WINDOWS

     I have heard the saying that the eyes are the windows to our souls.  I believe this to be true when I look into the eyes of my boys in cottage A.  If I want to know how they are feeling it often just takes a simple look into their eyes.

     But the thing is, I know you can see IN and OUT of a window. (except mine at home after the grandchildren have mauled them up)

     If I can see the boys heart through their eyes.....I'm praying they can see my heart, through mine.

                                                                        The eye is the lamp of the body.  Matthew 6 22

     Here are my boys hearts and a short blip about them, that by NO MEANS, defines who they are.....

     I don't know how to write under each picture, so I am hoping these are in the correct order......

     Salim......malnourished when arrived, parents unable to care for him

     Simon.....abandoned at birth...adopted and leaving for America SOON.

     Freddy.....abandoned

     Agaba.....abandoned

     Godfrey.....abandoned

     Phillip.....premature,  mom died in childbirth, father deseased. Has CP

     David.....abandoned

     Wilber.....mom died after delivery, father unable to care for him.

     Patrick. ....mom, who is suspected to be mentally ill, is unable to care for him.

     Ali.....brought to Amani malnourished by a grandma who is unable to care for him.

19 AND COUNTING

     No, I am not talking about the Dugger family on TV.  That's how many Ugandian homes I have been to since my arrival. I have appointments for 18 more, which should work out just fine,  as my time here is 1/2 over.
     I came to Uganda with the hopes that 20 mamas would invite me into their homes, so obviously I am thrilled, as well as overwhelmed that every single mama has invited me to their home. I currently have 20 hours of tape recorded conversations and 35 pages of extensive notes. I have listened to mamas rejoice at the blessings of twins, despite the poverty conditions.  I have cried with mamas as they recall rebels coming to kill family members. I have laughed with mamas telling a funny childhood moment. I have praised the Lord along side of a mama's telling her salvation moments. I have held mamas hands as they hang on to incredible strength recounting a story of the loss of a child. I have heard stories of rape and abuse and multiple wives, as well as romance and chickens and goats as a doweries. I have sat on the dirt floor and played footies with diaperless toddlers.  I have listened to young children tell me about the pictures in the book I just gave them. I have felt the overwhelming gratitude they feel because one of their children was a Compassion International child.(anyone have a child from Jinja,  Uganda hanging on their fridge? I have been welcomed into each of these homes with so much love.  Really, one mama to another, so different,  and yet so much the same.
     The most difficult part has been......the want to FEED ME SO MUCH.  I think I said earlier that I have kind if fibbed a bit and mislead them to believe I am a vegetarian.  It just broke my heart after the first couple of homes to think they spent their precious little money buying meat, when I KNOW, just basic school fees are a struggle.  So I am being fed (in large quantities I might add), very traditional,  very local ,dishes prepared with much love. How do you say no to that, even when you are full? There are some days I go to 2 mamas homes! I have stopped cooking much here on my own, reserving all the space in my ever increasing waist..to meals with them.
     There is much more work for the mamas because I am the only volunteer.  I know the kids miss having a slew of Aunties around. December will be better, in that respect, for Amani. I try to rotate around instead of just staying in the boys cottage.   Storytime 2 X a day is a big success, swimming 3 to 4 times a week with 1 or 2 kids, and just chasing the kids around.....fill the hours I'm not eating....I mean..visiting...with the mamas.
     I'll tell you more about the kids next time....although it's harder to write the blog this year, because for the most part, I feel I could just repost an old one, and it would be the same same.  Just a year later.
    

NOT A RICH MZUNGU

     In my excitement to withdraw 1 million, I stated the conversion incorrectly.  It is 4 dollars for each 10,000 shillings.  Opps.

ONE MILLION

P     The last couple of days have been really great. First, I withdrew one million from my VISA card. Had never done that before.  Then I stepped on the scale and it said 63....haven't seen that number since 5th grade.

     I really stopped writing in my journal because all the days are blending together. Same, same.

     Preschool, LOVE being told what station to help out in....no planning..ahhhhh, preschool Mary does all the hard work, I just got to play with BLUE play dough  today.

Then I treated Cottage B to an ALL YOU CAN eat chapati FEST, (fried bread) down the road at a local kiosk.

Lunch  and interview at a mamas house, (cooked banana with gnut sauce). Went to the  pool with one Amani boy who had a 4th birthday today, so we also celebrated with cake, and 2 children who were previously adopted from Amani  but now their parents are long term volunteers.

     Ran around the court yard pretending be a bear chasing screaming kids, storytime,  58th time reading GOING ON A BE AR HUNT, then dinner, PJS, brush teeth (I should take a video of how cooperative the boys are.....although I suspect they just enjoy the toothpaste ), bible story and BED.

     Today's mamas parents were killed by the rebels when she was a baby, and she lived then with her grandmother until, she too, was killed. An orphan at 13.  But she says working here at Amani has been her strength, as she enjoys the other mamas and loves the children as her own.  Yesterday was lunch in a Muslim home, with the best lunch yet.  These cooked greens mixed with gnut sauce. I paid her to make me a batch to have here in the apartment.

     Oh the million is in shillings (10,000 equals 4 dollars....you do the math) and the scale was in kilo s, I'd rather you didn't do the math.)

A PLACE OF PEACE

     Amani Baby Cottage (meaning...a place of peace ) was established in 2003 and has been the home of 325 children.   It is a babies home that provides care for orphaned, abandoned  and needy children from newborn to 5 years old.  The goal and mission of Amani is to find permanent homes for all the children through reuniting with their families or adoption.   ABC is located in Jinja,  Uganda on Lake Victoria near the source of the Nile.

     If you want more information about ABC , go to their website to find information about sponsoring a child, donating, or volunteering.

     My day starts at almost exactly 6 15 each morning, as my open window is directly above the children's cottages....and they wake up LOUDLY!  This morning, I woke to 35 choruses of IM IN THE LORD'S ARMY.

     I then climb down from my bunk, make myself a cup of instant coffee (3 in 1s I bought in Hong Kong....), read some scripture, then spend 20 minutes doing this small spaced workout I found on the Internet to assure I don't turn into jello while here....and to keep me strong with these boys, and my back ok when they take flying leaps at me. (For enquiring  minds...... It is 10 situps, 10 lunges, 10 pushups, 10 squats, 1 minute plank....repeated 5 times)

     Then starting tomorrow I help in preschool,  then I choose some 1 on 1 time with kids (puzzles, books, wrestling. ...and anything really that gives them special attention.) Then it's group book reading, lunch, nap preperation.

     I have been then buzzing off to individual mamas homes while the kids are sleeping. (For about 2 hours)

     Back in time most days (unless the mama lived far away....or was particularly chatty), to take 1 or 2 children to the pool. (LOVE that time).

     Group storytime before 6 o'clock dinner, baths , diapers, pjs and in bed with Bible Story (THANKS Lynn Laird for the great children's bible). There is usually chaos in the bedroom,  moments before I threaten NO STORY if you aren't in bed!

     Returning, pretty brushed for a 60 year old lady, I make myself a quick dinner, knit or read, and climb back up to the bunk, and take 5 seconds to fall asleep.

     Ready to wake up to cherub songs again.

     I praise the Lord for this opportunity.

SOMETIMES I NEED TO PINCH MYSELF

Sometimes I feel like I need to pinch myself because I cannot believe I am here in Uganda experiencing things that are so amazing.  BUT, since I discipline kids about 10 times a day....for pinching a brother or sister,  I will refrain from  pinching.

The outpouring of friendship of the mamas is incredible. (You don't suppose they are just addicted to my tootsie rolls, do you?) I passed around a calendar, and immediately,  it was filled in. Some for a meal, some for tea or a banana,  but whatever they serve me....it is extended with such humble pride and love.  I do not feel worthy of such an opportunity.  I don't know if I have ever felt this before. I keep asking myself.....how is it I GET to do this.??????

Ok, so besides spending every available free time talking/mostly listening to mamas, did I mention I  am a volunteer at Amani? Haha. I almost feel like the 8 hours I put in with the kids, is the part time job. The day FLIES by doing  1 on 1s , that include storytime, puzzle time, swimming, going for a walk and any other thing I think of on the spot. A highlight of the week was taking Michael,  a little boy with cerebral palsy, to the pool. He opened up like a flower in the water, and neither of us  EVER stopped smiling.

I am overwhelmed with thankfulness.

But keep up the prayers for the b o d a rides..........

THE MAMA'S STORIES

One of the  exciting reasons I returned to Amani  was to get together individually with  the Ugandian Mama's to have them tell me a story to record. (Would LOVE to put them together in a book....we shall see  if that's possible  later). After being here for 2 months last year and becoming loved as Mama Sweetie, towards the end of my time here, they were trusting and respecting me enough to be more  open about their lives. These  are proud, resilient women.  They don't complain about their lives or whine about their circumstances.  After I got home, for awhile, I felt guilty for not haven taking more time to LISTEN. It was only after a while that I came to believe, they were not ready to  speak their hearts until we had truly become friends. So I wanted to return, to really listen this time .

The Mama's are  as excited as I am.  I have 3 hours off every afternoon before it is dinner time/bedtime and I asked to meet together individually  during that time. Quickly we put together a calendar of  my time here so they could decide their  days off (12 hour days, 3 on, 3off). I have the amazing privilege to be invited to their homes. I am tape recording their voices and taking notes as they tell their story.

I cannot wait to share the  stories with  you, and the experience of  being their guest, or even just the b o d a  b o d a  ride there. Yesterday, traveling to a home about 20 minutes away, was like watching an African documentary pass me by.  I know for all the nonUgandinians here, it is the norm, but even for me, the world traveler, I am still in awe that I am in AFRICA  !!!!!!

Grace grew up in Northeastern Ugandia, with hostile nomad cattle tribes that would come  by force and pillage and kill those  in her village. Betty was an orphan  street child at the  age of 4.

And now they are amazing loving Mama's here at Amani.  They  are so grateful and happy to have  this job.

Amani has gone through some recent struggles with a few disgruntled volunteers.  (First time in 11 years it has been like this.) I personally think Americans either  have never  seen poverty like this, or they just  think they can  come  and change the world in their short stay. But I feel the truth is.....we need to just come as a volunteer and love on Ugandia,  show Christ in our ACTIONS, and just accept the  fact we really cannot do anything about the severe poverty here. Nor do they really expect us to. I think they just want to be loved and respected.  So to the volunteers who leave here disillusioned at the running of Amani.....I say......are YOU willing to leave the  comforts of our  cushy homes, bring our families here.....to do  a better job than the current director s?  I think not.

AND the  truth  is, while the  condition s here at Amani may not be perfect......both the Mama's I have thus far interviewed,  said it would have  been like heaven to  be here when they were a child.