Day in the slums

I know I am home now.

Today I took Phil, a new friend of ours that is going through the adoption process with me to the slums.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday there is a feeding program that I will be working in over the next few months.

They teach the kids about God and also Math and English.

After the devotion we bandage up wounds and give Tylenol

to those with fever. 

At one time I heard Phil say "is that worms in there" I knew I was in Africa and this is where I am suppose to be. 

After the kids are cleaned up we serve the food.

Today we served 63 kids.

Godfrey was there today and I got to talk to him about school.

I encouraged him to do well and not give up.

He starts boarding school on Friday and we are very proud of him.

Uncle Abdule teaching

Phil helping a kid with a bad foot

Kids playing at the program

Godfrey with in the back

 My special moment today was with Jethro.

We took the class to the street to watch the cars drive by.

He sat with me and watched the cars drive by. Just getting to spend time with him is such a blessing. 

I can tell that he really knows me by the way I am his go to person. 

When a car would pull in all the kids would run around

screaming looking for a Moma or uncle to go to Jethro would always run to me. I enjoy sitting back and watching him interact with the other kids.

Day at the Pool

A few days ago we got to go visit the boys from A Perfect Injustice. These are the boys

that we will be working with

after we are finished with Jethro's adoption.

They range from 8 to 17 years old.

There are also some uncles in there 20's.

Sarah and I where invited to go swimming with them on Saturday.

We met up with them at the public pool at the university.

This was a treat for everyone.

I was a bit nervous about the water

due to the color and the lack of a chlorine smell.

There was more of a burning trash smell due to the

rubbish pile burning next to the pool.

I knew the boys would be bumbed

if I didn't join so I to sacrifice my health for them.

OK, it was hot and I wanted to swim too.

When we first arrived one of the boys Emma came up to us and remembers us from last year.

He had a huge smile and shook our hands and told us "welcome."

Emma on my back

We had a great time in the pool we did acrobatics where the kids would climb onto my shoulders and the stand on my head and then dive into the water.

We also got into a few water fight,

Uncle Eddy and I where on a team and everyone else at the pool was on the other team.

It was easy to retreat because we where the only ones who could swim so going to the deep end was our safe zone.

When we left the pool we walked over to Uncle Davids. 

Godfrey one of the street kids heard that Sarah was around and he found us there at David's.

Godfrey thinks the world of her and so does she.

It is amazing how you can touch a life by taking the time to tell some one that Jesus loves them and he has a plan for them.

If you have been to our house the picture on the fridge is of Godfrey.

He is living on the streets again but will be attending school

this week

Praise God!

Let him be your prayer request this week.

Also pray that our probation officer correctly finishes and turns in Jethro's report by Wednesday.

Sanyu Babies Home

I would like to take the time on this first official Uganda post to draw a picture in your mind of what it is like here

at Sanyu where we are staying

and where Jethro is at.

The complex is about 2-3 acres in the city of Kampala.

We hear the many cars, vans, busses and boda boda’s  (motorcycle taxi) all day and night,

as well as the ample amount of smog put off by them.

The orphanage is fenced off and there is a gate

with a guard with a bow and arrow

checking people in and out.

There are 50 kids here from infants to 3 years old and they are split up into a few different groups.

Jethro is in the oldest group of them at 18 months old.

The infants are separate room from the toddlers.

The 30 toddlers eat together in one dining room in a bunch of high chairs with no legs. 

Jethro is by farrrrrr the most messy eater

he gets that from his Mom.

After breakfast and a bath they all go to class till lunch.

They get to play inside with toys, learn songs, and also learn there manners.

At noon there is another major feeding

then it is nap time

for everyone including us this is a much needed time off.

After nap they get to go outside and have free play time before we eat dinner. 

This is when the chaos starts,

after diner

all of them sit on their potties then get bathed

and then clothes put on them and then we try to wrangle them up and get them to bed.

To put this into perspective you have one cute wet kid come running from the bath area about every 90 seconds.

There are generally 3 people clothing and putting dippers on these kids. I have hands down put on more dippers in the past 2 days than    I have in my whole life.

My special moment today was when Jethro was in class

and a naughty boy named Norman hit Jet 

on the head with a big Lego block.

Jethro looked around the room and ran past his 2 teacher

right over to me to my lap.

He laid there crying for a minute

and made me fill like a Dad for a lifetime. 

Remember that is how our heavenly Father fill when we come running into his arm......