Woke up today excited about what our day was going to be like. Had the usual breakfast but had a bacon and toast sandwich. I thought it was bacon. It sure was good. Had family time on the morning and talked about the day before. Great stories about what teams did and how God was working in our lives and in the lives of people around us. Such touching stories. Love it. We were headed to the Beeson neighborhood where the Karamajong Tribe is located. The Karamajong have a long history of the tribe that everyone picked on. So the Karamajong Tribe lived in the slums outside of Tororo. There is a story that the kids in the neighborhood would walk around looking for food in the trash heaps to bring home to eat. This 10 year old little girl found a piece of meat in the trash that had a dead rat. She tore the piece of meat off and showed the other kids that were around her. The kids around her got jealous and started chasing her for her piece of meat. The little girl was scared and wanted to bring home the piece of meat for her family so she stuffed the meat in her mouth and ran and she grew violently ill and died. This is how bad this neighborhood was until Smile for Africa showed up and Feed My Starving Children. There was also another story of a baby named Esther and she was dumped in the trash after she was born. Her mother cut the umbilical cord with her finger nails and left her in the trash. This was about 6 months ago. I cannot possibly fathom that. I got to hold Esther Ruth and she is a healthy 7 month old baby. She is beautiful and loves life and smiles so much. Thinking about this story really makes me cry and think how can a mother do that and how many others are out there who have done that where the baby has not been found. That is why Smile for Africa works where it is at. Smile for Africa is a ministry that Pastor Ruth directs in which they teach and educate widowed women and orphans. These women have been widowed by a husband who has passed away from HIV or some other disease or the husband just left. Smile for Africa helps these widowed women be self sustainable. The women take a year long course on accounting, finances, business and other courses so they can have a business for them selves and support their family. Today there were 14 graduating and all of them were so excited. Right before we were going to eat lunch there was about an hour to hangout with the kids and play. We were also there to help feed the 400 children that were there at the compound. The kids were suppose to get Feed My Starving Children meals but the containership was stuck on the border of Kenya and Uganda. What happened is that the government of Uganda has budgeted money for the taxes to be paid for the containership of meals. It just needs a signature to get the food shipped from the budget person from the Ugandan government. They just held there elections in February and there are some new politicians and things have been crazy with the government here. So, Feed My Starving Children is mad at Hope 4 Kids for not having the containership yet and has nothing to do with Hope 4 Kids but the government of Uganda. Bottom line its all about the money. It takes $24,000 in taxes to be paid and get the food. Hope 4 kids has been trying to get the shipment. Hope 4 Kids is hoping to get the food on Friday. Please pray for this that they get the food for all these children. The food will go toward Smile for Africa, the school in Juba, true vine ministries school and other places. I was blessed to help serve food to the 400 children. They ate this meal called posho (poh-sho). It is made up of finely ground corn(looked like mashed potatoes), beans and a sauce on top. Let me tell you the kids really sat and were very patient for there food. Everyone got the same thing. Not one of them saying I want something else or can I have this or I don't want it. They ate what they were served in front of them. We started with all the babies and toddlers then all the way up to the secondary kids that were there. All sat patiently and waited for there food. Amazing. It was just a different experience and just so awesome at the same time. These kids prayed and sang to God for the abundance God has given them before they ate. They had smiles on their face and loved us. Unconditionally. That is the way God loves us. Unconditionally, no ropes attached, nothing…just loves us with a smile and open arms. After Smile for Africa about six of us went to the Tororo prison. We went to the prison with Pastor Eric who has started a ministry there and is doing such an awesome job. We got to the prison and they were hanging under a mango tree singing waiting for us. They were singing worship songs and praising God. It was such a sight to see about 300 prisoners singing and praying and enjoying themselves. Prison in Uganda is tough and is not a place where you want to go. In Uganda you can serve time even before you go to court or anything. Just because someone has said you did something or stole something they can put you in prison until you are found not guilty. Kind of crazy. So we get to the prison and they have seats ready for us in front of everyone as their honored guest. Let me tell you it was a bit intimidating being there in front of the prisoners. I had the privilege of preaching to the prisoners. They really liked what I preached about and took it to heart. It was such a great time and so moving. A lot of those prisoners looked as if they were under 18 even though the prison was for convicts 18 years and over. They were very glad we came and that we shared with them. Such a great day. Went back to the hotel ate dinner and got some good rest. Looking forward to what God has in store for me tomorrow.
Paz y amor,
Raul
No comments:
Post a Comment