A Week Review In Uganda

A week ago yesterday I landed safely at the Entebbe airport in Uganda, East Africa. From the moment I stepped off of the plane and the warm, night air of Uganda hit my face it was a welcome home to that little part deep within my heart that already was claimed by Africa long ago. I was given a very warm welcome by Uncle Godfrey and Aunt Betty who were waiting to pick me up and take me to the Rafiki Children’s Home.

Entebbe Airport, Uganda!

 I keep writing, and erasing what I have written. How does somebody even begin to describe in words what this past week has been like? It’s a rollercoaster of ups and downs, joyous times and heartbreak. But no matter what the circumstance God is ever faithful and has granted protection upon our little ones. 

I am getting used to the routine of how things work here at the children’s home. When I arrived we had 17 children staying here. Many days are filled with the day to day things of bathing children, walking the older ones to school, teaching and playing with the children, washing the constant flow of dishes and piles of laundry. Devotions and worship time with the children, story time, helping with homework and getting kids to bed. There are always little brown feet running across the floor and little ones wrapping their arms around you wanting you to hold them. It’s only been a week and they have already stolen my heart. 

My heart has been captured by tiny brown hands <3

  

Many days I have went with different staff members outside the walls for various different jobs. Several days Uncle Godfrey, Aunt Florence (who acts as our social worker) and I went out to visit and do follow ups on some of the different kids we have placed in homes with relatives and provide care and school fees for as needed. 

Brenda and Esther with Aunt Florence

 On Thursday we received a call… families of the five kids in our temporary care were found. Yesterday morning we loaded them up and went to the police station to place the children. We were going with the assumption that these kids had been abducted from their parents by the cult. Turns out when we got there that many of the parents of these five (plus the other 35 kids who were rescued and placed in other care) are actually involved in the cult. After several hours four of our little ones were placed with a parent, we will be doing follow ups with those families to make sure that the kids are provided for and not returned to the cult. We were able to keep little Rebecca with us as we could not place her with her father who is a leader in the cult. (I will write a more detailed blog post on this topic later on)

Jennifer, Rebecca, Sharifa, Jimmy and Bright

 Yesterday evening we went and saw the new Rafiki land that was recently purchased and is being renovated. That will eventually be Rafiki’s new home and future. It was really exciting to see where the plans for Rafiki are going. (Will also write a more detailed blog post about the plans and future with the land)

Working on the Rafiki entrance at the new land.

So that is a little overview on my first week here in Uganda. I am more certain then ever that I need to return. Lord willing when I return to America I will begin fundraising for returning to Uganda, perhaps for a longer time. Part of my heart belonged to Africa before I even stepped onto the red Ugandan soil, but now that I’ve been here… its stealing my heart a little more every day. I will attempt to write some more detailed blog posts as I have time to try and show you all what it’s really like but there’s no way you could ever really know unless you come here, hold the kids, breathe the air, see the desperation, watch God do miracles. So if you are interested in coming with me when I return let me know. Rafiki will definitely need some volunteers when construction time comes over at the new land as well as any other time of the year. 

So until next time, please continue in prayer for all of us here, for the staff and especially for the kiddos. Some of these little ones have been through more things in their short few years than anybody should in a lifetime. Please pray for protection and love upon the four little ones we placed yesterday and in desperate prayer for our little Rebecca as her situation has become more complicated. We need God’s protection upon her precious little life.

All my love from Uganda, ~Kriss Elise Beckman