A Soaring Heart

In Anatomy and Physiology we are studying the cardiac system. We are looking at how the heart works, the way blood flows and what makes the heart well, the heart.
You can say that our hearts have many beats.
A normal heartbeat sounds like: "Ba-bum, ba-bum, ba-bum"
After I have had too much coffee my heart sounds like: "boom-boom-boom-boom-boom."
Whenever you lean too far back in a chair: "Ba-bum, ba-bum, stop, boom, boom"
A dog's heartbeat when he is asleep and snoring: "ba-bum, snore, ba-bum, snore, ba-bum, loud snore"

Chance, the snoring  heart dog

The title of this blog comes from the feeling I had Saturday when I attended the benefit dinner for H.E.A.L. Ministries. The event was held at The Factory in Franklin. All morning on Saturday I was trying my best to stay focused on doing laundry and doing what little homework I could focus on. But when 1:30 lit up the clock I was out the door, dress clothes and energy drink in hand. My friend Hannah went with me and she was just as excited as I was but she was excited about the Alabama vs. Tennessee game we listened too the whole drive to Franklin.

We arrived at The Factory right at 6:00 when the event was to begin. When I get super excited I shake and the cold air did not help me shaking as we walked across the parking lot. The banquet hall was near the middle of the merchant area. One of the other interns, Kayleigh, arrived at the same time we did so we walked in with her. When we walked in we found out what table we were sitting at then I began to look for people. I did not recognize anyone because the last time I had seen them was in Africa.

In Africa everyone wore colorful skirts, the hair was always up or pulled back with a headband, little make-up if any, sandals or tennis shoes and of course there was always that thin layer of red dirt.
In America at the dinner everyone wore dresses, dress pants with nice shirts, jewelry, make-up, heels and in general looked like they had a shower.

The first person I saw was Ms. Elizabeth from the Women's Team. Then I saw Ms. Teresa also from the Women's Team. Ms. Lisa also came over to talk and give hugs. Lauren arrived too as well as Ms. Dede and everyone was there. My heart felt like it was flying as we caught on life after Africa. While I was talking to the women of the Women's Team, I saw Haley, one of the other interns. Hayley and I spent a lot of time together in child care as well as shared a room for the first two weeks we were in Uganda. I'm not much of a hugger but the best hugs are from people you haven't seen in a long time.

One word that will always catch a college student's ear is 'food.' Dinner was announced to be ready so Hannah and I got in line. The dinner melody was comprised of chapatti, chicken, rice and beans, fresh fruit, burger sliders and cookies and cake. When I realized there was chapatti my night was made and I was so happy to have a familiar food from Uganda.

There was a prayer, a welcome and then three people told three stories of people in Africa. Tripp, Tina's older son, told about Faith and her daughter Cathy. Ms. Teresa told about the girls Winnie, Joyce and Vivian. I teared up at the mention of the girls because I miss them so much. Matthew Proctor, a H.E.A.L. Board Member, told about Harriet and her children baby Joshua and twins Babirdye and Nukato. Tina gave a short talk about what as been happening in Uganda then introduced a fine arts team from Lipscomb University. The team shared a song that the women at The James Place wrote and sang over the summer.

Check out the video here! The James Place Women Singing 'We Have Overcome'

A member from the Harpeth Hall January team, Rebecca, read a few pages from her journal while she was in Uganda. Trey, Tina's younger son, was presented with the H.E.A.L. Open Heart Award for being so awesome at how job as The James Place Operations Manager.

Too soon it was time to say goodbye. I knew it would take a while to part simply because I knew I wouldn't want to leave. My giving cup had been overflowed and I just wasn't ready to stop filling it. The Women's Team, Haley, Kayleigh and I all planned to have a get-together in Nashville soon. The event just wasn't long enough to catch up all the happenings of life. Seeing everyone was the highlight of my week and my heart was soaring as Hannah and I walked out of The Factory. The happiest moment though was the return of my Pitch Perfect DVD. This was a long awaited event that I have been looking forward to since returning from the land of red dirt, cool breezes, summer rain and smiling faces.



Haley and I at the HEAL Benefit Dinner