As I washed the the thick red dirt off me, I realized gratefully that I could never erase the impact this beautiful place has had on me.
When we were greeted by this community, they reached out with open arms and touched our hearts, leaving a lasting mark on our souls.
You can’t go there, experience such deep sorrow, overwhelming love, unstoppable joy and remain unchanged.
People kept asking me how my trip was, as if I could explain in just a few words. So I told them it was amazing, incredible — because I was still processing so many things. Now, the dust has settled and I’m starting to see how it all fits into the present.
One of the best things about Mawanga was that everything was stripped away and only relationships remained.
Time was a fluid concept and schedules and to do lists were less important than people and time spent together. Whether it was a home visit or conversation during a meal, the focus was on what was happening then and there, not what was next or what might be coming.
That perspective was and is a gift and I’m striving to view life through that lens now that I’m back home. I want to help create that connection between supporters of this organization and the people in the villages of Mawanga and surrounding areas.
