Hope

I’m getting my post up a little later than I’d hoped, because one of our team members has been injured.  Keely slipped and fell in our hotel and banged up her head pretty badly; Sophie, Anne and I have been been playing momma bear with her until the medic could arrive.  Please pray for her, that her injuries will be mild and easily treatable, and that she will feel peace.

We had another day that it’s hard to describe in words.  We began the morning at the national office for Compassion’s work in Uganda—they employ 80 staff members.  Oh, I wish you could meet these people.  As is their policy, Compassion only puts nationals out in the field, so these workers are all Ugandan.  They are powerfully committed to the work they’re doing, and you’ve never seen such graciousness and hospitality.  They were all so excited to meet us and they’d even been reading some of our blogs. 

I also wish you could hear these Ugandans pray.  I’ve gotten to hear several of them now, and it is the most beautiful, reverent thing you’ve ever heard. 

After a morning at the national office, we headed out an hour outside Kampala (along the bumpiest road on the planet, by the way) to visit a birth-through-age-three program geared toward educating mothers and families.  We broke into smaller teams and wound our way through this village…

…going to visit one of the participating family.  I couldn’t even try to pronounce (or spell) this mother’s name, but here’s a picture of her sitting just inside her front door:

The little boy in her lap, Musa, is 15 month old.  Her older son, at the bottom left of the photo, is named Abraham.  He’s very sick with sickle cell anemia.  Their home had dirt and stone walls, and it was as spotlessly clean as any home I’ve ever seen.  Every surface was draped with a lace table cloth, including the sofa, which was actually an old bench from a bus.  Photos of the children and old calendars lined the walls, and Musa’s mom proudly showed us toys:  a ball and a doll she had woven of banana husks, and two old rusty Hot Wheel cars she bought for him.

The precision of the Compassion case worker was remarkable.  She had pages of records on Musa—I’ve seriously taken my children to well-child check-ups  in the U.S. that were not this thorough.  They talked about Musa’s physical development of course, but they also talked about his social development (he loves to kick balls with older kids) and his cognitive development (he can say his brother’s name).

After the home visit, the team met back at the project center for the kids to show off what all they were learning.  But not before they had gathered around us to eagerly touch our white faces and shower us with greetings and hugs.  “Mzungu!  Mzunga!” they shouted.  One little boy eagerly added, “California!”

We listened to their songs (the mothers sang some too, and OH, only video will do that justice—unfortunately I’ll have to wait to post that until I get home).  This little peanut of a girl had been following me all morning; as we listened to the songs, she fearlessly climbed up into my lap for a snuggle:

Her name is Peace.  She was carefully peeling a hard-boiled egg for her lunch, but as soon as she peeled it, she offered it to me.

After the songs, we played with some of the older kids—I had brought some bubbles, and you would’ve thought I had opened up the very gates of Disney World for these kids.  They squealed with as much glee as I’ve ever heard children squeal.  And they darn near trampled each other trying to pop those bubbles.

   

This little boy especially caught my eye.  He didn’t have a backpack; he carried his books in a yellow grocery sack, with the handles wrapped around his shoulders:

(How many backpacks do my children have?)

After such a bleak day yesterday, I will confess that I got out of bed this morning wondering if my heart could even take in anymore.  But even in the rampant poverty today, I saw hope.  This Compassion program was run with such efficiency and effectiveness that the impact on these children is profoundly visible.  Their eyes are full of expectation and confidence, and nearly every single child I talked to has plans to grow up and be a doctor ("to treat the HIV," they say).

They won't all be doctors.  But some of them will.  Many of them will grow and flourish, right here in their country, and they will find a way to make it better.  And they'll do it because a sponsor family in the West, who had much, stepped in for a child who has so little.

Comments

[Karen @ Simply Amusing Blog]

Beautiful...thank you so much for sharing the plight of these children and for allowing us to really SEE their faces.

[Sister Honey Bunch]

I wish I could do more to help. Thank you for doing this.

[Jen]

I don't even have words as I sit here with tears in my eyes and goosebumps... Thanks again for sharing such beautiful words and pictures!

[Jenn]

I feel like I want to comment but don't know what to say. I'm just so moved that you all would do this and so moved by the children there. the hard boiled egg story really got to me.

[Jenni]

Talk about the widow's mite...that little slip of a girl offering you her egg! Oy!

I'm sorry your teammate had an accident! Was there blood involved? Egads. Looks like you're getting to nurse people back to health even withOUT the lion factor.

Continued prayers...

[LeeAnn (AKA Frazzmom)]

It's amazing when you begin to see through the poverty to find the hope...

The Lord is working in you, Shannon- and in our hearts at home as we read along as well...

[Mary B]

Wow! I am speechless again after another post from the bloggers. It is amazing how everyones words are opening up their world in a way the pictures and video we have seen before haven't.

[Praise and Coffee]

Shannon,
Hug all their necks for me!
I'm praying for you.

Sue

[T with Honey]

I can only imagine what could be done if the people in Uganda had access to the materials that lay in our landfills in the US.

My daughter has more toys and clothing than she needs. Many she doesn't want. Before Christmas we went through her toys and she made a pile of items that she wants to give away to another little girl, so she can love them and play with them. Is there any way we can ship them directly to that little girl in your lap?

I wish it could be that simple. To take all of the seconds of wealthy nations and people and send them to those who could give them another life.

[MinnesotaMom]

Me oh my. I don't know how much more of this I can take. You've got me in tears every day; I simply must go on one of these trips.

[jen]

wow what an experience
peace be with you
praying for you, the team and all the people you come in contact with

[Laura @ Laura Williams' Musings]

What precious little ones!

Continued prayers for everyone on your team the people you are meeting.

[A&EMom]

Around here, our tax bracket is not enviable to most. But as I sit here in my warm kitchen feeding my child, I am grateful that I don't have to worry about her next meal. Though we are low on baby food, I can go to the store and get more. Today. Yet our position here is not enviable... imagine.

Thank you for even more reasons to be grateful.

[Dawn]

Thank you for allowing us a glimpse into this other world that few of us really ever get to see.

We truly are so spoiled compared to these families and children, aren't we?
We complain about a traffic jam and these people don't even have cars.
Or we complain because our cell phone or lap top quit and we throw a hissy fit over what? STUFF...

The people you are with right now are trying to survive day to day and here we sit in our posh houses complaining (metaphorically speaking).

Thank you again for sharing...for opening our eyes to another world. To another country filled with precious souls.

Dawn

[Kristin]

Thank you for your posts, Shannon. I go about my day thinking and praying for you and hoping for a new update.

[Scott]

Amazing!!! I can't find any other words than Amazing. Keep up the great work Shannon and I can't wait to see more of your great adventure.

Scott

[Tootie]

Wow. You have a great way of describing everything there. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us. And, of course, our prayers are with all of you!

[Michelle Therese]

Awesome blog!! I am sponsoring two beautiful children through Compassion International and they have been such a blessing in my life!!

[HolyMama!]

Beautiful, beautiful children.

[Jenny]

The pictures are wonderful and for some reason hearing from people who we don't know but we know through the internet makes it more real than TV.

Thank you and I know lots of people are praying for you all!

[chilihead]

This is an amazing post, my friend. I lapped it up and wanted more. I cannot wait to see the video you have. These children are beautiful. I wish I could touch them, hug them, and bring them home.

[Erica]

Shannon,

Can we send the children book bags, clothing and toys to the headquarters of Compassion?

[ukrainiac]

Lives are being touched worldwide...thanks for these posts.

[Robin]

Today, all I know to do is pray...

Then pray some more...

Then one more time.

[Susana]

Little Peace sharing her just-peeled egg brings tears to my eyes - humanity at its finest.