all that I have experienced these last few days, my heart is filled with peace. I feel that God has allowed me to have this time with David because it was the right time to do so. It was the right time in my life..the right time in my stay in Africa. I am so thankful and feel so blessed to have had this visit with David. I feel that God has continually used David’s presence in my life to help guide my heart on His path. I thank God for David’s life and for allowing me to be even just a small part of it.

God is so good with timing, if only I could remember this always.

David's mom, Cinderella, David, and Myself

If you are my mother, skip the first part of this post.

2010-07-20T14:30:00.001-04:00

Where do I start? The past two days have been filled with adventure, excitement, and many good times with some great friends.

On Monday..myself, Michelle, Rachel and Sonya traveled about 2 hours away to Jinja (Mom..this is the part you should probably skip) to go bungee jumping over the Nile. Oh my word..it was the scariest thing I have ever done, but totally worth it in the end. I don’t really know how I managed to jump off, but I did..and I am still alive. Thank the Lord! I screamed the whole way down and I am pretty sure that I did a flip in mid-air. Crazy!

3..2..1..BUNGEE!

*cue screaming*

this is where I flip..literally and mentally

After jumping, we took some bodas into town to look around the markets and have lunch at a little cafe. Our time in Jinja was beautiful and I think that I have made a memory that I will never forget.

Today..myself, Katrina, Rachel, and one of our nanny friends, Ruth went to Entebbe to visit the zoo and the Botanical Gardens there. The zoo was tons of fun and I felt like I was going on safari again. We saw lions, rhinos, ostrich, crocodiles, antelopes, warthogs..and my very favorite..ZEBRAS!! Oh, and I rode a camel. Ha!

After the zoo we headed to the Botanical Gardens where there are tons of monkeys roaming freely. We had some fun feeding them and they enjoyed climbing on our car.

We also took a stroll through the forest where it was so peaceful and quiet..I loved it. Along the way we found some vines and decided to test out our Tarzan skills.

Just call me Jane.

Rachel and I ended the day looking through the local markets and haggling for some fabric. We were running low on cash and ended up bartering for 6 meters of fabric with 21,800 shillings (about $10) and a lollipop. It was the funniest thing..but it worked and we succeeded in our quest for fabric. Hooray!

I have had so much fun these past few days but I am definitely ready to get back to my babies tomorrow! I have missed them terribly!

Give a boy bubbles..

2010-07-17T17:40:00.000-04:00

and this is what he will do:

I loved getting to see Junior (one of our Suubi graduates) today while I was taking some portraits of him for a sponsorship profile.

He loved seeing the bubbles that we brought out to induce smiles..it sure did the trick! ;)

..such a handsome little man!

What day is it?

2010-07-16T14:51:00.000-04:00

..it's FREEDOM FRIDAY!!

Bring on the fun!

For today..

2010-07-14T15:07:00.004-04:00

..a photo update on what's been happening in Suubi as of late..

Jarom and Collin received a new "special" chair to share..courtesy of a lovely volunteer named Sonya.

Moses and Bethany had tons of fun pushing Collin all around the room.

Collin LOVED it.

Stephen sported some Carson-Newman colors and practiced saying..GO EAGLES!!

Makeda got a super-cute new hair-do.

Last but not least, Keziah and Harrison joined the Suubi family..we are so excited to have them!

..it's always nice to have a hand to hold when you are getting used to someplace new.

Update

2010-07-13T14:34:00.000-04:00

Ok..since Monday..I have been to Kampala and back. I am now back home (and glad to be) in Suubi.

Being in the city was very strange. It was so quiet. Not many people out and about at all. Yesterday there were many rumors going around about bombs and explosions in different parts of the city. But thankfully, there have been no more true bombings since the three or four initial blasts on Sunday night.

For all of you back home praying, I have some specific prayer requests:

-I know that one of the American's that was killed was a worker for Invisible Children. Please pray for his family, friends, and coworkers as they begin to cope with their loss.

-A 16 year old girl (also American) was being airlifted to South Africa for medical help as of last night, please pray for healing for her and also safe travel for her family who is en-route to meet her.

-A Ugandan friend of a volunteer here has a cousin who he went searching for at Mulago hospital after the bombings. He was told his cousin was dead but later found him in the morgue..ALIVE. His cousin has a cracked skull and is in need of miraculous healing. Please pray that surgery can be done to repair his injuries soon.

-Please also continue to keep all of the those who were injured and the families of the 60+ people killed in your prayers. Life has changed for so many in the blink of an eye.

HERE is a link to a post by a friend of another volunteer who was at the Ethiopian Village restaurant during the bombing. He and his whole group escaped completely unharmed. There is no way that God did not have His hand on them. Please pray for him and his team as they travel home today to their family and friends..they have been through unimaginable things.

Though things have been a bit scary these past few days, I know that God is in control. He is already showing me his power through this tragedy and I have faith that He has a plan that is bigger than terrorists and bombs.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
-2 Timothy 1:7

This verse gives me peace.

Kampala Blasts

2010-07-12T06:26:00.001-04:00

Hi All..

Just wanted to let you all know that I am OK.

If you haven't already heard, there were some bombings in Kampala last night during the World Cup final. So far, there have been around 60+ deaths and many more injuries reported.

Right now, I am safe here at Suubi and we are just praying that this will soon pass and no more attacks will happen.

Please keep the injured and families of those killed in your prayers.

Watoto has released a statement regarding the bombings here.

Love to you all!

-Meg

Like two peas in a pod..

2010-07-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

Nellie and Amelia..sweet baby dolls

Freedom Friday

2010-07-09T14:03:00.002-04:00

Definition: A day which involves lots of water, sun and..most important..babies!!

Caution: May result in diaper-free bottoms and lots of giggles and smiles.

Physio

2010-07-08T16:31:00.000-04:00

Today I went with some of the special needs kiddos (we call them the Lions) to physiotherapy in Kampala. Moses, Bethany, Nicole, and Makeda had fun stretching their muscles and building up their strength. It was so much fun hanging out with this group and seeing them get some special attention and also just getting to be out of their normal routine. These kids are great..and so bright!

Moses working on his balance

Nicole doing some stretching

Bethany tossing a ball

Bethany climbing

I am so proud of their hard work today!

Words Without Pictures

2010-07-06T15:42:00.002-04:00

I love the drive back to Suubi from the city..just sitting in the car with the breeze in my face, watching the people as we go by. And..though I love taking pictures, there are some images I feel that I would rather keep in my heart..they mean more that way.

People mill about on either side; bikes and bodas swerve intricately in and out of traffic.
The air is thick, a mixture of burning trash and musty red clay fills my nose.
A father is cradling his young baby on his doorstep..smiling.
The sinking sun is burning deep red and is now just peeking above the treeline.
A mother is balancing a bag of rice on her head and carrying a child on her back.
The view ahead is foggy with dust as the sound of horns honking fades to crickets chirping.
Three tiny boys run by chasing a tire with a stick..squealing with laughter.
The sun disappears and the moon begins to shine.

I love this time. I love these people.

Pretty in Pink and a Little Bit Flat

2010-07-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

Amelia being adorable..I'd say that's not too hard

Hope being goofy..I love her silly personality

Contrast

2010-06-30T14:35:00.001-04:00

Yesterday..

Rachel and I went on a walk around the local non-Watoto part of our area. As we went, we picked up some little followers(as usual) named Maria and Duncan.

Maria, who looked to be about 12-13 years old, told us that both her parents had died when she was young and she was now living with an older sister in the village just outside of Suubi. Maria does not go to school right now because she does not have enough funds but would love to be able to study some day.

Duncan, who looked to be about 5 wore only a tattered, over-sized shirt and no shoes.

My heart broke.

Today..

It was Leila’s birthday. Leila is 2 years old. To celebrate, we had sweets, balloons, and a special birthday sash for Leila. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Leila.

My heart smiled.

I wish that all children would have the opportunity to experience joy like Leila’s.

Especially Maria and Duncan.

Adjectives

2010-06-25T14:19:00.004-04:00

Satisfied Stephen

Lovable Leila

Happy Hope

How could you not love this face?

2010-06-21T14:40:00.000-04:00

meet little miss Nellie a.k.a. Queen of the Toddlers

she rules.

Megan and Ella go to Church

2010-06-20T08:14:00.001-04:00

First, Megan and Ella see this when they wake up.

Then, Megan and Ella begin their trek to the top of the mountain.

Megan is happy to finally make it to the top.

After Church, Ella likes to play in the sun.

In the end, Megan decides Ella can walk on the way back down ;)

..last but not least..Megan remembers that it is FATHER’S DAY and says...

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY DAD!! I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU!!

Hope

2010-06-19T12:29:00.001-04:00

On Friday morning, myself and two other volunteers went to visit another organization here in Uganda called Hands for Hope. Basically what they try to do is assist families and children living in the slum areas of Kampala in bettering themselves and their families through business loans for adults, medical assistance and schooling for the kids.

When we first got to Hands for Hope we were greeted by Joseph, the director. I really enjoyed listening to him speak about his vision for the program and his passion for helping the people of the slum areas was contagious. He said that currently they are helping 102 children in the local slum and have plans to help 500. One thing that I thought was very interesting about the organization was that they do not like to take the kids out of there home environment, but rather try to help them and their families in their individual places of need so that the family unit and ties can remain intact as much as possible.

After speaking with Joseph for a bit, we were able to sit in as the kids had play time and school. The children were so sweet and you could just see the joy in their faces that they loved being able to learn and just have fun as kids.

Then after spending some time with the kids, Matt, another worker for Hands for Hope, took us out into the slums to meet some of the families that are being helped with business loans and schooling for the children. Many of the people living in the slums are refugees from such places as Northern Uganda, DR Congo, and Sudan which means that most of them have lived through terrible circumstances way before moving to the slums.

It had been raining all morning and by the time we went to the slums the mud was everywhere. When it rains in the slums, everything gets covered in mud, feces and whatever else may be floating in the nearby streams and ditches. I think that for me, being able to experience the slums in the rain made the plight of the people even more real to me. Mud was literally washing into peoples homes and the smells were not pleasant. Flies were everywhere. I can not imagine having to live in the conditions that these people have to.

As we were visiting one family and their tiny, tiny home. I was standing outside as there was not even enough room for four people to stand inside. As I was standing there, a man from nearby walked over to me and simply handed me a little baby girl. I think she must have been about 9-11 months old. I asked what her name was and he said her name was Nakatu. She was one of two, a twin. However, I was told that her twin had died. As I held her in my arms I wondered why? Why had her twin died? Was it because of a sickness from living in all this mud? Was it because there just wasn’t enough food to sustain her? Was it because she had no netting to protect her and got bit by a mosquito? It could have been anything in this slum. My heart ached knowing that a precious little child had lost her life and now her twin, left behind will have to face such a harsh life.

Holding Nakatu made me realize how dire the situation is for the people in the slums. They live amongst the mud and flies and are struggling to survive just day to day. They have no hope to readily move up in society. They do need help but more than handouts they need a way to better themselves and improve their living conditions long term.

Hands for Hope is trying to do just that.

I have hope that God is doing something good through Hands for Hope in the slums. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to visit and see something a bit different that is being done to help the people of Uganda.

As I laid in bed last night, covered in my mosquito netting, fresh from a shower, my mind returned to Nakatu. I wondered if she was resting somewhere dry, or if the flies were swarming about her like they had my mud covered legs all day. I wondered if she had anything to fill her belly or a soft blanket to cuddle up in.

I laid in bed and prayed.

I prayed that Hands for Hope could do something to help Nakatu and her family. I prayed that God would protect her and keep her safe. I prayed that her future would be brighter than her past.

Mommy for a day

2010-06-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

Today, one of the nannies for the little babies was absent so I was asked to be the “mom” for four of the babies for the day. This meant that I needed to make sure that Lucy, Zara, Amelia, and Bobby were changed, fed, clean and happy for as long as possible. It was a joy to spend time with these four today but it was definitely also a challenge! I think I changed at least 12 diapers in the course of the morning and lunch got a bit messy but for the most part..everyone was happy and not too many tears were shed (on my part as well..ha!).

After lunch, myself, another volunteer and one of the nannies took three of the babies to the clinic in Suubi to get some skin issues looked at. It was a long walk, but it was nice to get out in the breeze for a while. While at the clinic I also saw two babies that are now village kids, Mercy and Mark. I am finding that it is so nice to be living in the village here, as I get to bump into sweet little faces from the past nearly every day. Tomorrow and friday are my days off, so I may be going into Kampala..perhaps even to a pool in the city..sounds like a plan to me!

Amelia

Bobby

Lucy pictured here

Zara pictured here

Thoughts on a Tuesday

2010-06-15T13:14:00.002-04:00

Lately..

I have been thinking..

Alot.

Being here in the hills of Uganda with an absolutely gorgeous view and basically the only activities to fill my days being playing, feeding, and cuddling with babies (of all kinds I might add) I am left with lots of thinking time a the end of the day. However, although I have been doing a lot of thinking, I am far from discovering all of the answers I seek.

I wonder sometimes, if perhaps, this way of life is something God wants me to truly pursue..

and then sometimes I think..

that this period in my life may be just that..a point in time.

Don't get me wrong..I am absolutely LOVING being back with the babies and working at the home. I do not doubt that this is where God wants me now, in this moment. But I do wonder what may be in the future. I guess I am searching for purpose. Not purpose in the sense of who I am as a Christian and who God has called me to be, but a deeper sense of purpose in the details of what I am supposed to do with my life. As a Christian, I feel that the two cannot be separate. I just do not know how the pieces are supposed to fit together quite yet.

My personal prayer for my time here in Uganda is that God will continue to teach me and guide me in the way he wishes me to go. And that I will be able to hear the answers..and most important..listen.

Will you pray with me?

Continuing to think and pray,
Meg

This little guy..

2010-06-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

was found hanging around our front door..

I hope he decides to stay on the outside..

Piglets, Puppies, and Big Kids

2010-06-13T11:27:00.001-04:00

Well, today has been eventful! I started the day off with a walk up the hill to church. That is a workout..especially while lugging a baby along. I took baby Nellie with me..she loved the music but not so much the preaching and got a bit antsy towards the end but it was still a good time. After church, Pius, a boy from the village who owns some pigs let us come and see some of his new piglets and puppies. They were so cute..the puppies were born just yesterday! Then, after seeing all of Pius’ animals we met his family and saw his home..his mother was so kind and asked that next time we come by that we have a meal with them in their home.

To end the day, myself and two other volunteers took a walk down to Suubi 2 which is the newest part of Suubi village to visit some of my kiddos from last year (Anna there are some photos of David M. for you!!). It was so wonderful to see them all getting so big, walking and even talking! We all sat outside and played with the kids for a bit and then walked back to the babies home. I hope to go and visit them a few more times before I leave.

Here are some photos from the day:

Pius and his pig

Piglets

Piglet kisses

Mzungu puppy

Liam

(for Anna) David M.

Milk, Swings, Buckets, and Thumbs

2010-06-12T09:59:00.001-04:00

From top to bottom: Isaiah, Stephen, Zara, and Danielle

My Suubi Home

2010-06-09T11:06:00.000-04:00

Today was a good day..the babies enjoyed some playtime outside since it was nice and sunny and I managed to feed five of them their bottles at once. How, you may ask? Simply place three babies lying on one leg and two on the other and help them hold their bottles..easy peasy..ha!

Tomorrow and Friday are my days off and I am not sure what I am going to do quite yet..may go into Kampala or maybe see if I can go visit some of my kiddos from last year in the village..I will just have to see how things work out..

..and for Mom..a look at my Suubi home:

bedroom

kitchen

view from the roof

..see Mom..I have a mosquito net on my bed..so stop worrying!! :)

Say hello to my little friends..

2010-06-07T06:55:00.000-04:00

Well, I have just completed day 2 at Baby Watoto Suubi. I have already had my fair share of slobbery kisses and smelly diapers but all is well and I am loving being back with the babies. Today we had a thunderstorm roll by and it was very nice to have the cool breeze that came with it. This afternoon I am off and it is sunny outside, so I think I may go sit on the porch and read for a bit.

Here are just a few of the sweet little faces that greet me in the morning:

Isaiah

Lucy

..and for my dear Australian friend, Alicia..a special greeting from a certain little preemie who is now a bouncing big boy:

Ivan

..hugs and kisses from the babies to you!

Village Views

2010-06-06T14:05:00.000-04:00

To the village I go..

2010-06-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

I made it to Uganda around 8 p.m. last night (around 1 p.m. U.S.). It was, once again, an extreeemly looong flight..but I am so happy to be here.

I had a good nights rest at a guest house in Muyenga (close to where I stayed last summer) last night and this morning I headed back to the Bulrushes for a bit. I got to see some of the preemies from last year that are now grown into chubby, happy babies. The two sets of twins, Patrick and Patricia and Nakatu and Babyira are so adorable. I loved seeing them and how much they have grown.   After spending some time at the Bulrushes, another volunteer and I headed out to Suubi village which is about one hour outside of Kampala city. As of now, I will either be staying here for 2 weeks or one month. It is definitely a different setting here in the village but I think it will be a nice change from the noisy city. Here in Suubi, the volunteers live above the babies in the same home. I guess I could have done without my alarm clock..now I have 30 babies to wake me in the morning ;) The countryside inthe village is beautiful and it is really neat to be living in the village alongside the Watoto children and families. For today, I am settling in and tomorrow I will start in on the afternoon shift. I am also hoping to go and visit some of my former Giraffe group kiddos sometime this week since they are now living in the same village as me! =)

Well, that's all for now..I think I will go cuddle some babies for the rest of the afternoon.

and I'm off..

2010-06-03T00:33:00.002-04:00

Today is the day.

The next time I post, I will be back in one of my most favorite places, Kampala, Uganda.

With my favorite tiny people.

I can't wait.

Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement..I really do appreciate it..so very much!

Talk to you soon..from the "Pearl of Africa"

They Did It!

2010-05-08T10:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Sarah and Dave..now GRADUATES of the University of South Florida!!!

(thanks to online streaming..I didn't miss a thing..AND I still got some photos..ha!)

I am so proud of you both!!!

GO BULLS!!!

Perspective

2010-05-06T21:05:00.007-04:00

Watch this.

An overview of Uganda's past and a glimpse into its future with the help of Watoto.

"If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it."
-Mother Teresa

My Thoughts, Exactly..

2010-05-04T14:43:00.000-04:00

"I play little games in my head. I wonder if my return to where I want to be is dependent upon my acceptance of being where I don't want to be. Because I wonder this- I try very hard to show multiple outward signs of accepting my current GPS coordinates. I can do it fairly well for about 13 days. After that ... then comes the melting-down, whining, complaining and all other sorts of repulsive behavior for a few hours before I pull it back together for another 13 day stretch."

-borrowed from one of my favorite blogs

(check it out for yourself!)

My Albertine

2010-05-02T16:42:00.007-04:00

One of my favorite songs is entitled Albertine. It is written and sung by Brooke Fraser. This song resonates with me because it puts eloquently into song what I can not always express in my own words. Though in reality, this song is about Rwanda, I feel that the chorus so accurately represents my thoughts and feelings after being in Uganda and returning to the U.S. last summer. As I prepare to return once again to the place that has stolen my heart, I have been thinking about the "why" of my return.

I am returning because I feel compelled to do so. I feel compelled to do so because I too have an Albertine.

His name is David.

I have seen with my own eyes and I cannot forget need in the eyes of the children that I continually fed, bathed and rocked to sleep. I cannot forget their stories of survival. I cannot return to my previous way of life and thinking. I am responsible to share what I have seen. I have to return so that my David is not forgotten. I have to return so that maybe the plights of other children, just like David can be brought to light and so that, consequently, they too can be rescued, raised, and rebuilt for God's glory. I have to return to help them as much as I can.

"Albertine"

I am sitting still
I think of Angelique
her mothers voice over me
And the bullets in the wall where it fell silent
And on a thousandth hill, I think of Albertine
there in her eyes what I don't see with my own
rwanda

[CHORUS]
now that I have seen, I am responsible
Faith without deeds is dead
now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are

I am on a plane across a distant sea
But I carry you in me
and the dust on, the dust on, the dust on my feet
Rwanda

[CHORUS]

[BRIGDE]
I will tell the world, I will tell them where I've been
I will keep my word
I will tell them Albertine

[CHORUS]

I am on a stage, a thousand eyes on me
I will tell them, Albertine
I will tell them, Albertine

If you would like to help by sponsoring a child with Watoto go here.

Pride Cometh Before The Fall

2010-05-01T18:02:00.002-04:00

Literally.

Let me explain..

On Friday, I turned 20 years old. Being this age means many things, like I am no longer a teen and since I am no longer a teen, surely I must finally possess the capability to act like an adult..Right?

Wrong.

Exhibit A: I choose to go ride Go-Karts with my friends since I am 20 and all. Yes, I know, I live an incredibly exciting life.

Exhibit B: During racing of said Go-Karts, the dormant competitiveness inside of me began to creep out of its shell. Here I am whizzing by at blazing fast speed (look closely and you might be able see my ego beginning to inflate so much that it begins to ooze out of every pore on my body)

After demolishing my opponents in race one, I think to myself, "Gosh darn it, I am so awesome. I must not allow any of these other people to win the next race OR get the prized fastest Go-Kart that I had snagged during the first race. After all, I am the Birthday Girl. Therefore, I should be placed at Queen status for the day. Everyone should know that the world revolves around me today.."

I could not have been more wrong.

Exhibit C: I begin to run (shocker) to try and snag the prized speedy Go-Kart.

(sorry..no photo for this one, I am pretty sure that the person taking the photos (my dad) was too busy trying to not look related to me to take a photo at the time)

Exhibit D: I fall. Yes fall, flat on my face in fact (onlookers said it looked as if I had sprouted wings and was indeed attempting to dive head first into the concrete).

Exhibit E: Here I am, a defeated shell of a 20 year old woman. All the pride that I had built up during the first race came crashing down all around me, returning me to my rightful state of mortal being (complete with now sore knee and low hung head).

And what, you may ask is the moral of this story?

You (I) may be 20 years old, but that does not mean that you (I) cannot revert (in literally one second) back to any of the previous years you (I) have completed. Such as, age five.

Lesson learned, humility accepted.

Happy Birthday to me..ha!

Sometimes

2010-04-23T00:50:00.000-04:00

Sometimes,
I feel incompetent at everything.

Sometimes,
I doubt that I am doing the right things
..making the right choices.

Sometimes,
I feel like I want to be somewhere else
..anywhere else
..but here.

Sometimes,
My heart longs to live in memories
..more so than in reality.

Sometimes,
I wonder what the future will hold
..what my life is destined to be.

Always,
I pray that eventually I will end up in the right place
..in the right time.

Dam Day

2010-04-16T19:54:00.001-04:00

Today was one of those days..

and. it. was.

GLORIOUS.

After classes, Cara, KB and I headed out to the dam for some sun-basking. For me, it was just what was needed to soothe my nerves and regain my composure after a not so smooth week. It was lovely just to be sitting in the sun and spending time with friends (and taking some photos of course!).

There are two thing that are sure to quickly bring out the joyful feeling in my soul that I have been itching to feel during those weeks where the weight of my daily life makes everything just seem kind of dull and gloomy:

The sun..and Mickey D's Sweet Tea.

Thank you Lord, for giving us beautiful days filled with sunshine..and also for whoever the blessed soul is that invented sweet tea.

Wanna help me out?

2010-04-13T19:33:00.002-04:00

Go vote for my photo here.

I am crossing my fingers and hoping to win a safari (for two I might add). I would love you forever if you help me out and boost my ratings. Then..if I win..maybe I could have a little photo contest of my own for you all to fight it out over who gets to come with me ;) Ha!

But seriously, I need you to all click the little thumbs up.

Right Now!

The Girl Effect

2010-03-30T21:53:00.001-04:00

Imagine if we all pitched in.

Perhaps, the girl effect could change the world.

I believe it IS possible.

..Girl Power!

sometimes this is how my weekends feel..

2010-03-27T23:56:00.000-04:00

ahh..the joys of living the life/having the budget of a college student..

Happy Saturday!

I'm going back!

2010-03-09T21:47:00.003-05:00

It's official. I booked my ticket back to Uganda yesterday.

Now entering excitement/freak out mode...

I am so excited to be able to go back, to see the progress that has been made since I was there last, to see what new things Watoto is doing in the lives of the people in Uganda, to be able to serve alongside many other volunteers from all over the world, to learn about God, to learn about myself, and also to hopefully be able to see some of my favorite little babies who are, however, not so little anymore.

Claire

David

My Posse, the "Giraffes"

At this point, I am confident that this is where God is calling me to go this summer. I feel that if I do not make the trip back this summer, something would be missing..I would be missing an opportunity to reconnect and revisit some of the questions, challenges and experiences that I was faced with during my time in Uganda last summer. I have prayed, and God has opened the doors for me thus far and that gives me confidence that this is what he wants me to do.

One thing that I think going back this summer will allow me to do is see things from a different point of a view. Last summer, one month flew by SO FAST and by the time I had really acclimated to where I was and what I was doing, it seemed it was time to leave. This summer, I will be in Uganda for a little over two months (thats like..9 and 1/2 weeks!) and I think I will be able to spend more time focusing on what I am doing there and also be able to seek the true meaning of it all because I won't be dealing with as many totally new experiences. For instance, I already know how to swaddle, bathe, and feed 5 babies at once. Let me tell you, THAT is a major advantage. And..I also know how to haggle for a boda..not that I would EVER ~~put my life in the hands of an unknown Ugandan man driving a hastily crafted metal bicycle which is quite possibly super-glued onto it's wheels~~ ride one again ;) All joking aside, if I am being honest I feel that I am comfortable and confident in my abilities to take care of myself and get myself where I need to be without ending up in Kenya on a daily basis.

Here is where the freaking out starts...

Okay, so it is not so much of a freak out, but more a tiny little fear deep in the pit of my stomach that is slowly stirring up the worry wart in me.

Change.

That is what scares me. I know that things will not be the same as they were last summer. I know that there will be a lot of differences to face. Different volunteers, different personalities, different babies, different situations to face. I pray that as I go into these two months of volunteering this summer, God will allow me to accept the differences that I do not expect and give me the right mindset and attitude to embrace the changes that catch me off guard.

In my life right now, I am in a phase of inward and outward discovery. I am trying to figure out what God wants me to do with my life. That is daunting task, I'm not gonna lie. There are so many ideas that float through my head on a daily basis. Sometimes I think I can do it all and other times reality sets in and I feel very helpless and begin to doubt that I will ever be able to make a difference anywhere. I know that the answers won't come all at once, and I honestly don't want them to. Now THAT would be overwhelming, ya think? Right now, I just have to commit daily to trying my best to seek God and pray that eventually the puzzle pieces will fall into place. One by one. Maybe Uganda is one of those pieces, or maybe it is a trigger for me to stumble upon another. I don't really know yet. I do know that God has a plan though. I just haven't quite figured out all the details.

Please join me in prayer as I begin to prepare to take a journey back to a place that I have come to love very deeply. Pray that I will keep my focus on Christ and my heart open to what he wants me to see, do, and learn. Pray for the babies, nannies and Watoto staff.

Oh, and please pray for my mom..I think she might miss me a little bit ;)

Meet Alex

2010-03-05T19:12:00.008-05:00

I was able to meet and care for this sweet this little girl during my time in Uganda this past summer while volunteering at The Bulrushes. Click the link below to view a video that shares about Alex's story, before and after Watoto. I am so happy that now Alex has a bright future ahead of her and the love of a wonderful family to care for her. Please keep Alex and the countless other babies in need in your prayers, not only in Uganda, but also all over the world.

Alex's Story

Me..a Modelquin

2010-03-05T17:32:00.003-05:00

Old Navy is currently holding a contest where if you create yourself into one of their "modelquins" you can enter for a chance to win $100,000. So, I know there is like a 1 in a million-bajillion chance that I would actually win, but hey it's always fun to make yourself into a digitalized plastic figurine right? If you want to boost my ratings and help me into the top ranks of modelquindom just click HERE to vote for me..err..my modelquin ;)

oh, and happy friday!

College Algebra

2010-03-04T19:11:00.001-05:00

..is ~~so useful and applicable to my everyday life~~ the bane of my existence. Just thought I would share that with you all. However, I would be SO much more excited about math if it was used like this more often:

..now THAT makes you think!

..and that just makes me laugh :)

Click HERE for more witty math.

who got a facelift?

2010-02-28T17:34:00.002-05:00

MY WEBSITE..that's who! I have been working on improving my photo-blog/website for the past week..attempting to make it more user friendly and professional looking. Check it out..let me know what you think!

Click HERE to be directed THERE :)

Weekend Whirlwind

2010-02-22T15:12:00.001-05:00

WOW! This weekend flew by so fast! BUT it was SO MUCH FUN while it lasted. I got to fly home this weekend to attend the wedding of my sister's best friend, Christine. Christine and Sarah have been best friends practically since they first met and Christine chose Sarah as her maid of honor on her special day. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect and the wedding was wonderful. Apart from the wedding, I was also able to see some friends that I haven't seen in a while and even meet a new little one that was born just the day before to a friend of mine. All in all..it was just a fabulous weekend..I'm so glad that I was able to be home to share in all of the excitement and joy :) Now I am back at CN..definitely missing the sunshine and warmth of home..Spring Break..come quick!!

Here are some photos from the wedding:

glowing bride, Christine

wedding guests got "framed" pictures taken

some were very cute..

others got a little crazy..

the cake topper made me laugh

beautiful bridesmaids

some serenading

a little bit of dancing

and..a sister shot

your welcome, mom :)

For Valentines Day: Love in action

2010-02-15T01:33:00.005-05:00

I stumbled upon this video on another blog, I think it speaks volumes as to what Christ's love looks like. My heart breaks for these women and the children they care for, yet I am inspired by their courage and strength in the face of such devastation.

Please continue to pray for these children, their caretakers, and the people of Haiti.

flashback to Calcutta

2010-02-11T23:03:00.000-05:00

As I have said before, the my trip to Calcutta, India this past Thanksgiving was a life-changing, eye-opening, heart-tugging experience that I am so thankful to have been able to participate in. I also know that many of you were praying for me and my team. I want to again say THANK YOU for that. Your prayers were definitely so important and needed as we traveled far from home to spend Thanksgiving in a crazy, scary, beautiful, wonderful place known as Calcutta, India.

Right before leaving for Calcutta, we made a special addition to our group, Amy Montalvo. Amy is a very talented videographer who has recently started her own company, ONEPASS Productions. She has followed Carson Newman groups to South Africa and Calcutta, India to document the trips and what Carson Newman students are doing in these places. Her videos are now up on the Carson Newman website and I would love to share them with you. I hope that they will give you a glimpse into what I and other Carson Newman students have been able to experience and maybe even spur your heart to do something similar yourself.

Click HERE to view the videos.

P.s. you may see a familiar face in the India video :)

This is where my heart is:

2010-02-09T23:37:00.002-05:00

God IS Listening

2010-02-05T15:01:00.002-05:00

I just want to share something with you all that I think is so powerful...

This past Monday night, the boyfriend(Sonny) of my of my very good friends(Krystal) here at CN, was found in his dorm room seizing uncontrollably. Sonny was whisked to the local hospital and doctors began working to stop his seizures and find out what was wrong. After many series of tests, the doctors still did not seem to have any idea as to what was wrong with Sonny. Sonny was put into an induced coma to stop his seizures and we were later told that the doctors feared that Sonny had little to no brain activity due to the amount of oxygen lost during the time he was seizing( possible 2 hours). The doctors said that they did not know if Sonny could make a full recovery. They said that in order for Sonny to recover, it would possibly have to be a miracle. I was shocked. I could not imagine why or how this was happening. I was confused with God. I hurt for my friend Krystal, who is one of the sweetest people I know. All I could do was pray and beg God to heal Sonny, to give his doctors wisdom, to give his family strength and my friend Krystal strength. I was definitely not the only one praying, faculty here at CN had prayer meetings, Young Life had prayer time, my friends prayed, people that have not even met Sonny are praying for him and his family.

This is where things start to get really awesome...

After talking to Krystal on Wednesday night I was so encouraged. Krystal was so full of strength and hope. I admire that girl so much not only for her faith, but for her strength in such a hard time. Krystal shared that throughout the past few days, prayers had definitely been powerful; God WAS working. Once, during a prayer meeting, a doctor came in with optimistic news, and another time when her grandmother had been praying, Sonny's fever went down. I got goosebumps as Krystal shared this exciting news. Sonny has since been moved to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. And now as I am writing this, the latest news is: Sonny has opened his eyes, is off the ventilators, is squeezing people's hands, smiled at Krystal, knows his name, and has counted to four!!!! God IS listening. There is no doubt about it. I believe that there is no other explanation for these miracles other than the fact that GOD is at work and is hearing the prayers of His children.

I have said that I believed that there is power in prayer many times, but have, honestly, not had my eyes opened to the true power of prayer in such a way as this before. It is absolutely amazing to me the things that have been happening as the sole result of people praying without ceasing for Sonny. Sonny is not completely out of the woods yet and we all still need to keep him in constant prayer, but I truly believe that God is going to heal Sonny and continue to use this situation (as he so blatantly already has) for His glory.

Please keep praying for Sonny, his family, friends, Krystal, and his doctors!! God IS listening!

What Would Jesus Do?

2010-01-28T20:41:00.004-05:00

No..this post is not to tell everyone that I got a snazzy new bracelet with WWJD charms..BUT instead, is to pose a real question. A real question that I have to ask myself everyday. Sometimes it is easy to find the answer, and other times..not so much. My life, the people and situations that I encounter are in constant need of evaluation and finding of a proper way to respond and act in a Christ-like manner.

The other day I was talking with a friend about what it truly means to love like Christ. I know that Christ call us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and also to love our enemies. The idea was brought up that sometimes loving someone like Christ means that you may NEVER receive love in return. That is kind of a difficult idea for me to swallow. Normally, when I express love to others, I wait for a response of love back. When I don't get the expected response it often lowers my self esteem and I begin to second guess my actions. I don't think that is what Christ intended when he commanded us to love. In fact, I am not sure that the way in which Christ calls us to love expects anything in return.

The best example that I can think of is this: Christ died on the cross with a love so great that it covered even those who physically pounded the nails into his hands. Christ was openly scoffed at and denied for simply being himself and loving others, over and over again. If I claim to be a follower of Christ, shouldn't my life and the way that I love be a mirror image of Christ's selfless love clearly shown on the cross? The way in which I love should be something that affects my ego; loving others should be about them not me. My love should be selfless and a reflection of Christ's love that has been given to me by grace.

And..although my attempts at doing what Jesus would do often end up looking more like trial and error than trial and win, I can only try my best in each new day to live my life and treat others in a way that exemplifies a heart that is focused on Christ.

Perhaps, the answer to the question, what would Jesus do could be simply answered with looking back at what Jesus did.

Coffee House For Haiti

2010-01-27T15:04:00.002-05:00

To all you people in the great state of TN.. I want to let you know about a really great event coming up this Friday here at CN. The Global Outreach Club (G.O.) will be hosting our monthly coffee house this Friday, the 29th of January at the Bonner House here on campus. The doors open at 7:30 p.m. The coffee(fair-trade) is FREE, but it is $1 at the door and homemade desserts are sold for a small cost each. All the money that we raise will be going directly to relief efforts in Haiti. Hope to see you all there!!

Twitterific

2010-01-24T19:12:00.001-05:00

so i jumped on the twitter bandwagon today.. ADD ME and we can be twitterpals :)

Less is More...Right?

2010-01-24T15:36:00.001-05:00

As anyone who knows me knows..I have very strange sleeping habits. My sleep habits have been compared to that of a bear in hibernation and I can sleep for days, literally. Well..due to the fact that I often sleep into the late hours of the afternoon..when I go to bed the next night I lie in bed AWAKE for hours. During these times I am alone with my thoughts and I am also alone with God. Last night as I was laying in bed, willing my brain to sleep, my mind began to drift to something that has been pressing on my heart for a few months now.

The question that has been pressing on my mind is, "what are we doing here"? I know that question is very vague, but in my mind it makes perfect sense. What I mean by that question is, "what are we doing here, on earth, as human beings...what are we doing with our lives"? This question is not meant to call out others, but more to call out myself. I am left asking myself, what am I doing with my life, who am I striving to be, what am I hoping to accomplish with my life?

It seems to me that many people's main goals in life consist of getting a good job, making money, having a family, and retiring happily and wealthily in the end. Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that these goals are necessarily bad ones, I just feel that for me..I wonder if, perhaps, there is something different in store. I struggle with this planned idea of how life is supposed to go and I am not so sure that I want to agree with this plan. In my heart, I feel my life goals being tugged in a very different direction than that of a millionaire retiree in my old age. I want to do something different.

I do not know exactly what I my life is going to turn out like, but I do have some of my own ideas of how my life might go. In the future, I would love to have a family and, in reality, I know that some sort of job is inevitable, but I do not want to get stuck in a rut. So many people hate their jobs. I want to love my job, I want to do something with my life that is worthwhile, I want to do something more than check goals off a list. I want my life to be a continually changing, learning experience. I don't ever want to think that I have everything figured out. I don't ever want to say that I have done it all.

I think that I want to do something extreme. I have flirted with the idea of selling everything that I own and simply following God on a crazy adventure to who knows where. That thought entices me. I wonder how would it feel to have absolutely nothing. I imagine that it would be somewhat of a freeing experience. Maybe I will do it one day. Doesn't the old saying go..less is more??

T.V.

2010-01-14T23:59:00.003-05:00

For the past 48 hours I have been glued to the T.V. I cannot get the images of the devastation in Haiti out of my mind. For me, watching is not only for information, but to also remind myself that I am just a tiny spec in this big, big world. There is so much more to life than what I usually spend my my energy on. I wish that I could do something, I wish that help would get to them faster.

My heart breaks for the people in Haiti, the children who are now orphans, the families that were separated instantly, the countless people who have lost their lives. I do not understand why this tragedy has happened to Haiti, but my prayer is that maybe, just maybe, that through all of this the worlds eyes will be turned to Haiti and the truth of the struggles that her people face day to day; struggles that were faced long before the earth began to shake.

I pray that Haiti will be able to rise, and rise stronger than ever before. I pray that God will be glorified through the future restoration of Haiti and her people.

I don't know when I will turn the T.V. off tonight, part of me never wants to turn it off. I hate the idea that I can turn off the T.V. and the problems of the world seem to magically disappear. The people I see on the T.V. can't turn their struggles off. I don't ever want to become numb to the real struggles of the world.

Earthquake in Haiti

2010-01-12T23:29:00.002-05:00

Please pray for the people of Haiti. Earlier today they were hit with a major earthquake. Reports say there is severe damage and chaos in the streets. I was able visit and serve the precious people of Haiti a few years ago and I am so saddened to hear this news. It is a truly devastating blow to a country that is already struggling with so much. Please keep the people of this country in your prayers!

Click HERE for a news article about the earthquake.

If you would like to donate to relief work in Haiti go HERE

The photo-blog is growing!

2010-01-04T23:28:00.005-05:00

FINALLY..I have finished sifting through my hundreds of photos from India. I just uploaded several to my photo-blog (click link to be directed there).

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Enjoy! :)

Meg McSwain Photo

2010-01-02T01:33:00.015-05:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you all know that along with this blog, I have also recently started a photo-blog, Meg McSwain Photo. My photo-blog is a place where I can share some of my photography that I have done in recent years. It is a continuing work in progress, so check back for new photos every so often. Also, all photos are available for purchase. If you see something you think would look great on your wall..just let me know! I will be more than happy to work out the details with you :)

Click HERE to go to my photo-blog!

Hello, New Year!

2009-12-31T00:13:00.009-05:00

Well, I don't quite know what this post is going to morph into..so I am just gonna start spilling my thoughts. There has been so much going on in my life lately since returning from India and miraculously whizzing my way through finals and..if I may add..scraped by with mostly A's followed by two B's (woo-hoo!)..I am SO incredibly grateful to be DONE with this past semester. Never again..I repeat..NEVER AGAIN will I willingly take 18 hours in one semester.

Now I am finally home and I could not be happier. I have been able to spend the Christmas holidays with my parents, sister, grandma and friends..all very special people that I do miss--so much being able to see and spend time with while I am away at school. It has been so refreshing for me to have this time at home to simply relax and also to let some of what I have experienced over the past few months sink in. Looking back at my time in India, more and more insights and lessons learned are being revealed to me bit by bit. Throughout my day I am struck by memories of the streets, sights and faces of all who I encountered on my journey through the City of Joy. However, along with those thoughts of Kolkata, I am also reminded of Kampala and the Joy that I was able to experience there this past summer. I am continually praying about what God will have me to do with my summer this next year, but am really still feeling a tug on my heart to be back in Kampala with the babies and Watoto.

One thing that I have been thinking about lately is the idea of seasonal living. Just as we all celebrate seasons and holidays throughout the year..life itself is full of seasons as well. Season where we feel peace, seasons where we experience pain, seasons when we have joy, and seasons when we have longings to be somewhere else..wherever you are in your life is a season. The hard part about all of these different seasons is being able to allow yourself to be content in whatever season God has placed you in for the time being. It sometimes so hard for me to keep in mind that God has placed me in this season in my life for a reason. As I continue to see so much pain, brokenness and destruction in the world around me..my initial reaction is to drop everything and throw myself in front of the cruelties of the world to try to save those that are in harms way. But then I remember, I am a college student, I have no money, and really, I have no power. Now don't get me wrong, I do not think that God cannot do great things. And also, I am actually glad that I have no power. CHRIST is my strength and I am so grateful for the power that I find ONLY through HIM. I do believe that if it was God's will, He would allow those thoughts to come to pass in reality. However, I do not think I have reached that season in my life yet. I can only do so much for the world as I have the means to work with in my season. What I do have in this season in my life is the opportunity to get an education, an opportunity to learn as much as I can so that I can be most beneficial to those that I hope to serve in the future. I also have summers that are free to go and gain new experiences and put into practice, little by little what I am learning. Then, once this season in my life is complete, God will lead me into a new season. I do not know exactly what future seasons will hold, but I do know that God will be by my side and if I continue to keep my eyes on him I will be able to find my contentment in Christ.

As the New Year is coming up, my hope is that I will continue to feel contentment and peace in every season that God has placed me in. Perhaps, maybe in a later season God will lead me do something HUGE to help the world that He has created..or perhaps I will do something very small..whatever it will be, one thing is for sure..I will always need a little more molding.

Happy New Year and God Bless You All!

p.s. Something fun..I believe that I have made the most delicious Chocolate-Reese's-Cheesecake tonight..here is my masterpiece:

Freedom

2009-11-28T00:57:00.003-05:00

My time in Kolkata is coming to an end. I am sad to be leaving, but am so grateful to have had this experience. The past few days have again felt like a whirlwind, but I have learned so much about the people of Kolkata and the lives that they lead. I also have gained a better insight into the lives of some who lead certain lives not out of choice but out of necessity and poverty.

Last night, myself and two other students were allowed to go into Sonagachi at night. We were led by Annie, who is one of the founders of Fre*set, and who truly has an amazing presence in that area of Kolkata. We were basically walking the streets as women were working, some we could see waiting for customers, others were hidden and locked away. It was almost surreal to be walking the streets and knowing what they were being used for. I have not really processed all that I saw last night yet, but my heart was torn in so many directions as we walked the streets and saw women lined up along each side. We also had the opportunity to go into some of the homes of some of the women who now work at Fre*set, which were really no bigger than most of our walk in closets back in the U.S. Just knowing that as we were sitting and having tea with these beautiful women who are no longer forced to work the streets, there were others still trapped in the trade literally next door and across the street was an incredibly hard fact to swallow. I have really been thinking and realizing all that I have been blessed with and my heart hurts for these women who do not share the same freedoms that I have right now. I pray that someday these women that I have met will all be able to experience true freedom, not only in Christ, but also from the sex-slave trade.

the face of Jesus

2009-11-25T09:15:00.003-05:00

I saw it today. I saw it in the faces of the children in Daya Dan, a handicapped children's home run by the Ministires of Charity here in Kolkata. I had the priveledge of helping to care for these precous children today and it was once again so humbling to be able to serve. First, we helped to bathe all of the children, which was a very big task because many of them have very severe ailments that make it difficult for them to sit, stand, or even lie down properly. But we did it and every child had on clean diapers and a fresh set of clothes to start the day. For most of the morning i helped to care for a young girl named Sonya, im guessing she was about 10 or 12, but was about the size of a 6 year old. Her feet, arms and legs were mangled and twisted in a way which i have never seen before. She was such a joy to serve. As i sat with her in the excersize room listening to music i watched her eyes light up as she heard the different beats and rhythms. She loved to hear the music and as we sat and sang..though she could not speak--i knew she must have been singing her own little song in her head--i knew because her eyes were dancing. After excersize we helped to feed the kids lunch and Sonya and i sat for nearly an hour working to finish her bowl of porridge. I was so proud when she took her last bite; we had made it. After lunch I carried Sonya to her bed and tucked her in for naptime. As i tucked her in i looked at her eyes again. that is where i saw Jesus. Jesus was in her eyes because when we serve others, we are serving Christ.

Geoff has been talking about Matthew 25 the past few days, and it really struck me as I was helping today that what we did today, serving the poor, the crippled, and needy--that is what Jesus calls us to do with our lives. He calls us to help the least of these. With every new opportunity i have to go into the world and serve others for Christ, my heart grows bigger and my love for the least of these grows deeper. I feel that I am beginning to truly realize what God has called me to do with my life--to serve, whether it is at home or abroad--i am called to serve others for Christ. I am so thankful that I was able to go to Daya Dan today..it was such a blessing to meet the children and serve them for a day. I am sad tht we only have one day at Daya Dan, but i do know that there are so many other volunteers doing a wonderful job with the children there everyday. God is doing a great work here in Kolkata.

--on a side note..Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the USA, be sure to eat lots of turkey, stuffing and mac n cheese! (we will be celebrating thanksgiving here in Kolkata by going to Pizza Hut..ha!)

AND..last but not least...HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I LOVE YOU! I HOPE YOUR DAY IS REALLY GREAT! :)

today was a good day!

2009-11-24T06:31:00.004-05:00

Today was a day filled with inspiration and hope for the future. We had the chance to go to Sonagachi, which is one of the largest red-light districts in the world, to visit the Fre*set organization there. It was truly a beautiful place. The women there are so welcoming and they glow with the freedom that they have been given in the jobs that they have there. We got to meet with the founders and hear the story of how it all started, which--put simply is that a man and his family felt God's call to move to Sonagachi about 10 years ago. They didn't know what they were going to do, but quickly realized that they were living in the heart of the sex district. This prompted them to start a business making jute bags, a business that not employs over 150 women. 150 women who no longer have to sell their bodies to survive. Meeting the women was so inspiring to me because I cannot imagine having to go through what many of them have. I felt so honored to be able to stand in the same room with these truly remarkable women. After getting a tour of the factory we were able to purchase some of the bags that the women are making..im pretty sure i bought half of what was for sale..ha! Oh, and Mom--i got found you one of the gift bags! :) I really am just very thankful to have been able to meet the women of Fre*set and it really has been an encouragement to me to hear the story of how it all started..it makes me feel like maybe I can really do something to help change lives and serve others for the God in the future..whether it is feeding babies or helping sew bags..who knows! I will just keep following God wherever her leads..I am glad that he has allowed me to come this far. I am truly blessed.

i think i have forgotten what day it is..

2009-11-23T10:14:00.004-05:00

the past few days have been a whirlwind! i am trying to gather my thoughts to share all that has gone on but i am sure that i may leave some things out. well, first off, yesterday we went to church..i visited an AOG church and it was a very interesting service, very different from where i usually worship, but again, i tried to keep an open mind and let God lead me to understand his heart and what i needed to hear during the service. afterward we visited the Queen Victoria Monument which is a beautiful almost palacial building in a park here in the wealthier part of Kolkata. I think it is the closest thing to the Taj Mahal that i have ever seen..very exquisite! After walking around the huge grounds we settled at a chinese restaurant for dinner..of all things! ha! I had yummy honey chicken and rice. Following the meal we tok auto rickshaws home (zipping in and out of heavy traffic in tiny 3 wheeled car). That was truly another unique experience to add to my list :)

Today we took a train to Serampore College which was started by William Carey. The train ride was quite an experience..lots and lots of people crammed in and you literally had to swim through people both getting on and off trains and walking through the station. I really enjoyed the ride and the scenery along the way was beautiful. When we got to the college, we toured the grounds and even met with many of the current students there. It was really neat to be able to talk with students my own age and have a sense of community with them even though we are from two totally different worlds. I also really enjoyed just learning about what William Carey had started and the impact that he is still making through the community in Serampore. We ended our time at the college playing cricket with some of the students and kids from the town. On our way back from the train station the traffic was so thick that it was nearly 10 cars wide. One of the most intense car rides of my life i believe! ha! But I have survived, no worries!

Tomorrow is sure to be an exciting day as well, we head off to work with the women in Sonogachi at the Fre*set factory..I am rally looking forward to that and I am hoping to learn more about the women, their stories and how God is working in their lives. Please continue to keep us in your prayers..there are much appreciated here in Kolkata! :)

Day Two

2009-11-21T10:23:00.003-05:00

Lots of excitement today..lots of future stories to share indeed! I'll start from the beginning of today. This morning we went to Carey Baptist church in the city to attend a worship service with the women of Freeset. It was a very lovely service complete with Bengali singing and a tour of the beautiful church that was started by William Carey over 200 years ago! The ministry of the church to the people of Kolkata is still thriving today and it was so neat to see the church in action.

After church we went to a place called New Market..which was basically lots of shops and vendors on the roadside. I whipped out some of my bartering skills and got a sari top and some bangles for under 5 dollars. That shows you how much US dollars are worth here! After the quick shopping spree we all boarded rickshaws and rode back to the guesthouse..what an experience!! I was so afraid the little man that was pulling us..barefoot i might add..was not going to make it all the way. However we did arrive safely at the guesthouse after a truly unique ride through the streets of Kolkata... Also it made me think that perhaps Boda-Boda are not so bad..perhaps rickshaws are the greater evil in terms of safety..ha!

After lunch we had an hour to rest and then we headed back our in three different groups to explore the streets. We were supposed to meet up at a coffee shop at 5 pm to gather with the rest of the group..sooo.. my group found the coffee shop and arrived promptly at 5pm. However we were unaware that there were 2 coffee shops with the same name in Kolkata. My group was at the wrong coffee shop. OOPS!! After waiting for 45 mins wondering where the rest of the group was, we hailed a taxi and attempted to get back to the guest house. Unfortunately our taxi driver had absolutely NO CLUE where we wanted to go and proceeded to drive us in circles for about 20 minutes. 18 rupees later we just told the taxi driver to stop and got out. We were so lost! We finally found a taxi that knew the road we needed to get to and hopped in. Finally making it back to the guesthouse at 6:45 pm. It truly was an adventure and i can now say that i have been lost in Kolkata. ha! The whole time we were all just so twisted around and there was nothing else to do but laugh about the situation. I am glad i was with such a lighthearted group because it made a somewhat confusing and stressful situation into a fun memory to share in the future :) I am pretty sure that i know EVERY street in Kolkata now too..perhaps because i either walked or drove past them at some point tonight..ha!!

Well that is the breakdown of the day in light of events, but I would also like to share a little about what I am learning here despite all the craziness of my adventures in getting lost. Geoff has been talking about the idea of slow travel and how important it is when you visit somewhere to truly take it slow and let the culture sink in. AKA not checking sights and places off a list, but rather going into a city or country with an open mind and letting the culture, or in my eyes--God lead you to where you should visit. I really agree with what he is saying and I feel that my time in Kampala this summer was a great learning experience for just that. I feel that when being on mission it is so important to go into wherever you are serving with the intent not to check deeds or sights off a list but to go in with an open heart and allow God to lead you where he wants. I am trying to do just that on this trip as well and so far, going with the flow has allowed me to have some amazing experiences and times to truly rely on God to be with me and guide me..He still hasn't let me down yet! I am looking forward to tomorrow and the new memories I will make and am just really looking to see what God has planned for the rest of this trip. Please continue to pray for myself and the team..and perhaps also pray hard that we find our sense of direction sooner rather than later! Love to you all!

-Meg

I am in Kolkata!

2009-11-20T04:04:00.003-05:00

Okay..this shall be super quick because I only have five minutes to type! We have arrived safely here in Kolkata, had breakfast and a nap at the guesthouse and are now headed out for the day. We are going to be visiting Mother Teresa ministries (including a baby home--VERY excited about that!!) and attending a mass I believe, then its home for dinner and some good rest. I am loving Kolkata so far, reminds me a lot of Kampala..I began to feel somewhat at home here because of that I think..makes me miss Kampala lots tho! I will try to write when I have more time but just wanted to let you know I am here safe and please keep praying for our team!! Love you all!!

-Meg

Countdown..

2009-11-12T18:25:00.004-05:00

With only 6 days left before I depart on my next journey, it is really just now starting to sink in that I am going to India. I have been planning for this trip, along with the rest of my class for several weeks now and we are all incredibly excited and feeling immensely grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. As I have done on all of my other trips around the world, I really try not to make preconceptions about the places I am going to see and the people I will meet. I have found that by keeping my mind open and not trying to plan out every step of the way, I am able to experience each culture and learn so much more. I think that one of the things that makes this trip different than that of other mission trips that I have been on is that we are not going with the intentions of only teaching the women of Freeset about our faith, but also to just observe and learn from these women, listen to their stories of rescue, redemption and the way that Christ has become an integral part of their lives. We are also going to follow in the footsteps of several longtime missionaries to India, Mother Teresa and William Carey. We do not really have a set schedule of when and where we are going to be each day, but I know that God has a plan for us and we will just have to be open to his guidance during our time in Calcutta. Please keep myself, the rest of my class and leaders in your prayers. Also, please pray that we will keep our minds and hearts open to what God wants to teach us through the amazing ministries that are currently in action and have been in action for many years. I am ready for an adventure and ready to continue learning about God's plan for my life. If possible, I will try to update from India, but if internet if not readily available, I will definitely post reflections from the trip to share with you all when I return!

Below is a video that tells a little about Calcutta and what Freeset is doing:

Running

2009-10-13T18:58:00.013-04:00

Running is something that I do not do very often, or rather..EVER. ha! Though I know that it would be good for my body if I made more of an effort to exercise, I just do not like running. However, I DO have friends that LOVE it. So..placed in such a situation..what else is the non-runner/photography loving friend to do?? Take pictures, of course! :) That is exactly what I did this past Sunday. I played paparazzi, while my friends Cara, Kayla Beth, Katie, and Heather ran four miles to practice for an upcoming race they are entering. Here are some photos from the afternoon..

..along the way, I stopped to photograph some equestrian friends..

..and ended up acquiring a canine friend as well..

..for the last mile of the run, the girls decided to run barefoot (a new trend in the running world, I suppose)..I'm not so sure I would be brave enough to attempt such a "feet" (haha!) ;) but these girls continued to run with grace and speed..BAREFOOT!

..the girls ended the run with a victory jump and a pose fit for champions :)

(all photos in this post were taken using 35mm color film)

Calendars!!

2009-10-05T22:07:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone!

Well, as I have mentioned before, I am beginning preparations to take a trip to Kolkata, India with one of my classes here at Carson-Newman. We will be leaving November 19 and will be gone over the thanksgiving holidays. We are going to be working with an organization called Freeset which works to provide at-risk women with sustainable jobs and assist them in turning their lives around. I am SO very excited about this opportunity and can't wait to begin another exciting journey. However, in order to be able to participate in this trip I am having to raise my own funds. Being a college student, I am unfortunately usually quite lacking in that area. So, in order to try to raise the needed funds for my trip... I am selling calendars!! They are 2010 Calendars, composed of my photography from various trips that I have taken. Really cool stuff!! They are $20 each. I would greatly appreciate if you all could tell your friends, family, basically anyone you know..I mean hey..everyone needs calendar right? Why not buy a necessity to support a good cause? :) Well, seriously, if you are interested in purchasing a calendar please let me know!! Also, please be in prayer for not only I, but the rest of my class as we prepare both spiritually and physically to take this trip. I know the Lord has great things in store!

this is what the front cover looks like..purchase one to see all the exciting pictures inside!!

p.s. Christmas is coming..how about buying a calendar for all of your friends? :)

HOW TO PURCHASE:

Send a check made payable to Megan McSwain, and a note stating how many calendars you wish to purchase and the address to which you want your calendar(s) sent to:

Megan McSwain
CNC Box 70197
2130 Branner Avenue
Jefferson City TN, 37760

I will then mail your calender(s) to you, or if you are in the Merritt Island area, you can stop by my moms office in the Facilities Department at FBCMI to pay for/pick your calendar(s) up if you wish. Whatever is easiest for you!

If you have any questions feel free to email me at megmcswain@gmail.com or leave me a comment.

THANKS!! :)

Settling Down

2009-09-14T22:59:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, thank you to those who have been praying for Kampala over the past few days. From what I have heard, it seems that the riots are calming down, at least for now. The babies and Watoto children do not seem to have been affected--but please do continue to pray for safety and peace over the people of Kampala and everyone involved with Watoto in the city and throughout Uganda.

Riots Continuing

2009-09-12T14:13:00.000-04:00

Click HERE for a new CNN article on the riots in Kampala. The city is still very unstable and angry Bugandans are continuing to riot and loot throughout the city. The girls and babies at the home all seem to be safe right now, but please continue to keep them and the Ugandans in Kampala in your prayers.

Riots in Kampala

2009-09-11T13:31:00.001-04:00

In the past few days there have been reports of violent riots, gunfire, and protests occurring in the city of Kampala, Uganda. The unrest is believed to have something to do with some Buganda supporters who are angry at police and government officials. I ask that everyone keep this city and it's people, including the volunteers and babies at The Bulrushes in your prayers because they are in the midst of the riots. Please pray that the violence and fighting will come to a peaceful end soon!

Click HERE for a BBC article and video about the riots.