Pre-departure thoughts



I am not the blogging type.  The idea of you reading my thoughts is a strange concept to me.  Are my stories really that noteworthy?  Nonetheless I leave for Uganda in about two weeks to live among Ugandans for four months while I complete my social work internship and I would like to invite you to follow me on this adventure for all that it is worth. 

The URL of my blog is inspired by none other than The Hobbit.  The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit are at the very top of my favorite books (and movies) list.  The tenacious hearts of hobbits have greatly inspired me to choose to go to Uganda.  I figured if Frodo and Sam could journey to the deadly lands of Mordor with little hope and without help, then I could go to Uganda.  In comparison to their journey, my trivial fears seem small.  It is funny how perspective changes an entire picture.

I have been looking forward to the movie The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies for months.  There are very few events that make me want to count down days in expectancy and this movie was one of them.  While I loved the movie, my favorite part about being able to see the movie was going for pure enjoyment.  A movie, or any fun outing, usually has to be strategically planned within my busy agenda.  But I am on a small break from schedules and have been making the most of my relaxation. 

With the ability to use my time more freely, I recently became a fan of The Hunger Games.  I will not lie – I read the entire book series and watched two of the three movies in one week.  It has taken me awhile to actually get into this series because the idea of the hunger games, children killing one another for entertainment, was not a story that particularly caught my interest.  However, after I understood the true gravity of The Hunger Games series, I saw past the games themselves and could not wait to get my eyes in those pages. 

The main characters of The Lord of the Rings and The Hunger Games series, Frodo Baggins and Katiness Everdeen, are two of my favorite literary characters.  At first glance, these two do not seem to have much in common.  Frodo is a young male hobbit; Katniss is a teenage girl.  Frodo lives in a cozy home under beautifully green hills with plenty comforts; Katniss lives in a degrading district with barely enough to survive.  With a closer look, though, it is difficult to refute the stark similarities Frodo and Katniss share.

One of the most prominent commonalities between Frodo and Katniss is the fact that they each carry a burden.  Frodo has the ring and Katniss has the mockingjay.  Their burdens are the highlight of the books and we bite our nails in anticipation about what the final outcome will be.  They are so harshly judged and misunderstood, but burdens are not merciful to their victims and completely change individuals.  I cherish Frodo’s and Katniss’ characters because I can feel a connection with their suffering.  Why?  I myself carry a burden, too.

If I were to delve into the burdens of my soul, it would take more than a few sentences to describe.  In fact, I would want to change the topic of this blog.  The most important aspect to note is that one of my burdens is found in the place I am about to enter – Africa.  It is scary, yet thrilling.  If I have learned anything from Frodo and Katniss it is that going into the place of where our burdens lie is dangerous.  Uganda has the ability to break me for the better or worse.  Therefore, I am spending my last days in America intentionally preparing my heart to be simultaneously crushed and healed.  And have come to the conclusion that there is no way on earth I could go into Uganda without Jesus. 

It is funny how fictional characters can have such a profound impact on our lives and give us a better understanding of life.  Literature is, indeed, a beautiful portrait of life.  My trip to Uganda is a story waiting to be written.  I look forward to working through these burdens and joys with you over the course of these next four months.

xoxo,
Emilia

My trip was made more financially affordable thanks to the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship (http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program)!

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