Concy, age 12 curtsied and squeezed my hand while little Lakop Grace, 6, looked shyly at me from behind her cousin's skirts. They had just completed the long and somewhat dangerous trip from Gulu, in northern Uganda, to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. This was not a happy journey for these orphaned children.

Their mother, Akwero Lillian, had been among the first women to learn to make paper beads for BeadforLife. Her lovely smile and laughter were remarkable. Unfortunately Lillian was killed in the course of an argument with a drunken man. This death had come as a great blow to the BeadforLife community. As a way to honor their mother we agreed that BeadforLife would sponsor Lillian's two daughters, Aciro Concy and Lakop Grace for their schooling.

Concy is just at that stage of prepubescent innocence and curiosity. She was excited to see Kampala, and to learn new things, to go to a "real" school. Lakop Grace has dimples and a radiant smile, which she reluctantly bestowed upon us as we told her about her new school. Looking at the list of items that the girls would need to go to school we asked them what they already had. Nightgowns? No. Black leather shoes? No. Underwear? No. Towels, soap, bedding, pens, crayons? No, no, no. In fact they had traveled from Gulu with no possessions because they did not have anything.

The school had tested Concy and decided that she needed to go back two grades, to primary 5, as the village school had been very poor. Lakop Grace would start first grade. The day arrived for us to drop the girls at school. We arrived with mattresses, boxes, and bags of foodstuffs required by the school. Children came running to help the teachers welcome their new students.

With lots of hugs and a few kisses we said goodbye assuring them that we would be back on visitors' day to make sure they were happy and adjusting. Our last glimpse was of little Grace surrounded by other 6 year olds, all eager to meet her. Her head was tipped down but a small smile was on her face.