Amy's Blog: The Joy of a Child's Smile as Journey Comes to a Close

Amy McRee, NEWS 9

Saturday, March 20

I am writing on what is my final night in Gulu. I can't believe it's gone by so fast. At the beginning of the week I was thinking 8 days here sounded like an eternity. Now, I'm wishing I had just a little more time to visit with the people I've become so close with, from my incredible roomie (LeAnne Taylor from the News on 6 in Tulsa) to couples like Ray and Stephanie Sanders with Giant Experiences and Brian and Marla Hill co-owners of Works 24 who I've bonded with over long bus rides and mission work. All people who have left their businesses and lives behind for the week in hopes of creating a better life for others.

I'm happy to say every single person who came over with Pros for Africa DID change lives in their own special way. The clinic the doctors set up at St. Monica's school is just one example of that. By providing health clinics this week, the school's now eligible to carry medicine there full time. This is huge for people who don't have money to go see a doctor or purchase medicine at a local store. Those needing simple over the counter meds for heartburn or acid reflux (which were a large majority of the cases seen today) can get it quickly and easily right there at the school.

The wells that Tommie, Roy, Mark and Adrian helped dig will service large communities for years to come. Hard work that translates into saved lives as water IS considered life over here... clean water anyway, because those who are lucky enough to have it can survive on that alone and tragically, many do.

I am so grateful for this experience and I can't wait to tell the stories of the people I've encountered this week. The images will no doubt stick with me for a lifetime and as I close out this blog entry, I'll share my most favorite with you. It came today in the form of a two-year-old boy wandering all alone at St. Monica's school crying.

We had just finished up shooting at the medical clinic on the school grounds. I needed to get from the clinic to an area where the players were getting ready to distribute food to families that had lined up, which was roughly the length of a football field. There was this little boy walking all alone in an orange t-shirt with blue shorts, no shoes, crying out with tears streaming down his face. I looked around to see who he could possibly be with him, but the sole man walking levelly, continued on in pace and eventually passed right on by.

I couldn't bare to see this terrified little boy cry anymore, so I thought I'd test him out to see if he'd be willing to let me help him. I put my arms out as if I were going to pick him up and without hesitation, he reached right up for me, both arms held up, so I swooped him right up.

We proceeded down the path together, trying to calm him down every step of the way, all the while his little feet dangled with each step I took and the tears continued to roll right off his cheeks although his wailing had stopped. I asked a sister walking by if she knew who he belonged to, she suggested checking the food distribution line. I did and sure enough, in her rush to get free food, the boy's mom left her son behind. I then took off to meet my crew and finish shooting for the day.

An hour had passed and as we stood outside the closed iron gates at the school, three women and that same little boy in a bright orange shirt walked up. I went to open the gates so that they could leave and as soon as he made eye contact with me, a smile overtook his tiny face, and with every tooth showing, he walked straight to me. I picked him up again, only this time he hugged back and laughed. A much different boy then when I first encountered him. It's exactly the way a child of this size should be. Happy, care free and filled with joy.

As we leave here I know that there will be more children smiling because of Pros for Africa. They've given these people hope and shown them compassion. I can't wait to see what all develops from the seed that's been planted by a group of Oklahomans who simply care.

That's all from Gulu, Uganda. See you next week!