You've seen pictures, you've heard stories, you may have visited them yourself...none of what I can tell you about our visits to the orphanages would come as much of a surprise for most of you probably.
I met lots of kids...kids that need families and good homes...kids that need a lot of love and extra special care. I heard stories of their journeys to these homes and they broke my heart. But then I heard redemption stories of how far they'd come. I saw the difference that these caretakers had made in these kids' lives and witnessed joy in these children that I knew came from the most innocent and deep places. I fell in love with kids and got the sweet opportunity of praying for them...for them to know their Creator and His awesome plan for their life...for families to be obedient in adopting these children as their own and to love them through their emotional and physical scars...and for joy to continue to flood their lives.
But I will tell you this...the kids weren't the only ones that stole my heart on these visits. The people who run these orphanages and care for these kids are absolutely incredible. I loved hearing where they were from and what led them to these places...how God worked in their life to call them to care for these children who need them. The Ugandan mamas were lovely and the ones that I got to talk to were amazing in how much they love the kids they take care of. I got to sit in the baby room at a place in Jinja and chat with a woman who was visibly pregnant and got to ask her some questions and then give her a mama kit. She was beautiful, could tell me everything about the babies in this home, and I loved just chit chatting with her for a while.
The girls that we met who founded Ekisa, the special needs orphanage, floored me. They are so young, yet so determined to make a huge impact in their community and in these kids' lives. They are mature and strong in their purpose to help these kids. They are doing a great job and only want to continue to improve their work there. They amazed me.
The founder of another home gave us the opportunity to share a dinner with her and the kids one evening. While we sat and ate dinner, we asked questions about how she ended up in Uganda, where she was from, etc...just like we did with every American we met there. As she shared, she dived into a part of her personal story that took me by surprise...reasons for hurt that resounded in my own life and forced me to admit to myself that I hadn't used my own experiences as much as I promised God I would. This woman opened her heart to us and, as she shared, I felt like I had been hit by a ton of bricks...I felt so challenged, so pushed, so reminded of the woman that I am and the woman that I want to be. So as we watched the kids in her home sing to their Heavenly Father, I had to fight back the tears for this sweet woman and her heart. As we pulled away later that night, I learned that she rarely shares these details that meant to much to me...which just confirmed for me that I was supposed to hear that from her...and that she was following God's prompting to share her story, even though she probably didn't know why. She was a beautiful woman...and such an inspiration to all of us, not just me.
I pray that the adults that I met in these places continue their work, find encouragement, and see the fruits of their labors for the Kingdom. I pray that the kids that we met continue to find joy and hope...that they will find their place in this world and will know their Heavenly Father who watches over them and loves them.
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