My heart is so heavy right now for so many different reasons. One of them being b/c I just read Beth's (my sis n law) most recent blog on the genocide in Sudan. Which of course got me looking up videos and news. Just an FYI: Do you know I googled "Sharing Christ in Darfur". The results were very sad to me. I don't know if their is anyone doing that. I wonder about in the Refugee camps just over the boarders of Chad? Hmmmm. (Okay- so that is probably a whole other post... I can really get on a soapbox about it) Click Here and Here if you've never even heard of Darfur.
Today:
Our Landlord, Mary, (maybe 65ish) and I hung out for a while. She was so kind to take me around to 2 of the orphanages she started(?- she's kinda hard for me to understand). The first place we went there are 11 children that live there. It was a cute and very small home not far from our house. I met 6 of the 11. The older ones are in school. The 6 I met are in school, but just behind the home. They sang a song and recited a poem. It was magnificent! I met one of the 2 mama's. It was with her that I learned ALL are HIV+. It was very sobering, but sweet at the same time. Think about this: yes, these children are sick- but they will have an opportunity to know Christ as their Savior in this Christian home. Think of the sick children who might not get that opportunity. I wish I could show you pictures of these precious little ones, but I was unable to take any. I need to talk to some people and get permission first. They are building a new orphanage within walking distance from this home. All of them will move over to the new home next month. It is beautiful. There is plenty of room for them and they will bring in many more as well. (The children come from the hospital, is what I was told.)
The second orphanage I went to was practically next door! I was soooo excited to learn about this. And they welcomed me to come back anytime. The children were in school so I only met 3 little ones. (I think there is a total of about 47ish?) There are 3 seperate homes. They are divided by ages. It goes up to High Schoolers. They are cultivating the soil for a HUGE garden on the land. (I offered to come help with that until I could meet and be interviewed with the American director lady in August). The land is beautiful. Their cute beds and rooms were PRISTINE! It is just a home to minister to girls. Except they just recently brought in one baby boy. This child was found by someone who knows where with his umbilical cord still attached. So the person who found him took him to the hospital. This baby has been in the hospital for an entire YEAR! Yes, he has been laying on his back because no one had the time to pick him up, play with him, teach him how to feed himself. So this child is most definitely failure to thrive. Their hope is to get him off his back and get him fairly up to par and as close to age appropriate as possible then adopt him out. I felt so sorry for this little guy. When I walked in, he was just laying there on his back. Not even moving much. It breaks my heart that he had NO ONE to love him for the first year of his life. That is how babies thrive. Off love.
