Beautiful Ssenge

[Photo: Abdul, from Ssenge]

This weekend we spent the majority of our time in Ssenge, African Hearts home for the younger boys. I love the busy life of Kampala, but Ssenge is such a peaceful refuge from all the noise and smog and traffic. Best of all, it holds these happy, happy boys I am coming to love so much. Abby Tracy, AfriCHO staff member, has told us the boys there really need someone there to play and interact with. They are blessed with caretakers like Moreen and Richard, but those two, as well as the “Mothers” of the home, carry such a heavy workload from day to day, it’s hard to just sit and play. We had a wonderful time playing Rummikub & Uno, coloring, drawing, and making movies with the boys. Today they all did interviews for me on my camera stating their names, ages (range there is 6-14), and what they like to play or what they want to be- a lot of pilots, pastors, and football players!


On our way to Ssenge yesterday we stopped at a home called Open Doors, that houses 82 children, they work to place as many kids back with (safe) relatives as possible, and the children are always involved in that process, whether they feel ready or not. The youngest there is 4 months, and the oldest is around 17. When this is not ideal or available they look for adoptive parents for the kids. I have a new "favorite" (I have a new favorite every 20 minutes- they are all my favorite!) This solemn 2 year old baby toddles over and latches on to my leg and stuck with me the entire time we were there. We were joking that he looked like a little bishop. I got a few giggles out of him but mostly he just stayed quiet and hung at my side. When I found out his name was Meshach I thought that was very appropriate for his personality! My baby Meshach.

[Photo: my baby Meshach!]

This weekend I am feeling so grateful to God that He is taking such good care of these children. 40+ at Sanyu, 82 at open doors, 750+ at Byumba (God cares school, where we taught last Wednesday), 13 at Sanyu, 30+ at Miracle Center.... here, there and everywhere He has called mama's and dad's and aunties and uncles to care for His own. Even those who aren't ready to leave the streets- so many of them know they always have the staff at Calvary, Auntie Jess, Auntie Abby, Uncle Collins.... Who can love like He loves?


Update on the slum program- we returned Friday, first to the Gulu boys site, where Chelsea helped do medical- I am so proud of her. Part of it was funny, because this little boy had a wound on his head and Collins shaved around it so they could treat it, only it was a haircut gone terribly wrong, and the more he tried to fix it, the worse it got. Abby made Collins promise to take him straight to the barber after we were all done, so the others wouldn't make fun of him.I really want to see if we can update their first aid kits once I get back to the states. There is never enough gloves, bandaids, tape.... list goes on...for all the wounds they treat. Going to Chisenyi we had such a sweet time with the boys, we also went on a house visit to a mother of 5, AfriCHO is helping pay school fees for those old enough to attend. She honored us with these beautiful necklaces she makes out of paper. Anyone want to order one? It's her livelihood. There about 75 cents. Kafiki, (my favorite boy :)) stayed with me all day, and 2 other boys stayed with Abby and Chels, even as left the slums, so we got to take them to the store and let them pick whatever they wanted. You would have thought they won the lotto. I wish I could afford to take the whole lot of them. :)


Love to all!

Happy Birthday Heather!
[Photo: me, Chels, Abby Tracy at church.]