Saturday, July 30, 2016 - Field Report

Team Report for Saturday... (sorry for the delay for Saturday, Sunday and Monday... we've been a bit busy and internet was not stellar... wasn't available for Monday as we left Mt. Elgon Hotel for a stay in Jinja ... a little closer to the airport.)

The whole team went to the orphanage today.

Upon arrival, Dee and Bill rounded up the older kids that had been brought back to the orphanage from their secondary schools and continued taking photos.  While the kids were waiting to have their pictures taken, they broke out in praise and worship songs, both in their language and in English using their hands to keep the beat on the table in front of them. Those of us that were there all said we could have listened to that all day. It was a very sweet sound to our ears. Music is such a part of their culture and those who are Christians use it to worship God all the time.  Everywhere you walked there, you heard a group of kids singing worship songs.

Others latched on to one or more kids and just hung out, talking and sharing. When Dee and Bill were close to finished, we were called to lunch.

After lunch Dee and Bill finished taking the photos (around 110 total kids for the week) and then the Crocs that Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church purchased were presented to the kids. The Crocs were very much welcomed and needed as the ones they received last year were falling apart. Next on the agenda was a performance the kids put on for us - singing, dancing, sharing their favorite Bible verses followed by a word of encouragement from the administrator, Simon, and Larry to the kids and thanks to the team for the visit, Crocs, etc.

 

Time to get crazy.  The water balloons came out and started flying everywhere. The kids and the team had a blast. After that everyone grabbed one or more kids again and started doing various things.  Drawing on the basketball court with chalk, asking the kids about what they are doing in school and what their plans are for the future, discussing God's gifting of them and encouraging them to use those gifts to glorify God, looking at pictures they have drawn, walking with them seeing all that is going on at the orphanage, taking pictures, playing soccer and just loving on the kids. It is amazing to see how well they are all doing educationally, physically, and spiritually. It is easy to say that the kids were a huge blessing to us.

At the end of the day, we said our goodbyes and drove off watching the kids at the front of the building dancing to worship music. It was pondered, what would America be like if we gathered every day after work with our neighbors and sang worship songs and danced for joy in the Lord instead of going home, going inside and turning on the TV. We will all be singing to our Lord someday, but we do not know when. Perhaps that is why we were so joyous today, seeing a glimpse of things to come.