Coming Home

My last week in Mbale has been spent tying up my time here as the ten weeks now come to an end. I visited the projects which I had been most involved in for the last time,  I ate my last African meal and I even had some African lounge trousers tailored to bring home. We celebrated my time in Mbale with a team meal,  where we ate together and laughed together for the last time (but who knows when I might be back?).

Although ten weeks (in the grand scheme of things) isn't a massive amount of time, I feel like I have really built a life here; I have friends and an African family who love me, I have mastered my 'Ugandan-English' voice (which regularly evokes ridicule from fellow volunteers), I've perfected riding on the back of those ridiculous motorbikes and I can even bargain a little at the local market to get a good deal on the mango's. However, coming home was always inevitable and being the 'home bird' that I am, I am looking forward to returning to the nest! Although I have been loved and accepted here, there are people back home, who have read my blog posts, browsed my photographs, prayed for me, supported me, consoled me, skyped me, mailed me and shown genuine interest in what I've been  doing, which I have been so grateful for and I can't wait to see you all!

When I came here I expected to change something in a massive way, but it turns out that it was me who was changed. These people and the love they have shown me has been an eye opener and a blessing, something  I won't forget in a hurry I hope. God has also taken me away from my busy, pre-planned life and provided the space for me to grow with Him, learn from Him and fall in love with Him in a way which I had never anticipated. I don't know what He has planned next, but as this season comes to an end, it has prepared me for the next one which at the moment is still a mystery. However, right now there are three things I know for sure; one - I'm getting on a plane tomorrow morning  to leave for the UK, two - whatever God has planned I'm going to enjoy it and three -  cliche (I know), but I really did fall in love with Africa.

For the last time - Han xxx