Good morning, my friends! I know I said I would post daily, but the days have been too long and emotional to post. So, we come home today and I will begin blogging daily next week in order of what transpired here. Thank you all for following along on this... Continue reading

If it is at all possible for words to fail me, now is that time. I am overwhelmed with joy, emotion, love, connection. There is so much to tell about our first day here, but we must get ready for the event, and I don’t have the time to do... Continue reading

We are here at the Dubai airport waiting for our flight to meet Grace. I am overwhelmed with emotions of gratitude, clarity on what’s important, and fully understanding that my greatest darkness is the source of my greatest joy. I am ready for my speech tomorrow and so blessed to... Continue reading

Wow! What a final day we had in Chicago. We got to see Hamilton, and oh my was it incredible!! Then it was straight to O'Hare for our 14 hour flight to Dubai. It is a wondrous thing being very out of my element and hearing so many languages, seeing... Continue reading

Oh what a way to start our trip! Chicago with Sean’s Uncle jim and Uncle Ray where we started with a delicious dinner. Then we HAF. To stop at JJ’s request: Dylanss’ Candy Bar, where we stocked up on some vintage candy. Yum! We got in early and slept in... Continue reading

Crazy 8s i was 8 in this pic and just a few weeks past this birthday when I was raped for the first time. Those rapes would last 3 years. The residual would last 49 and going. Then there is sweet JJ just now 8 and living such a more... Continue reading

It is so crazy to me that we are almost heading to meet beautiful Grace! What started out as a simple email connecting with a sister who had experienced trauma has now come to us packing bags and making final arrangements. I had asked Grace if we could bring gifts... Continue reading

My uncle sent me this picture about a week ago and said I would understand why soon. This is a pic of my grandparents (his parents) and my folks (his sister) in matching outfits. I have always been a fan of the full family in matching gear look. Whenever I... Continue reading

Just when you think this adventure could not get any more magical, the Gods of Generosity show up once again. But they aren't really gods. They are family...friends...students...colleagues and more. When we decided that we were actually going to do this trip, I reached out to Grace to see if... Continue reading

My niece posted this meme on her Instagram page, and I had to steal it immediately. It is so representative of the journey. I often say my past explains my behavior but never excuses it, and this moment in time it is particularly poignant. We have a president who has... Continue reading

We know how I am physically able to go to Uganda to meet Grace. All the connections through Service Space and my anonymous angel who bought my ticket are getting me there. But how did I end up in a place of healing enough that Grace found value in my... Continue reading

Once I had told Grace we were coming, specifically to help with the women's day, she immediately set up several experiences for me to attend. Here is that itinerary: My Dearest Mellissa, Greetings from Uganda. I am looking towards 8/3/2019 with a lot of excitement and joy! I hope this... Continue reading

So, how in the heck did I end up booking a trip to Uganda? Well, after Grace contacted me, I sent her a copy of Little Miss. She told me that she really felt I could help the women there with moving forward through their pain. I wanted to share... Continue reading

I promised myself a post a day, but today got away from me. I don’t want to leave anything out, so I shall be sure to post tomorrow. It’s such a good story, my friends! See y’all soon! Continue reading

...to tell the story of a girl that I once knew? (Before I go on, how many of you are now singing that in your head? :) So, this picture is grainy because I can't find the original. I pulled up my one woman show , fast-forwarded to this scene,... Continue reading

It's an amazing gift, this trip of a lifetime. We are just three weeks away from traveling to Uganda to meet a woman I only know through emails and pictures. And yet...I am not nervous at all. Well, that's not entirely true. There is so much to think about! Passports,... Continue reading