Earth Rising and Shanti Uganda - Gifts and Goodbyes

We went back to the site of the new birthing center in construction and helped Earth Rising in the process. Today I helped make bricks today out of dirt and water. We put the dirt in a little manual brick maker thing, which we then compressed very tightly, which created a solid brick to dry in the sun. We made 75 bricks in about 75 minutes!

We did not spend too long that morning with Earth Rising, so we said our long goodbyes after working in the morning. It felt incredible how bonded we became and so quickly with these people. We drive away down the dirt road looking at the tiny homes along the road, children in rags, feeling tired but exhausted from the work the past two days. Then all of a sudden the men surprise us running out from another road chasing after the bus for a final goodbye! Cheering us and celebrating as we drive away. It was the most thrilling experience and I really finally felt the impact that we had on this community, how all our funds were supported this huge effort, how many jobs were created, how many workers were paid who could then make a living for a period of time. I realized then how much we were appreciated and in a very genuine way. Those men went out of their way to give us a thrill. It was exhilerating!

We then went to Natalie's house to have lunch and give her all the donated items for the birthing center. We brought out the suitcases full of items and open them for her to see.... q-tips, gloves, towels, flashlights, blood pressure gauges, vitamins, pain reliever pills, iodine, band-aids, baby clothes, and more and more and more items and medical equipment. She was so appreciative of all the items.... our funds and work really are helping her dreams come true and those of women for healthy and safe natural births.

It was an extraordinary wrap-up to our time with Shanti Uganda and Earth Rising. I felt sad to leave the people and the friendships, but happy we were really making a difference, showing every dollar given is being used and turning into a reality for the people of Uganda.