Eva Moreen

I was given the nickname “the wanderer” on my first trip to Uganda in 2010. I would either be ahead or behind the team or off on some other road J I didn’t want to miss an exciting opportunity, meet someone or hold a baby. Mama Kiki always gave me a hard time for this….but because I was “the wanderer” I was able to meet my precious Eva Moreen!

Eva lived right outside the green gates of Canaan’s Children Home. Her mother had a little shop selling whatever items she could and they had some mattresses in the back that they slept on. Eva would come over to Canaans and play with all of us when the team was there. I instantly fell in love with Eva and her mother. I began to learn more about her story and that her father was absent quite often working in another town. I learned from the school administrator that Eva’s family struggled to pay her school fees and most days she did not get lunch.

God completely worked it all out so that I could sponsor Eva. It is a very special arrangement because she does not live at Canaan’s Children Home but she does go to their primary school.  They have made an exception for me to assist her for that last 3 years and help her attend school and be able to eat lunch while she is there.

I have now been able to spend time with Eva for the past 3 summers! She continues to grow every year and last summer when we were reunited her mother popped out a baby boy! I have now fallen in love with baby George!

When I met Eva’s mother when I was at Canaan’s Children Home last week, she came to me with tears streaming down her face. She told me that she could not wait for “auntie Kari to arrive” because they were suffering. She shared with me that her husband has now left her and rarely returns home. He has multiple wives and multiple children. Her shop only had juice and water to sell and her new neighbor is a cruel man who is trying to drive everyone around him away. He has speakers that he faces into Eva’s home that screams music at all hours of the day and night.

She looks at me, eyes full of pain and wants me to help. I know she is real, I know she is not playing me. My heart aches to be able to fix their problem, get them into a new home and help her make some income. I wish it was that easy. All I could do in that moment was reassure her that God sees her and all her suffering. He was near to her and He would help both of us try and find a solution.

Every day on these trips you are faced with so many needs. Your heart becomes so full of wanting to change, add, take away, bless, give, fix…you name it….for all that you encounter. But at the end of the day, most often, the one and only thing that I can be sure of is that at least I could touch them with the hands of God, I could kiss their forehead, I could bless them with words and encouragement, tell them they are loved and reassure them that God knows…..He sees…..and for now that has to be enough.