Africa, Kiddos and Christmas

Eeeeek! 3 weeks till I leave on my next adventure!


Something I love about traveling alone is meeting people in the airports and on my flights. Call me crazy, but, I love talking to strangers! :)

 In September, coming home from Uganda, I met one of the “lost boys” from Sudan! He had an incredible story and I loved visiting with him.

I hung out with a fellow barista in the Entebbe airport and watched him do a little latte art for me!

 

I met a Nigerian lady who had been competing in Beijing and was now traveling back to her home in the states! We talked about African food for a good 30mins standing in the line waiting to go through security.

In Amsterdam I met a team coming back from loving on some sweet Uganda children. I then ran into them again in the Minneapolis airport where they insisted I line hop so I could get through customs and not miss my flight!

Also, huge shout out to the lady two seats down on my second, 8 hour flight, who gave me Dramamine! Who forgets they get motion sickness?? This girl!

I’m excited to see what new friends I make! Hurry up January 14^th!!!

This past Friday was my last day working at the coffee shop. Some people don’t understand why I would quit so early because I already have no money… (if you want to help me with that situation click here https://www.gofundme.com/hs78yvp4 ) Here’s why though. 3 of my favorite people are on Christmas break and I want them to know that I love them just as much as the kiddos I’m going to stay with over the next few months.

Let me just tell you a little bit about these dudes.

Lauren

 She is 9 and going on 25! For real. Some day’s I forget that she’s not my age. I’m 100% sure my life would be extremely boring if I wasn’t her babysitter – actually I know that’s true because the weeks I don’t have her after school I’m like, Hmm what do I even do with my life right now…. We love going on coffee dates, playing at the park and having dance parties. She is honestly like a little sister and one of my best friends.

Aden

 

He is 6. I’m pretty sure he is smarter than I am. Reasoning: At a petting zoo I pointed out the llama that I wanted to go pet and he informed that it was an Alpaca, after arguing with him for a couple mins I realize, oh yeah, that’s an Alpaca….

Addi

 

She is 5. Addi loves her dresses, super heroes and African animals. I love when she goes “Kaywa, can I wook at your Afwica pictures pwease?”? Addi is always asking me to take her to Africa with me! One of these days Addi girl, one of these days! J

I will miss these kiddos lots while I’m gone.

Other than the fact I love these guys, I think I may enjoy watching them because I get to wear sweats all day, watch old Disney movies and relive my childhood. It’s the best.They’re some of the sweetest kids ever.

One more thing, Christmas is this week!  

Can I just tell you guys something!? Christmas time is my favorite. I love every single thing about it! Even the snow – when we get it.

 One of my favorite parts about Christmas is celebrating Jesus’ birthday with my family, both sides!

 I love how we don’t focus so much on the gifts but more on Jesus, each other and the food…especially the food! My mom’s side has a whole facebook group and right now the news feed is just what were bringing to eat – no joke.  ;)  

Sometimes though, I take for granted the family I have. It makes my heart so sad to think some kids don’t have that family.

They don’t get to wake up every Christmas morning and have their parents read them the Christmas story.

They don’t get to feel the warm fuzzy feeling you use to get when your grandma hugged you and told you she loved you.

They don’t get to eat all the food they want until they’re so full they couldn’t eat another bite.

They don’t have this.

Some of them don’t even have Jesus.

They have nothing.

This makes my heart hurt. It makes me realize how thankful I am. How loved I am. It reminds me to keep loving people and showing them Jesus.

So this Christmas remember to show Gods love and make someone smile!

Embrace the Unknown

I think about how happy my heart is, yet how extremely heavy it is. I sit here staring at my Christmas lights and messy room because it’s midnight and I can’t sleep. I think about how 5:00am is just around the corner, I think about how excited I am for Africa, but how sad am that my friends will not be joining me due to funds.  It breaks my heart, not so much the going alone part, but for the RUJA kiddos who look forward to “Uncle Andrew” coming to see them. It literally rips my heart out thinking of Alex (9), crying last August when our team left. It makes me want to cry thinking about him crying… But you know what? I still have this little ounce of faith that something could change, that a ticket could be provided.  I also realize I have to face the hard truth that It might not. Honestly it scares me a little bit…why? Because it’s not what we “planned.” I plan. I make to do lists. I lose them. I make them again. Then lose them again…. But, I always have a plan….and that plan I thought we had for January, well, it changed. That part that scares me is the unknown.  But something God has slowly been showing me these last few days is to embrace the unknown. Be excited about the unknown, because your plans? Well they can always change. J

 

 I went around my small town today asking for donations for my trip. I went into a paint shop and they sent me next door to a hair salon. So I walked in… “Hi I’m Kayla….” And then the next thing I know, the generic spiel is out of the way, then, instead of the normal, “ok, here is a little something...” it turns into just a real conversation with this lady who I’ve only known for about 2mins. She tells me how she has always admired people like me…how she has always wanted to do something like this but something always held her back…not the money or the time but the fear. The fear of the unknown. Wow. I told her the same thing I’ve been telling myself “Embrace the Unknown” After talking for a while, she gave me a donation, it was a heartfelt one, the kind that mean the most. She didn’t do it for a tax write off, she didn’t do it because she thought people would praise her for it, she simply gave a stranger $100 just because she cared. I walked out of that hair salon, with eyes full of tears and a heart full of gratitude and humility; I got in my car and just sat there for a min thanking God for all he’s been doing for me.

 

Something I’ve been learning is share your story. Share what’s on your heart! This morning before I went around town, I had group of older ladies come into the coffee shop I work at. They come in about once a month. Last month they all gave me a little donation. Some could only afford  $1. But that to me is just as awesome as $1,000 simply because they care. They care to pray for this 24year old girl they only see once a month. Who some of them don’t even remember my name but they remember my passion. Today when they came in I was pumped. As I shared with one of the ladies how God provided for me to purchase my plane ticket,  she grabbed my hands and looked me in the eyes “I will pray for you, and I want you to have this…” she pulled out $2 from her purse… “I know it’s not much, but I pray that God will multiple it for you…”  And you know what he did? He multiplied it over and over again. I also have complete faith that he will keep multiplying those two dollars. I literally would be here all day if I were to tell about everyone who has support it me financially and with prayers…It blows my mind. I can’t fathom how many thousands and thousands of dollars my friends, family, and even complete strangers have given me with all the trips I’ve taken to Uganda. But with every trip I take, and with every new day that comes. I see how much God cares. How he puts these people in my life to encourage me. To support me.  To pray for me. To help me remember how blessed I am.