June 8th

Tavia and I are sitting at the dock at Lake Bunyonyi waiting for the Entusi boat to come pick us up and take us back to Entusi. There weren't enough accomodations at Entusi due to the Women's Retreat so we ended up at a hotel called Gorilla Backpackers. It was nice enough, although the hot water didn't work at all this morning and worse yet- THERE WAS NO COFFEE. The Entusi boat was due to arrive at 8:00am. It's now 9:00am. We should have slept in! TIA, as Raymond at Entusi likes to say: This Is Africa. I'm beginning to realize all of the things that means. 

Okay so the boat arrived. It's is now just after lunch time during the conference. Many of the attendees are headed to Brite's Village, but I am staying here as we visited Brite's Village a couple weeks ago. We may go visit Manager's baby who was born today! It's a girl! Perfect for the Women's Retreat :) 

This morning we talked with Agnes Igoye who works on human trafficking here in Uganda and throughout the world. She is absolutely amazing. Seriously. Google her. Right now. The fact that I am even in the presence of this incredible person is astounding to me. She said to us, "Never think something is too big for you to make a difference. One trafficked child is too many." She encouraged us to talk about it. Educate ourselves. Create awareness. Make use of our own individual talents- things that come easy to us. She asked us to be creative in our solutions. 

 

Here's a little about her. But seriously Google her anyway:

https://thisis256.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/she-is-armed-against-human-trafficking-meet-ugandas-daughter-agnes-igoye/

I just had lunch with her and chatted about her work and her thoughts and all the people she's met. She is fabulous. And she is coming to Colorado in October so I am so excited to reconnect with her then. 

It sounds like this afternoon we're just going to hang out until everyone gets back and then we're going to do yoga at around 5:00. Then we're going to listen to Clare speak- she is an LGBTQ rights leader here in Uganda- which absolutely astounds me. I am very excited to hear what she has to say regarding her work and the political and social climate she must work within. And then dinner and chatting and back to the hotel and then we'll start all over again! It's just amazing to be surrounded by these people and listen to their stories. Oh! One I forgot. This morning we also listened to the story of the first Ugandan woman Boda Boda driver. She set her mind on doing it and she did it. And that's what it comes down to. We each have something to contribute and to offer. We just have to find our passion and apply our own creative talents to following and achieving it.