One Person can Make a Big Difference!

Michelle Busch was our first intern at ACT in Muko, Uganda. She was very brave to be the first and she had a very large, positive impact on the folks there as well as ACT's programs. Enjoy her story and see photos of her time there and the room she stayed in at our ACT Resource Center!

"As I was finishing up my studies at University, I knew I wanted to do something different afterwards, and was looking into joining the Peace Corps. My step-mom, Diane Busch, was already involved in ACT at the time, and mentioned this to the board. The idea of having an intern for ACT seemed exciting to the board, and so we agreed that I would join a team, with my parents, Bill and Diane, and go to the village and see what living there would be like. 



My first trip to Muko was amazing - seeing fields of all colors along the mountains, sometimes partially covered by clouds, was beautiful. The people of Muko were extremely kind and made me feel welcome. Getting to work closely with people in the ACT office was a gift - I learned so much about the culture in Muko and worked closely with Guma and Josiah to work on communication skills with ACT partners in the United States. Friends of ACT would take me to meet their families, help work on their farms, and were always generous with their gifts of fresh fruit and a home-cooked meal. 

I was able to learn about the many difficulties faced by the village and ACT team members and better communicate those to partners in the United States, allowing for better understanding of both teams. I got to visit classrooms, neighboring villages and churches, practicing my Rukiga and communicating the work ACT was doing. I was treated with great respect as a guest, even getting to the point of being treated as a family member of the staff of ACT. 


I went to people's fields and helped plant beans, dig up potatoes, and water gardens. I helped collect young trees to build a fence around the ACT garden to try to protect produce. I went to the main street of the village and ate chapatis (like pita bread), rice, beans, and delicious food alongside people, trying to be a good steward of ACT and spread the word about our mission. 


I got to visit villages all over to meet with prospective children for orphan sponsorship; experiences that were full of joy and sometimes sorrow. The women of ACT showed me how they sew, the patience they had with making their beautiful crafts. Being an ACT intern was a very humbling experience, I learned a lot about myself and gained a greater perspective of the world. Additionally, I worked with ACT staff to learn what we, as Americans, expect in our email responses and how to better communicate. And, I tried to be a representative for the mission of ACT everywhere I went and with everyone - building connections in the region to further succeed in our goals. I think back on that time with fond memories, and I mess the people that I got to know there and the bright colors that surround Muko."

Michelle Busch, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, AIMS Data Manager, University of Kansas, she/her/hers

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Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 8, 2023 at 10:45 PM

    Wonderful! I have really enjoyed the write up.

    ReplyDelete

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