kk in san francisco: Karim Mutyaba

Those of you who read my blog (and there's about 3 of you haha) already know how special Uganda is to me. I actually never shut up about how special it is to me. Ever since I got back from my most recent trip there, it's really never left my mind. But I've also been very cautious and protective about who I share my experience with. It's difficult for most people to understand what living and working over there is like, so I've reserved discussing it in detail with people closest to me or those who were there with me.

With an exception to this blog (which, like I said above, has about 3 readers), I haven't shared or posted many pictures, and I am really careful about which stories I tell. It is an experience that has affected me so deeply and plays such a huge role in my life - It may sound strange, but I think that people sometimes try to protect moments and experiences the same way they protect loved ones. It's like you don't want any outside force tainting or hurting something that means so much to you.

With all that said, I also think it is really important to find a balance between protecting and divulging and be able to talk about the things that we hold so close to our hearts.

All of that random babble leads me to the topic of this post - Karim! He has popped up several times over the course of this blog - like here, here, here, and here.

All of the kids in Uganda affected me in different, beautiful ways. But Karim was shy and had a tough shell. You had to win him over every time you saw him. And there were a few times he showed weakness and would give me a huge kiss on the cheek. Sometimes he would pretend to be grumpy, and other times he wore the sweetest smile. He is one of those 3 year olds that acts like an old man. And like most of the kiddos I fell in love with, he seemed to be harboring so much in his sweet little mind. It was incredible how much sadness and then how much joy could be seen through such young, precious eyes. Karim looks up to his sister and he loved to play fishy face with me.

We are Karim's sponsor. We donate a fixed amount per month to the organization I worked with while in Uganda, which covers his schooling, living, food, clothes, etc. Obviously, I wish he could be in my life more often, but for now I'll have to settle for supporting and loving him from afar.