hello friends!
yesterday I took the worlds longest walk to the post office with this fella'.

well, maybe it wasn't the worlds longest walk but it seemed like it when they are doing construction on main street and I had to carry him and the stroller for most of the way. : ) I love spending time with this little man...he is very well behaved and just a sweetheart. Most of you old volunteers will be excited to know that he is talking a bit more he can now say "Betty" (yes with a b and not a d), "Doe-Doe" (his version of Uncle Joe and sometimes I get called Doe Doe as well..oh the things you aquire when you get married), "Meow", "cat", "shoes", "yum yum", and more of his versions of words that I can't remember. Him and his mother...although crazy... have been a huge source of joy in the past few weeks during some frustrating situations. Betty said one of the cutest things a couple of days ago after I was telling her about how she will have new people to look at instead of seeing us all the time (yes we have two new volunteers...they are most welcome!) she said "Auntie no, we are just family, they will come and go but we are here. I do not get tired of seeing you." warmed my heart!

Dave Hansow (founder and creative director of LGH) is coming tomorrow. which is great! we are thankful to have some of the Suubi re-vamping burdens lifted off of us and for him to meet the EPOH tailors. Pray for safe travels and follow his blog daveinuganda.wordpress.com

I hope you are all gearing up to visit LGH at some summer festivals and I hope you all have been saving your money for the new Flavour of the Month designs that are coming out! They are pretty neat!

Hope all is well in your little corner of the world!
Peace!
-melissa

I sat in Luwum, Christine's small Danida home today completely vulnerable. Completely open to everything she was saying. I sit here in our home office completely vulnerable to all of you. Completely at ease with saying that I have made a lot of mistakes.
I see the SUUBI ladies how I want to see them. Ladies who have nothing but are God fearing, ladies who govern themselves and care for each other. To be honest I have had blinders over my eyes for months and months and today while I sat with my elbow on my knee and my chin in my hand they quickly slided away. It was if I were skipping stones off my back...I was no longer carrying their burdens. We are all the same. I saw the SUUBI ladies for who they all really were. Beautiful, selfish, kind, helpless, hopeful, strong-headed, joyful, and greedy. They're just like me.
I wish for everyone to see each other for who they truly are. children of God, sinners, and shining flowers. I ask that today you really look at each other, listen deeply, be honest, strong, and vulnerable. It's hard but it's worth it.

pray for us and know we are praying for you.
Also, if you don't understand any of this -- know that my heart is dancing today
and I will be just fine.

love, melissa

pray for us

please.

what if there were no color?
what if there were no statuses?
I think we would all look and act a lot more alike
than we think we would.

Jinja, I love you, but you're bringing me down.

On Monday, Joe and I will set our compasses to the north and wont stop until we hit Gulu town.
We've decided it was time for a break. As much as we love our family here.
we know that when we leave we will miss them but we need a chance to miss them.
and
We love our work here but sometimes it consumes us... sometimes we can't think of anything else because it's all around us (which isn't a bad thing!) -- we just a need a vacation... a chance to be husband and wife instead of mostly co-workers!

so onward to the land that I love.. ACHOLI LAND.
pray for safe travels! we will update when we return!
love, melissa

ps: check out the new flavour of the month! (suubiafrica.org)
and save your money for the June flavours also you wont want to miss these gems!
pss: get so excited because the EPOHbags look fabulous! and we're already designing some other things! sign up and get on board! (epohbags.com)