Uganda Day 2

Today was another amazing day in Uganda.  After breakfast we headed to one of the villages of the Karamajong Tribe.  In a nut shell, hundreds of women and children are outcasts with little source of income.  A wonderful ministry, Home Again Ministries, is committed to help provide education, vocational and spiritual training to the least of these. I haven’t had the time to process in my head all I want to share about these special people.  So I will have to wait for another post to share with you the stories behind this

and this

But also this

And this

 

But I do have a special story to share about the blessing we received today getting to know Demily (Pronounced Emily with a D).  Demily is the founder of the Sangaalo baby cottage in Uganda.  She knew at age 9 she wanted to be able to love on lots of children.  She got pregnant at an early age and had to drop out of school.   To provide for her son she moved in to a baby cottage to take care of orphaned children in exchange for food, shelter and schooling for her son.  I could tell by the way she told her story she loved being there.  Demily spoke of Mama Jackie, a woman from California who for years spent all but one or two months out of the year taking care of the babies with Demily in Uganda.  Before one of Mama Jackie’s trips back to the States she told Demily to make sure to take care of the babies in the case she doesn’t return.  Demily was very confused by Mama Jackie’s statement until she stopped received emails from Mama Jackie and learned that Mama Jackie had passed away from cancer.  Demily had us all in tears as we could all see how much she loved Mama Jackie and the inspriate she was to Demily. 

Demily spoke to us at length on her trying to ignore God’s calling for her to care of the many babies she kept dreaming of.  Demily adopted a daughter from Uganda, got married and had two other children thinking that would be sufficient to God.  But, Demily cleared noted several times, she was in fact blatantly ignoring God’s constant motions for her to go back to loving and caring for the many children He needed her to.  Eventually Demily’s husband felt called to help Demily fulfill God’s plan for her.  He sold some land to get the money to rent on a home to take care of Ugandan babies who are abandoned or in need of care.  Thus, Sangaalo Baby Cottage came to be.  Sangaalo means joy in Uganda.  Beautiful isn’t it?



Outside Sangallo Baby Cottage





One of the baby rooms at Sangaalo Baby Cottage




This is sweet Demily sharing her testimony with us.


 

So, today we went to love on the babies Demily cares for.  Right now she has 10 babies—3 sets of twins, an HIV positive little boy (who is sick and was taken to the hospital last night) and other precious little ones who need Demily to love and take care for them.    
WARNING:  PICTURE OVERLOAD!



Me holding 4 month old twin girls Semily and Sara



Chaning diapers




Some of the babies we got to love on today



Semily got passed around quite often.  Praying she and her sister find a loving family!




This little one slept quite a bit while we were there.  He eventually woke up and got some lovin' too. (Although we all through he was a she and put him in a headband :) )




Me and little Semily




This sweet babe took a liking to Sandra.  I don't think she left Sandra's arms the entire time.




I'm kicking myself for not remembering this one's name.  She was sick and fussy.  She loved watching all the kids playing from the front porch though.  She has a twin brother who is also being cared for by Demily.




Look at that face.  L-O-V-E



 

 

Please pray for Jennifer, Julia and Aaron who are sick and in the hospital (one of the set of twins and the little boy with HIV).

Please pray for these other babies to stay healthy and be adopted in to loving families they deserve, either domestic or internationally.  I think of my daughters when I look in to their eyes.  Leah and Julia have a mommy and daddy to run to when they fall down and scrape their knee, when they have a bad dream or when they need a hug.  These precious children need the same.  Someone to love them, protect them, guide them, raise them and support them. 

Please pray for Sangaalo’s needs to be met.  They need formula.  Without it she has to give the children local milk that does not have the nutrients formula does.  We were able to bring her some but they need more.  They are currently in need of another house to rent to care for these babies.  The current house does not have running water, a stove to cook, or a refrigerator.  It also does not have a gate around the property and is in an area where child sacrifice is prevalent.  The main source of income for the cottage is the chickens she keeps in the garage.  The Ugandan government equivalent to Child Services came and told her she can no longer keep the chickens in the garage as it is a health risk to the babies.  Through all of this Demiy knows God will provide.  Demily repeatedly told us how she asks the Lord to forgive her for not having enough faith and trusting in Him.  She wanted all of us to know that if the Lord is calling for us to do something, do not turn a deaf hear to Him.  Do it!  He will always provide. Period. 

With the help of YOUR donations (THANK YOU!), our team here is looking to meet some of these needs.  We are looking at using some of the funds to buy her a refrigerator (to keep Aaron’s HIV medicine, etc) and possibly a chicken coop.

I'm not some awesome/amazing/special person because I came here.  I am simply honored God chose me to see, love and bless His people He loves so much.  This is His story that I want to share, not mine.  His plan, not mine.  All for His glory, not mine. 
 
Hope you enjoy these!  Tomorrow (well this morning) we are visiting Amazina Ministries and also a little fun trip out to King Fisher for a Nile boat tour and dinner. 

Made It!

the internet is too slow and I'm the only one still awake.  I'll upload some pictures soon...

A wave of children rushed the bus as we drove on to the Caanan Children’s Home property this afternoon.  I had just traveled nearly 24 straight hours.  I was tired, my ankles were swollen and I desperately needed a shower.   But all of my gripes went out the window as I locked eyes with several children and reached out to shake their hand.  Every one of them were so happy to see us, to welcome us to their home.  One particular little girl in a red and white polka dot dress caught my attention.  She pointed to me and I saw her say something but not knowing the language I couldn’t make it out.  As I touched her dirty little fingers through the open window she gave me biggest two-front-teeth-missing smile.  It was precious.  I stepped off the bus, surrounded by many other children and before I could even get one foot on Ugandan red soil, there she was smiling again at me.  She quickly grabbed my hand and I gave her a hug.  Just then another young boy came up to me and grabbed my other hand.  He was 10 years old and spoke English very well.  I asked him his name (actually I had to ask him several times and I still can’t get it right).  Both of them kept a hold of my hands as I walked on.  I asked the boy who red polka dot dress girl’s name was.  Her name was Sara.  I saw her name written out on a wooden toy car she was carrying.  It was a beautifully spelled name and I could tell Sara was her nickname.  In the midst of a place some people from the USA would call filth, I only saw beauty.  All of a sudden the smells, the red dirty ground, the tattered clothing the children were wearing all seemed beautiful to me.  We were greeted by the older women who care for these children.  Each one so gracious we were here calling out “Welcome Mama” as they gave me a warm hug.  The welcome reception was overwhelming.  Here we were, coming to bless these children and they had already blessed us with their love. 

We spent the next several hours hanging out getting to know some of the children.  Each one of the 23 members on our trip had many children hanging on them.  Gaster (the 10 year old that I think I still have butchered his name here) had the cutest accent and showed me around his home.  Sara and her friend followed along glued to my hand.  We saw where they live, where the little kids have school, where their kitchen, chapel and playground were.  There was a mix of Luanda and English being spoken all around me. 

I eventually sat on the grass with some of the children and got out my camera and starting taking pictures.  The kids loved to see themselves.  I attracted quite the crowd videotaping Victor and his friends dancing and just having fun on camera.  I would record them and immediately play it back to them.  Each time I would play a video clip back I had about 10 kids rush to look over my shoulder to see it.  We did this for well over an hour.  I even let Victor take some photos.  He could be quite the photographer some day! 

Gaster taught me a song in Luganda (and the English version).  A couple other children joined in and it was beautiful.  Will definitely try to get it on video next time. 

It was an awesome afternoon.  I can’t wait until tomorrow to see the kids again and spend the day with Home Again ministries visiting the women in the Karamajong Tribe and a baby cottage in the area that houses about 50 orphans ages 0-3. 

Good Night from Uganda!

Africa Bound

Go. Be. Love.  Three simple, yet powerful words that has driven me to move for the last four months and will be my sole existence for the next two weeks.  In a few short hours I will be on a plane destined for Africa.  I am leaving my comfortable lifestyle, my beautiful family, my job, everything to embark on a journey that I have been led to.  Four months ago I didn't know what Visiting Orphans was.  Four months ago I didn't know I was going to go to Africa tomorrow.  Four months ago I was questioning God, "Do you really want me to do this?  Really?  Are you sure?"  Once I said "Well.....okay" and took the first leap of faith by signing up for this trip and making the first $200 payment, not having any clue how I was going to come up with the rest of the money in such a short time, I have been on a wild ride.  What a difference those four months have made in my life.  


I have had so much encouragement from near and far when I decided I needed to do this.  My husband didn't even hesitate to tell me to go when I told him the insane idea I had of leaving him and our girls for two weeks to go on a mission trip.  My parents, who are without a doubt my inspiration to how I hope to parent my girls, were the first to donate and have supported me along the way. My amazing mom is even staying here to help with the girls while I'm away.  (I really would still be packing tomorrow morning if it wasn't without her here too!)  My in-laws opened their home to fund raise and have been a prayer anchor telling all they know to pray for me on this trip.  Family members I have never met have sent me donations.  Family members who I rarely see have supported the trip through encouragement, prayer and donations. My small group class as supported me.  Everyone at work has encouraged me to do this.  Friends from high school I haven't talked to in ages have supported me.  I'm just blown away. 


So tomorrow, with the help of everyone I mentioned above and many more on my Facebook community that has been such a source of encouragement, I embark on this two week trip with Visiting Orphans to Uganda and Ethiopia. I will be living out their mission:  To awaken the body of Christ to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the 163 million orphans by visiting them, loving them, and sharing the Father's heart.  


I am so excited to be given this opportunity!  Thank you to everyone who has supported me through these last four months.  I could not have gotten this far without you.  I love each and every one of you!  I will use this blog to post about my trip while I'm there and when I return. I hope you enjoy the ride with me!  




Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  James 1:27 NIV