Visiting My Girls

It is Friday at 3:30 pm. I was supposed to go to visit the Karimojong today but we had to change out plans.  Remember the baby I told you about who was in the hospital with TB?  The one whose mama died in the park, which left him orphaned?  On Wednesday week had visited potential orphanages for him.  He went to be with Jesus this morning.  Because he was a Karimomong orphan,  Recho had to meet with elders to plan his funeral.  Recho is in charge of the Karimojong project and I was supposed to be traveling with her today.  So I will go there Monday instead.

On a great note, I got to visit my sponsored daughters at their homes and meet their families.  We walked a long and dusty road to get to Kenneth's home first (the child my husband sponsors), but he was not at home.  We then took a boda boda, which is a motorbike with a paid driver, to  Norah's.  Norah's mama and daddy are both deceased due to HIV.  So far Norah has tested negative.  So she lives with her very elderly jjajja (grandmother).  When we arrived, Norah was washing clothes in a bucket.  She lives in a brick dwelling, which I was not taken into but determined that it was very very primitive.  A straw mat was brought outside for us to sit on while we visited.  We brought her a new dress which she will be wearing in the pictures if I can get them to load.  I had to use my phone to take pics today because my ipad was dead. No electricity last night - so no charge.

We then took another boda boda out of her village and then got a taxi when we reached town. The taxis here are more like mini vans, and they will squeeze as many people as humanely possible into one.  There were 14 passengers in ours.  When it dropped us off, we navigated into twists and turns of dusty roads through what I can only describe as a slum area.  That is a mild description. Narrow windy paths with dwellings butted up to one another and people everywhere.  Chickens in front of the dwellings and garbage and people whispering, "Muzungu" as I passed by.  We finally reached Amina's home and we were greeted by her brother who told us Amina was off playing and the mama was a short distance away.  So we waited.  And I sat while the children ran in amazement to get a better look at me and I said, "Yes, I know, Muzungu."   Amina lives in a brick dwelling as well that was just a primitive, but crowded.  She lives in what I could compare to back alleys in a city - but way worse.  Whereas Amina's home had trees and grass and it was peaceful.  Finally Amina arrived and we were able to visit.  We also gave her a new dress which is next to nothing in comparison to her needs.  When it was time to go she held my hand all the way back to the main road and to the taxi, where we hugged and I told her I loved her.  Then another taxi ride back to Kasangati, the village where I stay, But we had to take a boda boda back to the headquarters due to road conditions.

I really can't put into words the emotions I have today.  There are none.

More later because I will have free time this evening.

Matthew 10:32-33