Kick off of Empower Program/Peace Clubs with Child Restoration Outreach

Today (Wed July 11^th), we started with meeting with CRO (child restoration outreach). We have visited them a couple of times in the past couple of weeks to get to know them and to start building relationships with them. These children are all street children. They walk the streets daily and if they are lucky are able to find a place to sleep for the night. They are dirty, filthy…yet melt my heart. CRO is open for these children to provide porridge in the morning and then a lunch. The staff offers a devotional for them in the morning and then some classes to review material that is taught in the school, so when they do get reunited with their family and get sponsors they won’t be so far behind in the classroom. The kids are able to come and take showers and wash their clothes throughout the day.

I love naughty kids; they are my favoriteJ. Even with the population of kids that I worked with in America, I was drawn to the trouble makers the most. This group is mostly all males and they are rough! But think about it, they have to learn how to survive daily on the street…so I expect them to be aggressive and to have such a strong wall built up around them.

We are doing the Empower Program/Peace Clubs with them, in a slightly different way than the other groups. These boys need constant activity, fun and excitement to keep them engaged. They often do not get good sleep during the night, so many times they sleep throughout the day and it is hard for them to stay awake when they have to sit in a chair and listen!

We started with a brief “check-in”. I taped up a big poster and drew a line. Each child came up and identified where they fell on the line. One side was feeling really bad and the other extreme was feeling amazing. The majority of the boys wrote their name on the end of “feeling really bad/sad/not good”. Makes sense. This is a great way to “check-in” with various groups that you are working with. Not only does it show the others where they are at and gives them a chance to not feel alone, but it helps us who are leading the group…to know which kids to be more sensitive with, gentle with.  Of course, while I was introducing this first activity, a fist fight broke out among some of the boys. Another boy stood up and broke them apart. After this happened, I knew I was in my comfort zone! J Love, Love, Love them so much!

 We then introduced the topic of trust and ventured into a fun game of “Light House”. The Empower Program speaks about how when we experience trauma and stressful times in our lives, we begin to not trust individuals anymore. These boys especially have little trust for anyone in their life. They only trust themselves, as they are the only ones who they have to fend against and protect while they are on the street. I am sure their motto is “Trust No ONE”.

One boy was blindfolded at a time. Three others were placed in various spots throughout the lawn…with obstacles in the way. The blindfolded individual is the “ship” and the other three individuals are the “lighthouses”. The “lighthouses” have to get the “ship” to come to them safely. The “ship” then delivers their “cargo” which was sweets (candy). I knew the second that sweets were involved we would have these kids undivided attention!

They had so much fun and I love to see them smile and hear them laugh. Of course, there are the “naughty” ones that ate the sweets while they blindfolded and didn’t deliver them to the “lighthouses” J

We then discussed issues of safety. Did they feel safe while they were blindfolded? Why or why not? They definitely agreed that the only reason the “lighthouses” gave them good directions because they knew they were getting sweets delivered to them! We related this game to their life. So often, we walk through life without knowing where we are going and not feeling like we have a guide. There are many obstacles that we face in our life. So I asked them, who is your guide?

“God” they responded. In my heart I learn once again from these children. Here they are, living on the street, no home, not with their family, not going to school…..yet they know and trust that God is their guide. He is the One leading them and He is who they trust to get them to their final destination, safely.

We explained to them that as they looked around, the boy sitting next to him, he is your family. CRO works really hard at trying to get these boys to work together as a team and support and love one another.

I can’t wait to continue to meet with these boys twice a week. I have learned more through all the clients I have worked with in the past in America, and the same is true here. They teach me so much and I can’t wait to keep learning from them.

Grace

Today was my favorite day so far since I have been here in Lira. When my day is packed full of meeting, loving, hugging, praying and encouraging….then I am energized! Yes, it is outwardly exhausting, but my heart overflows and this is why I love being here so much. I allowed myself to break for the first time today. I realized that I have not cried in a few weeks (crazy I know!) and I continually felt the tears well up in my eyes and I had to push them down until I was alone. It has been so neat for me to see God direct my heart and steps with the different people that we have been meeting and working with. So often, well almost all the time, I always gravitate towards the children. This is where I am comfortable; this is what I am used to. But for some reason, the single mothers of Teso Bah have completely grabbed my heart.

 I struggle to even put words to how amazed I am by these women. They live in the slums of Lira and have very little. Most of the women take care of 3 or more children alone, most not even their own. This is what I love. They take in the kids who have lost both of their parents due to the LRA, either their relatives or friends. They work so hard to try and give them a place to sleep and some food. Most of the kids cannot attend school because the mothers cannot afford to pay for their school fees….those that are fortunate enough to go never know when it might be their last day, because the money might not be there.

 I can’t even imagine. Can you? Would you be able to wake up every day and forge ahead, doing what needs to be done to feed the children when you have lost so much? Yes, I am sure we could dig deep into our souls and find the strength….but doing it alive? Feeling alive? Feeling empowered, beautiful and strong?

 They laugh, they smile and they sing. However, there are some, that when I look into their eyes I can see the pain in their soul. Grace. Her name is Grace….so fitting. The LRA came into her village and abducted three of her children. Two girls and one boy. That same day they also killed her husband.

 One of her girls, Jennifer, has returned. I asked “how was it possible that she escaped without her siblings?” Once the LRA figures out that they have a group of siblings they immediately separate them into different groups. They fear that if they keep them together it is easier for them to make plans to escape. Can you imagine? Not only have you just been taken from your mother and father, but now you are forced to leave your brother or sister. You are alone.

 The other two have not returned. I am confident that Grace still believes that they are alive and begging God to bring them back to her. 9 years. 9 years she has been waiting.

 Grace has two additional children and including Jennifer takes care of 3 of her biological children as well as two little ones (still unclear as to their identification). She works at the market, selling what she can to make whatever little money possible.  There is such depth in her eyes. She has lived through so much. Soon I will hear more of her story and record a message from her that she would like to tell the world. She has a voice and she has a story that needs to be heard.

 Trusting and believing in God’s great plan for all of these women.

Love at First Sight

I don’t know her name. I have no idea what her story is. But there is something about her........

I was walking the slums and our eyes met. She was instantly filled with a smile and we gravitated towards each other and embraced. I was captured by her beauty. I had a deep sense that she had experienced so much pain...it could be the only explanation as to why she radiated such joy and I was overwhelmed and silenced by her soul. No words were exchanged that either of us could understand.

Looking at this picture, at first glance, your first thoughts would not be “beautiful”. She has many wrinkles, no hair, missing teeth. But in her presence...BEAUTY was the only word that filled my mind. Her face, weathered with years of life, years of experience, years of wisdom. I have a feeling that I have so much to learn from her. I am bound and determined to find her again. To sit with her. To listen to her. Hear her wisdom. Learn from her strength.

Africa always and continues to transform and radically teach me about beauty and what it means to truly, deeply, be beautiful. Oh how I have so much learn. May we find each other again sweet soul.........

Time to be REAL

It was 4:30 am on the 19^th of June and the power was out. I was packing up the rest of my belongings with my flashlight and trying to be quiet, as to not wake my team members. I was preparing to leave Canaan’s children home and head to Lira for the next two months to work with Children of Peace Uganda for Exile International.

This was not an easy transition for me. I was so emotional and exhausted from the last two weeks with my Visiting Orphans team that every part of me wanted to jump on a plane and head back to America.  I didn’t want to have to sacrifice comfort anymore. I was done. I was sick of being dirty, having no hot water and no water pressure, missing diet soda, bug bites, not having nice hair, sweating, small spaces and couldn’t stomach another day of rice and beans. I was beat. I felt alone. I was scared.

God was so very kind and gentle with me. I was provided many days of rest to recuperate and to rejuvenate my soul. My greatest prayer was that I would be reminded why I was here and that joy would again return to my spirit. God reminded me that this was His battle and not mine.

It was so hard for me to experience the variety of emotions that was taking place. I didn’t expect to NOT want to be here! I have never been so much out of my comfort zone like I have been here. Even though it has been hard….I needed it. To be in a place where everything is stripped from you, everything that you know, everything that is familiar….brings you closer to God. Being here I can SEE, FEEL, HEAR and TOUCH God more than ever before. I am reminded that God is ENOUGH!

Once I made my way out into the town of Lira and began to see the faces of the children there was instant joy and a knowing in my soul that everything would be ok and that God’s timing and plan is perfect.  

When you get to hug a child, kiss the cheek of face that you know has seen so much pain, tell the women how strong they are and hear story after story of how their pain has turned to beauty….it is worth it. All my discomforts and complaints are nothing compared to this. It is humbling. It takes being real and knowing that I am absolutely nothing without the power and strength of the ONE inside of me.

The journey here in Lira, with Children of Peace and Exile is just beginning. Lord, may your ways continue to shine bright and may you continue to teach me how to sacrifice so that YOU may be glorified. You never said that things would be easy….but you did promise that you would be with us every step of the way.

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.

Aida's New Home!

I couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning all night. My heart was so anxious to start the day and to get to see my precious Aida! Aida is 12 years old and I have the privilege of being able to sponsor her to be able to send her to school. The coolest thing about my sponsorship with Aida is how my family has been able to get involved. Last summer when I visited Aida I was able to meet all of her 9 siblings. My Father’s House was helping them rent a room in a warehouse type building. Rebecca Sorenson (founder of My Father’s House) contacted me after I left and told me that the family was now on the street because the landlord did not want that many people in his building. Aida is the oldest and her father died a couple of years ago.

(Old home)

My parents were able to help send money so that Aida’s family could have their very own two room house built! Rebecca already had land that they could use…so the building began! It was so special to be able to visit their new home, a place that is their own. They do not have to worry about paying rent or being kicked out. When I visited they were so grateful and even though they have very little they still wanted to give to me. The mother made sure that I left her home with a sack of banana’s, pineapple and hand-picked flowers.

(New Home)

Aida has the most beautiful smile that I have ever seen. She absolutely glows. Her heart is pure and I could gaze into her eyes and see her pearly whites every day! I am amazed at how each year she understands English more and more. She wants to be a doctor when she grows up and I made sure to communicate to her that, “Yes, you absolutely CAN!” I wrote her a letter and she was able to read it all in English without any assistance! She is so brilliant!

Rebecca communicated to me that Aida has not been the same since I visited her. She has had more confidence to speak English, has a glow to her face and personality and appears so happy. This, my friends, is what happens when you sponsor a child. YOU can radically influence their life! If you want to change a life and develop a life-long relationship with a child and in the end have your heart be changed….please sign up!

Ethiopia

We just finished our time in Ethiopia and it was such a wonderful experience. This was my second time in Ethiopia, and it was so great to return and to experience more that I did not see the first time.

 We started at the Fistula Hospital. You need to watch, A Walk to Beautiful. This is a documentary about these women and how the Fistula Hospital completely and radically changes their life. We were able to walk around and pass out small gifts to all of these precious women. They are so lovely, and to think of all the pain that they have been through and how some of them have walked for days to be there to get healing just hurts my heart. They are so strong. Stronger than any one of us.

Next, we visited a large catholic orphanage in Addis. So many kids and so many with special needs.  It makes me so sad that there are so many of these babies and kids up for adoption, and yet so many American families do not want a special needs baby. I held the most beautiful baby girl in my arms and she had lost all of her limbs except one arm. She was absolutely stunning. Her eyes would just gaze into yours and I’m sure that deep in her soul all that she is longing for is a mommy to love her and hold her every single day. Think of all the potential that she could have in the states with prosthetics, and yet….if you do not go, do not hold or do not see with your own eyes you will not understand. I know that this has been true for me. As I held this little baby that felt like a little ball due to no limbs, my heart just ached to bring her home and to give her the love and the life that she deserves.

We then spent some time with Project 61. I visited this ministry 2 years ago on my first trip to Ethiopia. This is where there is a HUGE trash dump and a family started a ministry to get these kids off the dump where they were living and searching for food, to a new life and the chance to go to school. Hands down, Ethiopians are absolutely stunning. The children cling to you and are some of the best huggers I have ever met.  There was this one little girl…maybe five years old. She would not let me put her down. She hugged my neck so tight and when I had to say goodbye she just squeezed me and gave me the biggest kiss!! They are so precious and so joyful—yet they live in a community that is the lowest of the low, filled with leprosy, HIV and AIDS and no money. They are shunned…outcasted…not wanted. We visited one family of 3 that lives in a room that fits one double bed and a dresser. This is their home.

 Project 61 has done an incredible job of rescuing these children, getting them sponsors and then sending them to a very prestige boarding school in Shashamene. We were able to make the trek there and I am so glad that we did! It was a 3 hour drive from Addis and we were able to spend some time with the kids there from Project 61. We led a “gold” themed talk with the girls using Britt Nicole’s song “Gold”. We were able to validate and affirm them. We talked about how sometimes pain in our lives does not make us feel beautiful and it is hard to understand how God views us. I had them listen to the song “Gold” and then draw whatever image came up for them while they were listening. A few of the girls shared their drawings and they were filled with pictures of what they felt they looked like and how their heart felt before understanding the true love of God.  It was such an honor to work with them and to be able to encourage them.

Lastly, Chuko! This is a very special place for our leader, Julie Neal. One of her adopted sons is from this rural, remote village. God led her family to bring clean water to this village. They are still in the process of getting everything built, but we were able to see 4 of the completed water sites, the water reserve and where the pump will be built. We made the walk that the women have to do twice a day to get water. Let me tell you, those water jugs are heavy! I carried a toddler on the way back and I know he was not comparable to the large water jugs and I was seriously dying! I had to put him down! Such strong women!

Every time I come, I am always humbled by the way these individuals bless and encourage me. We spent our last couple of hours with some women in Korah (The throw aways) with Mission Ethiopia. We watched them make jewelry and we wanted to encourage and love them.  They ended up singing and dancing for us and then praying for all of us. The Holy Spirit was ever present and I want to pray like them….fervently, unashamed, bold, loud and with great passion. I was overcome with tears and amazed at how once again…..

My heart needs Africa.