September 2013 Update 7

So we have 2 days and a list of people and places to see.  We had a
plan for the day, but after having some trouble getting ahold of
Shallom this morning, we ended up getting to relax some.  We decided
to head out to HELP School, who I ran camp for in May.  I was so
hoping to see a bunch of the kids plus the staff, but when we arrived,
although it is the first day of school there aren’t many kids there at
all.  Bummer!!  The staff were there, so I got to catch up with
Richard, Ritah, Lydia, Innocent and meet a few others.  They said that
the kids would be around tomorrow, so we changed plans again and
headed back into town.

I was able to get ahold of Shallom finally to find out where he
worked, so we headed there.  Shallom works for and organization called
Amani Baby Cottage.  It is basically an orphanage, but they do so much
more than just take in little ones.  They currently have 61 little
ones.  The oldest is 7.  Amani works to get kids adopted or tries to
raise the kids until they can reunite them with their families in the
village.  Their facility is pretty remarkable.  Deneen who started it
14 years ago has done a really fantastic job.  They have a nursery for
those that can’t walk yet, 2 rooms for boys and one for girls.  Each
room has 2 day moms and 1 night mom.  The same 3 women basically
raising these kids as their own.  For the older kids they do preschool
and the few that are school aged are sent to school.  Shallom works as
an activity coordinator.  He has all the children in the afternoon and
plays with them or takes them for field trips.  Pretty sweet job
although I can see how it could get overwhelming to entertain 60 seven
and younger kids.  As I would expect with how our day has gone, all
the kids were napping when we arrived and just when they were coming
out to play, we had to go to town to meet someone else.  Go figure!!
We did get to hold a few kids and I was able to finally meet Deneen.
I have been hearing about her for years and we had a really great
chat.  She was asking me to take the mzungu kids to camp.  Everyone
comes to care for the locals and the kids that grow up here but have
white skin get no support or programming.  I can totally do that and
it would open us up to a very different clientele and different
programming.  Could be fun to do camp like in the US!!

We went into town to meet up with Rita.  She is a good friend of
Erin’s who came with me in May.  When Erin was living here, she
befriended Rita and her family and consequently had a baby named after
her.  Now every time I am here I get pictures of little Erin.  This
time I told Rita I wanted to visit her home.  They live just off of
Main street in town.  We walked from her craft shop and arrived to
about 15 kids blocking the doorway.  Rita has 7 girls and their home
is the place to be for the kids in the neighborhood.  We had fun
seeing their home and the kids all decided to entertain us with some
modeling and dancing.  So great!!  We were shown the rooms of the
house.  The 6 elder girls share a room smaller than my guestrooms.
There is a 3 decker bunk bed and then one single bed.  The oldest Leah
gets the single bed and the others share the bunks.  Crazy!!  And they
invited me to come and stay with them next time.  That would be
interesting!?!

Tonight we are having dinner with our very good friends from camp.  We
went to this beautiful restaurant right on the Nile.  The sun was
setting.  Gorgeous!!!We had sweet conversation and a lot of laughs.
The boys have learned that Hayden is VERY ticklish!!!  So much of the
evening we would be talking and then Hayden would nearly jump out of
her seat and the boys would laugh and laugh!!  These times just warm
my soul!!  I love these Ugandans so much!  We call each other brother
and sister and we truly are that, family.  My trips here aren’t ever
long enough nor do I have time to ache for family at home (don’t be
offended family), but when I leave this place and know I won’t be back
for several months, I get so sad.  This will be reversed in a couple
years when my time is spent largely here.  There are days at home when
I think about my Ugandan family and I just get so sad!  Thank you Lord
for continuing to build a community around me here!!!  This is what
the body of Christ should be like!!

Please pray for these friends of ours as they are in school and
looking for jobs!!  Pray that Christ would remain central in their
hearts and that they would depend on Him in every situation!!  Thank
you!!!