Compassion

So the day starts out without the rooster (guessing he made it for dinner) outside my window, but a sunrise scene of a family washing up, little children with their yellow water jugs, rinsing off and grandma, with a deadly aim, hitting the runaway goat with a rock from about 30 yards. Smoke is beginning to fill the air again as does the heat.

Today's adventure was a trip to Jinja, about 90-minutes away to visit the Nile Baptist Church, (Plot 18 along Oboja, just in case you are in the neighborhood) part of Compassion International. The building was filled with children and music. The children were wearing uniforms (except for the newer ones, as budget had not allowed buying additional uniforms for the moment) and we wear all wearing our matching shirts too. In addition to helping feed them breakfast (a cup of oatmeal, a banana and one hard boiled egg) and lunch (some rice, broth and a few pieces of meat) we also got a chance for some fun and games. Sack races, bubbles, stickers (not too sure why they all LOVED the turkey stickers) and some jump ropes made the field grow with laughter. We were a bit overwhelmed by it all - the great number of children, all reaching out for just a touch. The true joy in their hearts, filled. Yet they seem to have so little in the way of possessions or opportunity, they do have hope. The UCU students along with us were all part of similar Compassion projects, not too many years ago. Today they are studying and planning for the future, but for the hundreds of tiny faces we saw, it seems all too far off.

The soccer ball was worn through, with just a trace of skin clinging on. The reminders hang on the wall to avoid Malaria, TB and HIV. One little girl has a piece of straw keeping her ear piercing company. They orphans have watched siblings die and some are HIV positive themselves. Yet, somehow, they still can sing and praise life and the Lord. Without reservation.

In the office, along with Dora and Spider-Man, are posted the rules of this modest child development center's selection process. Rule Number seven hit me for some reason - "We do not mind what religion you belong to."

We also got to visit the homes of these children. While we delivered a small gift of sugar and rice, we got a gift in return of bananas. We also hear the stories of faith, struggles and determination, while we are all crammed into the single-room home for nine. Or the open-air home (much like a single-sized carport) with a small fire smoldering fire as the wash hangs on nearby bushes to dry. Their chicken walks into the home and pecks at the tiny puddle underneath the tin roof. But the example of the UCU students, and the promise from Compassion to help keeps hope alive.

And inside the one tiny home we visited, with nearly all their possessions covered with linens, hangs a sign, covered with tiny shells. "A successful marriage requires a deaf husband and a blind wife."