Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The little seeds that were planted...

It's been almost 5 months since our trip to Uganda and not a day goes by that I don't think about our time there!  I think of the people we met, the lives left behind- lives that so deeply impacted us.  I especialy think of the children....the precious faces that I so often see when I close my eyes at night.  I miss their hugs, their laughs, their joy.

I've often wondered what an impact the trip had on Riley.  So many people have asked if we think that Riley will even remember her time there.  I'm not really sure how to answer that question but I've often caught myself saying that I believe seeds were planted in her.  She witnessed things that many people will never see.  She saw brokenness, poverty, pain...and yet she also saw people that were at peace in the midst of tragedy.  She had a blast playing with kids who had one outfit and no toys.  They chased goats together and rolled around in the dirt.  They did what kids love to do.  They couldn't speak each others languages but they didn't seem to even notice.  They simply had a blast together.

Tonight Riley came out of her room at bedtime and asked me what songs we sang in Africa.  She wanted to remember the worship songs that our friend Becki played while we were there.  We talked about the songs Hosanna and God of this City and the next thing I knew she was lying in my lap as we searched for the songs on YouTube.  Brett, Riley & I spent a while just singing together and remembering our amazing time in Uganda.  In that moment, it was such sweet confirmation that her time there was not in vain.  She was impacted and seeds were planted.  I'm so thankful for our time there and  can't wait to go back!