Visiting the Orphanages

Today Resty, Recho, and Merab drove to Kampala to visit 2 orphanages.  We were trying to evaluate the situations at both because there is a 15 month old baby whose mama died on Christmas Day.  She was found laying in a park with her children around her.  Someone called the police, but she was dead.  There is no family to take the baby and the father is mostly absent. The baby has TB and is being treated for it in a local hospital but they want to release him to a guardian. ECM does not take children until they are old enough to attend school. So we went to the orphanages to check them out.  (It is very hard to adopt a child here if there is a known living relative.) The first one was at capacity but said they would consider taking the baby with a health clearance and  permission from the father. A death certificate also has to be presented for the file.  The children were not there because they were on holiday.  Each staff worker takes 2-3 children to their own homes during this time just to allow them a different environment besides the orphanage.  I thought that was awesome.
The second one we went to was Sanyu Babies Home. It is the first and oldest Babies home in Uganda  and was founded in 1929.  It is a Christian organization and they care for up to 50 babies and toddlers between 1day old and 4 years. These children are all actual orphans having been found in the streets, garbage dumps, or just found by someone all alone.  I fell absolutely in love with these children.  As the lady was giving us a tour, I reached into a crib a pulled a baby into my arms and carried him throughout the rest of the facility.  He was the most beautiful precious baby boy.  He had just been circumcised, so I was carrying him around with a towel wrapped around his bottom.  His tried to hold on tight to my neck and just snuggled up into my arm.  They needed to take us somewhere else so I had to put him down and he cried so I stayed with him until he stopped.  We visited with the toddlers and played with them for a while but I snuck away and went back to my boy. I held on to him until the visiting time was over.  He cried and looked so sad when I placed him in his little bed and I kissed him and whispered, "This should never have to happen to a baby."  And I meant it.  I wish I could love on every sad or lonely child that exists on this planet.  I wish I could rock them and sing to them until they were no longer afraid.  I would if I could.

Good night my family and friends.  Those of you that can, tuck your children in tonight.  I wish I could.

For the word of The Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth.  He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the goodness of The Lord.   Psalm 33:4-5