We were being introduced to the manager of operations of Project Hope Orphanage shortly out of Lira, Friday afternoon. Dennis, the manager, was sharing his experience and thoughts of America from his visit. Anais was standing directly next to me when I felt a little bite on my waist. “Ouch! I think an ant is up my dress.” I whispered to her inconspicuously so only she could hear as my eyes widened. Introductions continued. I felt it again, but this time I could not whisper. “Ouch! I think an ant is up my dress. I am so sorry, but is there a bathroom?” I giggled. I have never had this happen before.
“It is just in that building there. Sorry! Sorry!” I half heard them direct, as we excused ourselves and stole to the bathroom, laughing the whole way. “Oh my goodness, it hurts!” I bursted out once the door was finally shut. On fulfilling our quest to seek out this distracting little creature, we gladly extinguished it immediately, but not before Anais received a painful bite on her finger also, halting her amusement in the situation abruptly.
Anais and I returned to the cheerful talk of David and the men and Dennis began to share with us a few things he did not understand about America. “When I first saw they have “saloons” for their pets, I did not understand that.” My brain is working overtime at this point. I had forgotten that saloon means salon. Maybe he heard the joke of the chihuahua in the saloon. David is rolling and says “salon.” Finally, I grasp the meaning and saw the imagine in my mind. Can you imagine this man’s thoughts on us sending our pets to the beauty salon that people should be in? Most people here don’t have money to feed their dogs, they just give them scraps and whatever the animal can find and here Americans spend their money to send their dogs to the salon. “Oh! I just don’t understand,” he shares with rolling merriment. “And the other thing is where are all the people? We drove for days and everywhere we traveled there was an absence of the people. I thought about it and finally asked, ‘Where are all your people?’ When you go into our towns there are people everywhere. You meet a friend and ask, ‘Oh! How are you?’ and another, ‘How is home?’ ” Mr. Becker shared with him that the people in America do not walk everywhere they go. They drive to work and drive home and usually stay inside. “Oh, this I do not understand!” again in such laughter. What a joyous man and pure joy to meet him.
We also met Fred the pastor that is Magisu (do not forget these people) from out east. We learned of his burden for the ministry and how his people are spiritually. Both these men are doing a beautiful job at this orphanage offering leadership to the moms, staff and children. There are eleven homes with eight children in each home, each including a large dorm with four bunks, a kitchen, a bathroom and a shower and a loving momma per home centered around a open air meeting house to gather all the children together for prayer and Bible Study. On the grounds are also, one primary school, one secondary school, a health clinic and open air church. We admired the clean and orderly homes and facilities. The children greeted us with amiable hugs. Afterwards, our family grabbed hands with the children and ventured on their walk of prayer with their leaders around their homes and yards and schools and ended at their open church structure as Fred ended in prayer. What a precious time to pray for and with these fatherless children that have now received true hope and love and a future because a few American men had a burden to help the fatherless and share their burden and hand a large responsibility over to some trustworthy nationals. Thank you dearly Mr. Becker for a beautiful day.
God gives his children burdens from the matters of His heart, John 5:19. Sometimes we listen, sometimes we are all too busy running our own life. Take time to listen to what God is speaking into your heart which might just be an incredible blessing for someone else and a surprising one for you as well. It probably won’t be starting an orphanage in Africa, but trust Him for what He shares with you. He is trustworthy! When it is His idea, He will fully provide all that is needed. He just wants your surrendered heart.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
James 1:27 (NASB)
