Anyone who has spent as much time on ECB run courses as I have is fully versed in the power and benefit of reflection but as I sit here in Gate 2 at Entebbe airport on my way to Rwanda having waved the rest of the team off to the UK it seems like an almost impossible task.
I can state the numbers easy enough we have coached just over 3,800 children and trained over 80 teachers across the 3 towns, I can also easily rattle through the many virtues of the incredible team with special mention to Steve who worked tirelessly to ensure that HIV testing was present at all three of the festival days and to Sara who ran the cricket side of things like a seasoned CWB veteran despite this being her first trip.
It is hard to overstate the impact a strong female can have here when delivering the messages and it was a pleasure to be bossed around by her during all of the teacher training.
To Reece, Adam and Mark must also go lots of credit, by CWB standards the Northern Uganda project is a pretty arduous and at times tiring trip the distances are long and the conditions for coaching are extremely hot and tiring but throughout it all they stayed positive and ensured that at every session they gave their all to ensure the children had as good an experience as possible.
I hope that all of the team enjoyed the trip as much as I did and it would be a privilege to be back out here again soon with any one of them.
What is harder to document are the dozens of amazing moments that have made the trip extra special from the heart breaking to the ridiculous. The fact that 3 young people are now receiving treatment and counselling following positive test results is an achievement we should all be proud of.
There are times when I think I have seen it all on these projects but to hear the nurse in Arua use the phrase he was happy to receive his positive result was at first shocking but then on reflection makes perfect sense. He clearly knew he was unwell and now has the reasons behind his illness and a future plan of care and support in front of him.
The hour spent in the visually impaired school will also live long in the memory to see the effect a few balloons with rattles in can make will be a memory I will return to whenever life gets me down a bit. The 15 seconds of video will remain forever on my phone as to hear the noise of the kids playing is certain to bring a smile.
There are many others worthy of mention, playing baseball with the Nile Hammers, the elephants and hippos the final day in Lugazi with Dr Mishra seeing how the impact from last years project has inspired the Mehta group to run CWB style coaching and festivals for their staff. Working with Grace and Emmanuel from the UCA and seeing them grow as the project went on.
Lots more I am sure I will remember as I now head over to Rwanda to do it all again with what I am certain will be another incredible team but that is all for now.
Thanks as ever to CWB an incredible charity run by amazing people I am as always humbled by the opportunities it has given me.