More Than Ever!

I started to make this a long drawn out post with lots of mushy things about thankfulness and family and friends and everything else in my life, but thinking more, I can make it so much simpler! I feel it all inside of me everyday, to the point where I can say my heart has never in my life been this full! I am so thankful, and so overjoyed that even though I am away from my family and friends, and miss them a little more each day, I have more that EVER to be thankful for this year! I have over 100 refugee children that know me by name and sprint into my arms at first glance, and many other people I've met in the past 5 months that I find myself thanking God for this year. I am so far away from the comforts of home, but my heart is filled to the BRIM! The Lord continues to be gracious and fill me up day after day, even after tough situations, difficult days, and especially when I least deserve it. He has given me experiences and shown me things that have caused me to grow, learn, and challenge my thoughts and actions. Thanksgiving Day this year in Uganda was incredibly hot and pretty uneventful as compared to a normal U.S.A. holiday, but still incredibly beautiful! I AM SO THANKFUL! 

I love these boys so much.

The boys teaching me how to do a handstand.. it may take me a while!

Couldn't ask for better friends to spend this year abroad with.

Corbin is a little sleepy after an amazing Thanksgiving dinner! 

So blessed to have great food and even better company.

"Sport has the power to change the world." Nelson Mandela

The Land of a Thousand Hills

The Land of a Thousand Hills. That's what they call the country of Rwanda. Of course, I first thought, "seriously, a thousand hills?". Boy oh boy did I underestimate everything about this tiny country. Jill and I were able to do a little bit of traveling around East Africa, and it started with a monster 10-hour bus ride to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. I immediately felt like I was anywhere other than Africa. The streets were clean, the roads were paved, and there were STREET LIGHTS! Plus, the elevation made the air have a much cooler and crisper feel. There was altogether something different about the feel of Kigali, though. A little quieter, much more reserved than Kampala; most likely due to the sting of the Rwandan Genocide which is still very much in the air. After all, the country lost nearly 1 million of it's people, at the hands of it's own people, only 20 years ago. How does a country the size of Maryland pick up and go on after something like that? 

The first couple of days in Rwanda, we visited Kigali and found out more information on the Genocide. We visited Nyamata Church, which was a site where nearly 10,000 Tutsis came for refuge, only to be ambushed by the Hutu side. The church was filled with piles, upon piles, upon piles of the victims clothing, dust, dirt, and all still attached. Bullet holes in the roof and stone walls. It's very difficult to imagine the scene that played out here in the mid-1990's. Behind the church was a memorial for those 10,000 victims. A place where you could walk down inside, and see hundreds of caskets - the people that they could identify, and thousands of skulls and bones - those they could not identify. A really tough place to visit, but a beautiful memorial for those that lost their lives in what they believed to be a safe place.  We next headed to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which was more museum-like. I learned so much more about the Genocide than I ever though I could. This site was equally difficult, with certain rooms dedicated to certain things. In particular, a room full of pictures. Friends and family of those that lost their lives have brought pictures to this site, and they are all hanging in a room, hundreds and hundreds of them. Looking into each of those pictures, many of them with grinning faces, quieted my soul. And I will never be able to forget, "The Children's Room". A room with large canvas prints of many children who were victims of the Genocide. With the pictures came information, such as favorite food, personality type, last words. This particular memorial site is the burial ground of over 250,000 people. I still get wide-eyed when I think about that number. As heart-tugging and humbling as these experiences in Kigali were, I am so thankful to have been able to see and learn about such a large part of East African history. One thing has really stuck with me. All over Rwanda, there are signs, posters, and reminders that simply say, "Never Again". How this country has transformed from those dark days 20 years ago into the beautiful, friendly, bustling place it is now, I will never know. But, they sure are doing something right and are proud of the way their country has transformed. 

For the last few days, we took a bus for a few dollars to the town of Kibuye. Kibuye sets right on Lake Kivu, which borders both Rwanda and the DR of Congo. When I tell you it was the most beautiful bus ride I have ever taken, to the most beautiful place I have ever been, I am telling the truth! I couldn't believe my eyes or believe that I even doubted that this was "The Land of a Thousand Hills". The bus swerved in and out of valleys, through field after field of banana trees, fields of tea leaves and just about any crop you can think of. It was so amazing how the crops are planted and grown on the hills - VERY steep hills - like it is in Rwanda. And it makes the scenery that much more beautiful. 

We arrived in Kibuye and were again blow away by what God has made for us to see! We stayed at the cutest little hostel, Home Saint Jean, where the rooms were seven bucks a night but had a million dollar view. I can't believe what I saw each morning as I stepped out of the room! We also kayaked and swam in Lake Kivu which was beautiful and refreshing, but also a little eerie knowing that many bodies were dumped into this lake 20 year ago. Just to give a little bit of a picture of our few days in Kibuye, Rwanda:

On a side note, REALLY thankful for random wifi at African hostels, because it allowed me to be in touch with friends and family from 8,000 miles away, and see these faces that I miss so much!    

                            

Even though we basically lived off of coffee and bananas for a week, it was WELL worth every second we were able to spend in Rwanda. Jill and I have learned how to be the ultimate minimalist travelers, but if this is what traveling on a serious budget looks like, count me in EVERY TIME! Really thankful that God allowed us to see this beautiful country. I can't imagine going through life without learning about the important past and experiencing the thriving future of Rwanda!

A Dream on the Nile

I was able to cross more than a few things off of my bucket list this month. To take our first much needed weekend off, Jill, Turner, and I jumped in a Matatu and headed about an hour and a half down the road to Jinja, Uganda. To say the very least, it was an unbelievable, breathtaking weekend. We white-water rafted the Nile River, bungee jumped over the river, and simply floated down a few rapids, taking in every inch of the beautiful scenery. An email from a friend the other day told me that God uses the sky and the landscape as a sort of daily canvas that He paints on. I have never understood that more than I have during these few days in Jinja. He wants us to see these beautiful pictures He creates all over the world, and also take a second to stop and enjoy everything He has given us. This weekend was filled with adventure, beauty, relaxation, and thrill. And the whole time I could hear God saying, "Look at this, I painted this for you!". 

Ugandan Sunsets

I have been searching my brain for things to make this next blog about. There are so many things that I could explain, or try to explain, but honestly, many of these experiences are just too difficult to put into words. I will settle with something simple, but it's something that makes each week even that much greater. 

Jill and I signed up for a 10k fun run along the beautiful Lake Victoria in the beginning of October. The goalkeeper inside of me cringes at saying this, but I actually can't wait to run it!  So, as we begin our "training", we spend a few beautiful evenings a week running around the pitch in our small area of Nsambya. Luckily, we are never alone. We have the the privilege of two running partners. Ishara, 11 years old, and Sam, 12 years old. If we say we will be at the pitch at a certain time, they are waiting at the top of our hill 10 minutes early. They are so eager to run with us each day, even though they are running on rocks and dirt with broken sandals. Jill and I listen to our iPods as we crank out lap after lap, and both boys are running hard with us, nearly every step of the way. They keep up, too! In their plastic, barely useable footwear, as we run beside them in expensive American tennis shoes. I wonder to myself, how is this fair? In plain terms, it's not. It's in no way fair. But, I have to remind myself each time that they are as happy as I am striding around field, gazing at the current game being played, next to friends, as the Ugandan sun sets beautifully in the background. I've learned through the past 8 weeks that life in Uganda, and how it is in many other places, isn't valued on the things we have or the things they have, but it's valued on the people that surround us. Having these two boys as running partners is often the highlight of my week. Walking back down the hill with them, having great conversation, laughing, talking about what's for dinner and how we couldn't have made it through that run without them. And it's always a comfort saying good-bye, because I know when I see them tomorrow I will again be surrounded by great individuals, who care about people. And that's what really matters.

"But know this: When Jesus invites on an adventure, He shapes who we become with

 what happens along the way."   -Bob Goff, Love Does 

Short But Sweet!

I've been having a little trouble with internet and loading pictures, so I'm hoping to write short blogs more often from now on!  Here is one of my favorite highlights from the past few weeks! 

Aaron, one of the summer interns (who sadly just left), ran an AWESOME coaching clinic last week for about 15 Ugandan coaches from different organizations around the area. He put together a packet, ran sessions on field and in the classroom, and ended with a test and celebration for passing the course. I was fortunate to have been able to run a goalkeeping session in the clinic, and it was a blast.  The coaches were so eager to listen and learn and I was just as eager to pass on knowledge that I have learned from some of the best in the States. I was able to run them through our goalkeeper warm-up that I am a little too familiar with, and a crossing session, hitting on the infamous A, B, and C zones of the box. Only a few people will know what zones I am talking about here, but it was such a cool experience being able to share these training sessions that made me such a better player to coaches around the world. How cool is that!

I Believe in Auburn

Thinking back to the past four years, there is no possible way I can accurately sum everything up.  One thing that I have reflected on quite a bit as my time as a student-athlete came to an end, however, was the Auburn Creed.  My experience as a student-athlete has engraved in me each of the personal values that the Auburn Creed represents.  A few of these values stand out to me. 

I believe in hard work, because I know that countless hours with your team in the weight room, on the field, and in the film room can earn your sport's first ever SEC Tournament Title, no matter how big of an underdog you are.  I believe in education, because I've seen the impact a great teacher can have on a struggling student both at the elementary and college level.  I believe in a spirit that is not afraid, because I have become so engulfed in this Auburn Family that I will forever have chills when I see the eagle fly around the stadium.  I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy, because I have found life-long friends that realize a simple hug can cure just about any bad day. In my four years as an Auburn student, I have not only come to know what the creed is, what it means, and what it stands for, but I have learned how to apply it to everyday life and how to truly live by the Auburn Creed. 

From day one, coaches, academic staff, professors, teammates, and classmates have helped me understand how to find my own passions and how to pursue them with an open heart.  I have had an unbelievable experience as a student-athlete at Auburn.  I don't think you will find anywhere else with so many people willing to care, serve, and invest in each individual student. There are many individuals who have had a significant impact on me as a student, an athlete, and as a person.  Each of these people has exemplified of the Auburn Creed and all that it stands for. And because these people believe in all of these things, I will always believe in Auburn and I will always love it. War Eagle!

I could not have asked for a more supportive, accepting, and talented group of girls to spend these last few years with. It has been such a fun ride growing as educators with this crew! So much love for cohort B. WE DID IT! 

Next stop............ Kampala, UGANDA!