Day 4 of work at Light Gives Heat.
As I sit here I am pondering what life of a Suubi woman is like. Each day they get up with their children and start the day off early. Do they wake up and look forward to the day? Do they get excited at the thought of what the day holds? I wish I could meet them, just to try and get a glimpse of the life that they have, to catch a fragment of the life of someone in that part of Uganda. I could learn so much from them. They would tell me stories that were passed down from generation to generation, they would share with me the wisdom that their life has brought to them. Mainly, I know that they would show me the meaning of hope and the meaning of truly being joyful. The women of Suubi have so much to offer. They are talented and outgoing, they bring a joy to the volunteers living in the Light Gives Heat volunteer house. They teach people that there is something so much greater than living just for yourself, from paycheck to paycheck. I want to know that kind of joy. I desire to be hopeful no matter what circumstances are in front of me. I hope someday I get to meet these women, I get to be a part of their life, in their hometown with the people they love, on the streets that they walk. I want to learn more about their culture, their history, and I would love to hear the great life stories they have. Right now though, I am blessed to working with them from the other side of the world, here in good ol’ Grand Junction, Colorado. I just started my job at Light Gives Heat, and the sheer fact that I get to impact these women by the practical side of things working with this organization, makes me so happy. Right now, I don’t know these women and the wonderful individuals that they are but, I get to take a large part in making their dreams happen. Because of our work, they get a consistent income that can sustain them and their children. They no longer have to worry about their childrens stomachs grumbling in hunger. They have a reassurance that that is taken care of. Because of the hard work they put into the beautiful Suubi necklaces that we sell, they are creating a brighter future, and we are just here to help make that happen.

I feel so overwhelmingly blessed to be here. To be working each day so the organization can thrive and in turn, so can the women of Suubi.

Translation of Suubi: Hope.