In around 35 days I will be off on the biggest adventure of my life so far, on my way to Kampala, Uganda for two weeks (and I cannot WAIT). I have never written in a blog before, but I feel like this would be a good experience to share and also a way to record this journey.. Uganda is located in Eastern Africa, below Sudan and above Rwanda and Tanzania with Lake Victoria in the Southeast corner, Kenya to the East and Dem. Rep. of Congo to the West. On this trip, I will be traveling with a group of Dentists and Assistants to Mildmay Clinic in Kampala, Uganda. I have been reading some of the blogs of the fellow people in my group to get a better understanding of what I am to expect. The group I am traveling with will perform dental checkups and procedures. Many of the children that will come to the clinic are infected with HIV/AIDS, and for some of these children, it will be the only time they will visit a Dentist in their entire life. Thinking about this fact causes me to reflect on all of the blessings I have in my life, as I sit here in my own bedroom at the University I attend on my very own computer. Each day I take so much for granted without even realizing it, I am so fortunate to be able to go out of my comfort zone and take the time to appreciate this amazing life.
In the past trips, the clinic and Dentists I will be traveling with have seen around 500 to 600 children during the two week period. That is an incredible amount! Last weekend I spent around three hours packing medical supplies, toys, and a LOT of shoes, while also getting to know the people I would be traveling with. Paul, who organizes the trip and is from Uganda, told me a story that really stuck out to me from a past trip. He told me they usually send out two buses to the country that each can take 15 children, so they were expecting around 30 children to return. When the buses returned to the clinic, 70 children exited the bus! Talk about a long, uncomfortable ride just to see the Dentist! And not one of them complained about it, they were all so excited to be there (even though unfortunately some had to be sent right home because time did not permit for them to be seen). Another highlight of this trip that I am ecstatic for, is the Safari! It will be halfway through the visit over the weekend and an approximately two hour bus ride away in Murchison Falls National Park. I can not wait to see all of the wild life, such as Elephants, Giraffes, Lions and Rhino. We will also be taking a boat ride on the Nile River.
There has been so much to do to prepare for this trip, it is really hard to focus on finals week coming up soon!! I will try to update this blog more closer to the date we leave (January 12), and since we will have internet at the hotel we are staying at in Kampala, I will also try to update while there.
Thank you for taking the time to read this :) God bless.
If you would like more information about this trip, you should definitely take a look at these links!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozPs5CcWi5o
http://www.dentalcamp.blogspot.com/
*Murchison Falls*
