New Hope School & Orphanage and Yoga Gathering

Here are the kids each with a photo of him/herself.. which may be the only one they ever receive.

The new mattresses have replaced the old ones in these living quarters.

The new mattresses we bought for the kids.

Terri and the girls.

Today we traveled to visit the New Hope School & Orphanage near Entebbe. Our fundraising and item donations provided new mattresses for all the kids, almost 100, as well as books, art supplies, dental care products, recreation items (soccer balls, frisbees, jumprope).

These kids were so sweet and so cute, and so sad. These orphans are parentless, children from age 4 through 17, boys and girls. I gave them topical fluoride treatments and played frisbee, read books to them, talked and took photos. The children actually had pretty healthy teeth, nice and white, clean and healthy gums, probably because they eat better than American children. They don't eat processed, high sugar foods. Ugandan kids eat food right from the Earth, fruits, vegetables, very healthy and natural, and no processed food. Also their milk is raw milk, not hormone stuffed or pastureized. As a result, they have very healthy bone structure and teeth.

Some of us taught the kids yoga, painted a mural, played with a parachute thing, and we also took their photos, each child, printed them, and put them in a frame to keep. That is a rare gift, and many Ugandans never see their reflection or know what they look like. We also helped in making a garden for them... a sustainable way to provide food for the children as well as a funding source, through food sales to others.

A man named Godfrey runs the orphanage and primary school. He is a Ugandan himself, with all these children. He says it is hard to keep teachers because they do not have enough funds to pay them well, and the children need good teachers.

The children, especially older ones, know how to read and write in English. One girl sat lose next to me, of around 13 yrs. She said her father died in 2002 and her mother died in 2004... she did not state why even when I inquired. She was then placed under the care of her grandmother, who could not care for her. They found this orphanage and she arrived in 2007, and hasn't seen her grandmother since. This girl sat so close to me, longing for some touch, caring motherly touch that has been absent from her life for so long. They like their community as kids, but get very lonely. Many of these children have parents that died from AIDS, and it is very likely some kids have it, too, though it is unknown until tested.... and testing costs money.

It was so heartfelt when we had to leave. The children really appreciated our presence and willingness to spend time with them. My friend Terri took a few of the girls, teens, to sit on a bench and chat as we said goodbye...telling them to study hard and have confidence to be what they want to be, sentimental things, and then tears came down one of the girls face, and she cried more, then hiding her face down, wiping her tears with her skirt. That had me, Terri, and friend Galadriel who walked up, all in watery eyes, trying to hold back tears.

Our efforts of fundraising, as a group brought in over 1/2 million dollars to fund this work, at Shanti Uganda, New Hope School & Orphanage, YouthAIDS, and Building Tomorrow. But so much more is needed. If only every person in America, Europe, Canada, at least the developed countried right now, could give money or volunteer to help the world in such a way.... such a positive difference could be made on a significant scale.... why don't we help more?

So, as a wonderful detox. We were invited to a yoga studio, run by a man named Gavin.... beautiul place in is gorgeous house, yard, patio for yoga, bonfire..... we greeted each other and then we all performed a ritual for intentions, in honor of the new moon, for renewal of the self. We had three pieces of three different colored papers. One set to write what we want to release, another set to right what we want to continue or emphasize, and a final set to write what we want to create. We embodied each one as we processed the ritual. The first set to release we burned in the bonfire. The second set we kept safe as a reminder, and the last for creation we integrated, and walked around to feel an African sage for the air element, fire to represent action for what we want to manifest (candle flame), water to help us release obstruction, and a very old volcano rock to represent earth, grounding, and the sprouting of that creation. Very mystical, but it centered me and worked. I love those crazy yoga rituals.

We then had a delicious vegetarian dinner and chatted all night. It was so refreshing and just what I needed completely. I felt so free afterwards.