01-19-10

We first visited a small ADP, area development project. We were driving down a small trail with bushes and weeds over the top of the car. It was just a path, definitely four- wheel drive required, especially in the rainy season. It felt like we were driving into far into the African bush! Before we even reached the village, we could hear whooping and screaming and cheering. The whole village had come out for us! They were dancing and jumping and clapping and whooping. I couldn’t keep a silly grin off my face! The children were beautiful, adorable. They welcomed us warmly saying over and over, "You are welcome! You are welcome!" They were so happy we were there. They had prepared a place for us to sit and had an area church children’s choir sing and play and dance for us. It was glorious to hear! All of the drums and instruments combined with their voices and dancing as they sang "Alleluia, Amen!" They were a group of kids that used their music and dancing to share the Gospel. Then they brought out biscuits and warm bottles of mountain dew for us as a treat. It was so sweet and humbling, knowing they had very little and yet this was their gift to us. We accepted gratefully. We had been told to never turn down a gift that is given as that’s very rude. Sometimes they even gave chickens or goats. I was trying to imagine how I was going to get that home! Thankfully it was just biscuits and pop! We stayed in that village a long time and then moved on to the next. Again, we were greeted with screeches and dancing. Only this time it was a group of about 15 women. These were all women in a committee who were determined to help orphans. These women, who have next to nothing of their own, saved and scraped by so that they could send orphans to school and support them. World Vision came along side them and gave assistance so the women could care for these children that weren’t even their own. In fact, initially World Vision gave 10 piglets to get them started. The pigs have multiplied so that each orphan is given one to get started in life. It was shameful to me to think about all that I waste on just dumb stuff when these women pinch every little shilling to be God’s hands and feet to orphans. I was humbled and blessed and terribly convicted. They were so proud of their livestock and wanted us to go visit their pigs. We didn’t even have to though, the whole little pig tribe just wandered right through our meeting, much to everyone’s delight. Laughing at animals definitely crosses all cultural lines. They were as amused as we were.

We visited one more place today. We visited a family whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS. Mom and dad have been terribly sick and have 6 children. They all lived in a little tiny hut where they huddled together in the monsoon rains under a leaky roof. When one of their boys was sponsored, it became evident to World Vision staff that this family was in grave danger and needed serious assistance. World Vision aided in building them a beautiful red house made of mud brick. After miles of huts, this house was just stunning. The family gathered outside, the mother now getting the medication she needs and doing much, much better. She went from completely bed ridden to being able to be up quite a bit, caring for the home and children. The children were healthy and happy and they expressed how very, very grateful they are for their home and all that World Vision had done for them. I know I tell people this all the time, but World Vision is changing lives, saving children and bringing hope. I saw it first hand today down a narrow dirt road in remote Uganda. I hope you’ll think about joining in and bringing hope to at least one child.