Day 5- Dallas Cole

16 Reason I am Thankful for Dallas Cole Hinkle—

1.) his amazing sense of humor and his ablility to make you laugh, even when you don’t want to. 

2.) his sweet smile and precious dimples

3.) his kind soul
4.) his open mind
5.) his supplying us with a never-ending amount of chunky monkey baby pictures
6.) his ability to remember and recite quotes from any movie and/or television show
7.) his willingness to converse with me exculsivly in said form ^^
8.) his tolerance and acceptance of others—their beliefs, life choices, looks, etc. (even at 16, he is better at this than most adults)
9.) his intelligence
10.) his genuine concern for all of those he loves, and for those he doesn’t even know.
11.) his eagerness to learn
12.) his desire to be informed
13.) his compassionate heart
14.) his ability to love without condition
15.) the way his very presence can light up a room
16.) the infinite amount of love and care he has for his friends and family

these are just a few of the things about Cole that I am thankful for. but, the thing I’m most thankful for is that we are lucky enough to have him in our lives. We are so very blessed to get to be a part of his life—to be surrounded by his constant love, laughter, and wonderful sense of humor. Happy 16th Birthday! I love you so much, baby brother!

one of our more special times together. him getting stitches in his leg--
and, judging by the look on his face, I was NOT helping :-)

pretty much sums it all up. 

all of my love and happiness,
Bliss xxxx

Day 3 & Day 4- Ugandan Culture

 At least once a day, something reminds me why I am so thankful for the Ugandan culture. Yesterday, my reminder came in the form of 4 of my favorite things— singing, dancing, good friends and great food. With 6 of my favorite people in tow, we headed off the the cultural center in Kampala. This was my second trip to the cultural center, but this time, the party had to be moved inside on a count of rain. The ease of said transition was the perfect demonstration of one of the things I love most about this culture—the relaxed nature of the Ugandan people and the calming effect it has on those lucky enough to be in their presence. Which brings me to my next favorite thing…their joy. What gets lost in the pictures is the permanant smiles that are etched on the faces of every person performing. Much like their relaxed nature, their smiles are infectious. Even more catching is their laughter. Believe me when I say that it’s IMPOSSIBLE to be unhappy around people who are filled with that much happiness. There are times when I feel that I need to hear a Ugandan’s laughter more than I need my next breath. I am so thankful that, when I'm finding it hard to breathe, I have these people and this culture to fill me with life.

this is how our evening began. in Uganda,
the rainbow comes before the rain.

our friend Brian—pretty much sums up the people of Uganda

before the rain...

…after the rain

            

                                                         JUST….KEEP DANCING! :-)

all of my love and happiness,

Bliss xxxx

Day 2: Arise and Shine

Arise and Shine Uganda (AASU) is a project in Jinja, Uganda dedicated to protecting and providing for the most vulnerable of children.The AASU project consists of a Children’s Care Home, a Primary School, and Community Education and Outreach Programs. Over the past 2 months, AASU has secured itself a very special place in my heart—particularly the Children’s Home. I first visited the Arise and Shine Children’s Home while traveling with the Mercy for Mamas team. I left the home that day a completely changed person, and it wasn’t long (3 days to be exact) before I returned to soak up more of the love and happiness that Arise and Shine had to offer. I’ve been back to the children's home numerous times since then and each time, I leave with so much hope for all of the children there. Here are a few reasons why my cup runneth over for these children and the ladies who live to serve them….

 

The women who work at the babies home are called “Mamas” and they earn that name on a daily basis.  These Mamas are fiercely dedicated to the children in their care and they just exude love. The director of the AASU program, Sharon, has become a great friend of mine. Her heart for AASU is evident in how hard she fights for the children who are in her care. She does everything in her power to make sure their every need is met. But she can’t do it alone—the needs are just too great. And this is where you and I come in. Their greatest need at the moment is monthly sponsorship of a child at the Primary School—visit the link to find out how you can help. Give as much as you’re able…every little bit helps. I’m so thankful that Arise and Shine was placed on my heart. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to witness the women of AASU devote their lives to helping these children, who otherwise, would have been forgotten. I’m thankful that I’m in a position to advocate for these children. Most of all, I’m thankful that I know people who have hearts like yours. I’m thankful that, from half a world away, you have the ability to help these children—you have the ability to do more than just watch.

all of my love and happiness,
Bliss xxxx

Day 1: Mama Ellen and Papa Herb

Today, I am thankful for Herb and Ellen. For those who don’t know, they run the guest house where I have been staying since I arrived in Uganda, and where I will continue to be until I move to Gulu on November 21st. Herb and Ellen have been such a blessing. My first week here, they invited me to travel with them and their family, which allowed me to see parts of Uganda I otherwise may not have seen. I was lucky enough to hear the unbelievable stories that have accumuulated over their combined 60+ years in Africa. Herb was born to American missionaries and grew up in Congo. He moved to the states for college— which is where he met Ellen. He and Ellen lived in the states for a while, before being called back to Africa, where they have been for the past 40 years.  Herb and Ellen’s guest house serves mostly families who have traveled to Uganda to adopt, as well as mission teams who have come to Uganda to serve. The families who are here, and the children they are adopting have brought such joy to my life and I delight in every day that I have with them…but that’s for a different post :). Herb and Ellen are two of the kindest souls I have ever met. They are gracious and caring. They treat everyone who walks through their door like family, and that is exactly how I think of them now. It is because of them that I fell in love with Africa so quickly. I will be forever thankful for all they have been to me and all they have done for me.