MY LITTLE BOYS

     It has been a great week. While I am beginning to miss family more, I am also content in simply going about the daily tasks here, rejoicing in the fact that God has allowed me this time here in Africa. He knew there would be days that I might be lonely, or feeling the strain of all the needs here, yet I know His timing for me here is perfect and I rejoice in all the experiences here in Jinga Africa.
     Tonight I'm introducing 4 more of the 16 boys with whom I spend most of my days. From left to right:
     Fred is one of my favorites, if I'm allowed to be honest. All that I know is he was abandoned and came to ABC at about 4 months of age. He is a natural tease and prankster. His eyes melt my heart every day. He loves loves loves to play tricks on me.
     David is also very special.  He also was abandoned and joined the ABC family at about 9 months. Like most of the children here, when they want attention they just burst into tears until someone picks them up.  David will always come running if I call him for some snuggle time.
     Wilber is rather a serious fellow. His mother died 2 weeks after delivery and his father is unable to care for him. He came to ABC at one month. It is difficult to get Wilber to laugh, and yet I find him more content than most. He also, is always up for a good snuggle.
      Godfrey was found by an unknown woman who could not talk, and came here at about 3 months. He and Simon are both struggling with potty training, and he is kind of in that difficult spot of a bit older than the younger boys in the cottage, but definitely not able to hold his own yet with the older ones. He is always talking to me, I can not always understand it tho. I am giving him a "sweetie" on days he goes susu in the toilet all day, and it is helping keep the pants dry.
      I honestly do not think any of these kids think about their circumstances or think about parents they never knew. This is totally their home and all they know.I believe they feel loved and cared for and really do not know there is a different world out there called "a family". Their Mamas, their Aunties, their brothers and sisters, are all here.
    

MY BIG BOYS

     By now I imagine some of you are getting more posts than your really interested in, however, I also know this is the main way I communicate with my family. So those of you not quite as interested, read what you want, glance at the pictures, and keep me in your prayers.  To those of you more interested, let me SHOW off the older boys in my cottage.
     From left to right:
     Charlie was found abandoned, and came to Amani at one month old. He is a delightful little boy. He is obedient and helpful. He loves to listen to books. Gives the best good night kisses.
     Eligah's father abandoned him, and his mother is unable to care for him. He came to ABC at 5 months old. He is so helpful in the cottage with the younger children. He is a very sensitive boy. Yesterday he scrapped his toe, and you would have thought it was had been cut off. :-) He is my swimming student this week.
     Brian's mother has died and his father is unable to care for him. He has been at ABC since he was 1 year old. When confronted with something he has done, he gets this deer in the headlights look, and completely shuts down. He loves to play with the balls I bring daily.
     Simon is the youngest in this group, I think. (never quite sure about ages).  He was abandoned by a mentally ill  person at 1.5 months. His favorite thing to say to me is "also me".:-)  He is having a hard time with potty training. Wish I had a bag of M&M's to help the process.
     Matthew was born in a hospital, transferred to a special care unit and abandoned at 9 days old. He is one of my 1st graders and was my amazing swimming student last week. He is so helpful to the mamas. Because I spend so much one on one with him, we are pretty close.
     Jonah's mother abandoned him, and an unknown lady took him to the police station at 2 weeks old. He is so so sensitive. Also very helpful and kind.
He will be my swimming student next week. Loves to snuggle.
     So, while I can't give out more information of who may or may not be in the process of adoption, or have a serious illness, I can tell you it has been a blessing and a privilege to be God's hands and feet these past weeks with these boys. And his arms to wrap them in love.
     Every day I rock all the boys, in the cottage, individually, and also do "this little piggy went to market". You can be sure all the above boys insist on their turn also for both.

MONDAY MONDAY

     After a fun and refreshing weekend, I was excited and ready to get back to playing, loving and caring for the kids. So today consisted of first grade in the morning, about a 3 mile walk during lunch, helping with 2-3 year old preschool, ending the day bathing, diapering, brushing teeth and telling a bedtime story about a shark, to my 16 little boys. Some of the volunteers here seem to be struggling with their "purpose here". Mine seems obvious and fulfilling. And confirmed with a zillion hugs and kisses.
     Showcased in this blog are the older kids working to help the mamas. Its impressive! THEY are impressive. They kind of remind me of my Amish friend's children.  The older children being so helpful, while being an example for the little ones that watch.

DAY OFF

     Saturdays, after a work project is completed, the volunteers have the afternoon off.  Today we went 4  wheeling and had a ball! For 2 hours we zoomed along the Nile, through villages and rocky rocky paths. It rained enough to hold down the dust, turn the dirt into typical Ugandian RED mud, cover us from head to toe, and have a really fun day! I finally saw the real Africa as we are pretty sheltered at Amani. We saw hundreds of kids along the way as they came running out to wave and give us high 5's. Now I am refreshed and excited to start week 5....starting with a Sunday shift in the baby nursery.

REVIVE US AGAIN

Okay trying AGAIN to post pictures. The wordy explanation is in previous post where the pictures are cut off.

THERES ROOM AT THE CROSS

     I have been meaning to give you a tour of the boy's cottage (ROOM) where I spend much if my time. 16 boys live here, and there are 2 identical cottages, plus a nursery, where the rest of the children stay. Their bedroom consists of multiple bunks and trundle beds. There is one wardrobe where their "smart clothes" are kept, and then bins with their names on them have their everyday clothes. Period. There is nothing else EVER in there.  The older boys help put Salim up to the top bunk. It takes everything in my nature to not step in (for fear of being dropped) but I know that long after I leave, they will be passing babies up to the top bunk.
The main room is where they play for the morning, (but go out after naps for the afternoons.) Rainy days get long if they have to be inside all day. The 3 tiered shelf on the right contain their only toys.  The little boys sit on the floor to eat, the older 6 boys pull the table out to have meals. We play ball, read books, have tickle wars and change diapers...all on the floor.
The bathroom is where they go susu and caca  as well as shower and get washed each evening before bed. I'm pretty impressed how they don't complain about getting lathered from head to toe (no baby no tears shampoo here) and scrubbed like a car wash. The younger children sit on the potty chairs several times a day, and it seems to eliminate most dirty (not wet) diapers. I'm also pretty impressed with that technique.
And this ROOM, they call home. And I'm just so grateful to God that I get to be a part of it.
This is "Auntie Cathy", over and out.:-)

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN

     The volunteers here each have an outing a week with a child. This enables each of the children, in rotation, to put on their "smart clothes", and do something special. Maybe its going into town for ice cream, taking a Boda ride for a errand, or just watching a movie, if its rainy. I have been waiting to have a child that would fit into the two little dresses I put aside.  Juanita Brooks and Jean Hull both made adorable dresses for the girls here at ABC. Most of the dresses are put aside for Christmas, but I kept these two to showcase the adorableness of them.
They were pretty excited to wear the new dresses.

AMAZING GRACE

     I was waiting to get an assortment of pictures of the food here before I shared with you about our meals here.  First off, I am so happy to report that no one here goes hungry. The children all eat 3 times a day plus snack and porridge. I am eating PLENTY as well.
     ABC provides the volunteers with all the pineapple, bananas, and eggs we can eat. Lunch is cooked by Mama Sarah (more on the mamas later) and dinner is on our own from food we purchase in town. The selection of food varies that Mama Sarah cooks is: sweet potatoes (although very different than what we call sweet potatoes), potatoes, rice, noodles, posho (a corn mush) plantains, casaba, green beans, cabbage, lentils, eggplant, Gnut sauce,fish or chicken once about every 10 days. Most of it is very tasty, but high in carbohydrate which doesn't always sit well with my weight, which I am trying very hard to not be concerned with. Twice a week a mama goes to the market for me to get: peppers, onions, tomatoes, greens, cucumbers, zucchini, broccoli, apples and oranges. I do something with those combinations for dinner, although sometimes I just make oatmeal.
        The children are adorable with their GRACE before meals.  They all recite, : hands together, eyes closed, thank you Jesus for our Mamas, thank you for our Aunties, thank you for our porridge.....and then a variety of thank yous that can be lengthy, depending on which child is leading the prayer  They have 2 different breakfasts that they alternate. One day it is hard boiled eggs, the next bread with P&J.  Mid morning they all drink Hot porridge, and I do mean hot. I don't know how they drink it so fast. They sit in a circle on the floor for these first 2 meals.
     Lunch is a bit different. The younger 10 in my cottage are fed first on the floor, no utensils, ( clothes off), feeding themselves. Sometimes it is a big mess. Afterwards they are cleaned up and then go sit on the potty chairs while the 6 big boys eat.
     They sit at a table with a bowl and a spoon, and are pretty neat about it.
     Afternoon snack is more porridge and usually a piece of fruit.
     Dinner is the same routine as lunch. GRACE is always said.
     They do not have the variety we have, mostly lentels, pnut sauce on rice or potatoes, posho and chicken. They eat every bit in their bowls.
     I am not in with the babies often, so although I know they get their bottles, I'm not sure what they eat.
     So that's the run down on food here.
      Amazing Grace.

WHAT CHILD IS THIS?

     JUST as I was successfully knowing most of the boys names here at ABC , they went and shaved heads today. Everyone looks kind of different! Back to the drawing board!
     Week 3 is closing in, and each day just is better than the last. School time fly by, then today was the last of 3 swim days with William, and while he did not swim to the ladder as I had hoped, he finished the week LOVING the water and depending ALOT of time completely under diving for spoons.
     We took a group of kids on a boat ride on Lake Victoria TO the Source of the Nile (where they join). Pretty amazing moment to think I was on the NILE!!!! The kids had a blast.
     Looks like a FULL MOON out in that African sky, and I am hoping Calling and Lane see it also, and think of Grandma.
     Night 3 of an oral bed time story when they were in their bunks, and tonight they were quiet while I was telling it. I think I have started something. I may need some story reminders.......