Happiness lies in gratitude.

Our goal is to give the children’s talents and skills and opportunity to be known to the world. We travelled there in order to give and unexpectedly in doing so we received. We received lessons on values such as gratitude and happiness and love.

Materialistically, the people at Kibagare may not be the richest yet spiritually they are the opposite.

[writen from the heart] The atmosphere was dense as we approached the school.

Echoes and shouts of excitement resonated through the air boiling my blood with energy.

Stepping off the bright yellow school bus, the children received us with the warmest smiles playing on their lips and the most cheerful chants. Taking our hands in theirs, they stole through the elongated corridors of the school, eagerly presenting us to both teachers and students, and blithely welcoming us to their home. Their school.

“Talent is equally distributed, opportunity is not” - Leila Janah

Despite not having opportunities, money or often even a loving family, the students were nonetheless wealthy. Why? How? Because they were grateful. Unlike some of us, living in the fast lane, their happiness did not lie in materialistic things. Instead, their happiness lies in their gratitude. In the appreciation of having a meal on the table or a bed to sleep on, or in the appreciation of having a caring friend or a home.

Gratitude is appreciation. Sometimes, it is greatly overlooked despite being one of the keys to happiness and long term satisfaction, or in other words spiritual wealth. Gratitude is wealthy.

Asante Sana. II Javier F. Volunteering trip. June 2018. Kibagare