I walked out of the hot sunshine into the cool shade of the church. The walls were blackened from centuries of dirt and pollution building up and the door I pushed through was as thick as my hand. It swung heavily shut behind me and I took a moment to let my eyes adjust to the murky darkness inside.
The air was heavy with incense, filling my nose and lungs. I touched my fingers onto the water next to the door and wandered softly down the side aisle, running my hands along the cold damp stone walls.
As I stepped through the archway into the small side chapel the heat hit me like a wall. Hundreds of tall thin candles filled the altar, their heat warming even this most insistently cool space. Their warm light lit up the curved roof and the stone statue above, patiently watching over the pilgrims kneeling below.
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I’m honoured to be writing over at She Loves Magazine today. I’m in the company of some amazing women writers there, so stay and have a look around after you jump over.
It was Idelette, the founding editor of She Loves, who first invited me to Uganda and Burundi in May. One warm evening, we got to sit out on the sofas in Kelley and Claude’s peaceful garden and have one of those oh-so-good conversations. And in the course of that conversation, she asked if I’d consider being the Thursday Editor for She Loves. Of course, I said yes!
I started at the beginning of August and – behind the scenes hiccups aside – I’ve been loving it. I get to work with some incredible writers and be part of a growing community of passionate and strong women who are truly inspiring to me. I’m so grateful for this opportunity. So join me over there today…?
