Not long after I arrived in Uganda I started what was supposed to be 3 weeks of volunteering at an orphanage for babies called Sanyu Babies Home, but by the end of my first day I knew I had found my home. So right after my 3 weeks of volunteering was up, I moved into the home's guesthouse as a live in full time volunteer. The babies continue to change my life on a daily basis, and make me laugh ALL DAY LONG!
There are 52 babies here currently, ranging from premies to 5 years old. After age 5, they are either placed with a relative who is willing to take them in, or adopted, or worst case scenario placed into another orphanage. There are about 5 "Momma's" on at a time, 52 babies worth of laundry, cooking, cleaning, feeding, bathing, changing, and loving - so there is a ton of work to do all the time!! Some days can be nothing but exhausting, I can't deny that. These babies are desperate for love, so I guess more then anything else that's what I try to do, just shower them with all the love and kisses I can! (not a bad gig, right?!)
Although I am completely in love with all 52 of them, there are a couple that are extra special to me of course, and one that has entirely stolen my whole heart...her name is Eva. She is just a huge ray of sunshine in my day, everyday!
Me and my Eva
This is Miles - he is amazing!! He is 4 years old, and SO bright. He sings and dances constantly, and is my favorite of all to sit and talk to. I just love him!
This is Robert. He has been so, so very sick for several months now. They say that the doctors can't find anything wrong with him, but Sanyu struggles to pay their medical bills which leaves them with not the best choices in medical care. Last Saturday I was changing Robert and he had a diaper full of blood. I have asked if they will allow me to personally take him to the good hospital, which I am hoping they will release me to do this week. He is so weak and so sad all the time, it breaks my heart.
These 2 are twins - Shirina, and Mishirina. They also have 3 older siblings, there are 5 of them that were abandoned and brought here.
The other super cool thing about the guesthouse here is that new people from all over the world are coming and going constantly...I am getting to meet the most interesting and diverse people everyday. I have been super blessed with a girl named Grace - she is leaving me to go back to the states tomorrow but she has been the best Africa travel buddy a girl could ask for the last month. I will miss her so much!
Me and Grace on the back of a boda boda - our main means of transpo. Sometimes wonder if it's more of a death trap then anything...but we have to get around somehow! ha!
A couple of weeks ago Grace introduced me to these two men named Martin and Charles. They both grew up on the streets in the slums of Kampala called Kinsenyi. They both got out, got educated, and now want to go back and help others like them. They took me on a tour through the slums, like the real deal; crawling into holes, over raw sewage, into tiny metal boxes that are homes to 20-30 people...my heart could barely take it. After 3 hours in there, talking to the residents, spending time with the street kids, I knew I had to help somehow. "I will feed them lunch every Wednesday for the rest of my time here." - Is what popped out of my mouth. I don't know where it came from (the Lord of course) or had any idea what I was getting myself into...but I was committed!
Martin insisted that I be totally hands on, which is AWESOME! He wanted me to do all of the shopping (which was an adventure all on it's own) and hand over every dollar myself, so I would know exactly where my money was going. Last Wednesday was our first lunch, and it went SO WELL! I was beyond nervous the morning of, I thought I might throw up I was so nervous. These boys are legitimately starving, and totally wasted on drugs, so I was very worried that free food might create complete chaos.
I got a box of soap, I am hoping to be able to work on some real hygiene lessons with them over the next few months - most of them haven't bathed in many, many months, and almost all have never seen a toothbrush ever. So, first we distributed soap for them to go and bathe - that was a little hairy. It seems when you give them something tangible that they can "have," it makes them a little crazy. A few small fights broke out, but all in all everyone got a bath with no major injuries.
The food distribution was so smooth, everyone behaved, many were even sweet, some even openly thankful! It was awesome to see them all eat, just to give them a full tummy was more then enough to make me just want to drop to my knees right there and thank God for what He provided.
We ended up feeding about 50 boys, I imagine the number will grow as long as we can maintain it. It was pretty awesome!
Getting ready for baths...
A lot of the boys sleep in these crates at night to hide from the police - who beat them badly if they catch them out.
This is my buddy. His name is John Joshua. He is super scrappy - gets in a fight literally every 5 seconds, but he has the sweetest heart, and is so lovable, I just adore him.
All of the boys are covered in wounds like this. Martin and Charles bring in their friend Sally, who is also an ex street kid, now a medical student, to treat the boys as often as he can make it. They definitely struggle to get the right and enough medical supplies, but they do their best with what they have for sure.
Other then that...I have been struggling to beat the African sickness. I call it that because no one has any idea what it actually is, I am just always super sick! First they said it was malaria, then it was my anti-malaria pills, now I am just trying to stay healthy and beat the African sickness on my own. I think I am going to beat it this time! This place is amazing, but super hard on your body for sure!
I love you all, and am thinking about you and praying for you everyday. I promise I will try to get better about updating more often.
If you are interested in helping out with Wednesday lunches, that would be amazing! It cost about $1 a meal - so roughly $50 a Wednesday.
You can contact my sister Shannon at: 312) 622-2916 or: ShannonPenniall@hotmail.com
Wow!! This is beautiful!!... Your pictures, your words, and the work you are doing!!! It's all just amazing!! Thanks so much for updating us on your journeys! I will be praying for you and all the difficult things you encounter that overwhelm and fill your heart. Looks like they are too numerous to imagine. We -of course- miss you at the TR... But know you are out there changing the world for the good. Keep the updates coming- and kick that sickness!! Kristy
ReplyDeleteLindsey,
ReplyDeleteI thank you for my devotional time this morning with the Lord. Your blog provided a respite from the silly and foolish things of this world. I am taken back by the realities of God's hands-on ministry through you and others in Uganda; the Sanyu Babies Home, the street ministries to the boys, the Wednesday baths and opportunity to be fed. So much sorrow. Yet when Sorrow looks into the mirror she sees Love. And Love's sisters are close at hand: Faith, Hope, Grace, and Mercy. It is in the name of Christ that you have gone out. And it is in Jesus' name that you battle your sickness with a smile and open heart poured out in love to Eva, Miles, Robert, the twins, John Joshua and all who have a chance to be near to you. Shining so bright in a land of poverty. I pray that you will find healing deep in your body and new strength for today. I pray that Robert, too, will be healed. I pray that the mother of the twins and her three other children will rise to a new day. I pray that the boys will find their souls are being cleansed along with their bodies. I pray the food provided would help them understand how to be filled with God's spirit.
When I taught in the toddler room, I would to the little ones, "Who is hungry?"
They would shout out, "We are!"
Where do we feel hunger?" I would ask.
They would respond by placing their hands on their stomachs.
Then I would say, "In the same way, we are hungry for God." And moving my hands from my stomach to my heart to my head to over my head, I would declare, "His Spirit fills us up, up, up with his love." It wasn't long before the kids new this little routine and said it with me every week before we sat down at the tables for snacks.
They began to associate the food and their hunger with the need for God's love. So after a few weeks, once we had all said, "...up, up, up with his love." I asked if anyone wanted to receive Jesus to fill up their Spirit. Many children over the course of those three years asked Christ into their lives right before we filled our bellies.
Then we began to celebrate that we were filled in two ways, with food and the Holy Spirit. A worship time began to follow our meal. A time of singing, games, fun emerged so naturally. The children new our routine from beginning to end. If I missed any part of it, they would correct me. From the time I walked in the door, to the time I left, our time together was predictable for them. The routine had became familiar which in their world meant safe, and safe was good.
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ReplyDeleteI love you, Lindsey-girl! Well-done good and faithful servant.
Here is a meditation now for you. I prayed to the Lord of the harvest and asked him for a gift to give you in return for the gift I have received this morning in reading your good news message of our sister Sorrow's reflection in the mirror.
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Praise and Prayer for Victory
A Song. A Psalm of David.
Psalm 08
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples,
I will sing praises to thee among the nations.
For thy steadfast love is great above the heavens,
thy faithfulness reaches to the (purple) clouds. [I added purple. :)]
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let thy glory be over all the earth!
That they beloved may be delivered, give help by thy right hand, and answer me!
God has promised in his sanctuary:
"With exultation I will divide up Shechem,
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah my scepter.
Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.
Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
Hast thou not rejected us, O God?
Thou dost not go forth , O God, with our armies.
O grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the help of man!
With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.
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With a shout of victory!
Tammy
Good read. Will read again.
ReplyDeleteLoved your update Lindsey - have been thinking of you and praying for you. The love that you are pouring out is amazing and inspiring. Thanks for sharing - you inspire me! Love, Lanette
ReplyDeleteHi there Miss Madigan!! I'm inspired by what you've been doing in Uganda.Helping in your own way those less fortunate kids..Giving them hope, lifting their spirits and lighting up their faces with a smile..I hope I can do something special in my own little way soon!!Keep it up.My prayers are with you..Stay safe!!
ReplyDelete*NB- Jong Santiago is my brother.He's from Geneva.She knows you from your Taekwondo class..