Can't wait to arrive

I am getting very excited about getting to Uganda.  I recently was in touch with several new contacts who are either Ugandan or do education related work in Uganda, and I am now even slightly overwhelmed at the amount of contacts that I have and need to reach out to.  But I am sure that is never a bad thing.  I can't wait to meet all of them.

I am soooooo excited to meet our students.  I don't even know what my reaction will be when I finally meet them.  I have spent so much time working on Educate! over the past 3 years, yet I have never met any students and always focused on building the organization.  It will be crazy to finally meet the students the organization helps.  I really don't know what my reaction will be, but I know it will be an intensely positive one.  I am sure Beth Heckel will have a similar one when she meets the many students she has been in touch with upon her arrival towards the end of our trip. 

Beth recently sent me the following photo of several of our students and some that we hope to sponsor in the future. 

It's quite a feeling to know that the work that the Educate! community (our volunteers and donors) is doing really helps these young people get a new life and access an opportunity so few have.  I really can't wait to meet them in person!

So many students have sent me the sweetest and most caring emails asking me when I am coming and telling me they can't wait to meet me.  Below are excerts from a student I have not even personally spoken with yet and from one I have been in touch with often:

• i'm very excited to write you for my first time.  I'm very happy also to show you how i'm happy to welcome you and Eric and other Educate's member that i don't know in Rwanda

          so i'm doing well here at school every thing is good for me and my education is progressing very well i see that my future will be good .

          I thank you from my heart for your good initiative in other to help every educate student for improving his education and me too.

          I tell you once again welcome in Rwanda of 1000 hills i hope that it will be so fun to meet you in person for my first time now i wish you good week end

          i hope to hear from you

• I'm very proud to hear from you, thank you very much for everything and thank you for we're looking forward to receiving you here in Uganda.  ...it's a pleasure to meet you face to face really, you are most welcome.