Orphanage

Hi, everyone! First let me apologize to those of you who are following for my extreme lack of posts and general neglect of my blog. I was in Northern Uganda, Kitgum, for three weeks where internet was unreliable, so was the electricity and running water. My patience was challenged continually just living and working there, so the last thing I wanted to do was wrestle with extremely slow internet and blackouts. I apologize and pray that you have not lost hope in me. I’m still here!! I just wanted to play it safe and not have an excuse to throw my computer at a turkey.

My time in Kitgum was truly amazing. I have never been more challenged, broken-hearted, frustrated, and happy all in the matter of 3 weeks. Let me first just say that I am going back, and if anyone wants to join me, let me know! J

We were doing work with Bringing Hope Project, which is involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, awareness, and aid. We met with volunteers that do the home visits of the HIV/AIDS patients and I was shocked that these people have volunteered their time to go into their communities. Many of the volunteers are suffering just as much those who they visit and they may lose a whole day in their gardens to time spent doing house visits which may mean that they don’t eat that day. Also their “incentive” for doing this work is 3 bars of laundry soap a month! They gave me such a picture of selfless serving that I ought to be doing for those in need that I so often do not do.

While we were in Kitgum, we got involved in an orphanage called Kitgum Infant Care Center. Visiting there may have been one of the most rewarding and challenging parts of my practicum experience. There are so many children and all of their clothes are so dirty and many of the babies are covered in flies or are sitting in their own urine. The children there are all supposed to be under 3 years old, but there older siblings often come and look after them; even still there are so many and only 6 paid staff members. I got a lot of information about the center and found out which of the children are sponsored and which are not, and what the needs are. We met a woman who is part of a Calvary Chapel ministry that has taken the center under its wing so to speak, there are many ways to help and give through them or on your own. Please let me know if you would like more information and I will gladly give it to you.

I am just going to ramble for a second about the babies who stole my heart. There are 2 month old twins and they are so so little. One of them is really sick and has trouble breathing. They both are extremely underweight and the sick one is not very responsive, so he seems to be behind developmentally. One the last day we visited, I met their grandmother who was there visiting, and she asked me to take them home with me. It was heartbreaking. She said, “You are going to Kampala, and then you come back and take them.” So my parents might be getting two adorable Christmas gifts J. 

There are two young girls with whom I also fell in love. Grace is 6 and her mom was a rebel with the LRA so the government killed her on returning from Sudan when Grace was 2 weeks old. Now no one will take her because she is a “rebel child” (I’m sorry, that is really not a PC name). There is another girl, Sheila, who is 5 and they tried to integrate her back into her village when she was three (as they try to do with all of the children) and left her under the care of her uncle. He beat her mercilessly, they found her covered in blood and eating out of the garbage. At three years old, can you even imagine?! Now she has these huge, awful scars on her legs, but she is the most beautiful girl with so much joy and spunk. Here is a picture of the two girls. Shiela is on the left and grace is on the right.

I have so much more to tell, but I realize this is getting really long. I will blog more very soon. But please please pray for these children. God is good and gracious. I thank Him for His love and miraculous healing. He is teaching me so much about Himself and His heart for His people, especially those who suffer.