I Went! And I Returned!

Uganda 2012:

Well, I'm back!  And I'm sorry this has taken so long to report on.  Life is pretty crazy right now so I'm just gonna number these and hopefully one day I'll give ya'all more details.  If not just give me a phone call and we can talk :).

1. I left in May and stayed in Uganda for about 2ish weeks.
2. Ended up traveling alone.  Was totally ok! Except for when I had a 9 hour layover in London and did some exploring.  I thought everyone was a murderer/rapist and so I may or may not have been a little over anxious ha ha.
3.  I LOVED Uganda.  Wish I could have stayed longer but turned out to be a big blessing I came home when I did.. life had gotten a bit crazy back in the U.S. of A. and some of my family/friends needed me back here.
4.  Met some great and amazing people who are doing great things.
5.  Learned that all the stories and pictures and images of Africa are not exaggerations. 
6.  Africa time is real.  "I'll be there in five minutes" = "I'll be there sometime before the end of the day, maybe."
7.  There is a lot of work and education needed down there.  But it is going to take the work of the African people alongside others to help. 
8.   Got to go to an LDS ward near Kampala.  SUPER awesome!  Just like back home but I was in Africa ha ha. I even met a missionary from Orem!
9.  Muzungu... most popular word that Ugandan's like to call white people/foreigners. 
10.  The kids are incredible.  LOVE them.  I wish I could do more to help them.  They are the hope of Africa.

I had an amazing time. I learned lots, and learned lots of what to do next time I go.  Thank you for all the support of helping me get there.  It was an incredible experience and a dream come true.  If you'd like to help donate to feed these kids, clothe them, give them beds, or help them fight AIDS, Malaria, Sickle Cell, etc. (all of which I saw in that orphanage), please click on the link under 'donate'. All the money will go to them. 

Peace out world.

Ok... I'm still Going. Don't get all nervous!

So maybe I haven't posted on here in quite some time... But I am now, so calm down everyone!

The yard sale went great!  We made a couple hundred dollars!  Not bad for selling everyone's old junk!!  We'll be having one again in the spring. 

As for now, May is calling me to Uganda! Woot woot!! That's about it... but I thought I'd give you an update.  I'm a pretty terrible blogger :) 

Allysann and a Yard Sale!

Three things.... first... Allysann Mckinlay has decided to join me on this endeavor to Africa!! Can we say stoked out of our minds about this?  First of all she is hilarious.  Secondly she is a smarty pants.  Thirdly, I just love her and can't wait to go save the world with her!  We grew up in school together and have been sarcastically peeing our pants together with laughter for years.  Needless to say she is amazing.  LOVE HER!!

Secondly a shout-out to my girl Snuggle from Oakcrest who just donated a TON of money!!! You are amazing friend!!! I love you so much!! Thanks for your great example and for your love!! You are INCREDIBLE!!

Next.... YARD SALE!!! We're having an awesome yard sale this Saturday to fundraise!!! WOOOHOO!!!  However, Allysann and I are both poor college students who barely have enough junk to call our own much less sell.  And so….  We would love to help you get rid of stuff you don’t want and sell it!

We are looking for:

Clothes

Old furniture

TV’s, computers, appliances, etc.

Electronics

Books and Movies

Baby things

…. Basically anything you need to get rid of that we could sell! 

What we don’t sell we will take to DI so either way you’ll have a cleaner house and have helped someone in need! 

Contact me at utahjazzqueen12@hotmail.com or Allysann at allysanneve@gmail.com if you have stuff to donate!  Don’t forget to come to the yard sale at my casita if you’d like!  9.17.11 6AM-11AM.  

Allysann

Thanks for all your support!!

P.S. Pray for a Jazz season!!! :)

 

Shayla is AMAZING!!

Alright friends and family....

I need to tell you about one AMAZING girl!! Her name is Shayla!  Shayla and I went to school together from elementary school all the way through high school.  She is a college student at SUU and works as a teacher.  She is the first person to donate to my cause.... and she donated $50!!!!!  GUYS!!! DO YOU GET HOW COOL THIS IS?!  A POOR college student donated $50!!! To me!!! I am floored!! And so grateful!!!  What an amazing person!!  There are good people in this world!! And one of them is Shayla!! Thank you Shayla!! You are AMAZING!!!

So I got to thinking.... How am I going to take all these people that help me, and donate, with me to Africa?  Not everyone can afford to go, or necessarily wants to go!  And that's ok!  I'm grateful though for your support!  I came up however, with this idea so that I can take all these amazing people 'with me' to Uganda.  When I fly out to Uganda, and when I come home, I am going to wear a shirt with all the names of the people that donated and helped me live my lifelong dream!  I know.  You guys are so excited!!! Now you want to donate, right? Right?! 

Well first to go on that shirt is Shayla!  Thank you again Shayla!! And if any of you are just so inspired you can hardly stand it..... click on the tab up at the top that says "Help Me Fundraise" and click the donate button!  It goes through paypal and yup!! Every penny is appreciated!!! 

And thanks again Shayla!! Thanks for helping my dream come true!  You inspire me! 

Uganda

So... I'm going to Uganda.  People are like, "Why are you going to Uganda?"... I say, "Cuz I want to!"  I'm going to go work in an orphanage and play with the children and hopefully bring them some love!  I've wanted to go since I was like... 10.   I kept putting it off, saying I didn't have enough money, bla bla bla.  Then this past May(ish)  I was sitting in bed and I thought... "It's about dang time I go to Africa".  So here I am!  I got things all worked out with my running, lifey, money, etc.  and I'm a headed to Uganda!

Why Uganda one might ask?  After all Africa is all the same isn't it?  Isn't Africa a country?  Wait, you're going to Ugandiranda?  How is that in the country of Africa?  All questions I've been asked.

I chose Uganda because of the organization Invisible Children.  (Go to invisiblechildren.com... it will change your life!)  I'll bla bla about that more later.  But for now... just know I love Uganda and it's where I'm headed in May of 2012!  Woot Woot!!